“Aww, Teddy Bear, you love it when people are mean to you.” Sydney walked over to him and wrapped an arm around his waist.
His eyes met mine for just a second, but I quickly looked away.
“Do I need to carry you?” she teased, batting her eyelashes at him. “Oh, you could hop on my back for a ride.”
“Shut up.” He kissed the side of her head. “Thanks for coming.”
Watching them, I felt an ache deep in my chest. I longed for a family, for someone to call my own. They didn’t get along with their parents, but the love between them was so obvious. No conditions, no judgments—just pure, simple affection.
Sydney poked his side, and he released her, allowing her to turn back to me. “Thanks again, Frankie. I know it must’ve been annoying having him in your house. I have the weekend off, soI’m going to stay with him and Guardian for a couple of days. He won’t cause you any more trouble.”
“I’m not that bad,” Teddy grumbled.
Sydney and I shared a look and both laughed.
“I hate women,” he muttered as he shoved his feet into his sneakers and headed out.
“We both know that’s not true,” Sydney called after him. Rolling her eyes at me, she reached out for one last hug.
This time, I managed an awkward pat on her back.
Once the door shut behind her, I could finally breathe again. But now, my house felt too quiet, too large, empty, and cavernous. I walked into the living room and stared at the puzzle we’d just spent an hour working on. It was much further along now after Teddy showed off his surprising puzzle skills.
I turned around, returning to the hall, where my phone still dangled from its charging cord after Teddy’s fight with Travis. That felt like it happened a million years ago, but the ache at the top of my cheek told me it was still very recent.
I unplugged my phone and tapped the name of the one person who wouldn’t judge me, the one person who wouldn’t tell me how much of an idiot I was.
Shai answered on the second ring. “Hello?”
“I just almost made a colossal fucking mistake.”
CHAPTER TWELVE
TEDDY
"Rise and shine, Teddy Bear!" The piercing voice jolted me awake, prompting a pillow to fly in the general direction of the door. Sydney chuckled. "Better hope your aim with a puck is sharper, bro, or we're having a serious career talk."
All I could manage was a grumble. Sydney bounced onto the bed, kneeling beside me.
"What was that? Couldn't quite catch it." I knew her well enough to picture the grin on her face without even looking.
"You're enjoying this," I muttered, turning to face her.
"Maybe just a little. I promised to take care of you this weekend, which means feeding you."
"You cooked?"
"God, no. You think I'm trying to poison you?" She leaned closer, her eyes crinkling at the corners. Blond hair spilled over an oversized aqua Sharks sweatshirt.
"Bagels."
Now that sounded promising. When we were home, Rowan usually made us healthy stuff in the mornings—omelets with greens, smoothies packed with leafy things. Basically, a lot of green that shouldn't go anywhere near my mouth.
Groaning, I sat up, assessing how I felt. No headache. Minimal dizziness. Just bone-deep exhaustion.
"And you're not going to dictate what I eat?"
She smirked. "Ted, you're thirty-two. If anyone's telling you what to eat, we've got a problem." A laugh escaped her. "Rowan's just bossy. He's got Ryder thinking he's the coach too."
