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What Are The Chances (Phil-U #2) 68 Ground rules 92%
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68 Ground rules

CHAPTER SIXTY-EIGHT

Ground rules

RILEY

If it wasn’t for the heavy painkillers, I doubt I would’ve slept a wink last night. With groggy eyes I stomped into the kitchen and headed straight for the coffee machine. It had already been geared up for the day, which meant Parker must be up.

I hadn’t heard her. Then again, I was so lost in my own thoughts and high on pain meds that fireworks could’ve erupted in my yard and I doubt I would have noticed.

Whenever I thought of Will an invisible ache pressed against my chest. I’d messed up so badly. The first thing I’d done this morning was reach for my phone. He hadn’t messaged or called.

As much as I urged to contact him, I needed to give him time. He felt betrayed. I understood that. Only I had no clue whether he could forgive me.

“Jesus, Tanner,” I groaned when he strolled into the kitchen in nothing but a pair of boxers. “We’re going to have to set some ground rules if you staying over is going to become a regular occurrence.”

He paused. “Like?”

“Pants for starters.”

He bumped me out of the way to reach the coffee machine.

Looking at him alone was enough to make me shiver. I instinctively tugged my fluffy robe tighter. It was finally snowing outside, but there wasn’t anything magical about it. The sky was dark, making it seem as though it was still partway through the night and not nine a.m.

“How are you feeling?” Tanner checked .

“Tired.”

“Need some more painkillers?”

I shook my head. I was done with those now. I’d rather put up with the pain than have a groggy head.

“Are you feeling chilly? Confused? Do you have a temperature? Is your heart beating rapidly?”

Tanner fired off the sepsis checklist questions.

“I’m fine,” I exhaled. “I’m just...”

I dropped my head in my hands, groaning loudly. My state of mind wasn’t a beginning symptom of sepsis. It was all due to missing Will. Less than twelve hours and I was already this pathetic.

“Caufield slipped into my DMs last night,” Tanner said. “He’s been messaging me non-stop all night.”

I looked up. “He has?”

Tanner nodded. “Checking how you are. How you’re feeling. Whether you need anything.”

That admission made my heart beat a little slower. At least I knew Will was thinking about me as much as I was thinking about him.

“Have you heard from him?” Tanner asked.

I shook my head.

“Can you blame him? I’d be pretty fucking pissed too. That was not a good way for him to find out about our fucked-up family tree.”

I groaned again. I didn’t need the reminder. Tanner wasn’t telling me something I hadn’t already told myself countless times overnight.

Parker walked into the kitchen, dressed in one of Tanner’s tees. It barely hit her midthigh. I hoped she had underwear on beneath it.

She’d doted on me hand and foot last night. She’d even helped me shower, washing my sweaty hair while I held my stitched-up forearm out of the water.

“How did you sleep, Riley?”

“Like the dead,” I told her.

Tanner draped his arms over her shoulders, pulling her back against his chest. The sight of her with my brother was strange, but I was still on board. I loved them both, so I loved the idea of them being together. If it meant Tanner would be around more too, that was also a win.

“So.” I danced my good arm between them. “This is official?”

Parker pushed away from Tanner. “Only if that’s okay with you. If it’s not, I’ll break up with your brother right now.”

Tanner’s jaw gaped. “Fuck me, Parker. Tell me how you really feel.”

“Riley’s my day one, babe. I’ll always choose her over you.”

I shook my head, chuckling softly as amusement pulled at my lips. “And Ryan? ”

Parker smiled sheepishly. “Moved on too. That’s all good. Promise.”

That settled that I suppose.

If it wasn’t for Parker meeting Ryan, I likely wouldn’t have started dating Will again. If we’d somehow stuck to only seeing each other in the physical therapy rooms, when there was always someone around to chaperone, I may have got through unscathed.

I was glad I hadn’t though. No matter what happened next, I’d enjoyed the past month with Will. And if it ended, at least he had all the cards this time around. There were no secrets between us anymore.

I lunged for my phone when it vibrated on the counter.

GRACE: Will told me about the dog bite. That’s seriously messed up, Riley. I hope you’re feeling okay. Call me if you need anything.

Had he also told her about our fight? Were we on a break now? Were we broken up? Were we done for the second time? I sure as hell hoped not.

“Will?” Tanner checked.

Setting down my phone, I shook my head.

With a sympathetic smile Parker reached for me, tangling her fingers in my hair. “For what it’s worth, I think he’ll come around. That guy is head over heels for you. And given your explosive sex life, there’s no way–”

She abruptly caught her mistake when Tanner shuddered.

“Riley’s right,” he bit. “It’s time we set some fucking ground rules.”

*

It took Grace minutes to shrug off her excess layers so I could start her assessment. Once she was down to a simple long sleeve and sweats, she pulled me in for a hug.

“How’s your arm?”

“Healing,” I told her.

“And your blood tests? Are they still coming back all a-okay?”

I nodded.

“And... hold on. There was one last question I needed to ask.” She unlocked her phone and read a pre-typed note. “You haven’t had a fever or the chills or anything like that?”

I chuckled. “I’m good, Grace. I promise. ”

Satisfied, she dropped her phone on the therapy table. “Sorry. Will sent me over with a full-blown checklist.” She peered up at me. “I guess that means he still hasn’t spoken to you?”

I shook my head. It had now been four days. Four days of eagerly checking my phone when it went off. Four days of hoping to catch sight of him on campus. Four days of almost cracking and driving over to his house.

I missed him so much it hurt. I was familiar with this feeling, and unfortunately I knew it wouldn’t pass anytime soon.

This time I couldn’t distract myself looking after my mum or training for a marathon. I was being forced to face these feelings head on, and they freaking hurt.

Dad must have told Richard about my injury because he’d phoned to give me the week off. Though I didn’t need it, I’d gone with it. The hockey arena was Will’s sanctuary. I didn’t want to take that away from him while he figured things out.

Grace sighed. “If it makes you feel any better, he’s been a mopey mess. Levi’s had to drag him to training most mornings. And I don’t think he’s been to class all week.”

That didn’t make me feel better, not in the slightest. I didn’t want my mistake messing with Will’s grades or hockey.

“You’ll work things out,” Grace said with certainty. “I’m sure of it.”

I slowly picked up my tablet but made no attempt to power it up. My motivation was at an all-time low.

“How did you forgive Levi?” I asked, hoping the question wasn’t too personal.

“It took some time,” Grace admitted. “But once I reminded myself how good we were together excluding that one mistake, it was easy to get over. Plus, being home made me realise how hard it was being apart from him. It sometimes felt like I was literally missing a limb.”

I could relate to that sensation.

I finally kicked into gear and began working through Grace’s assessment. Her body was like a well-oiled machine. There was literally never anything wrong with it. Not a niggle. No compartmentalised tension. This girl could go all the way if she wanted to. It’s like her body had been nurtured to swim.

Once the assessment was complete it took just as much time for Grace to slip her layers back on.

“Are you coming to the game Friday night?” she asked, smoothing down her hair to resecure her beanie. “Both Ava and Stella are going to be out of town, and I have a spare ticket.”

“I don’t know.”

I hadn’t been planning on it. I didn’t want to invade Will’s space or take his head out of the game .

“Come on, Riley. Come to my rescue here. I hate going alone.”

I couldn’t say no to Grace, especially given she was literally here right now as part of a favour for me.

Besides, Friday would mark one week since Will spoke to me. I wouldn’t be able to cope much longer than that.

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