Page 104 of Down & Dirty

When we’d come back from the training course after our best ride yet, I headed for the kitchen to grab us some waters. Ronnie was coming down the hall toward me, his trademark grin on his face. He was either in a perpetual good mood, or the kid was up to something. No one should wear that kind of shit-eating-grin all the time.

“How’d it go out there?” he asked as he got closer.

“Good, actually. Might finally have a handle on that beast.”

He nodded. “They keep making them faster, but we stay the same.” His laughter trailed after him as he passed me, but then he paused to turn and say, “Hey next time you return my assistant to me, do me a favor and make sure she’s still fit to function.”

I spun on my heel, my stomach dropping. “What do you mean?”

“Sky’s out. Flu or some shit. I’d assumed you two were both playing hooky, but since you’re here, I guess she’s actually sick.”

He laughed again, but I didn’t. It was like a sucker punch, air scooping out of me. “How sick?”

“Can’t be that bad, she’s got Micah home with her. But she said she needed the day.”

Skylar was one of the most dedicated people I knew. There was no way she’d have missed our first day back unless she was really sick. But her bonehead brother didn’t seem concerned.

“You check on her?”

He looked at me like I was crazy. “Nah, man. I don’t want to catch that shit.”

My fists clenched, but I took a slow breath through my nose, forcing myself to calm down. Sky’s brother was a lot like me when Iwas his age. Before I knew better. Before I gave a shit about anybody else.

But I did now.

Stepping into the empty kitchen, I dialed Sky’s number. It rang a few times before going to voicemail. “Hey, Ronnie said you’re not feeling well. Are you okay? Call me.”

I gave Sky half an hour, but when she didn’t call, I packed up and left. A quick stop at my favorite market and I was at Sky’s doorstep, my arms full of brown paper bags and a hopeful grin on my face when she opened the door.

“Cory?” she said, her voice rough, like she’d been sleeping.

“Shit.” My smile dropped. She looked worse than I thought she would. But I should have known she’d have downplayed things with Ronnie.

“What are you doing here?”

“What does it look like,” I said, slipping through the door when she looked like she might argue with me. “I brought some soup and snacks. Do you have a fever?”

“I’m fine,” she muttered, following me into her tiny kitchen. “It’s just a migraine.”

I spotted Micah on the couch with a tablet in his hands and a pair of headphones on. He hadn’t even noticed me come in, and I laughed. The life of a kid.

“Ronnie said it was the flu or something.”

She sighed. “I just told him I was sick, he doesn’t get these, so he doesn’t understand."

I didn’t get them either, but it didn’t matter what was wrong; she wasn’t okay, and I hated it.

As I set the bags down Sky started hovering anxiously, picking up stray cups and plates and bringing them to the sink. Her shoulders were bent and there were bags under her eyes.

“Hey, leave that,” I said, taking her hands in mine and making her look up at me. “You don’t need to clean. It’s just me.”

A sigh shook out of her, wariness in her eyes. “There’s nothingjustabout you.”

Her words hit like a hammer to my chest, knocking a little wind out of me. I brushed my knuckles along the apple of her cheek. “Right back ‘atcha, gorgeous. Let’s get you comfortable and then I can make you something to eat.”

Sky stood frozen in front of me, regarding me with equal parts appreciation and disbelief. I knew this wasn’t normal for her. I’d seen it enough times by now. She was the mom and the sister and the daughter. Taking help was not her forte.

“I’m not hungry,” she whispered, a sort of last-gasp attempt to fight me.

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