Page 59 of Under My Skin

I nodded quickly as I blew out a slow breath. “Okay.”

Braden reached for my hand as we walked toward his Escalade, and I couldn’t help thinking how easy it felt. How natural. Howright.

Unlocking the vehicle, he reached into the backseat and produced a gift bag with a cartoon graduation cap on it. Ilaughed quietly as he handed it to me with a self-conscious smile.

“I asked one of the team doctors what to get someone who was about to start med school, and this is what he suggested,” he mumbled. “I wish I could be there to watch you walk across that stage on Thursday, but I’m going to be on a plane to Kansas. Ian and Kyler are getting engaged and I promised I’d be there. So I wanted to give you your gift before I leave.”

Opening the bag, I pulled out a black leather zipper case, as well as two sets of gorgeous, high-quality scrubs with butterflies all over the tops. More tears welled up as I fingered the pendant around my neck, letting a memory of trying to catch butterflies with my sister when we were kids float to the forefront of my mind.

“I noticed that necklace you always wear. That’s why I picked butterfly scrubs,” he said quietly. “I’m guessing it was Amara’s?”

“Yeah,” I sniffled with a nod. “She loved butterflies. Our Grandpa Isaac gave her the necklace when she graduated from college a semester early. She was going to be a teacher. Second grade.”

He gave me a soft, sad smile. “I’m sure she would have been a great one. Just like I know you’re going to be a great doctor. Speaking of…open the case.”

I obeyed, pulling the zipper around and unfolding the top to find averyfancy-looking stethoscope, complete with a thick instruction manual. A slightly closer look told me it was digital, with a display that showed the heartrate and alerted to things like heart murmurs, atrial fibrillation, and other irregularities.

Holy shit. How much had this thing cost?

No, scratch that. I didn’t want to know. Because Iknewit was way more than he should have spent.

“Thank you,” I choked out. “This is…wow. I’m going to have the swankiest stethoscope in the whole school.”

“Don’t get too mad, but I also got Mal to tell me what program you got accepted to, and I got in touch with the school and paid your first year’s tuition. I’d have given you a check, but I had a feeling you’d just rip it up if I did.”

Of course he’d done that. Because he was Braden fucking Hicks, the highest-paid rookie wide receiver in the League last year.

I let out a weak snort. “Figured me out, huh?”

“Pretty much. At least enough to know that you won’t ask for help, no matter how much you need it.”

“I suck at asking for help.” I sighed. “I always have. And I suck even more at accepting it when people offer. I’m sorry for trying to push you away. For trying to tell you I didn’t need charity or handouts. I know that’s not what you’re trying to do. And honestly, Idoneed the help. I was just…” I trailed off, not even sure what to say. Because I didn’t have a single good excuse for the way I’d treated him.

“I know, sweetheart,” he murmured, pulling me into his arms, which were quickly becoming my favorite place in the whole world. “Please stop apologizing. You’re human. You’re allowed to get upset. You’re even allowed to get angry. God knows you’ve had enough reasons to lately.”

“Yeah, but you’re not one of them,” I mumbled against his chest. “I shouldn’t have taken it out on you. Not after I found out you had nothing to do with how Vicki treated Amara. So, anyway, if you can still stand being in the same room with me, I’d really like for you to come over and spend some time with Isaac when you get back from your trip.”

“Just Isaac?” He pulled back to quirk a brow at me.

I chuckled. “No. Me too. But mostly him. You’ve spent enough time with me over the past month. You need to get to know your son.”

“There’s no such thing as enough time with you, beautiful.” Braden leaned forward to press his lips to my forehead. “Or with him.”

And there were those butterflies again. Except now I wasn’t afraid of them or confused by them. I didn’t hate them. Now I could only wonder if he still felt the same way as he had on Friday night before I dropped the bombshell to end all bombshells on him.

“Have a safe flight to Kansas,” I whispered as I pulled away. “Text me when you get there safe?”

“I will,” he promised. “Congratulations, sweetheart. I’m so damn proud of you.”

“Thanks,” I said, blowing out a long breath. “I’ll see you soon.”

“See you soon,” he said with a melancholy smile.

Turning around, I started to walk toward the Hummer that was parked in the back row of the parking lot, the butterflies in my stomach turning into another knot.

Where were we supposed to go from here? How did we move forward from the wreckage lying all around us, the aftermath of the grenade I’d so carelessly tossed into the middle of our lives?

“Dani, wait,” came his voice from behind me.

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