“Oh, my arm.” I waved him off. “No big deal. I swear.”
“She’s lying.” Esme studied me. “Could you drop her at the stadium on your way out? She likes to walk, but if her arm ishurting, her leg probably is too, but she’s being a heroic pain in the ass.”
“I’m not. A little soreness is no big deal.”
“With an injury like yours it is. You know this. You work with athletes and the body and healing. You’re too stubborn for you own good, so that’s why you have us.” Esme picked up her pad of paper and pointed at her brother. “We will finish this argument later and call it a draw right now. You take care of my bestie.”
“Of course.” Enrique smiled at me, his gaze softening. He was only three years older than us and had graduated in game design. He was wicked smart, kinda cute, and my second closest friend.
“Please don’t feel guilted into driving me. The walk is good for me.”
“It’s on the way.” He eyed my duffel bag and clicked his tongue. “Nope, I got it.”
Sighing, it was hard to be annoyed when they were so kind to me. No one else in my life did thoughtful gestures like that. Not my parents or my classmates or the few guys I’d tried dating.
Callum used to.
Not him again. My brain needed a vacation from memories, my goodness. I’d gotten so good at not thinking about him the last few years that being around him again opened all the wounds. “Thank you,” I said, passing him on the way down the stairs. He gently pulled my elbow, guiding me toward the elevator. “I hate?—”
“Tough.”
“You’re bossy.”
“That’s what happens when you’re in our family.” He shrugged, not having any idea how that comment got to me.
He meant it, truly. Him and Esme had adopted me into their family, and knowing that made my eyes prickle with emotions.Gratitude surrounded my heart, pushing away all the negative thoughts I had that morning about Callum and what happened.
We joked about how growing up was all a lie and that it actually kinda sucked, and even though he was doing super well, hearing him speak about it was still a lot. He made adulthood more approachable and real than my parents did. They just assumed I’d figure it out on my own without their guidance, where Enrique talked us through all his choices.
He arrived in the front of the stadium where our Central State Wolves played. They packed that place every home game, fans dressed in orange, white, and navy as they cheered the home team on. The sun blasted the cement in the front, making the heat come up in waves like a radiator on the ground.
I always liked the feeling of warmth after being blasted with air-conditioning. I had poor circulation since the accident. “Thank you for the ride. I really appreciate it.”
“Have Esme pick you up if you don’t want to walk.” He got out, his all-black outfit looking too artsy and hip for the athletes. Football players were around us, all coming into practice at various times. They had to do it in waves because there were so many on the roster.
I ignored the tingling on my arms, like someone watched me.
“I’m getting your bag.” He popped his trunk and slung the bag over his shoulder like it weighed two pounds. “Don’t fight me.”
“You’re not walking me inside, Enrique.” I glared at him. “Give me my stuff, please.”
“Are you still hurting?” He narrowed his eyes right back. “Because if I see a single wince, then I’m walking you and your bag inside.”
My jaw flexed as embarrassment flooded my face. How could I do this as a career if a simple bag was too heavy for mesometimes? The flicker of doubt grew from a seed into a bloom, where it was getting nurtured from my own insecurities.
“I’m fine.” I took the strap from his hands, refusing to show a single emotion. Using my left arm, the healthier one, I slung it over and spun around. “See? I’m perfectly good.”
“Okay. Call me or Esme if you need help after, okay? Promise me.”
“It’ll be?—”
“Promise me. Or I’ll make a scene.”
Laughing, I nodded. “Fine, I promise, now will you leave?”
He studied me for a beat then nodded. “See you later, Emerson.”
I waved, watching him drive away, and steeled my shoulders to walk in.
