Chapter 33
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
RAINE
I ’m nervous. It feels like a thousand bees are buzzing around in my stomach, and I can’t figure out if or when they’ll sting. Finley’s gone. Apparently, she bought a plane ticket and flew out to see Drew last night and, therefore, wound up ditching me with her parents in the process.
It’s fine. I understand she needs to put out a few fires in the relationship department, but I could’ve definitely used her as a buffer right about now.
I also probably should’ve rethought my first time meeting Everett’s parents with the added distraction of being in the same vicinity as Drake, but it’s too late now.
Shoulda, woulda, coulda, Raine.
Everett offered to talk with his coach and explain the situation so he could drive me to the rink. I declined, not wanting to rock the boat after already being the reason behind why he missed the last few games. Grudgingly, Everett agreed, then suggested I catch a ride with his parents to the game. The idea of being stuck in a car with them for an hour or so felt pretty miserable, so we compromised. I drove his car, promising I wouldn’t get out of it until his parents could walk me in.
Did it make me feel a little bit like a child? Yes. Did I appreciate Everett’s thoughtfulness, especially after being jumped the last time he was in Cedar Springs? Also, yes.
Although now that I’m here, I’m seriously second-guessing my decision to drive alone instead of taking Everett up on his offer to call in a favor with his coach. I don’t want to be here. This place holds too many memories. Too many experiences I wish I could erase. Facing them with Everett is one thing. Facing them alone, or better yet, with Everett’s parents as witnesses? Yeah. It feels even more unbearable.
But so does hiding away in Everett’s cabin instead of moving forward. Moving on. Even if this feels like trudging up a snow-covered hill barefoot. Sometimes numb. Sometimes painful. It’s better than being paralyzed with fear.
Breathe , I remind myself. You’re here for Everett, not Drake.
When my phone buzzes in the cupholder, I flinch, then pick it up to read the message.
555.236.0595
Hey, Raine! Everett gave me your number. This is his mom, Kate. We’re so excited to meet you! We just turned into the parking lot. Where are you?
Me
East side. Fourth row back. Do you want to meet at the entrance?
Mrs. Taylor
No worries. We’ll come to you.
My shoulders fall as I read her message. Not because she isn’t being super thoughtful, but I can’t help wondering if she knows about my situation with Drake and if it’s the reason why she insists I wait for her and her husband in my locked car. I should’ve asked Everett if he told them, but I didn’t think about it. I guess I assumed he’d keep it between us. He promised to not tell my family, but he never promised to keep his own in the dark. And let’s not forget about his blabbermouth little sister. Yeah. There’s no way they don’t know.
Great.
I reread Mrs. Taylor’s text. It doesn’t exactly ease the buzzing in my gut. She knows. She has to. And here, I wanted to make a good impression.
Puffing my cheeks out, I type my response.
Me
Sounds good. See you in a minute.
Mrs. Taylor
Perfect! We’re in a white Jeep.
I look up and scan the parking lot when a pearly white Jeep pulls into one of the closest spots. Seconds later, a man and a woman climb out of the SUV. The man is broad-shouldered with short brown hair and a five o’clock shadow. The woman beside him is short, curvy, and has long, straight black hair reaching her mid-back. Both wear LAU hoodies, jeans, and white Nikes. It makes them look like the perfect match. And even if I hadn’t seen their pictures at the cabin, I feel like I would still recognize them. It’s like Everett’s the perfect mix of the two. He has his dad’s eyes and height. His mom’s hair and nose.
As Everett’s dad’s hand finds Mrs. Taylor’s waist, she smiles up at him. All it takes is one smile to know they’re good people. Loving people. And I swear I recognize it. The smile. It’s the same one Everett’s given me. The same one he uses to settle my nerves more times than I can count, and even though Mrs. Taylor’s isn’t directed at me, I still manage to let out a slow breath .
It’s going to be fine.
