“Ivy Lee.”Speak of the devil.
Despite the terrible self-talk about holding back, my face split into a grin hearing Callum’s voice. He jogged up toward me with a worried look.
“Hi.”
“Give me your bag.” He reached for it, his finger grazing my arm as he slid it off my shoulder. “I’ll drive you home.”
“Really?”
“Yes.” He rolled his eyes. “Well, not home actually. I’m taking you to the house for a bit.”
“The house?” I gulped.
“Yeah, where I live.” He put an arm around my shoulders and tucked me into his arm. He did that when we were younger too, but this felt different. Maybe it was his size now? Or the way he smelled?
But my body broke into goose bumps, and I was hyperaware of him. The strength in his core, the feel of his bicep on me. I’d learned to appreciate the muscles and strength these guys had. They put so much effort into their health and bodies, and it was beautiful. It had been a long time since I’d been intimate with someone, and Callum’s nearness reminded me of that.
“I got an ice bath ready for you and even found an old massage gun that could help. Now, you used to go to therapy once a week if I remember. Do you still try?”
I hated that he knew so much.
My face heated with shame as I shook my head. “No. I stopped once I came here.”
“Ivy.”
He guided us toward his car and opened the passenger door for me. It was the same vehicle we had spent hours in. Nostalgia and longing for home hit me as I buckled in. We watched storm clouds roll into town in here, we went to snowball fights, a mud wrestling tournament. He’d laugh about a crazy hookup story, and I’d tell him all the wild things my parents had me do.
Could one miss something even when it was right in front of me?
Breathing became a little harder as the smell of his car summoned even more memories. I gripped the side bar and focused on square deep breaths. It helped me whenever anxiety stuck its claws into me. I really didn’t want Callum seeing this.
“I know you’re stubborn, but don’t be so stubborn you hurt yourself,” he said as he entered his side. He hadn’t noticed my breathing or my worry yet.
He started the car before glancing at me. “Why are you gripping my door? Are you uncomfortable or in pain?”
“I’ll be all right.” By some miracle, my voice came out normal. He called me stubborn, and maybe it was my stubborn pride, but I didn’t want Callum to know that my emotions were spiraling. He knew about my physical injuries, so I didn’t want him to know my emotional weaknesses.
He sighed before reaching over and squeezing my left knee. “The ice will help. Let me take care of you for a bit.”
Like he used to.
God, that felt good to hear. Esme was amazing, but Callum and I had a decade of friendship to fall back on, and there was nothing quite like receiving all of Callum’s attention.
I squeezed my eyes shut and let him think my turmoil was my injuries. It was way easier than this heavy feeling in my heart. After my knee and arm felt better, I needed to talk to Esme. She’d knock some sense into me. Because I knew, no matter what, I refused to let Callum hurt me again.
12
CALLUM
You could maybe blame this fierce protectiveness I had for Ivy on the fact I had three sisters. I felt protective about them too, always had, but this fierce, desperate urge to make sure Ivy was okay consumed me.
She hadn’t been going to therapy.
She was pushing herself too much on the field, courtesy of her parents, no doubt. They raised her to think she was inferior or weak because she wasn’t an athlete. It was utter bullshit. She was stronger than anyone I knew, but seeing the twist of her lips and the strain around her eyes as she gripped my car hurt me.
Physically caused me pain.
I scratched my chest and tried to distract her. “What was the best part of your day?”
