Chapter 3
EBBA
Elias ends up tagging along on our trip to Texas for Sabrina’s fitting since it will allow him more time to practice with Noah and Fisher.
I’m not going to complain, though, since it means we get to fly on Elias’s plane and I’ll take that over commercial any day. I’ve been spoiled to the ease of flying private.
I haven’t slept well the past few nights, so it’s no surprise that I fall right asleep only stirring when my brother nudges me awake.
“Come on, Eb. We’re here.”
“Oh.” I look around as I pop out my earbuds. “That was quick.”
“Because you fell asleep before we even took off,” he teases.
I tuck my earbuds into my purse and stand, grabbing my overnight bag. We won’t be here long, but I still needed a few clothing options.
Outside of the plane, a Mercedes G-Wagon waits, and I expect to see Sabrina or Noah getting out. I should know better, though, since I’m fairly certain the universe hates me. Fisher hops out and walks over to us with an easy smile, his eyes shielded from the sun by the brim of his baseball cap.
“Here, let me take those.” He offers his hand toward my bag, and I clutch it tighter in my grasp as my feet touch the ground. Elias and Whimsy are already walking ahead to the car, leaving me to suffer alone.
“I’ve got it. It’s only twenty feet to the car. I think I can make it.”
He shrugs. “Sure.”
I stumble slightly and his hand wraps firmly around my elbow to prevent me from faceplanting. I exhale a startled breath.
“Thanks.”
“Mhm,” he hums and lets me go once I have my footing.
“Are you okay?” Elias asks when I finally reach the car. He stands beside the front passenger side, so I hope that means I won’t have to ride beside Fisher. The proximity will be bad enough without being next to him.
“I’m okay. Just a stupid pebble.”
“Where’s your cane?” He follows me around as I put my stuff in the trunk with theirs.
“I didn’t think I would need it.” Correction: I didn’t want to need it. I know it’s silly since it helps me and there’s no shame in using one, but sometimes I just want to pretend that my body is fine, and I don’t need extra help.
“Is your leg giving you trouble?”
My breath catches at the warmth of Fisher’s body right behind me. This is probably the closest proximity we’ve had in a long time. He still smells the same—fresh and clean like mandarin and bergamot.
“My leg is fine,” I mutter at the same time my brother says, “Yeah, it is.”
I glower at my brother and he shrugs. “What? It is. No sense in lying about it, Eb.”
Fisher moves around me to close the trunk. “We can stop somewhere if you need something.”
“I’m fine, promise.”
I quickly turn away from him and climb in the back beside Whimsy. Thankfully, Elias and Fisher quickly jump into talking about tennis and things Fisher thinks Elias and Noah need to work on to improve their game together.
Thirty minutes later we pull into the driveway of a large suburban home. Fisher kills the engine and I’m out of the car and heading for the back to grab my stuff before he can open his door.
Whimsy laughs as she joins me at the trunk. “Eager to get away, are we?”
“You have no idea.” I shoulder my purse and grab my bag, booking it past my brother—who watches me in amusement—and blatantly ignoring my ex.
The front door swings open, and Sabrina comes screaming toward us with her arms wide open.
When I first met her, she wasn’t overly affectionate, but I think Maddie—Noah’s daughter—and Noah have brought out her nurturing side.
“Thank you so much for coming,” she says, squeezing me tight. “The more I thought about it, I knew I wanted you guys here if you could make it. You’re my family.”
“There’s nowhere else I’d rather be. But did you really have to send Fisher to get us?” I ask under my breath.
Even though I don’t advertise my former relationship with Fisher, it took Sabrina and Whimsy no time to figure it out, which at first, I didn’t confirm for either of them, but when they clearly see the writing on the wall I figure there’s no point in lying.
Sabrina laughs. “He volunteered when he heard you were coming. I couldn’t say no to him.”
“Just because you’re all happy and bubbly and in love doesn’t mean the rest of us need to be.”
She releases me and pulls Whimsy into a quick hug. Fisher passes by us, glancing back over his shoulder at us before he heads into the house with my brother.
“Maybe you should give him a second chance. You both look at each other like there’s still something there.”
“The chemistry between you two is intense,” Whimsy says. “Why did you break up in the first place?”
I shrug. “My brother. Noah. What other reason did we need?”
“Well, they’re not exactly enemies anymore, so what’s standing in your way now?” Whimsy adjusts her purse strap and cocks her head to the side waiting for my answer.
I could tell them about the baby, but I don’t want to. Not yet. Maybe not ever.
“Some people just aren’t meant to be,” I finally say. Changing the subject, I say, “Tell me you have snacks. I’m starving. I didn’t eat on the plane.”
Sabrina reaches for my hand and gives it a quick squeeze before letting it go. “We have plenty. Come on.”
I let out a sigh of relief that at least for the moment the conversation of Fisher has been dropped. But I know my friends, and with him lurking around it won’t be long until it comes up again.