“I’m not concussed.”
“Butif you say something else like that, I’ll let you fall asleep and slip into a comma.”
I bit back the urge to remind her that wasn’t real and nodded.
“Good. Now go get changed and whatever and I’ll take you home.”
“What?”
“What? Did you forget already? My case for a concussion is getting stronger by the minute.”
“I didn’t forget,” I grumbled. “I just didn’t think you were serious.”
That and I was distracted by other things said.
“Well, unless you have someone else you can get to check in on you, you’re stuck with me for another few hours.”
I chewed at my bottom lip, torn. On one hand, this had been a rather miserable day and it’d be nice to go home and throw myself a pity party. On the other hand, the longer Kodi hung out with me, the more likely it was that she’d remember me.
“Fine, but … why?” My breath solidified in my lungs, bracing for an answer I didn’t want to hear.
“Well, for one, if you slip into a comma, I’m out of a job.”
That was exactly what I figured she’d say. Too bad knowing it was coming didn’t make it hurt any less.
Shaking my head, I moved over to the locker room door, hand on the knob when she spoke again.
“But also you’re not acompleteasshole. So I don’t want you to die in your sleep, either.”
Was it pathetic that that was enough to make me feel better?
“Okay. I’ll be out in just a few minutes.”
A Foolish Precaution
Kodi
In hindsight, I shouldn’t have offered to watch after Kean. Because if the drive back to his place was any indication, this was going to be a boring ass few hours. I’d tried three times to make conversation, just to fill the silence, and he did the usual five-words-max response.
Though that word limit didn’t seem to exist when questioning my dating history.
Such a stereotypical man thing, to demand to know why you wouldn’t consider dating them, even if they weren’t interested themselves.
At least I was pretty sure he wasn’t into me like that. There might have been some looks, but overall, Kean struck me as the kind of dude who gave zero shits about dating, especially during the season. I bet he’s been broken up with several times becausea girl went after him and then after a few months realized he was just going along with whatever. I couldn’t picture him actively doing anythingbutsoccer.
So yeah, even if he might have a base level of physical attraction for me, there’s no way he’d be interested in anything else, even if I wasn’t his PA.
And yet, stepping into his condo, at night, with nobody else, did feel … a little familiar. Familiar enough to get my heart rate up.
“So …” I dragged out the word, suddenly feeling like I needed to do something with my hands. “When’d you last ice that bump?”
“During the time-out.” He started emptying his pockets into a bowl on the console table and toed his shoes onto the rack underneath it. It was weird that I’d been here nearly a dozen times over the past two weeks, but neverwithhim. I had no idea how he existed in this space, if he kept his socks on, if he wore slippers, if he had a favorite side of the couch. All the normal things you’d notice when going over to somebody’s place for the first time.
To keep myself from awkwardly watching him settle in, I moved over to the kitchen to make an ice pack.
“How are you liking the meal plan so far? Enough variety?” I asked, trying to fill the tense silence Kean always seemed to drag around with him. I wonder what he was like in the locker room with the guys, if any of them felt anxious because of how little he talked or if they were all used to it by now.
“They’re good. They have all the nutrients I need.”
