“Because I would yell at him,” I reply, flashing a dazzling, overconfident smile. “And you’ve seen how that goes.”
One side of Thea’s lips lifts. “I’ve never seen someone make my uncle so mad before. Like, ever.”
“I find that hard to believe.” I stand up from the bench. “Come on, let’s leave.”
Thea and I exit the locker room to find Brooks leaning against the opposite wall. He pockets his cell phone and waves to us.
“Who isthat?” Thea whispers the words, awe lacing her voice.
Right. The Brooks effect is still in full force. My life has been filled with nauseating moments, watching people lose their minds over him.
“The force of nature that is my brother.” Once we’re closer to him, I do introductions. “Brooks, this is Thea. Thea, this is my brother, Brooks.”
“Hey, Thea.” Brooks sticks his hand out for a fist bump, which she shyly takes him up on. “Must’ve been cool getting to meet some Wolves players.”
Thea tucks her hair behind her ear. “Yeah, especially Sawyer Jennings. He’s my favorite. He showed me how to do a better body fake.”
I tune out Brooks and Thea’s conversation as we leave the building, focusing on texting Wes and Spencer an update.
Me:Leaving the rink with Thea. She’s okay.
My phone dings immediately with a text from the Davidson brother who seems to walk on air.
Spencer:Isla Covington, you are a lifesaver. How long can you stay with her?
Me:If you’re good with me skipping my workout, I can stay as long as you need
Spencer:I’ll do double with you tomorrow
Spencer:Thank you
“Your uncles won’t be home until later tonight. Brooks can drop us off, and I’ll hang at the house with you,” I tell Thea, glancing at her in the rearview mirror.
“Okay,” she mumbles, staring out the window, her chin resting in her open palm.
I’d be miserable being pulled away from my sport, too, and she has no idea when she’ll be able to go back. I’d like to think that Wes wouldn’t come down too hard on her when she’s clearly struggling. The boy I knew would lead with compassion and understanding.
But I have no idea if any of that boy remains in the man he has become.
Chapter 11
Isla
IwanderthroughWes’sgorgeoustownhouse, marveling at how different it is from what I pictured.
Thea immediately retreated to her room, leaving me to snoop to my heart’s content. Normally, I’d try to contain my nosy instinct, but a few minutes ago, I got a text from Wes with all the permission I needed.
Parking lot terrorist:Help yourself to anything
Instead of dark hallways and black walls, his two-story house has an open floor plan and tons of natural light. Except for his bedroom, where heavy blackout curtains keep out every inch of the bright North Carolina sun, making it difficult to see anything other than his bedsheets, ruffled from sleep the night before.
I scamper down the steps, needing to put distance between me and the earthy, spicy scent of Wes wafting to me from his room.
It isn’t until I go into the fully finished basement and find his small room full of vinyl records, tucked away from sight, that I finally learn something about him. It’s every nineties kid’s dream music collection, from Nine Inch Nails to Nirvana to Rage Against theMachine. I thumb my way through his collection before picking outThe Fragile, placing the record on the platter, and moving the needle over it. The ominous thread of notes,buh buh buh da, buh buh buh da, comes through low and menacing before the drums kick in, elevating the song to another level.
I keep the lights off in the room and settle into the comfy chair in the corner to hear one of my favorite records on vinyl for the first time.
Me:I was starting to think that this wasn’t your house, but then I found your angsty lair.
