Page 317 of Wrong Pucking Player

When she looks past to acknowledge me, it dips tremendously.

I want to pull away, but Oscar tightens his hold around my hand.

Which Xandra notices.

Her eyes are observing our joined hands before she looks intrigued. There’s a hint of disgust, but I can see she’s fighting against it.

She’s trying to give me a chance.

“Welcome back,” Josephine greets. “Is everything okay?”

“Yes,” Armani answers. “We just needed some air.”

“Mom.”

Josephine promptly looks at Kenzie.

“Yes, my dear?”

“I’m hungry.” She pouts her lips and even blinks her eyes. “I miss your cooking.”

This woman is going to cry all over again because she’s clearly emotionally moved by Kenzie’s words.

“There’s a kitchen on this floor that hospital guests can use. Why don’t I whip up some simple soup?” she encourages. “You still love chicken noodle soup?”

“My favorite,” she beams, making her mother shed tears before she leans over to kiss Xandra’s forehead.

“I’ll try not to take long. I don’t know if they have ingredients, but I can always get your dad to order everything I need to make it and have it delivered here. Does that sound alright?”

“That would be lovely,” she replies. “Then you’ll be back?”

“Yes. I’m not going anywhere from this hospital, Sweetheart.”

“Okay.” She smiles and yawns. “I’ll take a nap, then.”

“Alright.” She gets up but gives Kenzie her iPhone. “Armani entered our phone numbers into your phone when you were sleeping, so if you need us for anything, just call, okay?”

“Okay.” She watches her leave. “Bye, Mom.”

“Bye-bye, Sofiya.”

When she’s gone, it’s just the three of us.

The energy couldn’t be more awkward.

“I’ll be blunt,” she begins as her eyes land on me. They lower to our joined hands, and I can see strings of jealousy forming in her gaze.

Fuck. She can’t be jealous of the idea of me being with Armani, can she?

“I don’t remember you. I don’t like the idea that I don’t remember you. It makes me mad because, again, if you were important to me like Armani and everyone else, I’d remember you.” Her words are sharp and definitely take a blow to my heart. “However, I’m aware of what Frankie is capable of with his magic tricks. If he really wants me to forget you, it’ll happen.”

She shrugs just slightly.

“I don’t want to give him that power over my relationships. Whether I remember you or not, we shared something, so I guess I just have to figure out why I liked you to begin with.”

She looks at our joined hands again.

“I don’t like you two holding hands, though.”

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