Page 83 of Chasing Forever
Tegan glances at Brooks like, Who is this girl?, and I deny the urge to raise my hand and say I’m the one he’s pined for since grade school—so ha.
Jesus. Who am I right now?
“Not a doctor, but I have seen my share of car accidents, and I did carry her through the entire arena, so I’d say my prediction is more than just a guess.” Brooks’s eyes are glued to mine.
I roll my eyes, turning away from him.
“Is she all done checking in, Rosemary?” Tegan asks.
“Yes, but she’s not urge?—”
Tegan cuts off Rosemary and opens the door behind them. “We can’t take the chance it’ll heal wrong. Let’s get some x-rays.” She winks at Poppy.
Brooks goes to push Poppy’s wheelchair, but I slide in front of him and push it down the hallway myself.
“Okay then.” He puts up his hands. But his fingers twitch as if he doesn’t know what to do with them if he can’t touch me. Or maybe that’s wishful thinking since I’m so thoroughly messing up this thing between us.
We follow Tegan into a room, and she checks Poppy’s vitals. Brooks and I each sit in a chair, the two of us fighting over the elbow room. He eventually relents, and I clasp my hands together.
“So, Brooks, are you still in Willowbrook?” Tegan asks. “How is Mack?”
She knows Mack.
My heart sinks. That’s not acquaintance-level knowledge. That’s “been to his house, slept in his shirt” knowledge. I turn to Brooks as if he can read my thoughts and is going to answer me, but he continues to face forward. His shoulders are tight, as though he’s bracing for impact.
When Poppy gives her a questioning look, Tegan says, “We dated.”
The words hit harder than I thought they would. A cold freeze skates over my body. I bolt out of the chair, legs numb.
“Oh… nice.” Poppy gives her a wan smile. “Lottie, are you going somewhere?”
Tegan spins on the stool to face me. “Lottie?” She points at me but looks at Brooks as though she’s asking, This is her?
“I need a drink.”
“I can get you some water,” Tegan says, feeling Poppy’s ankle. “I do think it might be broken. I’ll ask the doctor to come and have a look, and then we’ll get the X-ray ordered.”
She scans her medical card under the computer, and the screen goes blank.
“Thanks,” Poppy says.
Tegan looks at Poppy, then me, and lastly at Brooks. “It’s really good to see you.” Then she looks at me again and squeezes his arm. Her fingers linger before she leaves.
So does his stillness. And it’s that stillness I can’t look away from.
I scoff, and Brooks crosses his arms. His jaw is clenched, his breathing shallow, his gaze right on me.
“What?” I ask.
“I thought you were getting something to drink.”
“My purse is in your car,” I sneer.
He stands, crowding me in the small room. His presence floods the space. He’s too close, too warm, too everything I can’t have anymore.
“Then come on, I’ll buy you a drink. Want anything, Poppy?” he asks without his eyes leaving mine.
“Sure…”
