Page 49 of Missing Pieces (Men of Manhattan 3)

"Don't worry, I handled it."

I laughed. "Handled it? What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means I created a mystery for her. Now she's dying to talk to you again."

"What mystery?"

"I dropped the bomb about your accident. And how much you lost."

I shook my head. "That's not exactly a story that fixes the fact that she hates me. I doubt she cares anyway."

"Oh no, she definitely took the bait. You owe me one."

"I don't want her pity." Josh had always been good at playing the game. But I didn't want to play Hailey. Really, I just needed to keep it in my pants and drop her off in Pasadena and forget. Trying to make it more than that was just going to hurt both of us.

"Take what you can get, man," he said and clapped me on the back. "Anything else you need before you head out?"

"No, I'm good. Thanks for letting us crash here."

"Well, there is one thing you can do for me."

I laughed. "I didn't say I owed you one."

"

But I say you do. I just fixed your relationship with Hailey plus I didn't let you sleep on the street last night. And I didn't get upset about you banging Melissa."

"Yeah, maybe I do owe you one. Or a few."

Josh smiled. "Then come work for me when you get out. It'll be just like old times."

"I might just take you up on that."

"Take him up on what?" Hailey said as she walked into the room.

"I was just offering your friend a job," Josh said.

"Oh?" She glanced at me and then immediately looked away. "Well, thanks for letting us stay here, Josh. I really appreciate it." She gave him what I thought was a pretty awkward hug. Maybe she was regretting being all over him last night at dinner. Thinking about it again made me feel sick to my stomach.

"Don't mention it," Josh said. "It was great meeting you."

"You too." She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "You ready?" she said to me without really looking at me.

"Yeah. It was great seeing you, Josh." I gave him a much less awkward hug.

"How about you don't wait over a year to talk to me next time?" he said as we all walked toward the door.

"I won't. Maybe I'll come visit you again soon too," I said. And I meant it. Out of everyone I know, Josh lived closest to the base.

"I'm holding you to that!" he yelled after me.

Hailey and I were both silent as we got into the car. I was pretty sure that's how it was going to be the rest of the way to Pasadena. As long as I didn't look at her. Because whenever I did that, I just wanted to rip all her clothes off again. I started the ignition and waved goodbye to Josh. In three years, I probably would take him up on his offer. Hopefully I'd make it till then.

"I'm sorry about last night," Hailey said as soon as I pulled onto the road.

I glanced at her out of the corner of my eye. "You don't have anything to apologize for."

"No, I do."

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