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She huffs into the phone and sounds like an old landline with static, equating to the constant friction of my life.
“I’ll talk to him.”
“No, hockey is my territory, and no matter what your dad thinks of me, he helped me when no one else did. I owe it to him to follow the rules, and I fucked up.”
“But you were helping me and Caleb. That should carry some weight.”
“It does. And he wants you to have a good man in your life.”
“Oh no. No. No. You don’t get to retreat like a wounded animal,” she says with a defiant tone.
As we’re talking, I walk out to my Jeep and throw my gear inside “Listen, your dad was right about some things. I need to study. I haven’t finished my paper onThe Outsiders, and I have two tests next week, so I need to focus. I need to be at everything. Study harder. Work harder. Skate faster.”
“Okay, when will I see you?”
“I’ll call you later. I think I just need some sleep, and we’ll figure everything out.”
Even I can hear the sound of defeat in my voice. Maybe this is the sound of right girl, wrong time. If I want to be with her long term, then I have no other option but to tell her about my teenage years. Every last blood-curdling minute. The minutes that shaped my life.
When I get home, Harper’s on the couch curled up on her side. “Hey.”
“I’m going to sleep. Are you okay?”
“Yeah, but Brooke came by and told me what her father said and how he acted. She left a note or something for you in your room.”
I grip the molding of the archway. “Thanks. We’ll talk later. Do you have brunch today with the family?”
“Yeah, Mom and Dad stayed at Kaylee’s house, so we’re going there today. Do you want to come?”
“Nah. I just really need some time completely alone.” She sits up as I glance over my shoulder. “I told Brooke about what happened with Rina at Broadhurst, but Coach says I need to tell her the worst of me… and I need to figure out how.”
Harper is tall, and she envelops me from the back. “You were a scared little boy.”
“I was six feet and one hundred eighty pounds.”
“Well, the Evy Brown Cheer-Off is this weekend, and I expect you to be there, no matter what.”
“I’ll be there.”
On my bed, a black box with a gold ribbon stares at me, with a note on top. I tear the envelope across the top and pull out the notecard. It has a large B in gold foil in the center. Brooke is classic in every way. She lives her life simply. I sit on the bed, lifting the flap, finding impeccable writing inside.
Reed,
Will you be my date to the Evy Brown Cheer-Off? I’ll be backstage working, but I’d love to look out in the audience and see my handsome-as-fuck boyfriend sitting in the crowd, cheering me on. You’re the one I want to escort me in and out. I want the world to know that we’re together. No more hiding.
I carefully unwrap the present, a stylish tie with a pocket square neatly tucked inside. As I hold the thoughtful gift in my hands, a conflicted feeling washes over me., knowing the secret I've been withholding. A part of me desires to be honest and open with her. Yet, as I stare at the handkerchief and tie, I can't shake the fear of how she'll react if she discovers the truth. I clutch the items tightly against my chest, falling backward onto the bed. Feeling honored for her affection, but the undisclosed secret burdens my conscience. I contemplate whether it's time to lay bare my hidden truth and risk the uncertainty that may follow.
Tonight, after a nap, I’ll go to her and tell her everything. That way, if she never wants to see me again, at least I have two away games this week.
My lids keep closing as the mental exhaustion settles in, and I eventually succumb to a restless sleep.
Chapter Thirty-Six
BROOKE
Convincing Lettie to leave Dane’s side takes more effort than pulling Caleb away fromPaw Patrol. Dane’s parents arrived in the middle of the night from eastern Kentucky. The first thing I saw when I entered his hospital room was Lettie’s head lying on his hand. Whether they ever become a couple is still to be determined, but there’s no doubt their friendship has stood the test of time. The test of watching the other one flirt and kiss someone else.
The first time I bumped into Reed was last semester at a bar. He practically growled at a guy for touching me. His possessiveness is attractive to me. Others may feel opposite, but there’s something about a man who wants you all for himself and who will take up for you even when they don’t know you.
