"What?" he repeated.
"You know what."
"Do you have something against happy people, Freya Kent?"
"Not usually," I said, "but in my current state of concussed, dream-crushed melancholy? Maybe a little."
Tolliver's smile dropped for real this time as he murmured, "Sorry."
And that made me feel like crap.
"Don't apologize. I'm just in a bad mood."
"Why?" Tolliver asked earnestly, looking at me before turning back to the road, sounding as if he really cared about the answer.
Maybe that was why I didn't even think about lying.
"I'm going to see my mom. Not just her but the team of swimmers that she wishes were her biological daughter," I explained.
"I'm sure that's not true," he said.
"Yeah, it is. Her dream was to have a mini version of herself. An athletic, super baby, swimming prodigy who'd one day go to the Olympics and earn a gold medal. Instead, she got me. She's never said it, but I know she wishes I was like them."
"Sounds like that's her problem, not yours," he said.
I shrugged. "Also, this PT appointment will only confirm what I already know, which is that I will not be making a spontaneous recovery and be able to go join the HERS tour." I sighed. "It's just going to make everything so much more real. The dream's really over. You know?"
"Hey," Tolliver said, pulling my attention back to him. His face was serious as he said, "Never give up on your dreams. You might heal quickly. Just do the PT exercises. Rest. Ice. Rehab. Don't give up, Freya. That's not who you are."
"How would you know?" I said softly. "We just met."
"I know you." He said the words with so much conviction even I almost believed him. "You never quit. You work hard and aren't afraid of anything."
I shook my head. "Now, that right there proves that you don't know me, Tolliver Stone."
"Please. You're tougher than any hockey player I've ever come up against and twice as scary."
Laughter fell from my lips, and as I looked at Tolliver, that smile was back.
"I am scary. Aren't I?" I said.
"Terrifying," he replied.
"Why, thank you."
"Welcome."
As he stopped in front of the PT office and turned to me, I shook my head.
"What is it?" he asked.
"Nothing," I said then crossed my arms. "What was that smile really about? No B.S. this time."
As he opened his mouth, I held up a hand.
"And I know it's a gorgeous day. The sun is shining. The birds are singing. Flowers are in bloom, and I almost wish there wasn't a raincloud over my head, shadowing everything in shades of grey. Tell me what you were thinking."
"You want the truth?" Tolliver asked as if I'd want anything else.
