Page 97 of Spring Tide

“He cut his paw on a rock outside earlier.” She moves off the floor to rearrange the couch, so I step in to offer a hand. “I had to take him to the emergency vet, and now he’s sitting in his crate in my room. I just don’t want him running around the house and hurting himself even more.”

Concern washes over me. “Is he okay?”

“Yeah, he seems completely fine now.” She sighs, gathering up a wad of clothing and tucking it into her laundry bin. “He’s actually completely passed out in there. Unfortunately, it cost me nearly six hundred dollars just to wrap his paw and get some fucking antibiotics.”

“Oh, Tay. I’m sorry.” My stomach dips. “Do you ... do you need some help paying for it?”

“I normally wouldn’t ask, you know that.” She shoves the last bit of discarded clothing away, our living room returning to its once-neutral state. As she shifts closer to me, I can see the tightness around her eyes and know that she’s holding back tears. “But it’s just ... I’ve been saving up for my lab fees for next school year, and I had to lend some cash to Elio a few weeks back, so—”

My blood pressure drops. “What do you mean? What did you lend him money for?”

“Don’t give me that look.” There’s a defensive curve to her posture now, arms folded across her chest. “He just needed some money for those classes at the junior college, okay?”

“Bullshit,” I say, my jaw twitching.

“Luca.”

“No, seriously, Taylor.”Fuck. I run a shaky hand through my hair. “Our parents already cut down on Georgie’s sensory gym to help him pay for that.”

She lifts a shoulder, then drops it. “Well, it’s expensive, and I just want to help. I’m ... worried about him.”

“Worried about what?”

“Okay, listen, I promised I wouldn’t say anything, so ... just don’t go flying off the handle.”

My pulse is pounding in my throat. “What is it?”

“Last month, when I went home to visit, I noticed Elio was acting strange. He looked pretty strung out, too. Bloodshot eyes. Erratic behavior. I don’t know, he was—”

“Being more of a dick than usual?” I ask, cutting her off, shell-shocked by her admission.

“Exactly.” She purses her lips together, guilt clouding her expression. “When I confronted him about it, he told me he had just been up all night studying. But when I pressed further, he admitted that he took some Adderall. I think it was just a onetime thing, though. At least, he promised me it would be.”

I’m stunned. Absolutely fucking stunned. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

“No, Luc. I think he’s really worried about passing his classes, especially with the financial stress it’s putting on the family.”

I scrub a hand over my forehead, sighing long and deep before I say, “He’s playing us, Taylor.”

She blinks back her disbelief. “What do you mean?”

“He was high when I went home last weekend. Did some coke with his buddy to ‘take the edge off.’ Like a complete dipshit, I believed him when he told me it was a mistake. I promised not to rat him out, either.”

“Oh my God.” She gapes at me. “What are we gonna do?”

“I don’t know, host a fucking intervention,” I nearly shout, leveling my tone when I notice her flinch back. “We need to talk to our parents first, though. In the meantime, don’t give him any more fucking money.”

“I won’t.” Her shoulders fall, face pinched with concern. “But, um, Luc ... I still don’t know how I’m gonna pay for all of Bentley’s vet bill.”

“Right.” I clench my hands into tight fists, willing my heartbeat to settle. “Look, don’t worry, I can cover half of it. Okay? Just give me until next paycheck, and I’ll have the money.”

I’m lying through my teeth now because there’s no fucking way I’ll have enough money by then ... not unless I can invent a way to be two places at once. Or if I cut out a week’s worth of meals during this next pay period. After all, there are ways to make food stretch, as long I’m still loosely following the team’s meal plan.

I guess I’ll just have to make it work.

“Thank you.” She wraps one arm over my shoulder, squeezing me into a quick hug. “I owe you one.”

“No, you don’t. Bentley’s just as good as mine.”

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