I walked down the street, tears clinging to my eyelashes as I shivered in the cool night breeze. My luck had struck again and attacked the most wonderful guy I’d ever met.

I wanted to scream. This was all my fault. I knew better than to risk dating someone and now I’d completely ruined Tyler’s life.

Only someone with my luck could get a parked car totaled. I guess the real cause would be the drunk idiot cruising around the parking lot, but my curse was what made him pick Cappelli’s lot in the first place.

I couldn’t bring myself to face Tyler after that. I mean how could I? He’d scoffed at the idea of bad luck and it destroyed his brand new Charger.

I’d be damned if that didn’t have Emma Ross written all over it. I’d tried to make him understand, but no, he’d been way too charming for his own good. He’d broken through my walls and what had it got us?

Nothing but trouble.

I’d slipped out of the restaurant while Tyler was dealing with the police and insurance companies. He didn’t need any more trouble than what I’d already brought him. It was safer if I disappeared into the night, free from any romantic entanglements that might cause more damage.

My heels clicked loudly against the cement as I hurried down the sidewalk, putting as much distance between Cappelli’s and myself as I could. A bubble bath and a glass of wine were calling my name and it was all I could do to keep from running down the street.

I needed the soothing numbness only those things could provide me. The shame of what I’d done was too much to bear and I needed to dull the edges.

“Are you okay?” somebody asked as I hurried past.

I frowned, glancing over my shoulder at the guy standing there. Great. Why couldn’t this night leave me alone? “I’m fine,” I lied, picking up my pace.

“Are you sure?” he asked, following along behind me. “You don’t look okay.”

“Everything’s fine,” I snapped, wondering where a taxi was when I needed one.

“Oh, okay,” he called, taking the hint. “I was only trying to help.”

I sighed, stopping. My grandmother had raised me to be polite. She would be appalled to hear the way I’d snapped at the guy. A guy who was only trying to help.

I turned around to apologize, but the guy was gone, disappeared back into the crowd on the street.

Not only was I bad luck, now I was rude on top of it. Maybe I did deserve the curse after all.

I dug around in my purse and grabbed my cell phone out as soon as I felt its smooth glass surface under my fingers. I was cold, tired, and miserable. The last thing I really wanted was to trudge home through the city in heels that were killing my feet.

I needed to suck it up and call my best friend and roommate, Katie, in defeat.

I sighed as the phone rang. They say great minds think alike and at that moment it was true. Katie’s name flashed across the screen as the phone vibrated in my hand.

“It’s happening again, Katie,” I told her, my words rushing out as I answered the phone. “I ran away this time, though.”

“That doesn’t matter,” Katie said, cutting me off. “Where are you?”

“I don’t know,” I said, looking around at the people and places. “Downtown, I guess.”

“I’m on my way,” she said as I heard the rev of an engine in the background. “We have to hurry. Your grandmother’s in the hospital.”

© 2020 Melissa L. Webb