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As if he knew, Ryan appeared on the other side of me. “Don’t stress. You won’t lose too much.”
“Any amount is enough.”
He nodded, understanding. Swimmers knew that even just missing one day could set us back two. I was going to be out at least seven. I already missed the water, and it hadn’t even been a day.
“Elite is behind you. Me and Jamie will help any way we can.”
“Abso-BRO-lutely,” Jamie chimed in.
“Us too,” Rory and Madison echoed.
A blue four-door Honda Civic was at the curb when we stepped outside. The second the doors opened, Veronica popped out of the driver’s side and came around to us. “This is me,” she said, pointing at the car.
Jamie went ahead and opened up the passenger door as the nurse pushed the wheelchair closer.
Rory took the crutches from my lap, and then black jean-clad legs stepped in front of me. Before I could even protest, his arms were under mine and he was lifting me out of the chair.
“I can walk,” I told him.
“Careful,” he said, voice gentle and soft.
The emotions I felt last night in bed pummeled me, making my fingertips tighten on his shoulder.
His opaque eyes met mine. “Okay?”
I glanced away and said nothing.
“Watch your head,” he murmured and then put his hand up like a shield to keep me from bumping it on the doorframe.
My stomach fluttered so much I wanted to rip it out and toss it in the street, then ask Veronica to run it over with her car.
He reached around to buckle me in, and I slapped his hand away. He pulled back as I buckled myself, and Veronica bounced into the driver’s seat.
“Don’t speed,” he told her.
She nodded.
“I’m going to follow you.”
She nodded again.
When I thought he would finally leave, all he did was pull back and shrug off his leather jacket, coming back inside to drape it over me like a blanket.
Before I could react, he was gone, shutting the door easily behind him.
“Is he always like this?” Veronica asked.
I blew out a breath, my eyes still lingering on his jacket. “Our parents died in a car accident. He’s just freaked out.”
“He’s yourbrother?”
“Sort of.”
When she didn’t say anything else or drive, I glanced up to find her watching me.
“Thanks for the ride,” I said, and her cheeks bloomed with pink.
Rory’s words came back to me, and I felt like a giant dick. And I knew I felt like one because I was acting like one.
