Page 109 of Drifting

“Why not? It’s the right thing to do,” Nick says simply, then slowly smiles. “It’s clear how much you mean to Shelby, so it’s a no brainier that we’d help out.”

“With everything that just happened to my dad, I think I need to stick around for now. We can stay in touch, and it’s not that long of a drive.” She peers at her dad for approval.

He gives a big smile and nods.

“It’s up to you, Cin,” I say, though I’m a little sad I’ll have to leave her again. “Now that I don’t have to worry about you and what that bitch is doing, I won’t stress as much. I understand why you want to stay.” I stand. “I’m going to walk down to the nurse’s station to see about getting you a shower.”

I need to stretch my legs. I also need to calm myself down. Hospitals and I don’t mix. They bring back a lot of terrible memories.

When I get back, Nick sits in my chair, leaning forward as he talks to Cin, and it’s obvious that they’re clicking.

I have to admit I thought Nick would lean toward liking someone more girly. Don’t get me wrong Cin’s good looking with her ocean blue eyes and black hair, but she’s a tomboy through and through. She has her nose pierced and stars and moon tattoos decorate around her right ankle. More tattoos on her wrists plays off of the yin and yang symbol. One wrist is an angel wing with black tips, and the other wrist looks like a bike tire with wings coming out. She told me once it represented how she’s both a boy and a girl.

“We got permission for Operation Shower,” I tell her, and she salutes me.

Nick helps me get her into the bathroom, then he disappears.

As soon as we’re alone, she grills me about the guys. “Do the twins know about the other two?”

I laugh. “Yeah, they’re all best friends.”

She wants to know everything, down to the last nitty-gritty detail, which makes me laugh harder. I’ve missed talking to her; she’s always been my sounding board on everything.

I tell her how I met each of them and how I have feelings for all of them.

She grabs my arm. “Are you telling me you’re in love?”

I lower my head, peering at her from the corner of my eye. “As close as I’ve ever been, Cin.”

Cin busts out laughing. “Holy shit, Hell’s frozen over.”

I slap her gently. “Don’t think I don’t see the glances that have been passing between you and Nick.”

Her mask falls right back into place. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. Nick’s just nice.”

“You’re right, he is nice, but I don’t get that look from him,” I tease.

“Have you talked to Ricky?” she asks as I scrub her hair. “I’m sure he’s worried about why we’ve dropped off the face of the earth. And it’s time to bring Little Devil home.”

“I haven’t talked to them since the hospital. I feel bad, but I don’t know their numbers by heart. They were on our phone when they took you.” I cup my hand over her forehead so water doesn’t get in her eyes as I rinse out the soup. “I told Mom about them and how protective they were of us. She wants to meet them. I’m supposed to invite them to this big pool party she wants to have next weekend.”

“Things sound good between you and your mom. I never thought that would happen.”

With everything that happened because of her, I didn’t either. If you’d told me six months ago that I’d have a good relationship with my mom, I’d have ask you what you were smoking.

“Me, either, but it’s still a work in progress. There, you’re all done.” I step out of the shower and grab a towel for her.

She snatches it out of my hand. “I can dry myself. It’s bad enough having you help me wash.”

I point to the door. “Well, I could go get Nicky poo to help you dry off.”

She snaps my ass with the towel.

“Ow!”

I change my shirt then sit in the corner of the room, waiting to make sure she’s okay, really okay on her own while I figure out what to say. “Cin, before we go out, I want to tell you how sorry I am. You wouldn’t be in this—”

“Stop, Shelby. What happened to me is not your fault.” She shifts and dries her leg, putting an end to the conversation.

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