Page 10 of Big Trouble
“More than likely.”
“You gonna stay around here?”
God no!was my immediate thought. I’d gotten away from Cali Cross and there was no way on earth I’d stick around once I was better.
“Maybe, we’ll see how the rehab goes.” A pang of guilt hit me as I remembered I’d upset Lo. Perhaps rehab would be off the table as well. “I had my first session today. She practically killed me.”
Andre laughed. “You, Jack? The toughest guy of us all? The one who thinks nothing of coming off a bike at over a hundred miles an hour and walking away?”
“Yeah, but I didn’t walk away from that one, did I?” As if on cue, my ankle throbbed. Fuck, I was so tired of it.
“I’m sure you’ll be back on track soon, no pun intended.” Andre grinned at his own joke as Adriana came back with her pen poised above her notepad. “Gotta be a burger with the works.”
I wrinkled my nose. Now I wasn’t doing so much exercise, Mom had insisted I go easy on the calories. She was encouraging me towards the salads and the lighter options. I already envied Dre’s choice before it had even arrived. “Chicken salad hold the dressing,” I mumbled.
“Really?” Andre’s brows shot up.
“If I want to get back on a bike, I need to stay in shape.” I pulled a face. “So, less burgers, more therapy.”
Adriana’s mouth twitched. I knew she was itching to say something but managed to hold herself back. I wouldn’t blame her. I definitely wasn’t acting like myself at all. Especially not in front of Lo earlier.
“What’s going on with you, Dre?” I asked once Adriana had gone. “You’re at the Country Club now?”
He shifted in his seat, not making eye contact. “Yeah, that’s right.”
“Any hot chicks there who could aid my recovery?”
“You remember spring break in senior year?”
“How could I forget? The fallout from you and Willa breaking up was epic.”
“Turns out one of the twins is also working at the club.”
I let out a whistle from between my teeth. I couldn’t believe he’d kept in touch with her, let alone ended up working with her.
“But Willa knows I’d never go there again.”
Andre and Willa Harlow had been the golden couple of Cali Cross High right up until that spring break. Andre’s badly judged tryst hadn’t gone down well and the moment school had finished, Willa had left town.
“Willa? When did you last talk to her?” As far as I knew, Andre’s ex was in the city, with her fancy catering and events company. And she was doing fine far, far away from Cali Cross. I envied her.
Andre looked at his phone. “Oh, about an hour ago, before I left to come and meet you.”
“You guys are back in touch? When did that happen?”
“She came back to look after Scarlett, after Wes…” Andre’s voice trailed off. “Anyway, she came back, we talked, we started again. Life’s too short, buddy. I always knew she was the one for me and she knew it too.”
I drained my beer as I took in his words. He was right. Life was too short. “It’s fantastic you guys are back together.” I meant it, even if my good wishes were tinged with the tiniest amount of jealousy.
“Bit awkward because she’s living at Scarlett’s apartment and I’m still at home. We don’t get much alone time, if you know what I mean.” He winked. His phone vibrated and he turned the screen towards me to show Willa was calling. “I’ll be back in a minute.”
“Pussy whipped,” I teased as he slid off his chair and went outside.
While I was on my own, I took a moment to reflect on what he’d said. If anything, the accident had definitely made me more aware of my own mortality. Perhaps I should slow down, take a step back, take time out to reconnect with my friends, make new ones.
My thoughts turned to Lo. I’d been a total dick to her, with no real reason. If I was going to be around awhile, I ought to attempt to make amends, if only to speed up my recovery and get the hell out of here.
