Page 120 of Only Between Us

“He was the only one out of all of us to see her for what she was, right off the bat,” Summer tells me. “And he wasn’t shy about warning Brooks.”

Parker shrugs. “Not that it worked.”

I glance between Parker, Zac, and Mel. Brooks had mentioned that Parker had conned them into a weekend trip together a while ago, to force them to deal with their baggage after a decade apart.

“You’re kind of a meddler, aren’t you?”

Zac chokes on his laugh. Mel shoots her brother an amused look. Parker sinks into his seat.

“He’s protective,” Summer chimes in. “Don’t get me wrong, sometimes it’s wildly misplaced. But when he’s right, he’s really right. Case in point: Naomi.” Summer nudges him playfully, and Parkershoots her a grateful look. “Notcase in point: every bad date he’s ever failed to save me from.”

“I just got called a meddler. What do you people want from me?”

“Yeah, well. Maybe you should meddle. You’re all going to get married with babies and have to designate a room in your family homes for sad, single Aunt Summer.”

“I’m still single. Do I get a designated room?”

Summer makes a face. “Not at the rate you’re going. The Oakwood tourism bureau may as well designate your apartment a landmark, the way you’ve been hosting tourist girls the past few years.”

“Nice one.” Parker nods appreciatively.

“Yeah, you liked that?” Summer grins at him. “See? I’m cute and witty and I still can’t find a man. Hold on to yours tight, you two. It’s dire out here in the trenches.”

She says it to Mel, too, but gives me the pointed look.

Parker follows her gaze. “Please don’t make me meddle. Because I will. Give me a reason and I’ll have you moving out to LA in no time.”

I snort. “Are you threatening me with a happily ever after?”

“Absolutely, I am.”

Summer pats his thigh. “Easy, big guy. We’ll keep that in our back pocket.”

We fall silent as Brooks lines up at the line of scrimmage with the rest of his practice squad. The quarterback calls the play and we all watch Brooks power down the field, getting himself open for the pass. He makes the catch easily and runs out of bounds as a defender approaches quickly.

Another whistle on the field. The play clock starts, players get into position, the ball snaps.

Brooks leaps into the air to make another unbelievable catch. This time, though, his feet don’t touch back down. One of the defenders catches him around the waist. Brooks crashes to the ground withthe man’s heavy weight on top of him. I hear their combined grunts of pain as their lower bodies hit the turf.

And then absolutely nothing but ringing in my own ears as Brooks’s neck snaps back with the force of the tackle, and his head bounces sickeningly off the ground.

The offending defender scrambles upright, and the other players hurry over. Brooks lies there, perfectly still on the ground.

No. No no no no—

Through the ringing in my ears, I hear Melody whisper something that I think might beoh God.I can’t be sure, though. My entire body—arms, legs, my fucking heart—is frozen in place.

Summer hops the barrier and heads for Brooks at a run. Parker looks like he’s got the same idea, but for some reason he crouches at my side instead, bringing himself at eye level with me.

He’s mouthing something at me, looking deeply concerned. I blink at him a few times before I register that he’s asking me to take a breath, over and over, as though I’m the one lying completely prone on the football field—

“He’s all right. Siena, look—he’s fine.” Zac’s calm voice yanks me out of my panicked haze.

Out on the field, Brooks sits up. He gets to his feet on his own strength, tosses the ball he’d caught at the defender who took him down. They exchange words that better include one hell of an apology for such an irresponsible tackle, before Brooks follows Summer back toward our sideline.

My heart hammers against my chest—trying, I think, to launch itself out of my body so that it can latch onto his.

That’s when it truly sinks in. The little jerk actually pulled it off.

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