Chapter Thirteen Jasmine
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Jasmine
I was sobbing so hard I could barely breathe, my chest heaving as if I’d just run a marathon in a hurricane, which I practically had.
I couldn’t remember the last time I’d cried like this—messy, unrelenting, and completely unhinged.
My body was soaked, my clothes clinging to me like an unwanted second skin.
My toes had gone numb, and persistent shivering had set in, but I couldn’t bring myself to do the simplest thing, like changing into something dry.
Instead, I slid under the covers, curling into the tightest ball I could manage.
My sobs eventually dwindled to whimpers, then sniffles, until my body, exhausted from the emotional purge, grew warm under the blankets.
My eyelids grew heavy, and I drifted off to sleep, clinging to the faint hope that I’d wake up and discover this entire morning had been a terrible dream.
The pounding in my head was the first thing I noticed when I woke up.
It was relentless, like a marching band had taken up residence in my skull.
I groaned and tried to bury my face deeper into the pillow, but it was no use.
My alarm hadn’t gone off—mostly because I hadn’t bothered to plug my phone in to charge.
When I finally peeled the covers back, the cold air hit my damp clothes, and I realized just how gross I felt.
After what had to be one of the worst days of my life—which included an argument with my mother, losing Tora, and getting yelled at by Derek—I’d crawled into bed fully clothed and cried myself into oblivion.
Apparently, I’d slept so deeply that I’d skipped dinner, breakfast, and any shred of dignity I might’ve had left. Even now I had no appetite.
I’d seen Derek’s temper before. Most of the time, he was Mr. Cool, Calm, and Collected, but when he was pushed, his fiery side came out.
The thing was, his rage had always been directed at people who deserved it—his brother, CJ, being an ass, or someone trying to push his buttons because he seemed like an easy target.
It had never been directed at me. Until now.
Twice. In barely less than three weeks.
The difference was, this time, I deserved it.
I’d never been much of an animal person.
As an only child, I’d begged my mother for a pet for years, only to be told that dogs and cats were too messy.
(Her current status as a doting mother to three Pomeranians suggested a change of heart.) Despite my lack of experience, something about Tora had been different.
First of all, he was beautiful. I’d never seen a dog like him before, with his sleek coat and intelligent eyes.
And even though he was huge, he had a sweetness about him that was hard to resist—unlike his owner.
From the moment he’d attached himself to me, it had just felt right, like he’d always been mine.
When Derek told David and Eleanor that Tora didn’t like strangers, my heart swelled.
I’d joked about being married to Tora, but the truth was, he made this whole bizarre situation more bearable.
When Derek and I were at odds, at least I knew there was someone in the apartment who was on my side.
When I’d realized Tora was missing, I’d been heartbroken and determined not to come back without him.
My reaction to losing him had been partly guilt, but it had also been fear of facing Derek.
He’d been so worried when I’d come back from our walk Sunday morning, and once again, I’d forgotten to leave a note letting him know I’d taken Tora.
I couldn’t imagine how he must have felt getting that call from David.
My eyes prickled with fresh tears just thinking about it.
Of course Derek was furious with me.
How could he not be?
First he thought I’d stolen his project. Then I’d lost his dog. If I were in his shoes, I’d probably feel the same way.
At least it solved the problem of my conflicting feelings about Derek. Whatever romanticized notions I’d entertained over the past few days were officially dead. This was why catching feelings for Derek Carter was a terrible idea. I needed to shift my focus back to the project and keep it there.
Getting out of bed was harder than I expected.
My body felt like it had been hit by a truck, probably because I’d gone over twenty-four hours without food and cried myself into dehydration.
My hand hovered on the doorknob, my heart racing.
The fact that I’d slept in wet workout clothes and my hair resembled a tangled bird’s nest weren’t the only reasons I was dreading stepping out of the room.
I wasn’t sure I was ready to face Derek.
It was Tora who greeted me first when I opened the bedroom door.
He trotted over, his tail wagging furiously, and sniffed my hand before giving it a reassuring lick.
I patted his head and managed a weak smile as I shuffled toward the kitchen.
My stomach flipped when I saw Derek sitting at the table.
He was dressed in a T-shirt and sweatpants, his hands wrapped around a coffee mug that no longer steamed.
He looked deep in thought, his brows furrowed in a way that made my chest tighten.
He startled when he saw me and quickly stood.
“Jasmine,” he said, his voice tinged with surprise. “You don’t look so good.”
“Are you kidding me?” I snapped, my voice louder than I’d intended. The sudden outburst made my head pound. “I ‘don’t look so good’?”
“Jasmine, I didn’t mean—” he started, but I cut him off.
“Of course I don’t look good, Derek! I spent an entire day wandering around this town in the pouring rain, screaming my lungs out, before spending the night crying my eyes out. I feel like trash, so it would stand to reason that I look like trash, too. Thanks for pointing that out.”
I turned on my heel, intending to make a dramatic exit, but the universe had other plans. The room tilted, my knees buckled, and I had to grab the counter to steady myself.
“Hey, are you—What the hell, you’re burning up!” Derek’s hands were on me before I could protest, one wrapping around my waist while the other pressed against my forehead. His touch was warm and steadying, and for a moment, I hated how much I wanted to lean into him.
“Jasmine, you really don’t look well,” he said, his voice softer now, filled with concern.
That was the last straw. I whipped around, ready to give him a piece of my mind, but the effort was too much. The world spun, my vision blurred, and I felt myself sinking. The last thing I heard before everything went black was Tora’s frantic barking and Derek calling my name.