Turning Everett’s car off, I grab my purse from the passenger seat and open the door.
As soon as my feet hit the ground, I offer, “Uh, hi.”
“Hey, I’m Kate,” the woman replies. “And yes, please call me Kate. Mrs. Taylor is Macklin’s mom.”
I smile back at her. “Hi, Kate. I’m Raine.”
“And I’m Macklin,” her husband adds, stretching his hand out. “You can call me Mack. Nice to meet you.”
Shaking his hand, I say, “Nice to meet you, too, Mack.”
“Shall we?” he suggests.
The building is bustling. The majority of the fans are decked out in yellow and brown, the Grizzlies’ colors. It makes me and Everett’s parents stick out like a sore thumb in our red, black, and white jerseys. When we find our way to the visitor’s section a few minutes later, I can’t help but curl in on myself despite Everett’s parents being nothing but friendly.
I’ve been here a hundred times. But I’ve never sat in these seats, and I sure as hell have never worn these colors. Not here. My knee bounces, and I slouch in the plastic chair while trying not to have a full-blown meltdown in the visitor’s section as the fans stand up, preparing for the home team to take to the ice while I keep my butt planted where it is.
“So, Raine,” Macklin leans forward in his seat, resting his elbows on his knees. “How do you like the cabin?”
“Cabin?” I turn to him and frown. Not because I don’t know what he’s talking about, but because, well, he knows I’m living in his cabin?
“Everett said you’re sleeping in the guest bedroom?” he prods.
“Oh. Yes.” I force a smile.
So, Everett’s a blabbermouth. Noted .
“It’s really nice,” I add. “Thank you for letting me stay there.”
“It’s a good place to escape to when you need it,” he replies.
Sandwiched between us, Kate explains, “Macklin went through a nasty divorce and wound up moving to the mountains and building the place before we met. We’re glad it’s getting some more use.”
Macklin was divorced when he met Everett’s mom? Wait…I think I knew that. He also has two older daughters. Miley and…Hazel, I think?
I shake myself out of replaying one of my earlier conversations with Everett and reply, “Thank you. It’s really beautiful.”
“He worked hard on it,” Kate gives her husband a look and smirks. “I’m sorry Finley couldn’t be here, by the way.”
“It’s fine. She told me about her little trip to see Drew.”
“Yeah, she really loves the boy. Speaking of my youngest child, Finley’s told us a lot about you,” Kate adds.
Called it.
Finley’s also a blabbermouth.
I look down at my hands. “Sounds…promising?”
“Only good things, I swear,” Kate teases but sobers quickly. “Well, mostly good things. I heard about your ex.”
My smile falls. “Did you, now?”
“Yeah.” She grimaces. “I hear it’s how you met Everett?”
I force myself to nod. “Uh, yeah. He stepped in and made sure my ex couldn’t…couldn’t bother me anymore.”
“Ever the protector,” she quips. “I’m sorry about your situation, though.”
“It’s fine.”
“It isn’t, but I understand why you don’t want to talk about it,” Kate interjects. “Just so you know, my daughter’s a vault most of the time, I promise. But when it comes to her big brother, she isn’t afraid to break the rules and fill us in.”
Nodding, I pick at my cuticles.
“He’s so used to taking care of everyone else,” Macklin adds. “Dylan. Ophelia. Tatum. Finley. His mom.”
Kate smiles and grabs her husband’s knee like they’re both privy to some big secret. I bite my bottom lip to keep myself from asking what it is.
“I have epilepsy,” Kate explains. “And unfortunately, it’s genetic, so I passed it along to Finley.”
“Finley mentioned it,” I reply, remembering the way she blurted out her diagnosis at SeaBird not so long ago. “It must be…scary.”
“It can be,” Macklin says, “but I’m a paramedic, so I know how to handle it.”
“You also signed up for it,” Kate muses. “Everett, on the other hand…”
“You’re an amazing mom,” Macklin reminds her.
