Sugar and Spice_ An L.A. Candy Novel - Lauren Conrad [32]
Jane wasn’t sure what to expect when she reached Jesse’s private room at the hospital. She’d managed to avoid the paparazzi outside, thanks to Caleb, who had arranged for a hospital resident friend of Naveen’s to sneak them through a side entrance. Caleb was now sitting in a lounge, watching the end of the Dodgers game. He’d told Jane to take all the time she needed. He was being so sweet and helpful; she was really glad he had insisted on coming along.
Jane paused outside Jesse’s door and knocked lightly. A nurse opened it a moment later. “Yes?”
“I’m here to . . . I’m a friend of Jesse’s, and I was wondering if I could see him?” Jane said.
“I’m sorry, I’m not supposed to let anyone in this room.”
“It’s fine, I know her,” came Jesse’s voice from inside the room, so quiet that it was barely recognizable.
The nurse nodded and moved aside to let Jane in, then left, closing the door behind her. Jane stood there for a second, trying to get her bearings in the small, depressing room.
Jesse was lying in a narrow bed, his left arm hooked up to an IV line. His face and what she could see of his body were covered with purple bruises, gauze bandages, and blots of brown iodine. His right eye was puffy and swollen, as though he’d been in a fistfight.
“Hey, Jane.” He sounded so weak.
“Jesse.” She went to his side. “Are you all right? How do you feel? What did the doctors say?”
“That I’m an idiot,” Jesse joked wanly.
“Yeah, well, you are.” Jane reached over and squeezed his hand. He winced in pain. “Oh! I’m sorry, I didn’t—”
“That’s okay. Everything kinda hurts right now. No broken bones, though, so that’s good, right?”
“Right.”
Jesse stared at her, his light brown eyes full of sadness. Jane hadn’t seen him in nearly two months, since he sort-of crashed a Valentine’s Day party at the Thompson Hotel that she’d organized for one of Fiona’s top clients. Jane had broken up with him the week before, after he had gotten wasted and abusive one too many times.
She tried to remember what it felt like to be in love with him. She tried to remember what it felt like to be America’s “It” couple, photographed at the most glamorous restaurants and clubs in Hollywood. She tried to remember what it felt like the night he gave her a beautiful silver bracelet, with a heart-shaped charm inscribed JESSE + JANE 4EVER.
But at the moment, all she could remember were the bad times, like being home alone at 3 a.m., wondering if he was passed out in a bar somewhere . . . or with another girl . . . or behind the wheel of a car. The bracelet, which had felt so special at the time, was gathering dust in a drawer she had for crap she didn’t need anymore but couldn’t bring herself to throw away.
“So . . . what happened?” Jane asked.
Jesse shrugged. “Same old stupid bullshit. I had too much to drink, and the next thing I know, my Rover’s practically flipping over on the freeway. No one got hurt,” he added quickly. “Except, uh, yours truly.”
“You’re lucky it wasn’t way worse.”
“Yeah. I know.” Jesse took a deep breath. “Listen. I’m glad you’re here because I’ve been wanting to . . . anyway, I can’t even begin to apologize for everything I put you through. I know I was an asshole, and you were totally right to break up with me. The thing is . . . this accident was a major wake-up call, and I’m gonna get help. I’m going to change. And I was wondering . . . well . . .” He hesitated, and his fingers curled around hers. “Do you think I still have a chance with you?”
Jane looked away. What was she supposed to say? There was no way in a million years she would ever get back together with him. She had learned her lesson about him—about all guys like him—the hard way.
But what if Trevor was right? What if she needed to tell Jesse what he wanted to hear so he could be motivated to get help? What if making Jesse think he had a chance with her was the only way to get him back on track?
“Why don’t we talk about it