The girl nods, still clutching her leg. “I don’t know what happened. When I landed, there was this snap, and then my leg disappeared under me.” She winces, and tears gather in her eyes.
I wipe my hand across my face. If it were me, I’d do the good old RICE method: rest, ice, compression, and elevation, but thefact that Jenny mentioned a snapping sound doesn’t sit right with me.
“Jenny, is it?” I offer her a smile I don’t feel.
“Yes,” she sniffles. “Jenny Matthews.”
“Okay, Jenny, let’s get you over to Sports Medicine, okay? We need to get you looked at properly.”
She nods, her eyes huge and worried. “Okay.”
I give the guy a flat look. “And you are?”
“Harrison,” he swallows. “Harrison Warren.”
“Harrison, help me get her up. You get one side, I’ll get the other.”
“Yes, Coach.”
“And Jenny, try to stay off your foot, okay?”
She nods solemnly, tears clinging to her eyelashes. “Yes, Coach.”
Yes, Coach.I’m going to regret this, aren’t I? I shouldn’t have young kids depending on me when I can hardly take care of myself. The Jennys, the Lindseys, and the Harrisons of this world don’t need someone like me, but right now, I guess I’m all they’ve got.
“Let’s go.”
Chapter 3
Wes
I’mscrollingthroughmyInstagramas I bite into my tuna sandwich. Dennis’ post is the first I see on my feed. He’s squatting in front of a vegetable garden with his arm around Willow, his dog. He’s wearing a huge smile, and his dark brown waves are wet from sweat.
The caption says,‘Wow, I actually learned to grow something. Who knew I had a green thumb!’
I smile at that. Dennis and I have been friends since high school, and if anyone is capable of anything, it’s him.
‘Well, no shit. You know literally every single plant that grows on the northwest coast,’I comment.‘Looking good, though. When I swing back into town, I expect a fancy salad with all those veggies.’
He and his husband, Mike, built a cabin together at Cannon Beach, though I think Mike did most of the work. They finally tied the knot a year ago. Mike was Dennis’ brother’s best friend, and he’d had a crush on Mike forever. Maybe ‘crush’ is too juvenile. Dennis had been in love since he was twelve. WhenDennis returned from college, Mike finally got his head out of his ass and realized how amazing Dennis is.
A few minutes later, Dennis likes my comment and responds with,‘Dude, I’ve been trying to grow asparagus, but it hates me. I didn’t freaking know it takes, like, years.’
I smile and chuckle as I respond.‘Look at you being so domesticated. Next, I’m going to wake up one day with you and Mike being dads or something.’
Instead of responding, he texts me.
Den:Mike and I have actually been talking about it.
Me:Holy shit. I think you and Mike would make great parents.
Den:You think?
Me:Definitely. Just don’t trust me to babysit.
Den: ??How’re things going down in Eugene?
I take another bite of my sandwich, then freeze. My mouth, which is full of food, falls open. Holy shit, is that… I quickly shut my mouth and swallow my bite.
