She placed an expensive looking wooden pen in my hand. It was some kind of fancy contract. Her stare was hard, almost a threat.
I matched her energy, clicked the tip of the pen shut, and handed it back to her. “I’m not here for that.”
She said nothing, but her expression screamedyou’re going to regret this.
I stepped around her and followed Blue into the room.
CHAPTER 11
blue
Anna sat on the edge of the bed, working on her biochemistry homework with AirPods in her ears. She’d left for a few hours this morning to shower at the hotel and get a change of clothes. Having her gone even for that long had left me feeling hollow. But the minute she walked back in, it was like the sunshine came with her.
She’d come back wearing a different pair of jeans and a fitted purple shirt. I didn’t know how anyone could make such a basic outfit look that good but she did. She straightened her reading glasses and the serious furrow in her brow made me smile.
“Anna.” I waved my hands so she would see.
She looked up, her eyes bright, and plucked out an AirPod. Her mouth broke into a full smile and it took my breath away. “Yes?” She tried to sound annoyed but she was way too happy for it to be real.
“Nothin’. I just wanted to see you blush.”
“But I’m not…” Right then she squeezed her eyes shut as if trying to keep the blush from erupting on her cheeks. It didn’t work. Not even a little.
I grinned.
“Blue.” She blushed even deeper.
The door opened and my dad poked his head in.
“Blue.” Annoyance flashed across his face. “Mom and Colt are waiting in the hall. Let’s go.Now.”
I felt my own face flush and I hurried out so Anna wouldn’t see.
“What?” I asked once the door was firmly shut.
Dad turned to address Mom. “Take that girl with you. She needs to get back to school. You can drop her in Sweet Grass on the way.”
My hands propped on my hips. “No. Anna’s staying here.”
“Shut it,” Dad snapped and put a hand right in my face to silence me.
My shoulders jerked and I clenched my jaw.
Mom’s eyes flicked from his to mine. I widened mine, pleading. I wasn’t ready for Anna to go. Mom held Dad’s stare. “Blue is twenty years old, Shane. If he wants Anna here, then she gets to stay.” She looked at me. “You never ask permission anymore. I know you feel fifteen, but you’re a grown man. You lead a team that plays on national TV. Don’t let him tell you what to do.”
But it was like Dad hadn’t heard or didn’t think it was worth his time to listen. He was watching Colt, who was sitting on the floor playing his Nintendo Switch. “Get off that thing.” Dad kicked him with the toe of his steel-toed boot.
“Ow,” Colt winced and shook out his hand.
A nurse cleared her throat and glared to let him know she’d seen.
Dad shook his finger at Colt. “If you stopped playing video games you might be as good as your brother someday. Maybe even better.”
I cracked my thumb knuckles, my stomach twisting with irritation. “Dad, Colt doesn’t even like football.” He only played because Dad badgered Mom about it so much that she gave in every fall. Unless something had changed in the last four years.
Dad’s glare darkened. “He’s gonna like it. No kid who can pass like that has any choice but to love football.”
Colt shot to his feet, his expression fierce. “I won’t be passing anything if you broke my freaking fingers.” Then he stormed off, knocking Dad out of the way as he went.
