Page 100 of False Start

“So…” Derek straightened, regaining his voice. “I guess the trip was a success?”

“We came in first place.” Trent dropped his hand, but I didn’t stand. Instead, I set my hand on his knee. Not exactly an apology, but close. “Thanks to Trent.”

Derek’s eyes traveled down my face, his eyebrows knitted. Gavin looked around expectantly and just as an awkward silence settled on the room, he piped up. “That’s great, right?”

“On our first rally? Amazing. Unheard of.” I yammered on, my voice getting more high-pitched, my chest tighter. “Did you check out our team account?”

“Every day,” Gavin chirped brightly.

“They just loved interviewing you two, didn’t they?” Derek shared a smile with Gavin. “I told you something was going on.”

“Nothing’s going on,” I said weakly, desperate to change the subject. “Water. Do you need another glass, Derek? You know, after surgery, it’s really important to stay hydrated. Let me fill that up for you. Gavin? Trent?”

I surged up from Trent’s lap, already in the kitchen before either of them could respond.

The kitchen was pristine, and when I opened the fridge, I found it fully stocked. Cleaned, even. No milk rings or shriveled fruit. Apparently, Gavin had been doing a little more than just taking care of Derek. The water filter was full, and I poured two glasses, drinking one before returning to the living room with the second.

“They only kept me for a day after the surgery.” Derek leaned forward, booted leg splayed out in the middle of the room. “I spent last night at Gavin’s house.”

“I live on the first floor,” Gavin said.

“The doctor said the stairs weren’t great for my recovery.” The corners of Derek’s eyes shuttered. A wince. A telltale sign he was about to give bad news. “I’m actually staying with Gavin for the time being. Just until I can move around a little better.”

“Wait, what?” I shook my head, wondering if I hadn’t heard him correctly. Derek wasn’t staying here?

“You’ve got your test coming up and work. You can’t spend all your time being my nurse,” Derek explained softly.

“And Gavin can?” I blurted out, clocking the hurt look on Derek’s face but unable to stop myself.

“I’d be happy to check in while Gavin’s at work.” Trent stood from his seat, placing a hand on the small of my back. “And I’m sure Kit would be happy to do the same. Whatever helps you rehab faster.”

His palm pressed against my back, thumb skimming my spine. A gentle reminder to take a breath. “Right,” I said with an exhale. “Right, of course. Whatever I can do to help.”

“I live on State Street. It’s just a ten-minute walk,” Gavin murmured.

I winced at the worry in his voice. Worry I’d caused. I gave him as much of a smile as I could muster. “Perfect. We can all pitch in.”

“I’m not an invalid, guys.” Derek placed his empty glass on the side table.

I shot him a tight smile, the panic at losing my best friend to his new…boyfriend? I hadn’t even been gone a week. “Let me put my things away, and we can tell you all about the rally.”

Trent grabbed up my bag before I could stop him, long legs eating up the length of the small hallway to my room. He pushed open the door, gawking. “I’ve never seen your room before.”

He took a slow lap, but there wasn’t much to see. A few pictures of my friends and family on the wall above my bed, a stack of laboratory textbooks on an otherwise bare desk, my twin bed with faded purple sheets.

“You okay?” He rifled through the books, pushing asideA Brief Overview of Urinalysisand openingBasic Parasitology. He shuddered as he stumbled over a picture ofDracunculus medinesisemerging from a patient’s foot.

I shut the door behind us, leaning back against the wall. “Yeah, fine. I’m just tired, probably, jet-lagged? Can you be jet-lagged if you didn’t leave the time zone?”

“I don’t mind sticking around, you know. If you want some company with Derek gone.” He metered his words, brushing his fingertips over a picture of my parents and me standing in front of my high school. I wore a blue graduation cap, robe, and a beaming smile. “Or you can crash at my place.”

I barked out a laugh. “We just spent five days trapped in a car together. You’re signing up for more?”

He shrugged, leaning against the desk. He kicked his long legs out, crossing one over the other, his knuckles white on the edge of the desk. “I don’t mind.”

“I’m not sleeping with your again,” I said, not entirely sure I believed my own words.

He laughed. “I’ve heard that before.”

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