Page 62 of The Wildcat

“Yeah, or something.”

Because what I did was somehow worse.

Isit on the couch a few hours later, with Brynlee sitting across from me, and Everly and Ares standing next to her, like two of the four horsemen of the fucking apocalypse. Everly hasn’t said a word to me since this morning, but she’s hanging on every word Brynn says. “We’ve already scheduled an appointment with a specialist in the city, Cross. It’s tomorrow at two. Can someone take you? You can’t drive yet.”

“I will,” Everly tells Brynlee.Not me.

Nope. She’s not even looking at me.

“Thanks, blondie. I’ve got practice, and Bellamy’s got school. Mrs. A will have the kids.”

“You guysdoknow I’m sitting right here, right?” I ask while they all make schedules for me without talking to me. Like I’m not right here.

“We got this, Cross. You’re good,” Ares tells me, like suddenly he’s the adult in the room. It’s fucking weird and makes my head hurt worse.

“How long am I off the ice, Brynn?” I ask, needing to get back out there.

“I’m going to take a rough guess that it should be at least ten days. Maybe two weeks. I want to know what they say tomorrow. We’ll have a better feel after that. I don’t like that you’re vision is still wonky, Cross. That concerns me.”

“Is wonky your official diagnosis, Brynn?” Ares asks in a flirty tone.

Everly smacks his chest. “Back off, God of War. Keep your flirting away from my roommates.”

“Dude. You wound me,” he scoffs.

“I will wound you if you screw my friends,” she tells him with a teasing smile.

What the hell? She’s smiling at him?

“When did you two start getting along? How long was I out?” I ask, and they both look at me like I’m crazy.

“I want you to rest, Cross. It’s the most important thing. Sleep. Let your body heal.” Brynn closes her bag and stands. “You coming home tonight, Evie?”

“That’s up for debate,” she tells her, then looks over at me. “We’ll see if he keeps saying stupid things.”

Brynlee holds back a smile. “In his defense, his brain was basically scrambled like an egg last night. Give it a few more days. I brought you a bag of your things, just in case. Your sketchbook, some clothes. You know, the necessities.”

Everly hugs Brynlee. “Thanks, Brynn. I appreciate it. You going to the game?”

“Yeah. I’m heading there now.” Brynn looks over at me. “No TV, Cross. Not even a Kings game. Rest.”

“Thanks for coming, Brynn.”

Ares walks Brynlee out, and I close my eyes, tired of trying to stop the spinning room.

Soft fingers run gently over my forehead. “You need to lie down, Cross. Why don’t you go to bed for a little while? Take a nap.”

I grab her wrist and bring her palm to my lips. “I’m sorry for what I said this morning. I just hated the idea of you missing your game for me.”

“Listen to me, Cross Wilder, because I’m only going to say this once. I’ve been dancing every single day of my life since I could walk. I’ve been cheering professionally since I turned eighteen. That’s five years already. That’s two more than the average professional cheerleader. I wasn’t even sure I wanted to do it this year. But I love it, so I figuredwhy not. Well, my why not came today. Skipping was an easy decision. You’re an easy why not. You’re hurt. You need help, whether your grouchy ass wants to admit it or not. You have two kids, who already missed you and weren’t going to understand why Daddy doesn’t feel good. A sister who’s been filling in every night after the nanny left. And I may have underestimated Ares’s ability to help, so I called out today without second-guessing it or regretting it. I didn’t need your permission to do it. And I didn’t appreciate you making me feel stupid about choosing you over a football game either.”

“You about done?” I ask quietly because my brain hurts.

Everly nods and puts her hands on her legging-covered hips.

Hips I want to feel curled against me while I sleep.

So fucking sexy.

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