Page 51 of The Other Side

“Do I look decent enough to meet new people?” she asked, looking down at her old sweater and sweatpants–the only pants she knew would fit over the brace. She could wear pants under it, but she hadn’t taken the time to do that when she’d been so eager to leave the hospital.

“You look fine. Trust me, there isn’t a beauty contest being judged around here. We’re pretty casual.”

With her crutches, Thea followed Hadley outside. The pain in her sides was amplified when she rested onto the crutches, but she couldn’t go without them. Snow bordered the edges of the porch and covered the land as far as she could see. The only disturbed path was tire tracks where Brett had driven earlier.

The crutches sank a few inches into the fluffy snow, and keeping her braced leg lifted was a workout she hadn’t expected. The bottom hem of her pants was soaked within minutes.

Of all the things she missed about home, the snow wasn’t one of them. Thankfully, Hadley’s car was parked close to the porch.

Thea sank into the passenger seat and gently lifted her crutches into the back. “How far is the dining hall?”

“Just over that hill. You drove close to it when you came in,” Hadley said as she backed up and turned to follow Brett’s tracks.

Three minutes later, they parked beside half a dozen other vehicles in front of a long building with a porch that extended from one end to the other.

“That’s the main house,” Hadley said, pointing to the left. “That’s the check-in office. The admin offices are behind it. This is the dining hall, and the dance hall is connected on the back side.”

Thea looked around. “It’s nice to have it all right here together.”

“It sure is. Let’s go. I’ll introduce you to folks. Looks like almost everyone is here.”

Taking one step at a time, Thea pushed up one porch step after another. The pull in her chest was stifling. Maybe she should take Brett up on the offer to carry her more often.

Hadley held one of the double doors open, and Thea swung herself in. The inside of the dining hall was massive. Wide antler chandeliers hung from the open-rafter ceiling, a few tables were clustered near the serving bar, and the old wooden floor was scuffed and worn as if it had hosted hundreds of guests over the decades.

A high-pitched laugh pulled her attention to the nearest end of the serving bar where Brett held onto a little girl’s hands while he swung her around. Her dark hair fanned out as Brett twirled in place. The girl couldn’t have been older than four or five. When Brett sat her down, her smile was as bright as his.

“Again! Again!”

Thea stopped, captivated by the happiness in Brett’s eyes. Seeing him playing with a kid was more than her fragile emotions could take.

“That’s Abby. Colt and Remi’s little girl,” Hadley said.

Brett threw his hands in the air and bounced on his toes. “No, you do me this time. It’s my turn.”

The little girl laughed. “Mister Brett! I can’t swing you!”

Brett looked up, and his eyes locked with Thea’s in an instant. It was almost as if he’d felt her gaze on him. His bright smile didn’t falter as he grabbed the little girl’s hand. “Come on. I have someone I want you to meet.”

It was going to be harder than Thea had expected to live this close to Brett and contain her feelings.

Chapter12

Brett

Brett swung Abby up into his arms, and her giggles turned into full-on belly laughs. Thea stood just inside the dining hall, watching him approach.

There was a magnet between them–a pulling force dragging him to her. It had been that way between him and Thea since the first time they met. He’d taken up his place beside her in their last semester of high school, and that connection didn’t waver until she left.

Now, he didn’t know what to do with that instinct.

He could understand the leaving. What he hadn’t understood was why she hadn’t trusted him. Now that she was here, he hated knowing he’d lost that time and possibly any chance of making a life with her.

Brett stopped in front of Thea and cradled Abby in his arms. “Thea, meet my main girl, Abby. Abby, this is my second favorite, Thea.”

“Hey, Thea! Oh, you have a boo-boo.”

Thea raised her hand to the bruised side of her face. The constant reminder of what Thea had gone through kept a fire burning in his veins. Maybe it was a good thing he didn’t know who was responsible. He’d be all too tempted to give someone the fight they’d been asking for.

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