We’re quiet for a beat and it’s so goddamn uncomfortable that I have to fill the silence. “Did you get any news on Reed last night?” I ask, fidgeting with a fray in my jeans.
Easton’s silence draws my attention and he frowns, tugging his cap lower on his brow. “No more than the usual. He’s stable and will wake up when he’s ready.”
“That’s good though. Right? His body is healing. I bet he wakes up today.”
“Here’s hoping. How are you doing?”
My eyes widen and I actually peer over my shoulder to check if he’s talking to someone behind me, to which he chuckles. “Yes, I mean you.”
“Wow.”
“Don’t push your luck. You saved Reed and Hayley. And since we’re the only ones here, I’ll admit, you might have saved me too.”
“I what?” This time my jaw drops as I stare at him in shock. He has every right to hate me. I slept with his girlfriend. His now ex, but still…
“I’m going to say this once.” He holds a finger up in case I need clarification for what “once” really means. “If you tell anyone what I’m about to say, I’ll deny it. But if you hadn’t fucked Macy, I may never have found Paige.”
Wow. “So, I did you a favor?” I bite back a smirk as frustration crosses his face.
“I’ll repeat… Don’t. Push. Your. Luck.”
“Noted.” I raise my hands in the air, my cockiness lingering. “Does that mean you’re going to be nicer to me?” I ask because I’m incapable of letting things go. It’s a curse.
He glares my way and I smile. “After today? Nope. But you can have the next twenty-four hours. You’re still too cocky for my liking.”
I grin, accepting the reprieve, while inside I’m still reeling from everything that’s going on. If only he knew it was all a front. If only any of them knew. But no one ever took the time to get to know me. I fucked up with Easton. I get that. But my teammates chose sides without bothering to ask me any questions. Except maybe Reed.
Easton’s phone rings and I take the opportunity to close my eyes, hoping it will stop him from talking to me again. But when he says, “Yeah, I’m here. I’ll see you in a minute,” I groan.
Sitting up, I run a hand down my face and accept the inevitable. More of the guys are coming, and there’s no chance they’re going to let me rest.
A couple of hours pass with the guys trying hard to include me in conversations, and I’m almost at my limit of fake niceties, when Luke announces that Reed’s finally awake.
The relief that escapes me is so freeing I’m genuinely shocked. I hadn’t realized I was holding on to so much tension.
He’s okay.
It wasn’t all for nothing.
“Do you want to go in first?” Luke asks me and I shake my head. I’m not ready for that. I wanted to be here until he woke up, but seeing him and Hayley is an entirely different story. I’m not sure I can relive what happened without spiraling back to the events of my past, especially knowing that Blair’s here, somewhere, and likely avoiding me.
“Give him some time with Hayley,” Thomas is quick to say before Luke can comment, and I can’t tell if he’s trying to help me or genuinely thinks that’s what’s best. Either way I’ll take it.
As do my teammates, and when they all settle back into their general chitchat, I jump up, suddenly in need of a walk.
Keeley calls out, undoubtedly checking if I’m okay, but I wave her off. The answer is way more complicated than she could possibly imagine, and I don’t have the headspace to explain.
With an emptiness taking over me, I wander the halls, and though I’d prefer not to think about it, my conversation with Blair comes back to mind.
She moved on. She’s living with someone else. And while I never expected her to stay loyal to me after everything we went through, I also never stopped to think about how I’d feel when faced with that reality.
Especially when I’m not convinced she’s happy.
Sure, she said she was, but she’s obviously forgotten how well I know her. It may have been years since I last saw her, but I’ve known her since she was born.
I remember every one of her tells.
Like the way she always looks down, brushing her hair behind her ear when she’s shy.