“I know I am.” Kate grins back at him, then turns to me again. “But what I’m trying to say is Everett didn’t sign up to be his mom’s and sister’s pseudo-protector when his dad isn’t around.”
“Pretty sure he’s the pseudo-protector no matter who he’s around,” I point out with a laugh.
Kate joins in. “You’re totally right. What we see and experience in this life molds us into who we are. And sometimes, it sucks. Then, add in what happened with Dylan and how terrible he felt, and…well, no wonder the poor boy has a bit of a hero complex, you know?”
“Yeah, I’ve noticed that, too,” I admit. “The way he’s always so quick to swoop in and protect the people he cares about. Like me,” I add.
“It isn’t a bad thing,” Kate rushes out. “I think we all need someone to swoop in and save us every once in a while.” She tosses another smile at Macklin, and my chest squeezes.
“I’m sorry if you feel like Finley betrayed your trust by telling us about your situation,” Macklin interjects. “She likes you. Actually, they both do.”
“I like both of them, too,” I reply.
“They’re easy to like,” Kate agrees. “It’s just…,” she pauses. “I want to make sure someone’s taking care of him, too.”
I swallow thickly, unsure what else to say, as my pulse quickens. “Yeah, I…I completely understand.”
“Good because I want to make it clear that I’ve never seen my son happier,” Kate points out.
“He’s also never brought a girl around until now,” Macklin adds. “You’re special to him.”
“He’s special to me, too,” I whisper. “And I’ll, uh, I’ll do my best to take care of him. I promise.”
The same familiar smile stretches across Kate’s face. “I know you will. Honestly, you already are. We heard about his concussion and how you rose to the occasion to take care of him.” She pats my knee, the same way she did to her husband. “You’re good for him.”
“Everett…Taylor!” the announcer booms.
The words snap us from our conversation, and I notice most fans have sat down again, giving me a perfect view of the rink. The teams are lined up on the ice. I was so distracted by our conversation, I didn’t even realize they’d filed out of the locker room and down the tunnels.
Sitting up a little straighter in my seat, I wait for both centers to meet at the blue line and the whistle to blow. But I can’t shake Kate’s comments. For the first time since meeting Everett, I finally grasp why he is the way he is. So vigilant. So on point. So laser-focused on everyone around him. Because if he has a mom and sister who deal with epilepsy, and a friend who hid a fatal disease, and another friend who died in a car accident, and another friend who struggles from head trauma, what other choice does he have but to always watch and wait, to anticipate if and when something will go wrong while also juggling his own life. His own struggles. His own goals and hopes and dreams.
I can’t even imagine.
No wonder he was so hesitant to add me to his plate in the beginning. To make sure I’m taken care of and staying safe. It isn’t only who he is. It’s who he’s had to be, and my heart aches in understanding. For the little boy and the pressure he must’ve felt on a daily basis. Scratch that. The pressure he still feels on a daily basis despite never having signed up for it.
Am I adding to it?
The question is like a barbed caress as it rises to the surface. He moved out of his place because of me. He was jumped because of me. He had to worry about how I was going to get here and whether or not I was safe. He had to give his parents my number and arrange for them to walk me inside a stupid building all because of a potential interaction between me and my ex. It has to be exhausting, doesn’t it?
“I want to make sure he’s being taken care of, too.” Kate’s words filter through my mind, bringing with them a heaviness I feel down to my bones.
I’m trying to protect him. To make sure he’s happy and fulfilled. But obligated? I don’t want him to feel obligated to be with me. I don’t want him to feel obligated to keep me safe, or to put me in a box with the rest of the people he cares about.
Is that so wrong? At this point, I don’t even know.
Shoving the thought aside, I wipe my sweaty palms on my jeans and try to focus on the man I’ve most definitely fallen for, who’s going head-to-head with my ex .
Look at the bright side. If I wanted a distraction from being in the same area as Drake, I got it, right?