Page 23 of Fixing Hearts

Facing Jo, Evelyn studied her carefully.

Jo’s voice was steady, her expression open.

She wasn’t flustered and wasn’t scrambling for excuses.

She was telling the truth, and Evelyn believed her.

Yet, that cold feeling didn’t go away, because the reality was, she hadn’t realized until tonight how much she didn’t know Jo.

Not fully , she thought. Not yet . Jo leaned in slightly, lowering her voice so only Evelyn could hear.

“I missed you,” she admitted, her brown eyes searching Evelyn’s face.

“I was hoping to see you tonight. Somehow.”

Something in Evelyn softened, but she forced herself to stay steady. The truth of the situation had finally come to her, and she knew whatever was happening between them was moving too fast. She set her drink down, exhaling slowly. “Jo,” she said carefully, and Jo straightened.

“Yeah?”

Hesitating for a moment, Evelyn saw the hope in Jo’s eyes, the way she waited for Evelyn to say something as if to make everything okay. But Evelyn wasn’t sure she could do that, or at least not tonight. “I think I’m gonna head home,” she finally said.

Blinking with surprise, Jo clearly was not expecting that answer. “Oh,” she said. “Okay.” The woman hesitated for only a second before stepping closer and dropping her voice. “Do you want me to come with you?”

Evelyn’s stomach flipped, but she shook her head. “No,” she said gently. “Not tonight.”

Jo’s expression flickered with something. Frustration? Evelyn wondered. Or disappointment ? Still, she didn’t push.

Instead, Jo nodded slowly. “All right,” she said. “I’ll call you a little later?”

“Yeah,” Evelyn said with a small smile. “I’d like that.” She slid off the barstool, grabbed her purse to get money to pay.

Clearly recognizing what Evelyn was doing, Jo waved her off. “I got it,” she said. “My way to say sorry for the confusion.”

Biting her lip, Evelyn hesitated before nodding. “Thank you,” she said and turned to leave. As she walked away, she felt Jo’s eyes on her, and although it took all her strength, she didn’t turn back.

Exhaling slowly, Jo stared at the spot where Evelyn had sat a moment ago.

She left , Jo thought. She actually walked out and left me standing here.

Jo wasn’t sure why that fact rattled her so much.

It wasn’t like Evelyn had stormed out or made a scene.

She had been calm, polite. Too polite . Somehow, that was worse because Jo knew when someone was putting up a wall, and Evelyn just locked herself behind one.

“Shit,” Jo muttered, rubbing a hand over her face.

Beside her, Carly let out a low whistle. “Well, that didn’t go great,” she said, and Jo shot her a look.

“Thanks for the insight.”

Carly held up her hands. “Hey, I didn’t mean to cause problems,” she said. “I didn’t realize you were involved with someone.”

Taking a deep breath, Jo shook her head. “We’re not—” She stopped. What are we? Involved? Definitely more than friends, she thought before exhaling. “It’s complicated.”

“Isn’t it always?” Carly said with a snort, but Jo didn’t answer. She was too busy replaying the look on Evelyn’s face. That perfectly neutral expression. I’m pretty sure she believed me, she thought. But it wasn’t enough to keep her there . It was a gut punch in a way Jo wasn’t used to.

A familiar voice cut through her thoughts. “Well,” Mica said, stepping up beside her with a smug look. “That was painful to watch.”

Clenching her jaw, she turned to her friend. “Yeah?” she said with a hiss.

“I mean,” Mica continued, clearly enjoying herself. “That was textbook bad timing. I could practically hear the sad trombone sound effect.”

Jo gave her a glare. “That’s not helping.”

Mica snorted, taking a sip of her drink. “Oh, come on,” she said. “It’s a little funny.”

“It’s not funny,” Jo snapped.

“Jo, chill out,” Mica said. “Just text her in the morning, explain again, and—”

Narrowing her eyes, Jo glared at Mica. “I don’t need you telling me what to do,” Jo growled, and Mica blinked, clearly surprised by Jo’s tone.

Taking a deep breath and closing her eyes, Jo tried to steady herself, but the frustration was boiling over.

The teasing, the way the night had gone completely sideways, the way Evelyn had walked away like Jo wasn’t worth the effort, hit her all at once.

“You know what?” Jo’s voice was low and tight.

“If you can’t drop it, maybe you should find another job. ”

For a beat, Mica didn’t say a word. “Whoa,” she said softly, and even Carly looked taken aback.

Jo immediately regretted being so harsh.

The words had come out too fast. Mica was her friend, and she loved working together, but she could be as annoying as hell, and Jo didn’t want to hear it.

Mica studied her for a beat, then shook her head.

“You’re pissed because you actually care about this one,” she said. “And that’s freaking you out.”

Jo didn’t answer because Mica wasn’t wrong, and after a long pause, Jo exhaled. “I’m sorry,” she said, meeting Mica’s eyes. “That was shitty of me.”

Sipping her drink, Mica nodded. “Yeah, it was,” she said, and Jo let out a short laugh.

“You gonna make me grovel?”

“Nah. I’ll let it slide this time,” Mica replied with a grin. “But only because I know you’re in emotional distress.”

Jo snorted a laugh and felt the tension ease slightly. “Thanks,” she said, and Mica bumped her shoulder.

“You’re welcome.”

Shaking her head, Jo managed to smile as Jess called over from the bar. “Your phone’s got some charge now.”

“Thanks,” Jo said, taking her phone. Turning it on, she watched the screen flicker to life.

One notification. A missed text from Evelyn.

Jo’s chest tightened, but she hesitated for only a second before opening a new message.

“I miss you,” Jo wrote. “I’m sorry about the misunderstanding.

Can we talk?” She hovered her thumb over the send button, but before she could press it, her phone rang.

It was local, but an unfamiliar number. Frowning, she answered. “Hello?”

“Is this Jo Fuller?” a deep, authoritative voice said.

Jo’s stomach dropped. “Yeah,” she answered.

“This is Officer Reynolds with the Portland Police Department.” Jo’s grip on the phone tightened. “We’re calling because your auto shop was broken into tonight.”