Page 25 of Triple Pucked
“I laundered and ironed everything,” I blurt, forcing out the words, although it’s hard. “Your clothes had no order. Now, they do. Bottoms on the left. Tops on the right.”
“It sounds like a club I know,” D’Angelo mutters.
“I already hung your dresses in the closet. I’ll sort the rest out for you later and?—”
Robyn grabs my hand. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t criticizing. This isn’t your fault. It’s just that I’m not used to things having an order, and…” She gestures at herself. “Clothes chaos is the result of my morning panic.”
“You’re a fashion rebel. I like it.”
D’Angelo snorts.
Robyn tilts up chin. “You hear that? Afashion rebel. If I could only find my pants…”
I pluck an apple off the tray and throw it across to D’Angelo. He casually catches it and takes a crisp bite.
He’s easy to feed. He only eats apples for breakfast.
Like a horse.
Feeding people makes me feel safe because I spent too many years of my childhood scavenging for food, while Shay criedfrom hunger pains.Too many years terrified that he wouldn’t wake up, when we went to sleep each night.
I keep careful lists of what each of my family like and dislike to eat and drink.
D’Angelo is the easiest.
I’m cooking D’Angelo one of his favorites, lasagna, tonight to celebrate our first proper meal in the house.
It’s so much easier to care for the people I love now that I am finally out of the sling.
I attempt to hide the wince, when my shoulder twinges.
My injury still hurts, but my lovers don’t need to know that.
I can handle my own pain. I always have. And I won’t ruin our first week in our new home with my shit.
I study D’Angelo, noticing how pale he is, despite the way that he is attempting to eat the apple with studied calmness.
I sit on the end of the bed. “I should come to the meeting with you.”
“You shouldn’t.” D’Angelo fixes me with his icy stare. “Code scheduled a physiotherapy session with you at Tide Cottage. Also, he wants to bake something for you. Isn’t it his turn?”
I shift, uncomfortable. “I taught him Mum’s secret Yorkshire pudding recipe last time. She gave me special permission. He said that he would make something special in return in our Bakers of Bay Rebels online WhatsApp chat. That’s how these things work: You swap secret recipes and you don’t break the deal.”
That’s what friends do. Shay taught me that.
Sometimes, the secrets that Cody and I share are more important than about baking. Cody and I also share things about our dark pasts with each other, in ways that we can’t with anyone else.
And he doesn’t even hate me for mine.
D’Angelo blinks. “I hope that the mafia never recruit you.”
I cock my head. “So do I.”
“Ta da!” Robyn stands up, excitedly waving a pair of black pants. “Now, I just have to find the rest of the outfit.” Then her eyes narrow. “You’re squinting. Pain level?”
Shit, she noticed.
She sees me.
