Chapter 30 Lewis
Out in the hospital hall, I stare at Amy’s door for a few seconds, a mix of relief and disappointment swirling in the pit of my stomach.
After all those long hours thinking I was about to lose her, I’m so relieved she’s alive, at least. But I’m disappointed we didn’t get to have that conversation I was planning.
I don’t know what I was expecting, exactly—but it definitely wasn’t the slap-down she just served me.
I’ve had two days to turn it over in my mind, and I was picturing her flinging her bedpan at me or throwing her drip in my face, or something.
I’d have taken it—I deserve it, after all.
Then, in the movie version in my head, everything would be cool between us.
We would have kissed it all better and had amazing makeup sex, right there on her plastic-coated hospital bed.
But she wasn’t even mad at me. She just looked sad.
And that’s rattled me. This was my chance to make things right between us, but I feel like they’re worse than they’ve ever been.
“Leaving already?”
I spin around to find Charlotte and Raven stepping out of the elevator.
I nod.
“So, the crash didn’t soften her up, huh?”
“Same old badass as ever.”
“Just remember what I told you—Amy needs reassurance. This is all so new for her.”
“It’s a new one for me, too. Both of us are clueless.”
I had a good few hours to discuss the Amy situation with Raven while we waited, and that’s how it finally dawned on me—I’d been in denial about how I felt about her sister.
The Hitman women kick ass.
“You’re not gonna give up that fast, are you?”
“No way! But she’s not gonna make this easy for me, that’s for sure.”
“Well, she is a Hitman!”
When the elevator doors slide open, Raven’s smile fades. “You again?”
Esteban slinks out, slouching against a wall, keeping his distance.
Smart move.
I hate this guy’s guts—him hanging around here is yet another thing standing in the way of me and Amy.
“How’s she doing?” he asks nervously.
“She went back to sleep,” I growl. “How’s your nose?”
His face is bandaged up—when he rolled up to the hospital and started saying he was Firebird’s boyfriend, I channeled all my fear and anger into him. No regrets.
“It’s not broken. Guess you were a little too limp-wristed.”
“I could try again,” I offer.
“Okay, guys. Let’s all be a little less gorilla, a little more human fucking being,” Charlotte says.
“Hey, don’t look at me—I’m cool.” Esteban stuffs his hands in his pockets. “I’m heading back to New York.”
“My sister isn’t going with you,” Raven warns.
“You coming to Sycamore Heights… This whole situation has been weird as hell. Emil never replied to my messages, but when I wrote to tell him Amy was in an accident, he was suddenly all over me like a rash. That’s when he told me about your scheming.
” She narrows her eyes. “You both wanted her back in Brooklyn, but you forgot something, didn’t you?
I’m a Hitman through and through, and I’m warning you—don’t fuck with me.
You made her life hell, and now look—it’s happening all over again, except this time, in Sycamore Heights.
So, I don’t give a shit if she’s all over you… ”
“She’s all over me because he was AWOL.” Esteban shoots me a dirty look. “If you’d just shown up at the bar that night like you were supposed to…”
I clench my fists, and it’s myself I’m mad at right now.
“I hope you had a good time,” I snarl. “Because guess what? I’m back in the running.”
He shakes his head slowly, staring me straight in the eye.
“She doesn’t love me. I’ve known her since she was a kid, and I’m telling you—I’ve never seen her this broken.
I thought that was my in—my chance to get her back.
But… It turns out I care too much.” His gaze drifts back to Raven.
“It kills me to admit it, but there’s nothing for her in New York.
I know that.” He swallows. “Can I at least say goodbye?”
She holds his stare, indecision flitting over her features. She meets my eye, and I can sense her silently searching for my permission.
I nod curtly. “Go. But this time, tell her I’m the greatest guy you ever met.”
“Prove it. She’s already in love with you, which is good—but I’m not sure that’s enough to win her back.”
Amy Hitman is in love with me.
There’s a soft, warm glow swelling inside me, powering me up with self-confidence… And a flicker of vulnerability I’m not sure how to handle. How could I have missed that? Easily, I realize—I couldn’t even deal with poring over my own feelings, let alone hers. I’m so fucking lame.
While Esteban takes his turn in Amy’s room, it’s a struggle not to glue my ear to the door.
Charlotte places a hand on my sleeve. “Don’t worry, we’ve got this. We’ll give him five—then we’ll make sure he leaves.”
I give her a quick hug. “I’m gonna head home to work on my next plays.”
As I stroll back out to my car, I pause by the Scioto to take in the view.
The thing I feared most is actually happening—here I am, obsessing over some girl, instead of focusing on my studies and basketball.
