Page 88 of These Pucking Boys: Part Two

“Wait.” June turns toward her car. “I need to get my purse.”

“Don’t worry, sweetheart. I’ll get it.”

I find her purse on the floor of the passenger side. Most of the contents have spilled out of it. I shove everything I see inside as quickly as I can, but when I grab a tissue pack, I keep it in my hand.

June is talking to the asshole who crashed into her, and I have to fight the urge to shove him away from her. I focus on taking care of her instead. “Let me clean that for you.” She winces when I press the tissue against her skin. “I’m sorry. Does it hurt a lot?”

“It’s just a sting. Let me do it.” She takes the tissue from my hand and dabs at the cut. The tissue soaks up blood fast.

“My car is parked across the street,” I say, trying to mask how terrified I am.

She’s okay, Ryan. It’s just a superficial cut.

I keep repeating the chant in my head the whole way to the hospital, but it does little to massage away the worry in my chest.

JUNE

The doctor is working on my stitches when Jake and Lachy show up and crowd the room.

“June...” Jake starts.

“I’m okay. Tell them, Doctor,” I reply.

“She just needed a few stitches, and I’m almost done here,” Dr. Kumar says calmly. The man has the patience of a saint and doesn’t seem bothered at all by Ryan’s nonstop questions. He takes a step back and announces, “There. All done.”

“Is it going to leave a scar?” I ask.

He frowns. “Not at all.”

“I asked for the best doctor, Peaches,” Ryan pipes up.

“So, I can go home now?”

“Yes, as long as you have someone to keep an eye on you. We want to make sure you don’t have a concussion.”

“Don’t worry, doc. We’ll watch June like a hawk,” Lachy replies.

Dr. Kuman stares at Jake and Lachy for a beat before saying, “Hey, you’re also hockey players, right?”

“Yes, they’re Ryan’s teammates, and my neighbors,” I reply.

The doctor arches his brows and smirks. “You have very good neighbors, June.”

You have no idea.

“I know. They’re the best.” I smile, then I remember I left my car in the middle of the road—or what was left of it.

“Don’t worry about your car, sweetheart. I took care of everything,” Ryan pipes up, as if reading my mind.

“And by he took care of everything, he means he asked Lachy and me to handle it.” Jake smirks.

“I didn’t even look at the damage,” I mutter to myself, wondering how long it will take to fix it.

“That doesn’t matter right now, Junebug.” Jake kisses me on the cheek. “Let’s get you home.”

Dr. Kumar’s brows furrow, then he glances at Ryan. I can only imagine his confusion. Ryan acted like my boyfriend the entire time, and we didn’t correct the doctor when he assumed we were together. Now Jake is acting like he’s more than a neighbor.

This should worry me, but I can’t find an ounce of strength to be concerned about what the doctor thinks. Maybe subconsciously I want my secret to come out.

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