Page 118 of Need You Now

Seth sits in the office on the second floor, his leg jumping impatiently as Sal hovers over him, cleaning the gash on his brow. Her med kit lies open on the desk beside her. Luke leans in the doorway, his brow furrowed, watching in silence.

It’s the last place he wants to be. What he wants to be doing is finding Lacey. But before he could go after her, Sal and Luke corralled him, wanting him to get checked over.

Seth wasn’t about to put up a fight. He’s got enough people mad at him.

Lacey included.

The get fucked swings she took at him out on the lawn tell him he’s got some serious groveling to do. She’s pissed. Really pissed. For taking on Beau. For playing it off. Hell, if she had been in his same position, he would have lost his goddamn mind. He saw the fear in her green eyes, and he feels like the worst kind of asshole for scaring her.

As soon as this is over with, he has to find her and apologize.

Sal affixes a butterfly bandage to his brow. She leans back and evaluates him. “Well, I think it’s a Christmas Eve miracle, because nothing’s broken.” She bites her lip, trying not to cry.

“You’re lucky, you know that.”

His heart clenches. “Sal, don’t—ow! Jesus.” He stares at her, blinking in surprise. She’s just socked him in the arm.

She frowns up at him. “That’s for acting like an idiot. And for scaring me to death.” Then, just as quick as she hit him, she hugs him tight. “You can’t do that to us. We need you around, okay?”

The sad stare she’s giving him cuts him down. He swallows. “Yeah. Sure.”

She turns her gaze to Luke. “Your turn.”

Seth groans, looking at his brother warily.

Sal chuckles, but her expression turns serious. She gives the two of them one last look and exits the room.

Luke pushes off the wall, his dark eyes intent. “You sure you’re okay?”

Seth slips off the chair and stands. “You heard Sal. No concussion, no broken bones. Just luck.” He grins. “I’m still pretty spry, man.”

Only Luke doesn’t grin back. He stares at Seth a long moment, then says, “Today ... I didn’t like today, Seth. It had me flashin’ back to ...” Luke shakes his head, letting the words hang unfinished.

Seth’s stomach plummets. He licks his lips, squeezes his eyes shut for the briefest second. “Luke ...”

But Luke continues. Has to continue. “I still see you ... you know? In that bathtub. Thinkin’ you were gone and ...”

Seth hangs his head. The past, the trauma never far from his brother’s mind. And why wouldn’t it be? He’d terrified Luke and Sal both. Had them thinking he was dying. He brought drugs into the band, around Sal. Put them through hell. Luke has the right to worry.

“You gotta be careful, Seth.” Luke grips Seth by the shoulder, and Seth lifts his eyes. His brother’s voice is raw, honest. “I got Sal, but without you, I ain’t got my family. You hear me?”

Seth nods, choked up by his brother’s fierce love. “Yeah. I hear ya.”

He should tell him. Now. Here.

Seth clears his throat, swallows the boulder. “Listen. Luke. I—”

But he’s cut off before he can get the confession out. Luke moves closer, his face a mess of hard anger. “What Beau was sayin’ today, callin’ you that bullshit.” His fingers dig into Seth’s shoulder and he lowers his voice. “Don’t let it bother you. You ain’t back there no more. He don’t know shit and he don’t know you. I do.”

Seth pales, his resolve frayed.

What Luke means is that he’s got faith in him, and it’s that faith that has Seth clamming up. He pulls the trigger on the truth, and what happens? Luke’s already upset by his dumbass stunt to challenge Beau, how’s he gonna handle this?

“Seth?”

Luke’s staring at him, waiting.

To chase away his nerves, Seth runs a hand through his hair, exhales. “I oughta go find Lacey.”

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