Like I’ve always said: Having a girlfriend is a pain in the ass.
But the truth is, I want her just as much as I want everything else.
Amy Hitman. As insane as it might seem, she’s everything I know I need.
She likes cars. She runs faster than I ever could.
And she soothes all the crippling pressure I so often put myself under.
What have I been doing, these past few months? What was I even thinking?
I fish for my phone and fire off a message—or I try, at least, but it sounds so shitty, written down. How do you win back the girl you lost?
I laugh to myself. I got my ass dumped the very second I realized I had a girlfriend to dump me. You couldn’t make this shit up!
I stare into the dying light.
Okay. Think, Lewis. Think.
I need to sharpen up my offense while she’s vulnerable. It’s like going head-to-head with a team you know nothing about. This is what I do; this is exactly how I roll. The only problem is figuring out how to score without a ball or net.
AS SOON AS I GET home, I’m met with a flurry of concern.
“How’s Amy?” Lois blurts out, shoving Lane to the side.
“A broken leg and a concussion.”
“Oh my God!” Her hands fly to her mouth. “Did she wake up yet?”
“Yeah—trust me, she’s alive and kicking.”
I pour myself a smoothie and down it in one.
Lane squints at me. “You’re actually digging Lois’s smoothies today?”
I shrug. “You guys drink it by the gallon. Maybe I need to start listening to you.”
He gasps. “Okay, this is more serious than I thought. Living room.” He points. “Now.”
I let them shepherd me onto the couch and I settle in next to Adam and Donovan as Carrie wanders out of the bathroom, her hair wrapped in a towel.
“She’s doing fine,” Don tells her.
“Thank God.” She sits down across from me. “Did you speak to her?”
“I just got back. It’s a good thing she’s strapped to the bed, because otherwise I’m pretty sure I’d be sitting here with a broken bone or two.”
Carrie thinks for a moment. “She didn’t even go for you with a crutch, or something?”
“Don’t look so disappointed!”
“Hey, you deserve it, the way you spoke to her…”
“Come on, Carrie… Back off,” Don warns.
“She’s right, though.” I hang my head.
Adam puts a hand on my shoulder. “So, what’s the situation?”
“I got dumped by my girlfriend—that’s the situation.”
“Daaaamn!” Carrie gasps. “Did he actually just use the g-word? Unironically?”
“Carrie!”
She shoots Don a sheepish look. “Sorryyyy…”
That’s when it hits me.
If I’m going to play the game of my life against the world’s most enigmatic team, I’m going to need teammates.
“Why is he looking at me like that?” Carrie asks nervously, pulling back. “Don, make him stop.”
“I need you, Carrie.”
She jumps up. “I need to go dry my hair.”
“Please!” I whine. “Your romances… There must be something in those books of yours that c—”
“No! Bad boy!” She throws her wet towel in my face. “Not this again! I already tutored Wolinski, and I’m still paying for it.”
Her boyfriend laughs. “You are so full of crap…”
“Guys, listen!” I yell. “Carrie, you need to tell me what the secret is. How do I make it so Amy can’t imagine life without me?”
Her mouth falls open, and I’m guessing I phrased that all wrong, because she starts pacing up and down the living room, shaking her head from side to side.
“Guys, he’s really freaking me out…”
“How do I win her back?” I ask.
“This is all just a dream…”
“I’ve got an idea!” Lane pipes up.
“Oh God,” Lois mutters under her breath.
“We should script the shit out of this!” Lane beams at me.
“Fuck, I mean… I’ve got, like, a million concepts for you.
Imagine you sneak into the hospital disguised as a doctor, except you’re naked underneath the white coat.
And then you whip out this huge needle, and you end up saving her life!
If I get Carter in on it, we can get the show on the road by the end of the week—and I’m talking award-winning stuff. ”
Everybody stares at him in silence, until Adam and Don burst into laughter. Lois and Carrie just sit there, their mouths ajar, and as for me—I’m torn.
“It worked on Lois!” he pouts.
She slaps his arm. “Umm—no…”
“I wrote you an amazing screenplay that had you hooked.”
“How come I didn’t get a hot doctor costume?”
“You got the massive needle…” He wiggles his eyebrows.
I snap my fingers in his face. “Can you guys discuss Lane’s dick some other time? We’ve got business to attend to here.”
“Ignore these guys, Lewis.” Carrie pulls a face.
Lois looks straight into my eyes. “Yeah, don’t listen to them. Listen to Carrie.”
“You little traitor!” Lane gasps.
Don claps his hands together. “Okay, Carrie. Hit Conley with all your top tips—I could do with a refresher.”