GEMMA
I wincedas I opened my eyes.
My head was pounding, my body was stiff and sore, and I was dreading getting out of bed. But as the sunlight shone through the blinds, I knew what I needed to do.
It was time to go toNo Surrender.
I’d been there plenty of times. Hell, I used to work there. But this was different. I was going in there as a client, a friend, not that the guys would let me pay them.
Because it was past damn time I asked for help.
I’d had too much pride before. I had a feeling my friends weren't going to let me hear the end of how stupid that was. Of course, they would do anything to help me, but they may be just a tad bit pissed at my mile-wide stubborn streak.
I shook my head side to side on the pillow disgusted with myself and moaned at the throbbing in my temples. Deciding a few more minutes in bed wouldn’t hurt, I reached for my phone on the bedside table to check the messages and then curled back under the covers.
Putting the phone to my ear, I pressed the button to let the voicemails play and cringed at the concerned voices of my friends. I should have called them back last night. After listening, I checked out the text messages.
One, in particular, made my heart race.
I’d known Bodie had my number from when he and I had to help watch our friends’ kids when things went south for Ruby months ago. But the man had never ended up needing to call or text. I thought about that time I had been in his presence and remembered thinking how amazing he was with the kids.
A quality that was very sexy.
I sighed.
I didnotneed to be thinking of Bodie or sexy in the same thought…but I had to admit it was extremely hard not to. Guys were off limits because I obviously made bad decisions when it came to them. The one time I gave it a good old college try, I failed miserably in my choice.
But Brett was more of an asshole, whereas Bodie was a real man. I almost shook my head again at my ridiculous thinking but remembered how bad it hurt the last time and stopped myself before I inflicted more pain on my already aching body.
My eyes scanned the message again and I couldn’t help the flutter in my belly.
Bodie:You’ve probably got a message from every one of your friends, but I’m worried about you too. Whatever is going on, I’d like to help. If you need something, call me.
I stared at the message, touched that he took the time to reach out and was willing to help. I also realized that when he said,Whatever is going on,he didn’t believe that I was sick.
It wouldn’t be long before I confirmed his, and I was sure everyone else’s, suspicions. That was if I could manage to haul myself out of bed.
* * *
I was dragging my feet.
I’d made it to the parking lot but couldn’t seem to make myself get out of the car. Grabbing my phone, I flipped through the songs on my Spotify playlists to find a song that would inspire me to get my ass in gear.
Seconds later,Fight Songby Rachel Platten blared through the speakers of my Jetta. The car I’d purchased with the money I’d received on my twenty-first birthday.Stop it, don’t go there.I couldn’t think about that right now or the inspiration I was seeking would remain out of reach.
As I sang along with the song, I found the strength I was looking for and after the song came to an end, I got out of the car.
I can do this.
Shoulders back, I marched to the door and pulled it open.
Patience, the shy, sweet girl who’d taken over for Teal was at the desk in the lobby area. She was coming out of her shell more around our group and working atNo Surrender,but there was more to her story I didn’t think anyone but Jett knew. Though, now that Jett wasn’t around, she seemed sad. However, when she saw me she smiled, but as I got closer, she gasped.
I should have covered up the marks, but that wasn’t the point of this visit.
“Oh my gosh, Gemma, are you okay?”
Her concern was genuine and nice, but I didn’t want to get into it all right there. “I’ll be okay. Is Braxton in? I really need to talk to him.”
