Page 136 of Call the Shots
“Wait, I’m sorry, did you…?” Cleo glanced between us. “Did you two talk about this? June, maybe you should stay put for a while, get some rest.”
“I’m not supposed to be here, Cleo.” I fidgeted with my medical wristband. “I didn’t want to do the fake relationship anyway. It’s not what King wants, it won’t send me to law school, it won’t get my house back.” I hugged them again. “I just want to go home.”
In the parking lot,I shuffled to Bear’s car, hands in my pockets. I stole a glance at him. “Who picked up the boys?”
“I called Denali when we got here.”
“Oh.”
Bear opened the passenger door for me, but I hesitated. “You didn’t tell Cleo and Miles…”
“I didn’t tell anyone.”
“But—why?”
“I knew you wouldn’t want them to know.”
My heart thrummed in the silence. I couldn’t believe Bear did that for me. My eyes pricked with tears. “Um…could I…?”
“Huh?”
“I know they’re not really your thing…”
“What?”
“Could I…um…?” I motioned between us. “This has been a lot and—and could I get a hug?”
“You want to hugme?”
“If—if you’re not comfortable?—”
Bear crossed the distance and wrapped his arms around me, yanking me into a gorilla-like hug. I tripped into him but if Bear noticed, he didn’t say anything.
He just hugged me tighter.
CHAPTER 51
BEAR
OKAPI
Before we left Austin,I pulled into one of those barbecue places that touts itself as a ‘real Texan eatery.’ It had a hundred animal heads on the walls and peanut shells on the floor. June sat quietly in the booth, picking at the plastic lining of the menu.
“I’m sorry, Bear,” she apologized again.
“Don’t worry about it.”
The waitress came for drinks, and I pointed to the menu. “Can we get this, this, and this too?” When the waitress tried to read it out loud, I cut her off. “Yeah, that’s fine. Thanks.”
“What’d you order?” June asked quietly.
“You’ll see.”
“Bear, I know what you’re doing.”
“Huh?”
“You can’t shoulder somebody’s problem like this. It’ll weigh on you and become really toxic.”
