Page 19 of Cruel Love

“Where’s Shane?” Damon fell onto a chair by the pool, where I’d been spending most of my time since I got home a few days back.

Cole set a couple of pizza boxes on the table between us before passing me a water. My cousins stopped by more often than my brother did. But Shane was still the only one who told me stuff, even unintentionally. Not everything but more than the rest.

I took a swig. “I don’t know. Grandad has been driving him crazy. My guess is some bullshit errand for the company.” Grandad and Shane hadn’t stayed long the other day after Aspen left, and they’d acted weird the whole time.

“Huh. That’s the first I’ve heard about Shane working for him. What’s going on there?” Cole asked. “Is he interested in running the business? And I’m asking because we all know you’re not.”

I snorted then grabbed a slice of sausage pizza. “Not even a little. As for Shane…” I shrugged. “I don’t know. He hasn’t been home long enough for me to ask him.”

“Well, he’s a beast at practice, so I doubt he’s given up on football.” Damon stuffed half a piece in his mouth.

I hoovered mine as well. I was physically exhausted and hungry. I’d done a lot that day, starting with a long PT session that Mom had taken me to. When I got home, I had a protein shake then did a long workout in the pool. It felt amazing, but I had so far to go. I wanted to be there now—back at practice, starting in the games, and closer to Aspen.

“Is it weird?” Damon took another slice, his blue eyes boring into me.

“Is what weird?” I wasn’t following.

“Thinking you’re fourteen but looking like you do. Losing five years.”

“It’s fucking bizarre.” I set my plate down and leaned back in my chair, enjoying the cool breeze coming off the ocean. “To know that I’ve finished four years of high school when I feel like I should be in class all day is a trip. Then I see you guys and Shane, and you’re huge.” I looked down at myself. “I am too. It’s a lot to wrap my head around.”

“It’s weird for us too.” Cole chugged half of his water. “And it’s not the same on the field since you’ve been gone. McAffrey is back in.”

The name sounded familiar, but my head started to throb, so I let it go.

“Dude”—Damon shook his head—“he threw an interception that cost us the game last weekend. And the guy cannot call an audible to save his life.”

My gut tightened. “I want back in like you wouldn’t believe.” Cole understood. Out of all of us, he was as driven as I was.

“You’ve got to get better first,” he replied calmly. “You’ll come back stronger than ever, but don’t rush it. This is your life, your future, and you need to give yourself time to heal.” He pointed at me. “Don’t fuck it up by rushing and pushing everything back even further.”

“Yeah, I get that. It just sucks.” I knocked his hand away. We needed a change of subject. “Shane told me Jake Flynn wants a rematch.”

Damon’s brows raised. “You’re not considering that, are you? The guy is a monster.”

“Did I beat him before?”

“Well, yeah, but you were pissed, and he was your scapegoat. No one would have beaten you that day.”

“Why was I mad?”

My cousins exchanged a quick look, and I knew before either of them spoke that their response would be censored. “Forget it,” Damon said.

Cole shut the empty pizza box, set it aside, and opened the other one. “Do you remember anything yet?”

“I have dreams or see flashes, but I don’t know what they mean or if they’re actual memories. They’re mostly of Aspen.”

“Riley and Sky love her.” Cole grinned. “She’s already a part of the group. Don’t fuck it up.”

“Why would I? Aspen’s cool. And hot.” More than that. I wanted her, and I wasn’t afraid to admit that to myself. I was dealing with some crazy stuff, but even knowing that I could have a five-minute phone conversation with her at the end of the day made the struggle worthwhile. I wanted to be more than her friend, and it seemed like we were moving in that direction, especially given how she’d responded when I kissed her. And if Grandad hadn’t shown up, I would have kissed her again.

“Yeah, she is. We like her too.” Damon narrowed his eyes at me. “Don’t let anyone get in your head about her. She’s already one of us. Don’t make us kick you out to keep her.”

“The fuck?” I threw my crust at him. “And what are you talking about? Who would get in my head?”

“No one,” Cole snapped, glaring at his brother. “He just means your temper got out of hand the night you fought Jake. You were pissed because you thought someone was hitting on Aspen, but Max isn’t into girls. He’s her friend.”

“She is my girlfriend, then.” I laughed. Fuck yeah. Aspen and I were going to have a talk and then mess around.

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