Page 24 of The Coffee Bar on Camellia Court

The raw pain in his voice caught her off guard. Despite his slurred words, it was clear that he was suffering, and it had nothing to do with his ankle.

"I can't—can't do anything right," he continued, voice dropping to a whisper. "Don't deserve anything good anyway."

Juno considered what she'd learned recently—Jason's suicide, Alex's downward spiral, his pattern of dating women who wouldn't stay. He'd been sober for years, yet here he sat, drunk and despairing. This went deeper than just their broken relationship. Something significant must have triggered this relapse.

In the truck, Alex's head was lolling to one side, and he was barely able to keep his eyes open, even though she was no longer shining the light in them. She glanced at her watch. She didn't have the time or energy to take him home tonight. She had too much to do before she could crawl in bed already, and besides, she wasn't sure how smart it would be to leave him alone right now. Not only was he drunk, but he was in a bad frame of mind, too. With a deep sigh, Juno made up her mind.

"Come on," she said, opening the truck door. "You can't stay out here."

He looked up at her, confusion evident on his face. "What?"

"You're coming upstairs. To my place." She reached past him and took his keys from the ignition, then pocketed them. "You need to sleep this off, and I don't trust you enough to leave you alone."

Alex clutched the steering wheel with both hands. "I can sleep here. I won't go anywhere, I promise."

"You are not sleeping out here, you big lug. Now get out and let's go. I don't have all night." She took his elbow and gave it a little tug. "I still have to unload my car, and I'm too tired to fight, so please don't argue with me."

"But… why?" His voice cracked. "Why are you helping me?"

The question hung between them, heavy with their shared history, with all the hurt and misunderstandings and years of avoidance.

"Don't be ridiculous," she said, her tone brusque, but not unkind. "I'm not going to leave you sitting alone in an alley at midnight."

In spite of his attempt to cooperate, it took some effort to get him out of the truck. The walking boot made maneuvering awkward, and being intoxicated didn't help his balance any. By the time they made it up the flight of stairs to her apartment door, he was leaning heavily against her, muttering apologies with each step.

Her home was small but welcoming—a cozy living room connected to an open kitchen, with her bedroom and bath down a short hallway. She guided him to her sofa, where he collapsed with a groan.

"Stay here," she ordered, though he looked incapable of anything else. She returned shortly with a pillow and blanket, as well as the trash can from her bathroom. "If you need to puke and can't make it to the bathroom," she said, setting it on the floor beside him, then pointed down the little hall. "There is a toothbrush and toothpaste on the bathroom counter for you, and I'll get you a water glass, too." He sat there swaying slightly side-to-side, shoulders hunched, chin almost resting on his chest. "I need to go unload a trunk full of groceries. Are you going to be okay while I'm downstairs for the next several minutes?"

Alex nodded slowly. "D'you need any help?"

Juno bit back a laugh. "I'll be fine. Will you?"

"I'll be fine," he assured her. "Sorry."

"Don't be sorry. Be safe." The words came out before she could stop them. On more than one occasion, she'd said the exact same thing to him back in high school. He used to scare her to death with his driving, and when she'd get upset, he'd apologize, and then she'd tell him, "Don't be sorry. Be safe. I don't want to lose you."

Alex held her gaze for a long moment. He was remembering, too. Finally, just like he'd responded back then, he said, "I promise."

When she returned about fifteen minutes later, Alex was stretched out on the sofa, one arm draped over his eyes, the blanket spread haphazardly over him. His booted foot was propped up on one armrest, the other foot planted firmly on the floor, like he was bracing himself for whatever else that might come his way. Juno thought he was asleep, but when she straightened the blanket over his feet, he blinked slowly, focusing his bleary gaze on her.

"Hey," he said as she straightened and took a step back. "I'm sorry. You don't need this."

"No, I don't," she agreed, picking up his nearly-empty water glass and taking it into the kitchen to refill it. "But here we are."

She returned with the glass and set it within reach on the end table near his head. "I hope you don't end up with a crick in your neck. That couch isn't long enough for you, is it?" She eyed his foot on the floor.

Alex gave her a sloppy grin and his eyelids drifted closed again. "If I lift my foot off the floor, everything gets all…" His words trailed off, but he lifted a finger and made a circular motion.

She should go to bed. It was so late, and right now, they both needed sleep. But she also needed answers, and since he was still awake, she'd ask. Come morning, he might have second thoughts about talking, or if nothing else, regrets, and she'd be lucky to get anything out of him except more apologies.

"What happened, Alex?" she asked, sitting on the edge of a chair close by. "Why are you here?"

He didn't open his eyes, but she could see the muscles of his jaw working. Finally, he ground out, "I really messed up."

"What does that mean?" she asked, trying to keep her voice gentle. "I'm not angry that you're here, if that's what you're worried about. In fact, I'm glad you're safe."

Alex didn't speak for so long that she thought he'd fallen asleep. She started to get to her feet.

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