“That’s not true—” Gia protested, but Sophia was on a roll.
“Of course they’re grateful. Don’t be such an idiot.”
I was pretty sure that wasn’t what Gia meant, but this was not the place to have a truth spat. Sophia was too good at twisting a situation. I didn’t want to risk that in front of the cameras. So I waved at the reporters. “Can you back up, guys? I just want to get home and start healing.”
They didn’t back up, but they did turn their attention to the coach who was exiting behind me, asking questions about who would replace me on the roster and what Coach thought about our chances, etc. I was grateful for the reprieve, but as I started hobbling forward, Sophia rushed in and fouled my footing, blocking one of the crutches enough that I stumbled.
Gia was too far back to catch me. She’d given me enough room to maneuver myself, but Sophia was there, planting a hard shoulder into my ribs as she wrapped an arm around me.
“Sophia!” Cassie snapped. “You’re making it worse.”
“You’re so clumsy,” Sophia hissed in a loud whisper that every microphone picked up. “You tripped him. Let the grown-ups handle this.”
That was when I’d had enough, the cameras be damned. “Back away, Sophia,” I growled. “Now.”
She must have heard the anger in my voice. She stared at me with her tear-stained face, mascara running artfully down her cheeks. “I-I’m just trying to help.”
And the hell of it was that in her mind, shewashelping. She’d just guaranteed that I’d get airtime on the local news station and in the papers with the headline, Bobcat Catcher Risks All to Rescue Boy. It didn’t matter that none of it was true. There was enough that a good spin doctor could make me look as heroic as Jake had been a couple months ago, when he’dactuallyrescued Ellie from a burning building.
It set my teeth on edge, but it was also Sophia’s way of doing her job.
“Get back,” I repeated.
Sophia stood back silently while all the reporters waited for more drama. Thankfully, Gia spoke up then. “We’ll get a press release out to you in the next hour,” she said.
“I’ll do it!” Sophia snapped loudly. “You all have my card.”
Of course, they did. Because Sophia would have been out here making sure the press showed up and handing out her card when they arrived. I couldn’t fight her now, so I turned to Gia.
“Which way is the car?”
“It’ll be here in a second. I gave the keys to Cassie.”
Really? I hadn’t noticed when she’d left, but I was grateful. I didn’t want her running afoul of Sophia. That one stupid nickname—Little Snit—had haunted Cassie for years. I knew she second-guessed herself regularly because of it. Was she throwing a snit? Was she taking things too seriously? I feared that hearing that insulting name would push my sister into another depression.
“She’s driving?” Sophia gasped. “But she’s distraught. What if she hurts someone?”
I shot an annoyed glance at my sister. “She’s been driving for years just fine.”
Sophia sniffed. “I wouldn’t know. Thanks to you, I haven’t spoken with her.”
A lie? I couldn’t tell. Maybe she really did miss her sister, or maybe she just missed having such an easy target. My knee hurt too much to figure it out. And thankfully, the reporters started disbanding as Gia’s car pulled up.
I made my way forward, Sophia on one side, Gia on the other. Coach hung back, drawing the reporters off me with some comments about how the team would manage the coming series against the Rangers without me. It was a kindness, though I hated the idea that he already knew who would replace me on the roster.
Gia helped me get settled then squeezed my arm. “Go home. Get some rest. I’ll…um…I’ll call you later.”
I gripped her hand. “You’re coming with me, aren’t you?”
She hesitated. “I need to stay with the reporters, craft a statement and stuff.” She shot a look over her shoulder. “Do you really want me to let Sophia handle all of that?”
God, no. But I didn’t want to be without Gia, either. Not with my leg crapped out and my career in shambles. Sure, I was being dramatic, but my head was beating those words with every throb of my aching knee. Meanwhile, Cassie spoke from behind the wheel.
“But it’s your car! And there might be reporters at his apartment.”
Gia smiled. “Rob and Jake are waiting there to help. They’ll keep the reporters away and help get him upstairs.”
She’d thought ahead and arranged for help. Of course, she had. Gia was always three steps ahead.
