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I don't think he saw. Fuck. I don't think he saw it was her.This day is turning into a disaster, and it's not even eight.
Beads of sweat lay upon my brow as we scurry through the parking garage to my truck, where she tries calling him again. She slumps into the side of the passenger door, her elbow propped on the armrest near the window with her head resting in her hand.
Words cycle through her thoughts. Names she calls herself. Idiot. Irresponsible. Careless. Reckless. I can practically hear them. Nothing I do or say will make her feel better at the moment, but I try anyway.
“I'm sorry, Dylan.”
“Yeah, I hear that a lot,” she says coldly.
She must realize how that hurt me because she squints her eyes and shakes her head right after saying it.
“I didn't mean that.” She sighs.
"It's fine," I say, turning out onto the street.
“It's just,” she begins, then stalls. “It's just structure and consistency are so essential to…” She rubs her temples and lets out another exacerbated sigh.
I reach over, placing my hand on her thigh and give her a light, reassuring squeeze.
“Just not today,” she murmurs. “Not today.”
Today.
The day they meet my mother.
As if I wasn't anxious enough for the both of us, now she's a total wreck. We're setting ourselves up for failure today, clearly. I took her focus off Colin. I did everything wrong. I'm the one who’s supposed to let her freefall while catching her responsibilities for her. I pushed her out of her comfort zone, only to leave her hanging. I fucked up big time, and the thought of Dr. Shelby seeing me with Dylan leaving my condo so early in the morning half dressed has me ready to vomit. This could be catastrophic.
Dylan's phone rings in her lap and she practically drops it on the floor trying to pick it up.
“Col?! Col, I'm almost home,” she rushes. “You good?!”
The pure panic in her tone breaks me. It reminds me of when I was a complete dick to her about being in Arizona for the away game. The game I forced her to be at for her job, not even knowing she was frantically trying to keep contact with Colin the whole time, making sure he was alright while she was gone.
Jesus, I'm a fuckup.
“Oh, good. Just grab some cereal and milk. I'll be there soon, and we can make sure to have your favorite shirt ready for today, alright?”
My phone rings and Coach's name appears on the screen. I swallow, staring at it for a moment, feeling a lump in my throat before I pick it up from the console. My stomach drops as immediate anxiety washes over me. He wouldn't be calling me for anything else today.
I peer over at Dylan, who's staring back at me with the phone still at her ear.
I'd wondered if she saw my reaction, but the sudden crease between her brows and the slight tip of her head in my direction says she did.
I toss my phone into the cup holders as she ends her call with Colin.
Please don't ask me what that was about.
“What was that about?” she asks immediately.
Lie. Don't lie. Tell her the truth. Lie. Lie. Lie.
Apparently I chose destruction when I woke up this morning.
“Thanksgiving. It's game day. They just want me there for press.”
“The Bears aren't playing today,” she says bluntly.
My eyes meet hers, and by the annoyed glare she's throwing my way, she knows I'm lying.
