Chapter 5
CHAPTER FIVE
Tolliver was smiling.
He'd been at it the whole drive.
When I exited the house, he hopped out of his car to open my door like some kind of knight in shining SUV.
We pulled onto the road on the way to my PT appointment, and since then, nothing but teeth.
They were very straight and white and lovely.
Except for one slightly crooked canine near the front.
Instead of detracting from his beauty, the small imperfection made him even nicer to look at.
But something about his unfettered happiness unnerved me.
Shouldn't he be pissed that he had to take me somewhere?
That he'd had to wake up so early this morning?
Just to watch me read?
It really defied all logic.
No matter. I knew my plan would work.
It was simple really.
I'd come up with a few surefire ways to repulse him.
Now, I just needed to put them into action.
Taking out the bag of chips I snagged from the kitchen, chewing as obnoxiously as possible, I watched for Tolliver's reaction.
"Those sound good," he said.
"They are," I replied, chomping on a few more chips before adding, "You probably hate it when people eat in your car, huh? So messy."
"Nah, feel free. I eat in here all the time."
"But you probably don't like girls who eat a lot."
Tolliver lifted a brow. "Actually, I love it. Nothing turns me on more."
I closed the bag, not missing the way his mouth ticked up.
Reaching for the stereo, I started messing with it, pushing all the buttons, turning on music. I knew guys hated it when you mess with their car. Glancing over, I raised my voice and said, "Oh sorry, is this bothering you?"
"Nope," Tolliver said.
"Are you sure?"
He nodded then grinned, turning the dial even louder. "I love this song."
Me too, I thought but didn't say.
Who would've guessed the hockey player was an Adele fan?
But obviously he was.
As Tolliver began mouthing the words, nodding to the beat, I quickly switched gears.
Pairing my phone via Bluetooth, Adele's gorgeous vocals cut out replaced by a track from one of my classical playlists.
In my experience, most 17-year-old jocks also hated string pieces.
Even when they were as amazing as what was currently wafting through the speakers.
I waited for Tolliver to get upset, switch the station back, something.
What I didn't expect was for him to listen, brow furrowed.
"Hey, is this you?" he said after a moment.
I blinked in surprise. "Yeah, me and my cousins."
"But that's you on the main part, right?"
"It...is."
"Awesome," he said, surprising me as he turned up the music again. He threw that smile at me, and the way it made my heart skip a beat should've made it illegal. "You're really good."
I cleared my throat. "Like I said, it's my cousins too. You're right. We are fantastic. But I can't take all the credit."
Tolliver shrugged. "Still, your playing stands out. The way you performed that high part just now? Beautiful."
Why were my cheeks so hot?
And how did he even know which part was mine?
In the year I dated Wayne, he'd never been able to hear the difference. Sometimes my parents couldn't pick it out either unless they saw the performance live. And yet, Tolliver somehow knew.
I wanted to keep trying to put him off, but first, I had to know.
"How did you guess?" I asked. "That I was lead violin?"
"Didn't have to guess," Tolliver said, glancing at me then back to the road. "Your fire and passion. It's all there, Freya. I hear you in the music."
Something clogged my throat.
I wasn't sure what it was.
But my emotions were high, and I would not let them get the best of me.
Slipping off my shoes, placing my feet deliberately on the dash, inwardly, I cringed but outwardly, I said, "Whatever. My back hurts. Hope you don't mind if I sit like this."
Tolliver didn't call out my rudeness.
He didn't freak because I'd disrespected his car.
He didn't even stop, call me a heathen, and demand I get out.
No, what Tolliver did was worse.
"Damn, your back hurts?" he said, sounding concerned. "Should we go to the hospital? I've got an ice pack and ointment in my bag. You want that? I can help you put it on if—"
"No, no, it's fine," I said, dropping my feet to the floor. "I feel better already."
"Really?"
I nodded, sliding my shoes back on.
"That's good," he said in relief.
This was going horribly.
Not only had I not managed to scare him, I was actually starting to like the guy.
And that was simply unacceptable.
What was a girl to do when the boy she was trying to repulse and annoy refused to be either of those things?
When Tolliver started whistling, I couldn't take it anymore and asked, "What's with you?"
He glanced at me from the driver's seat then back to the road. The smile hadn't dimmed.
"What?" he said.
"You seem happy," I said suspiciously.
A shrug. "It's a beautiful day."
Looking outside, I could admit that was true. There was nothing but blue skies and cotton candy clouds for miles. Still.
"I can stop smiling if it bothers you," he said.
"Yeah, I'd appreciate that," I said just to see if he would.
"No smiling. Got it, chief."
He stopped.
For about 30 seconds.
I sighed. "You're doing it again."
"What?" he repeated.
