49. June
CHAPTER 49
JUNE
M y parents extended their stay in LA until I was discharged from the hospital, and the boys requested a leave of absence so they could stay with me while I recovered. The team is now on its long stretch of away games. Surprisingly, the Titans’ administration didn’t have any issue with the request, but Jake’s fate is still unknown.
I’ll need physical therapy to recover my shoulder mobility, but the doctor said I was lucky and the damage to the muscle tissue was minimal.
Jake’s driving home from the hospital, but Lachy and Ryan had to play rock, paper, scissors to decide who was going to ride in the back with me. Lachy won, and he held my hand all the way. They’ve been treating me as if I’m made of porcelain, but I don’t mind that one bit. I’m damn lucky to have three men in my life who love me like they do.
When Jake parks in the garage, Ryan is the first out of the car so he can open the door for me and help me out.
“You know the bullet got me in the shoulder, right? My legs are fine,” I tease when he attempts to assist me in walking.
“Sorry, Peaches.” He hooks his arm with mine instead. “Better?”
I smile at him. “Yes.”
In the elevator, Jake presses the button for their floor, making my brows crinkle together. “We’re not going to stop first at my apartment?”
“Do you need anything from your place?” Lachy asks.
“Uh... maybe a change of clothes? And about the pets?”
“They’re fine. The sitter is taking care of them.”
“What’s wrong with what you’re wearing?” Ryan frowns. “You don’t like it?”
Crap. Ryan bought me the set of sweatpants and cropped sweatshirt I’m wearing. The fabric is soft as butter, and I know it’s a designer set, because it fits like a glove.
“I love it. What I actually meant was it’d be nice to take a shower to wash the hospital off me.”
“You’ll need assistance to shower, love,” Jake pipes up. “And Mrs. Carpenter’s shower stall is too small. You can shower at our place.”
“Oh, that’s true.”
The elevator stops on their floor before I can say I need to get more clothes. I’ve been in the hospital for a week and, despite my best efforts to look pretty there, I feel rough. I need a post-surgery glow up. But if I say anything to them, they’re going to say I’m as hot as ever. I could look like a racoon who just woke up on a pile of trash, and they’d still believe I’m the most beautiful woman in the world. Not that I’m complaining my boys are like that, but I’m in deep need of preening.
“Welcome home, Junebug,” Jake says right before he opens the door wide.
I step inside and find a sea of familiar faces waiting for me, holding balloons and a huge banner that reads Welcome Home .
“Surprise!” they shout.
“Oh my God!” I press my hand over my chest.
My parents are there front and center, but so are my siblings. Plus Katrina, Beau, and their children, Melissa, Doug, Banksy, and Maya. The couple visited me at the hospital, and Maya apologized for her behavior. She was the only one from the WAGs group who showed her support.
I’m still taking it all in when Louis breaks from the group and runs to me, holding a big poster in his hand. “Welcome home, Miss Summers!”
The last time I saw him was during that traumatic event, and all the feelings from that moment come back to the surface. The fear, and the joy of having survived it.
“Louis... it’s so good to see you.”
“Can I give you a hug?” he asks.
“Of course,” I say through the lump in my throat.
“Let me take that from you, buddy.” Jake reaches for the poster Louis is holding.
I hug the sweet boy, shaking with emotion. I can’t hold back the tears. He steps back and then points at the poster he brought. “I got the entire class to make you a get-well-soon poster, Miss Summers. We can’t wait until you’re back.”
My heart constricts painfully. I thought that by now Principal Prescott would have announced I’m not returning. How am I going to break Louis’s heart?
Anne, Louis’s mother, joins us. “I and some of the other parents talked to Principal Prescott on your behalf. We want you back teaching our kids.”
“But... what about... you know?”
“We don’t care about that. What we care about is that our children have a teacher who goes above and beyond for them. You risked your life to protect my son, and I’ll be forever grateful.”
I wipe the tears from my cheeks. “I don’t know what to say.”
“So when are you coming back, Miss Summers?” Louis asks again.
“She doesn’t know yet, honey.” His mother takes his hand. “Come on. There are other people who would like to speak to Miss Summers. You can chat with her later.”
“Oh... okay.”
I let out a shaky breath, trying to dispel the overwhelming feelings.
My family approaches before I take more than few more steps inside the apartment. August opens his arms wide—almost as wide as his smile. “Only you, June. Only you.”
He doesn’t properly hug me on the account of my shoulder, but he kisses my wet cheeks, and steps back.
“Only I what?”
“Only you would get fired and proceed to get shot protecting a former student.” He laughs.
