“Jude,” Oliver growls.
My blood turns to ice, my skin prickling. Oh no. Oh, shit, shit, shit?—
“What?” Cody asks after a beat.
“Their name is Jude,” Oliver repeats, slowly and deliberately.
My vision begins to flatten, black spots dancing at the edges.
“Who?” Cody demands.
“You know who,” Oliver snarls, his voice angrier than I’ve ever heard it. “You just said youknewthey changed their name and that they were using different pronouns, yet you refuse to give them even the slightest bit of respect. Not only that, but you’ve also been bullying them since they walked in the door, and, man, I’ve got to tell you: it’sreallybeen pissing me off.”
“Okay, buddy, I’m going to have to ask you to calm down,” Cody says in his cop voice.
My heart pounds in my ear, and I can no longer feel my legs. “Oliver,” I whisper, squeezing his thigh.
Oliver goes still again, then takes another breath. “My apologies. I’m… I’m not feeling well.” His voice sounds mechanical. “Where could I find your restroom?”
“Here, I’ll show you,” I blurt before standing abruptly. I fight through the numbness in my legs, determined to get Oliver out of this room and away from my family.
Unfortunately, I don’t quite make it. My knees give out, and I stumble to the floor, only a few steps from my seat. Various family members gasp.
Oliver is at my side in an instant. “Whoa, hey, are you okay?”
I nod despite my cold sweat and tingling extremities. “Sorry. Lost my balance.”
“Is she alright?” someone asks.
“I’m fine?—"
Before I can argue, I’m suddenly hoisted into the air by two strong arms and cradled against Oliver’s chest. Voices shout and overlap, and my vision flickers in and out. I desperately cling to consciousness, unable to make sense of what’s happening.
“Don’t drop her!”
“I’mnotgoing to?—”
“Here, I’m a nurse, let?—”
“Brian is a doctor!”
“Did she eat anything?”
“Don’t touch them?—”
“Oh, god, she’s so pale?—”
“Give us a minute, please!”
When I come to again, it’s quiet. Something wet and cold touches my temple, and I blink open my eyes. I’m on a bed in a dark room I soon recognize as one of the guest rooms.
Oliver gazes down at me, his brow crinkled with concern as he gently pats my face with a wet washcloth. “Hey,” he says softly. “There you are.”
“What happened?”
“I’m pretty sure you fainted,” Oliver replies. “I got some advice from Brian and Ashlynn, but I wouldn’t let them join us. I might have been a bit of an asshole about it.”
I squeeze my eyes shut. Shit, I fainted in front of the entire family and Oliver? How humiliating. “I’m so sorry.”
