Chapter 27
TWENTY-SEVEN
“I’m fine, really,” Sienna says, trying to stand.
“Let’s give it a few more minutes.” Jeff places a hand up to stop her and sits with her on the curb.
“There’s no reason for everyone to wait. The bus should at least go back.” She ducks her head. I’m standing in front of her, shielding her from anyone who might look, but I don’t really think anyone is paying attention.
“My parents and I can give her a ride,” I say to Jeff. I’m thankful our trainer was here. He came just to watch as a spectator, but I grabbed him the second Sienna went limp in my arms.
“Are you sure you don’t want to go to the hospital, just as a precaution?” he asks her for the third or fourth time in the past thirty minutes.
“I’m sure. They’ll only tell me what I already know. I need to rest.”
“Okay.” He stands and looks to me. “Text or call me if she needs anything.”
“Thanks, man.”
He pauses and lifts a hand to squeeze my shoulder. “And I’m sorry for your loss.”
Swallowing the lump in my throat, I nod.
Focusing on Sienna, I push out everything else.
I can’t go there right now. I’m on a teeter-totter with a nine-hundred-pound man.
One second, I’m flying high, winning a national championship with my team and the woman I’m stupid in love with by my side, and the next I’m hitting the ground hard.
Carrie’s dead? Nah, it doesn’t make any sense.
Dakota, Reagan, and Ginny move forward when Jeff leaves, hovering over Sienna like three mother hens.
“Give her some room,” I instruct. Instructions that fall on deaf ears.
“I’m okay,” Sienna says. Stubborn woman.
Adam appears at my side. “Hey, I just heard the news. Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. Listen, I’m going to stay with Sienna tonight. I already ran it by coach, and he said it was cool. Room’s all yours.”
He stares blankly.
“Dude,” Mav says, joining us. We’re a freaking circus act. He hugs me tightly, squeezing the air out of my lungs. “I am so sorry for your loss. What can I do?”
His tone is soft and sympathetic and I cannot handle it right now. I’ve gotta get the hell out of here. “I’m good.”
“What’s going on?” Reagan asks. The girls don’t know yet, and I don’t want to be around when more people find out.
I remove myself from Mav’s hold and look to Sienna. “Angel, you ready? My parents will give us a ride. I’m going to stay with you tonight.”
“Oh.” She glances at the girls. “It’s okay. Go be with your family.”
“No chance.”
She glances to Kota “I’m sharing a bed with Dakota.”
“It’s cool.” She waves her off. “You two can have the bed and the room. These two won’t be sleeping in our room, anyway.” She points to Reagan and Ginny. “And I can find somewhere to crash.”
“That’s settled then.” I scoop her up in my arms.
“I can walk, Rhett.”
“I know, angel.”
But having her in my arms makes me want to punch something a whole lot less.
“I’m sorry.” Sienna sits on the bed, her back resting against the wall.
“It’s fine. I don’t really feel like celebrating.” I toss my hat and run my fingers through my hair.
“I meant about Carrie. Are you okay?”
I ignore her question because I don’t know the answer right now. I open the mini fridge. “Do you need anything? Water? Food?”
“Just for you to sit down. I’m okay. You don’t need to worry about me.”
With a sigh, I go and sit beside her on the bed. “You scared the shit out of me.”
“I know.” Her hands cup my face. “I’m so sorry.”
“It doesn’t feel real.”
She smiles sadly. “If you want to be with your family or by yourself, I’ll understand.”
I kick off my shoes and drag my legs up so I’m beside her on the bed. “I’m exactly where I want to be.”
I thought I’d have trouble sleeping, but I drift off while Sienna runs her fingers through my hair, letting me stew in silence, and I don’t wake up until the sun shines through a crack in the curtains.
I ease out of bed carefully so I don’t wake her and pull the curtains together, shrouding the room in darkness.
Dakota lets herself in as I’m pulling on my jeans.
“Sorry,” she whispers. “I thought you two would be up.”
“She should sleep as long as she can. What time are you guys leaving?”
“Noon.”
I nod. “I need to go talk with my parents. You’ll be here?”
“Yes. I’ll keep an eye on her.” She walks forward and hooks an arm around my neck. “I’m really sorry about Carrie.”
“Thank you.” I grab my shoes and glance back at Sienna.
My parents are in the lobby when I walk down. My mom looks like she’s been crying all night and I don’t know why, but it sets off my barely-contained rage.
I grind my teeth as she hugs me.
“How’s Sienna?”
“Still sleeping. I just came to say goodbye. Are you guys headed out?”
“You’re not coming with us?”
“Why would I come with you?”
“They haven’t made arrangements yet, but they will soon. Cory said Tuesday, if they can get everything ready.”
“I don’t think I should go.”
My mother rests a hand on my chest. “Oh, honey. Of course you should.”
“We weren’t together anymore,” I say loudly, releasing some of my anger.
“If you want to go back to Valley with your team first, we’ll get you a flight this week. Right, Julie?” My dad takes her hand. A united front like they’ve always been.
“If that’s what you want,” she says slowly.
I nod. Fuck. I know the right answer, but I’m not prepared to head back to Minnesota today. “I’ll just ride with you guys. It makes more sense. Give me thirty minutes?”
I head back upstairs with breakfast. Sienna’s coming out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around her thin frame. She finger-combs her wet hair.
“I could only carry two plates.” I set them on the TV stand.
Reagan and Ginny are back and packing their suitcases. They both shoot me sympathetic glances and take turns hugging me.
“How are you feeling this morning?” I ask Sienna.
“Better.”
“You should eat something.”
She graces me with a small grin that loosens the boulder on my chest. “I will.”
I raise my brows.
She grabs half a bagel from the plate. “Are you going back to Valley or…”
Apparently everyone thought of the funeral except me. Funeral? What the fuck?
“Leaving with my parents.”
“What day is the funeral?”
“Tuesday, I think.”
“I could maybe come with you.”
“No. That’s okay. Thank you, but I know you have practice and school, and you need to rest up so that you’re ready for your last competition. Will you still be able to compete?”
“Yeah, hopefully. I made a doctor’s appointment for Wednesday.”
I nod thoughtfully. “All right. Well, I guess I should get ready. Are the guys still here? I don’t even know what time the bus is leaving.”
“They’re still here,” Reagan answers for me. “I think Adam packed for you.”
“I don’t want to leave you like this,” I say, hugging Sienna.
“I’m okay.”
“You keep saying that.” I close my eyes and inhale.
“One of these times you’re going to believe me.”