I whipped around.
Ellie stood on her back deck looking extremely confused. She held Henry on her hip, who stared at us with his fist in his mouth.
“Uh, hi,” I said, like an idiot.
“Heyyy?” she said tentatively.
“Baby lessons,” I said.
“I was the baby,” Conrad clarified.
“The fuck does it matter?” I whispered.
“I don’t know!” he whispered back.
Ellie still looked slightly concerned, though I think her lips might have twitched like she wanted to laugh.
Thank God Tommy chose that moment to come out onto the back deck. He spared us a brief glance, ignored my wave, and said something to his mom.
She sighed, then said something back. He grew tense, then took Henry from her, spun on his heel and stormed off.
Concern rippled over me, replacing my embarrassment. It was then I noticed how exhausted Ellie looked. She was in what I assumed were her work clothes—khaki pants, a button-down shirt, work boots. She looked a little sweaty, and there was dirt smudged on her shirt and cheek.
“Ellie?” I called. “You okay?”
She was still standing there, looking a little lost. Looking like she needed some help.
“Yeah,” she said.
Then her eyes rolled upward, and she collapsed onto the deck.
CHAPTER 17
Too Weak to Fight
ELLIE
Ididn’t faint. Not exactly.
Okay, kind of exactly. But I only blacked out a second before I saw Sam, flying over the fence between Mrs. Oxford’s place and mine.
I startled as he thudded to the ground beside me.
“Ellie!” Sam hovered over me, his relief visible as he saw me blink. “I’ve got her,” he yelled. To Conrad, I think. “She’s conscious.”
“Tools down?” Conrad yelled.
“TBD,” Sam called.
I’d never heard him so sure and confident. Or speaking in this weird shorthand.
“Hey, Ellie,” Sam said, his voice only for me. His hand slipped behind my crown, cradling my skull. It felt really good.
“I’m just going to make sure you didn’t hurt yourself too badly.” He gently angled my head left and right, his fingers probing my scalp. I made an embarrassing noise of contentment. Okay,thisfelt amazing. And to be fair, it was the first time I’d been able to relax allday.
“I don’t feel any lacerations. Can you move? Wiggle your toes?”
I wiggled all the things. “I’m fine.” I attempted to get up.
