Page 77 of Designed for Disaster

Sold him out, my ass!

God! I worked hard for every single thing I had, even when that meant juggling three part-time jobs. As if I’d accept money from hismotherof all people to stab him in the back! As if I’d ever do that to anyone, much less someone I—well, someone I cared for as much as I’d cared for him.

My hand tightened around the jigsaw, the vibrations shooting up my arm as my teeth clenched. I couldn’t believe him! I couldn’t believe this was my life. I stopped the jigsaw, staring down at the work-in-progress bookcase that was destined for Nana Dee. Or, at least, it had been. I had no idea if Trent even still wanted meto complete this furniture order, despite how much Dee might want it. Frankly, there was a big part of me that wanted to abandon the project altogether. But I didn’t want to be accused of taking more money or materials or handouts from this family, so it was probably best I finished the order. I could arrange for an outside company to transport it to Dee’s, and then I’d never have to have anything to do with the Saunders family again.

My heart beat uncomfortably in my chest, echoing the thump of the bass. The thought of letting them go—Trent and Dee and this future I’d started to envision for myself—sucked more than I wanted to admit. I’d set myself up to get hurt, and there was no one to blame except myself. But I’d been through this kind of heartbreak before and had managed to pick myself up. I could do it again. I didn’t need Trent. I was fine on my own.

Right?

Something cut through the sound of the bass, and I realized my phone was ringing. My first thought was that it might be Trent, and my heart lurched with a sliver of hope before I could remind myself thathe’dtold me he never wanted to see me again.

I turned the volume down on the music and crossed through my workshop to grab my phone, frowning at the caller ID.

“Hi, Jimmy?” I said, confusion bleeding through me. Why the hell would Trent’s little brother be calling me? Unless he wanted to curse me out like Trent had. I winced, half expecting him to launch into a tirade. I really wasn’t in the mood to be berated by another Saunders today.

“Natasha?” a trembling voice replied. “Hey, uh…hi. Do you think you can come get me?”

Okay, what? That sounded like a horrible idea. And get him from where? What was going on? “I don’t know if that’s?—”

“P-please,” he stammered, sounding incredibly upset.

I started getting worried. Why was Jimmy crying in the middle of a weekday afternoon? “Are you okay?” I asked.

“Pleasecome get me,” he straight-up begged.

I rubbed at my forehead. “Jimmy, what’s going on?”

“I was trying to get into the city,” he said, talking a mile a minute, “and I hitched a ride as far as…Fuck, where am I? I don’t even know…Shit!Shit, shit, shit!” He took a ragged breath. “Natasha?—”

“Okay,” I said, deciding this wasn’t the time to get answers. He wasn’t making any sense and obviously getting more upset by the second. I still wasn’t sure what had him so worked up, but it was clear that trying to get information from him right now was only making things worse. “Just breathe.”

“I’m sorry for bothering you, but I didn’t know what else to do.”

“Hey, none of that. You’re not a bother. Definitely not.” I still had no idea what was going on, but I wasn’t going to let him tear himself up over it, whatever it was. Now was the time for support. And I didn’t know how else to support him other than to go and get him. “Can you send me a pin with your location?”

“Yeah,” he sobbed. “A pin. I…I can do that.”

A moment later, a text came through with his location. “Perfect. That’s great, Jimmy. I’m on my way. Just stay put.” He agreed not to move, and I hung up, whipping around the workshop to find my house keys and my purse. I was well aware of how ironicthis was—Trent breaks my heart, and now I was rushing off to rescue his little brother. But even though I might be furious with Trent for the things he’d said, Jimmy was a sweet kid who needed help, and I’d made him a promise that I’d be there for him. I wasn’t going to be someone he couldn’t trust.

I locked up the workshop and darted across the street to the neighbors’, knocking repeatedly until a woman answered.

“Hi, Myra!” I said, more out of breath than I’d realized.

“Natasha! You look frantic. Are you okay?”

I was friendly-ish with Myra and her husband, Rick. They’d commissioned a new kitchen table from me last year and had been thrilled with what I’d delivered. Hopefully, that would give me enough leeway to get away with what I was about to ask.

“I have a big favor to ask. Do you think I could borrow your car? It’s a bit of an emergency.”

“Well, sure,” Myra said, jumping into action. “Of course. Let me grab the keys.” She hurried into the house and returned with a key ring strung over her finger. “Rick just filled up on gas, so it should be good to get you wherever you need to go.”

“Thank you!” I said, already backing down the steps. “I’ll return it with a full tank! Promise.”

Myra waved me off. “Don’t worry about it.”

I unlocked the car, hopped in, and plugged Jimmy’s location into my phone, heading out of the city.

I found him on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere halfway between Princeton and New York. He didn’t even have a jacket on.Jimmy, what the hell were you thinking?

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