Page 55 of Six Wishes

CHAPTER25

Kids’ business

Van

I ended up at my parents’ house after the whole debacle at the wedding. I didn’t feel like being home alone, and since I was on the phone with my mom, she thought it’d be a good idea to just go over there and have some chicken noodle soup she’d just made. Apparently, that is supposed to cure everything.

Once I was done eating, and after getting a text from Wyatt which told me where to find Chloe, Mom decided that it was very important that she tagged along. Dad tried to talk her out of it, but she wouldn’t hear of it.

“Don’t meddle into these kids’ business, Mary. I need your help here with something.” John Boyd’s request fell on deaf ears.

“You can figure it out on your own,” Mom replied, then went to fluff her hair a bit, or so she said.

“I tried,” Dad shrugged his shoulders, then went back to whatever he was messing with on his tablet. “When do you have to report back with the team?” he asked in a casual tone. Too casual if you ask me.

“Couple more weeks.”

“How’s the knee?” he eyed me over his reading glasses.

“Much better actually.” And I was not even lying. I have no idea what’s changed this past week, but with every single workout I did, I have not felt any discomfort afterward.

I feel myself getting stronger every day. And I have to thank Chloe for that, at least in part. She’s been gently pushing me to be better, and I wanted to impress her. Now I am thinking that I may actually have a shot to stay on the team for another year.

“You gonna play?” Dad continued his gentle interrogation.

My dad’s never been the kind of person to push me into something I wouldn’t want to do. As a kid, when he hauled me to every single hockey game, he’d ask me on our way there, “You still love it?” And when I’d say yes, he’d nod with pride, but then assure me that, “You don’t have to go unless you love it, son. No reason to torture us all later on if you don’t love it now.”

“I’ll see when I go for my official meeting with the team’s ortho,” I told my dad, and he just nodded, then went back to his tablet.

Mom rushing out from upstairs got us on the move, and that’s how I found myself pulling into Chloe’s mother’s driveway. And my eyes landed on the front porch where Chloe was in the arms of that douchebag, Brian.

“Easy there, Donovan,” my mom put a hand on my arm and gently squeezed. “Things are not always as they seem. You just learned that hard lesson, did you not?”

We both got out the car at the same time. Mom rushed to give Chloe a hug right after Brian shook my hand and basically promised that he’d go after Chloe if I let her go. That’s some bullshit.

Mom basically forced her way into Chloe’s mom’s house, and now it’s just the two of us out here, staring at each other. I can tell that she’s worried about what I might think about Brian having been here, but I trust her. I still want to punch his lights out, but I do trust Chloe.

“We need to talk,” I repeat when she is just looking at me with fear in her eyes.

“Okay,” she finally snaps out of it. “Do you want to come in?” she points toward her mom’s front door.

“No, let’s just stay out here.” I take a couple of steps until I reach her, then grab her hand and pull her down on the top step of the porch.

I notice she is still wearing the dress she had on earlier. My eyes fall to her feet and smile when I see her toes moving around in distress. Her nails are painted a very light shade of pink, and they look so perfect with her tanned skin. She looks perfect all over.

“What happened with the sexy shoes?” I nudge her with my shoulder, and I get rewarded with half a smile.

“They’re inside. It just didn’t feel right to have them on when I am not with you.” Her eyes drop to the ground, and she is chewing the hell out of her bottom lip. I reach with my index finger and pull it from in between her teeth.

“You are beautiful, Chloe, and sexy. And I hope you see that in yourself too.”

“Van, I…” Her eyes fill with tears and her mouth starts trembling. “I am really sorry. I just feel so stupid, you don’t even know.”

I sigh, but then put an arm around her shoulders and pull her into me. I care too much about this girl, and I am not ready to give up on her. It took my mom setting me straight a little, but I am sure that I would’ve gotten there on my own anyway. Just slower.

“If someone brought to me pictures of you naked and having sex with another man, I would’ve been ready to kill. And not just whoever the hell was fucking you, but you and me both. I would’ve killed everything in sight by now,” I tell her in a low voice and watch her eyes getting big and scared. “It scares me, too,” I chuckle in self-contempt. “I don’t get it. But one thing became very clear to me when you walked away.”

“What was that?” she whispers loud enough for me to hear over the loud whooshing of my blood in my ears.

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