"You know what."
"Do you have something against happy people, Freya Kent?"
"Not usually," I said, "but in my current state of concussed, dream-crushed melancholy? Maybe a little."
Tolliver's smile dropped for real this time as he murmured, "Sorry."
And that made me feel like crap.
"Don't apologize. I'm just in a bad mood."
"Why?" Tolliver asked earnestly, looking at me before turning back to the road, sounding as if he really cared about the answer.
Maybe that was why I didn't even think about lying.
"I'm going to see my mom. Not just her but the team of swimmers that she wishes were her biological daughter," I explained.
"I'm sure that's not true," he said.
"Yeah, it is. Her dream was to have a mini version of herself. An athletic, super baby, swimming prodigy who'd one day go to the Olympics and earn a gold medal. Instead, she got me. She's never said it, but I know she wishes I was like them."
"Sounds like that's her problem, not yours," he said.
I shrugged. "Also, this PT appointment will only confirm what I already know, which is that I will not be making a spontaneous recovery and be able to go join the HERS tour." I sighed. "It's just going to make everything so much more real. The dream's really over. You know?"
"Hey," Tolliver said, pulling my attention back to him. His face was serious as he said, "Never give up on your dreams. You might heal quickly. Just do the PT exercises. Rest. Ice. Rehab. Don't give up, Freya. That's not who you are."
"How would you know?" I said softly. "We just met."
"I know you." He said the words with so much conviction even I almost believed him. "You never quit. You work hard and aren't afraid of anything."
I shook my head. "Now, that right there proves that you don't know me, Tolliver Stone."
"Please. You're tougher than any hockey player I've ever come up against and twice as scary."
Laughter fell from my lips, and as I looked at Tolliver, that smile was back.
"I am scary. Aren't I?" I said.
"Terrifying," he replied.
"Why, thank you."
"Welcome."
As he stopped in front of the PT office and turned to me, I shook my head.
"What is it?" he asked.
"Nothing," I said then crossed my arms. "What was that smile really about? No B.S. this time."
As he opened his mouth, I held up a hand.
"And I know it's a gorgeous day. The sun is shining. The birds are singing. Flowers are in bloom, and I almost wish there wasn't a raincloud over my head, shadowing everything in shades of grey. Tell me what you were thinking."
"You want the truth?" Tolliver asked as if I'd want anything else.
I rolled my eyes. "Yeah."
"I was thinking about how ecstatic I was to have you in my car again."
My heart thudded in my chest.
"How that was the most fun I've had reading ever."
"Obviously, you've been reading the wrong books," I quipped through a dry throat.
"And," Tolliver said, his smile coming back fully, "I was thinking that your dad likes me."
I scoffed, and a surprised laugh escaped at that. "How do you figure?"
"Well, he let me drive you here," he said.
"Because it was convenient, and he had to work."
"He gripped my hand really hard when we first met."
"That means he likes you?" I asked.
"Pretty sure it does, yeah." He nodded. "Also, he threatened me and told you to keep the door open."
I shook my head. "Sorry Tolliver, but that makes no sense. How does that translate into him liking you?"
"I think," Tolliver said, meeting my eyes, "it means he thinks you like me. And that part had me smiling the most."
I swallowed.
Tried to find words.
Couldn't.
As Tolliver leaned forward, my breath caught—but he was only unbuckling my seatbelt.
"Better go or you'll be late," he murmured, still not leaning back.
"I...yeah. I'm gonna...right," I said slightly dazed.
"I have to go pick up my brothers and sister," Tolliver said as he finally leaned away, "but I can get you after your appointment. So long as you don't mind riding back with a bunch of hockey nuts."
"No, that's okay, I can walk."
"You sure?"
I nodded. "The aquatic center's not far. Plus, it's a beautiful day," I finished lamely.
What I really needed was the fresh air and some time away from this guy who had my brain going mushy around the edges.
"Okay," Tolliver said.
"Okay," I repeated.
"See you later, Freya."
"Bye—oh wait." I tried to school my features into a scowl. "Don't come back tomorrow."
Tolliver grinned.
"I mean it," I said.
He studied my face a moment. "No, you don't."
"I really do."
"Are you sure that's what you want?"
"I...am."
Why, oh why, did that sound like a question?
Of course, I didn't want him around, watching me go through this terrible time. I spent 20 minutes crying last night because I couldn't lift my bow in the correct posture for longer than a few seconds, for goodness sakes. Also, his smile really was unsettling. And way too gorgeous.
Tolliver shook his head. "When you mean it, I'll listen. Until then, you're stuck with me."
"I—"
"Later, Kent."
He was gone a minute later.
But I knew he'd be back.
Strangely, though my plan had failed, I wasn't too sad about that fact.