I get half hugs from May and April, then from my father and finally Mom. She’s still prickly around the boys, but at least she’s no longer saying out loud what she thinks—that our heathen ways will get us a first-class ticket to Hell.
“I can’t believe they fired you,” April chimes in. “Aren’t sex tapes, like, the norm in LA?”
Oh my God. She had to mention the video.
“Really, April?” May glares at her. “You had to bring it up.”
“It’s fine. I need to get used to that topic coming up in conversation.”
“No, you don’t, sweetheart.” Jake places a hand on the small of my back. “People should know better than to remind you of that.”
April’s face turns bright red before she drops her gaze to the floor. “Sorry, June.”
“Let’s hope that’s the last scandal in your life,” Mom says, annoying me.
“Hmm... I don’t know, Mom. I think I need a few more before I retire.”
My comment does what I intended—it ruffles her feathers. She squares her shoulders and says she’s going to check on the catering. Dad gives me an apologetic glance before he goes after her.
“She’s never going to accept my choice, is she?” I ask no one in particular.
“Maybe once you get married,” August replies, then he looks at the boys. “No hurry though. I’m more than fine with June taking all of our mother’s attention.”
“Can’t make any promises,” Ryan replies, making my sisters’ eyes go rounder.
“You’re proposing?” April asks loudly.
Now everyone is looking at us expectantly. Shit. Do they think it’s going to happen now ? Oh my God, what if that’s their plan?
Melissa is suddenly near us. Maybe she saw my panic and came rescue. “June, I’m so glad you’re finally out of the depressing hospital.”
“Yeah, me too.”
She’s no longer hiding her face under sunglasses, and her busted lip has healed. However, her bright eyes are sad, despite her smile. I didn’t have a chance to ask her about it, but I feel like I need to at least try to get her to open up.
“Hey, can you come and help me with my makeup?” I ask her. “The boys gave me no warning, and I probably look like a troll.”
“You do not look like a troll, lass,” Lachy reassures me.
Melissa smiles. “Of course. Lead the way.”
I give the living room and the rest of the guests a wide berth and rush into Lachy’s bedroom, which is the closest.
“Where’s your makeup bag? In the bathroom?” Melissa asks.
“No. I don’t have anything here. I just wanted to talk to you in private.”
She arches her brow. “Oh? About what?”
“Before you came to see me at the hospital, did you really have an accident?”
She flattens her lips and then turns to the window. “Was it that obvious that it wasn’t?”
“Only to me and Jake. Lachy and Ryan didn’t notice the bruise.”
“I had an argument with Elijah. It escalated.”
My stomach tightens. I was hoping I was wrong. “He hit you, didn’t he?”
“Yes. I’ve always known he had a temper, but he never got physical before. I’m sorry I lied. I was so ashamed.”
I move closer and put a hand on her shoulder. “You have nothing to be ashamed about. He’s the asshole who hurt you. He’s the one who should feel shame.”
She looks at me. “He apologized, but I made a promise to myself that I’d never forgive a man if he laid his hand on me. I broke off the engagement.”
Relief washes over me, but it doesn’t take away the sorrow. “I’m glad. The boys were all fired up and ready to kick the shit out Elijah.”
Melissa’s eyes go rounder. “No! I can’t afford for a single one of my players to misbehave like that. You have no idea how hard it’s been to keep the general public from turning on Jake, Lachy, and Ryan after the video.”
“I didn’t realize they were at risk too.”
“There’s always a risk when people stray from the norm. Please don’t take this the wrong way, but your heroic act helped them big time.”
I chuckle. “So getting shot is the gift that keeps on giving. I’m certain that it helped calm my mother down a bit.”
“Nothing like the fear of losing someone to wake dumbasses up.”
There’s knock on the door, then Lachy asks, “May I come in?”
“Of course, it’s your room.”
He opens the door, and frowns. “I thought you were getting your makeup done.”
“She did! Can’t you tell?” Melissa replies with a serious face.
Lachy’s face turns bright red. He rubs the back of his neck, looking all awkward now. “Oh yeah, sorry, lass. It looks great.”
Melissa laughs. “God, you’re so easy, Lachy.”
“Uh?”
I go to him and give him a quick peck on the lips. “Don’t mind her. What did you want?”
“Checking if you wanted cake.”
I smile slowly. “I’m always down for cake.”
“Lass... get yer mind out of the gutter.”
“Wait... is cake code for something else?” Melissa butts in. “Actually, don’t tell me. I don’t want to know.”
She walks out, but Lachy replies anyway. “Your loss.”
I hit his arm playfully. “Please tell me you’re not telling people about the tres leches cake.”
He wrinkles his nose. “Of course not. That’s our secret, and it shall remain so forever.”