Page 82 of Edge of Unbroken

“Oh,” I say and promptly blush. Shane has been really attentive since Ronan left, and especially these past few weeks. He showed up at my house unannounced a couple of weeks ago when I was sick in bed, telling me that Ronan had called him and given Shane very clear instructions to stop by and check on me. Despite feeling like complete crap that day, I couldn’t help but smile at Shane’s visit and the fact that Ronan had made sure that his best friend would check in on me before Shane had to head in to work. It was especially sweet because my phone call with Ronan that day had left me feeling on edge rather than calm and satiated. I knew that Drew just randomly showing up at my house probably left Ronan feeling uneasy, just like I had felt after finding out about Ronan spending time with his ex-girlfriend. Shane’s efforts to ensure I’m alright make me feel even worse about the fact that I stole. I seem to have a knack for hurting only the people who least deserve it.

“Sorry about that. Yeah, I’d love to,” I say, even though now I’ll also need to come up with a reason why my skates are gone. And the web of lies grows. Ugh.

“Okay. I’ll come and get you around eleven. You can go back to sleep now,” he says, sounding amused.

“Maybe next time call a little bit later so I don’t assume you’re trying to talk me into working out with you this early,” I say with a giggle.

“Firstly, I called you this early because I just got off the phone with Steve who suggested the skating idea and I didn’t want to forget about asking you. And secondly, you never minded working out this early when Ran was here.”

My heart squeezes uncomfortably because of how much I miss Ronan. I shouldn’t have ignored his call last Sunday; I need to hear his voice like I need air in my lungs, and I’ve gone too long without talking to him.

“Yeah, but Ran is hot, and perfect, and I’m in love with him.”

“I’m hot and perfect, too,” Shane purrs.

I laugh. “Okay, sure, but I’m not in love with you.”

“So that’s the deciding factor then, huh?”

“Apparently so,” I chirp, still giggling. “When Ran is back, I’ll gladly go to the gym at whatever time he wishes.”

He chuckles. “My boy’s got you whipped, I see.”

“Call it what you will.”

“Whipped sounds accurate to me. Alright, I’ll let you go then. You can resume your peaceful slumber and I’ll head to the gym, ever in pursuit of getting fucking jacked.”

***

It’s just before eleven when Shane collects me from my house, then drives the few blocks to Steve’s. My eyes move to the matte-black Mustang still parked on the curb in front of the house—exactly where Ronan left it the night after my birthday, the last time he exited his car before he got hurt.

I note the buildup of dirt on the windshield and windows—a clear indicator that Ronan’s car hasn’t been driven, or even sat in, in months now. It’s just been sitting there like a shrine, a memento, a memorial of Ronan, and part of me wonders if Frank and Steve purposely haven’t moved Ronan’s car or if it just hasn’t been a priority given everything their family is going through.

“Hey Stevie,” I say after Shane honks his horn a couple of times and Steve finally emerges from the house and climbs into the backseat of the roomy Jeep.

“Hey guys.”

“You alright, man?” Shane asks, studying Steve through the rearview mirror. Steve looks pale and downtrodden, which I assume has everything to do with his breakup. “You look like your dog died.”

Steve seemingly deflates but lifts his eyes and nods. “That’s exactly what happened,” he groans. “We had to put Onyx down yesterday.”

I gasp, my eyes wide.Oh no!

“Are you for real?” Shane asks, equally as bewildered by this news.

Steve nods, his lips forming a tight, thin line, his jaw rigid. “Yeah. She hadn’t been eating. At first we thought it was because she missed Ran, but she declined really quickly. She could barely move. My dad took her to the vet yesterday. Turns out she was pretty sick and probably in a lot of pain. So, they made the call to just put her out of her misery.”

“God, fuck, the universe really knows how to shit on someone when they’re already down,” Shane grunts. “Does Ran know yet?”

This is the verylastthing Ran needs.

“Nope. My dad’s planning on telling him tomorrow.”

“Fuck, that’s going to ruin him,” Shane groans, grasping his steering wheel so tightly his knuckles turn white.

“Yeah, I know,” Steve says with the heaviest sigh. “I don’t know, guys. I don’t know what to do. I don’t know how to help him… By the way, Cat, did you end up telling Ran about Vada and me? Because he knew. When my dad talked to him on Tuesday, Ran already knew.”

“No, I didn’t. I didn’t even talk to him last weekend…” I trail off, feeling terrible.

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