Page 144 of Ace My Heart

He didn’t move to sit beside me, for which I was grateful. I was suddenly hyper-aware that underneath this thin and now see-through shirt I was completely naked. He stood to one side and peered at my shoulder with detached interest, like I was a medical specimen.

I glared up at him and felt the rude retort die in my throat.

In the moonlight the gash on his forehead looked much more dramatic. Conscious of the direction of my gaze, his hand went up and touched the wound. His mouth quirked wryly and he shrugged.

“Chicks dig scars, don’t they, Stink?” he asked me. I rolled my eyes, but the shudder in my breath gave away how even that throwaway comment cut me deep.

“You didn’t even come to see if I was okay,” I accused, dragging my eyes from him and staring out across the silvery, sleepy harbour.

“I wasn’t sure you’d want to see me.”

I pulled my knees up to my chest and wrapped my arms around them. “Could you not have just shown up anyway? If I didn’t want you there, I would have let you know.”

Joel chuckled humourlessly. “I’m sure you would have, Stinky.” I hazarded a glance his way. He was watching me with wary eyes.

“What happened the other night? Before I got there, I mean.” I leaned back against the seat and watched him expectantly. He sighed and looked down, scrubbing a hand across his jaw.

“Mum answered the door. I’d told her it was probably you. He held her at knife point and threatened to hurt her if I didn’t do what he said. He forced us downstairs and tied Mum up. He said he hadn’t wanted to get her involved, but … well, you heard the things he said when you got there.”

“Why did he hit you?”

Joel shrugged. “I argued with him. He didn’t like that. He didn’tlike that his reasons for doing it weren’t really …” Joel’s voice trailed off.

“Weren’t really what? What reasons?!” I demanded, gesturing with my left arm. I felt the burn and I gasped, letting my arm drop to my side.

Joel took a step towards me and then stopped. “Stink, your shoulder’s worse than you’re making it out to be, isn’t it?”

I could hear the concern in his voice and I looked away. “Don’t try to change the subject, Joel. What did you argue with him about?”

Joel heaved out a sigh. “He accused me of hurting you. Of misleading you. I disagreed.”

I couldn’t look at him. I didn’t want him to know that I thought Thomas might have been more right about that than Joel would like to admit.

“He said that you didn’t know what was good for you, that you keep making bad decisions. That you need a man who’ll treat you right, who’ll look after you the way a woman deserves to be looked after.”

I gagged at that. “What, did he think that would behim?” I asked incredulously.

“I don’t know, he wasn’t making much sense. All I know is that he definitely thinks that I’m not the right guy for you.”

I turned and faced the pool again, gritting my teeth to stop the tears from falling.

“And you told him that you weren’t hurting me and he hit you?” I clarified. Joel didn’t answer right away. I wanted to look at him, but I didn’t let myself. If I did, I wouldn’t be able to hold the tears back.

“Something like that. It’s all a bit blurry after that. I don’t remember anything until you were there.”

I felt his fingertips feather-light on my arm. I kept my chin high and my eyes focussed into the distance.

“Mel, if Iamhurting you, I’m really sorry,” Joel murmured. I took a few deep breaths.

“And I’m sorry that you got hurt because of me,” I replied through my teeth. “So, I guess we’re even then.”

I heard his frustrated sigh. “This little cut? It’s nothing. In a few weeks it’ll be nothing more than a great story to tell.”

I shrugged. “Well, I’m glad you’ll be able to get over it that easily.” I wasn’t talking about the scar anymore.

Joel was quiet for a long moment. “Is there something you want to say to me, Mel?” he finally asked. I dropped my chin to my chest then, because the tears were spilling now and I really didn’t want him to see me crying over him.

“There’s no point, Joel,” I replied bitterly.

---