As we laughed, I breathed deep and got my mind set.
Tolliver and I weren't done yet.
Not by a long shot.
And I was going to make sure he knew it.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
If Tolliver was actually sick, I didn't want to show up at his house empty-handed. That would be the worst. So, I made a quick trip to the grocery store first. The aisles seemed endless. They had everything a sick or healthy person could want, so I scooped up a little here and there. Arms full, I made my trek to the checkout counter. On the way, I spotted something that made me pause. I briefly considered not getting it. But it made me think of Tolliver.
It was probably lame, I thought.
But it was so cute.
Unable to resist, I added one last item to the pile. The cashier quickly rang me up, and before I could lose my nerve, I drove to Tolliver's home.
"Don't overthink it," I said under my breath as I strode to his front door.
I pressed the doorbell.
Totally overthinking all the things.
But luckily, someone answered a few seconds later.
The woman looked to be in her 30s or 40s with dirty blond hair, but those eyes were one hundred percent blue. The deepest,purest blue. Just like her son's. Tolliver's mom stared at me with curiosity.
"Hi," she said, eyeing me up and down. "Are you looking for Hudson?"
"No, ma'am."
"Elle?"
"Actually, I'm here to see Tolliver," I said.
"Oh! Sorry, my daughter's friends drop by all the time—although you don't exactly look like a hockey player."
I wasn't sure how to take that, so I shrugged. "I'm not."
"Hudson's usually the one with girls hanging around. But you're not one of them either." I shook my head, and she smiled. "Thank goodness."
She studied me a moment.
"I don't think Tolliver's ever brought a girl home."
I blushed. "Oh well, honestly, he told me not to come. But when I heard he was sick, I had to make sure he's okay."
"He is," she said, crossing her arms, "sick, I mean. And that's nice of you. What was your name again?"
"Freya"—I shook my head at myself—"sorry, I should've said that before. I'm Freya."
Her eyes widened. "Are you really?"
That was an odd question.
Shaking it off, I said, "Yes, ma'am. Tolliver's my friend—well sort of."
Before I could say anything else, she called over her shoulder, "Hey, honey! Come here a second."
