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His fingers tangle into mine as I pull him into the apartment. I put a finger over my lips to shush him and point to the couch. He pales when he sees Valerie sleeping. I tighten my mouth to stop myself from laughing when I realize he thinks she’s mine and lead him to my bedroom.
He pauses at my doorway, frozen solid. “Holy shit.”
I follow his gaze, squeaking out an embarrassingnobefore shoving him into the room.
“Stop looking at them before I rip them off,” I tell him sternly.
His eyebrows raise. “It’s like a shrine. I’m not sure if I should be concerned. Do I have Stockholm syndrome for my stalker?”
My cheeks are on fire and I press my hands against them. “If you don’t shut up—“
He laughs, but it dies when he notices the second bed in the room decorated with princess bedding.
“She’s my little sister,” I say as I shut the door softly.
His chest deflates and he flops down onto my bed.
“I thought–”
“I had a kid,” I finish, laying down next to him.
He huffs out a weak laugh. “Yeah.”
“It’s just us three. Me, my mom, and Val. I have to take care of her a lot since my mom works so much.”
He turns onto his side, resting on his elbow holding his head up. “How old is she?”
“Six. It’s usually just the two of us.”
His eyes soften as he stares at me, but he waits for me to continue.
“She’s one of the reasons I chose Slater Hills. Maybe if she was a little older I could’ve gone elsewhere, but my mom needs me to watch her.”
His cheek twitches. “She can’t hire a babysitter?”
I shake my head. “We can’t afford that, we really can’t afford a lot. That’s why she’s never home. She works for us…for me so I can do what I love.”
I swallow the lump in my throat, and then turn to him with sad eyes. “For the most part it’s fine, we have a system that works around my practices and games.”
“What happened last night, Sage?”
“Friday is supposed to be my day off. It’s the day my mom makes sure she doesn’t have work so I can enjoy my game and any team bonding that usually happens afterwards, like going out to dinner. She got called into work for an offer she couldn’t refuse. She left without confirming I was coming home because usually I do. I mean where else would I go? I don’t know anyone but Emily, and she stays in the dorms. Val tried to make some food after a few hours–”
My voice wavers. I try not to cry at the thought of my little sister hurting herself because she was hungry. He shifts so I can bury my face into his chest.
“I just saw texts that she was in the hospital and panicked. Sorry I didn’t stop and talk to you.”
Fallon strokes my hair. “Is she okay?”
“Her hand is burned badly, but yeah.”
“And your mom?”
“What about her?”
“Where is she now?”
“She’s at work.”
