33. Chapter 33
Chapter 33
LANE
The days that follow that Sunday afternoon I broke our friendship truce are a whirlwind. With only a month left in the semester, finals are approaching as well as projects and deadlines. Between our classes, my work, and his crazy football schedule, Teagan and I see each other every spare second we can manage, which isn’t easy considering we’re keeping our relationship a secret. It’s all look, don’t touch for the foreseeable future. It sucks, but the last thing I want to do is interfere with football or explain to Sophie what having a boyfriend means.
Now that I’ve lifted the lid on my tightly contained feelings, it hurts to feel like I’m stuffing them in a box again, but I know it’s for the best.
Also like I know we’re moving way too fast.
One second, I was standing on the edge of a cliff, armed with a parachute but afraid to jump, and the next, I’m in free fall.
Now all I can do is pray it doesn’t hurt when I hit the ground.
If I hit the ground.
There’s always a chance this thing between us might actually work.
In the blink of an eye, we’ve gone from friends to meeting in my car before class and finding dark corners of the library whenever we have a spare moment. It’s like I’m sixteen again, all raging hormones and roaming hands.
My teeth sink into my lower lip as I remember him pushing me into the large-print section of the library just this morning where we made out like it was our dying breath.
My phone rings, jolting me from the memory.
I reach inside my messenger bag and fish it out only to see the number for campus day care flashing on the screen.
Panic fists at the base of my spine as I answer, pressing it to my ear. “Hello?”
“Hey, Lane, it’s Cindy.”
The director. Oh, shit.
“Is everything okay?” I ask, even though I know it’s not. She wouldn’t be calling if it were.
“First, I want to stress that Sophie is doing okay. She’s calm and watching a show on a tablet.”
I blink my eyes closed, trying to take solace in her words as I nod. “What happened?”
“She fell on the playground at recess, and I’m afraid she split her knee pretty badly. It’s a pretty deep wound. We’re holding a compress to it, but I’m afraid she’s going to need stitches. Unfortunately, we can’t leave with her because we’d be understaffed, which means if you can’t come and get her, we’ll have to call an ambulance.”
My stomach clenches, bile rising to the back of my throat as I tell myself Sophie’s all right.
She’ll be okay, and that’s all that matters.
I exhale, pinching the bridge of my nose as I try to figure out how I can be in two places at once. The last thing I want is for an ambulance to transport her for what will likely be a frightening experience over a minor injury, but I can’t afford to miss my presentation either.
Shit.
“Just give me one minute, will you? No matter what, someone will be on the way,” I say.
“No problem,” Cindy says, her voice soft. “We’ll see you in a minute.”
I hang up and waste no time dialing my father. But he doesn’t answer.
I curse under my breath as I try him one more time, mind racing with my options. Missing my presentation on such short notice will be considered a no-show, and the professor made it perfectly clear anyone who ditched would be given an automatic failing grade.
Voicemail picks up for the second time, and I groan. “Where are you?” I shout, startling a passing student.
Worrying my lip with my teeth, I try my mom, but she’s a physical therapist’s assistant and when I get no answer from her either, I assume she’s in with a patient.
Gabby’s in class, so she’ll be no help.
I squeeze my eyes closed and tip my head back, resigning myself to either flunking my presentation and ending up with a D in the class or allowing the day care to call an ambulance for something as minor as a split knee.
Unless . . .
My thoughts drift to Teagan at the same time a warm arm slides around my waist as if conjured by my subconscious.
“Hey there, beautiful,” the familiar voice murmurs.
“Teagan!” I whirl around, panic filling my veins as his arm falls.
Instantly, his expression transforms. His smile dims, replaced with a frown. “What’s wrong?” His forehead furrows. “Is it the presentation? Breathe, baby,” he says, sliding his hands up and down my arms.
He called me baby.
I shake my head, refocusing my thoughts. “No. It’s not that. I . . . God, I hate to do this, but I need a favor.”
“Anything. Just name it.”
My breath stalls, the words lodged in my throat.
In all the years since I had Sophie, I’ve never needed a favor from someone outside my parents, and even then, it’s a rare exception.
But there’s a first time for everything, and I can feel things changing with us like the shifting of sand through an hourglass. Maybe I don’t rely on Teagan in the same way I would if he were Sophie’s father. I don’t need a paycheck, or for him to tuck her in at night. But there are other ways to rely on someone. Ways not tangible and hidden from the naked eye. I’m relying on Teagan to be there and show up, to love us.
A shockwave ripples through me at the revelation.
Because I love him; I know I do.
I don’t know when or how it happened, but somewhere between the day he flashed me his dimpled smile and insisted he was going to be the best damn friend I could ever have and now, I’ve fallen for him.
I’ve just been too damn scared to admit it for fear the second I let my guard down, I’ll get hurt.
My pulse races as the revelation settles in my bones because I have more pressing matters to handle right now.
Just say what you want, Lane. Ask for help.
“I need you to take Sophie to urgent care,” I blurt.
His expression tightens with worry, his tone ominous as he asks, “Where is she? What happened?”
“She’s at day care and she’s okay, but she fell and needs stitches in her knee. If I don’t get her, they’ll take her by ambulance, and I hate the thought of her riding with strangers to the hospital. But if I do take her—”
“You miss your presentation. Don’t worry, I got this.”
He answers so quickly, it gives me pause, sure he doesn’t understand. “But you’d have to go now, which means you’ll miss your morning class.”
“Lane,” he gently presses his hands over my shoulders, “I said I’ve got it.”
“Okay.” I nod through the swell of guilt in my chest. “You’re sure?”
“Positive. Even if I had practice, I’d leave to take her.”
I blink, startled, and let the thought settle, somehow easing a little bit of the heaviness inside my chest. “You know I wouldn’t be upset if you couldn’t. I can just give my professor a doctor’s note and hope he accepts it.”
He shakes his head, his expression stony as he tightens his hands over my shoulders. “No way. You’ve been practicing your spiel all week and working on the presentation even longer. If you miss, you’ll screw your grade. So, I’m going to grab Sophie and get her through the stitches like a pro while you ace your project.”
My heart melts, and I start to move again. “I don’t deserve you.”
“You absolutely fucking do, but if you want to show me just how much you appreciate me, I can think of a few ways.” He winks, and I bark out a laugh.
“I’ll call Cindy from the center and let her know you’ll be there. Here.” I rummage in my bag for my keys, “Take my car, so you can use the car seat.” I place them in his outstretched palm with a flutter of nerves. “You know where I park, but do you know where the day care is?”
“Outside Simon Hall,” he says, already backing away. “It’ll only take me two minutes to get there.”
I bite my lip and he must see the worry churning in my gaze because he says, “I’ve got your girl, Lane. Don’t even give it a second thought. Now get in there”?he nods at the hall?“and kick some presentation ass.”