Page 83 of Choosing Skyler

Just as I’m picking up my phone to call Dr. Anderson, Devon comes in and flops on the couch next to me. Brady is in the kitchen, cleaning up our lunch dishes. Devon leans over and kisses the top of my head.

“Hey, Sweets. How was your day?” he asks me.

“Um… It was good. My speech therapist said I’m doing fantastic even though I don’t havemyvoice back. She said that my voice may be like this forever.” I scowl because I donotlike my new raspy voice.

Devon chuckles and glances toward the kitchen. “Can I tell you something at the risk of catching a beat down from Bulldog Brady?”

I raise my brows and nod.

“Your new voice is kind of sexy, Sky.” He winks and bounces his eyebrows.

I shove him in the shoulder. “Whatever. I sound like I’ve got something stuck in my throat. It’s awful.”

“It’s really not. If your voice stays like this, you’ll get used to it eventually. At least you’re able to talk. For a little while we thought you wouldn’t regain your voice at all. Take the win,” he tells me more seriously.

“Yeah. I guess you’re right about that. I…” I trail off when I notice his attention on my laptop screen.

I left it on the ottoman and it’s still sitting open on the airline’s website. He’s obviously reading the confirmation for two roundtrip tickets to Virginia Beach. His eyes shoot back to mine with worry and confusion.Shit.

I deflect. “Dr. Anderson says coming home was good for me. She’s proud of how well I’m doing,” I continue telling him about my day, hoping to ease the concern in his eyes.

“Cut the shit, Sky. What’s going on? Who’s going to Virginia?” he asks, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Brady has to go for the hearing on his mom’s estate. It’s scheduled for Monday,” I tell him, chewing my bottom lip.

“Oh, shit. Already? That was fast. He’s… Wait…” He pauses, pointing at the screen. “That’s a confirmation fortwotickets.”

“Yeah… um… I’m going with him?” I say.

I don’t mean for it to sound like a question, but it comes out sounding that way.

“Hell no, you’re not! It’s too soon for that after what you’ve been through. What the hell is he thinking?!” he snaps, jumping up and heading toward the kitchen.

I jump up and run after him just as he rounds the kitchen island on Brady.

“Hey, man,” Brady starts with a smile on his face until he notices the glare on Devon’s. “What’s wrong?” His eyes instantly shoot to me.

“You’re not taking Skyler to Virginia,” Devon states, drawing Brady’s attention back to him.

Brady tenses and looks at me with a question in his eyes.

“He saw the confirmation for the plane tickets on my laptop,” I explain as I walk around the island to stand next to him and look up at Devon. “Iamgoing with him Devon,” I say, crossing my arms across my chest.

Devon shakes his head. “No,” he says, looking back at Brady. “Why would you ask her to do something like that, man? You know she’s not ready for that kind of trip. You should have asked me if you didn’t want to go alone.”

“Devon!” I shout, getting his attention. “Sheis standing right here. In case you forgot,sheis a grown ass woman. Basket case that I may be, I can still make my own decisions. Brady didn’taskme to go with him. He wouldn’t, for the same reasons you think I shouldn’t go. I asked him if I could go. I don’t want him facing this alone and I don’t want to be here,alone,” I say, choking around the emotion at the idea of thembothbeing six hundred miles away while I’m stuck here.

Devon’s angry face drops into understanding concern. “I… just…”

Brady throws his hand up, cutting him off. “I love you like a brother, Devon, and I know your history with Skyler is much longer than mine. So, what I’m about to say is probably going to piss you off but I’m going to say it anyways. Skylerismine! My girlfriend. My woman. My love. I would never andwillnever do anything to hurt her. Going with me was her idea. All I did was support whatshewanted. What she needed.”

A flash of anger and hurt returns to Devon’s face as he looks between Brady and me.Thisis exactly what I didn’t want. I don’t want to come between them. Devon has been there for me the past three years. Taking care of me and putting me first, even over his own heart. I step forward and wrap my arms around Devon’s waist, looking up at him.

“Dev, I love you. You’ve done so much for me. You took care of me when I couldn’t take care of myself and didn’t have anybody else.Youbrought Brady and me together and practically strong armed us into falling in love. And wearein love. We want you to be happy too. You sacrificed so much to be there for me the past three years. But you don’t have to do that anymore. You’re still our person. That’s never going to change. But let Brady and I take care of each other, and you take care ofyoufor a change,” I say, going up on my toes to kiss his cheek before taking a step back into Brady’s arms.

Devon looks up at Brady and nods. “Okay. But I told you before that I wouldn’t let her go. You’rebothmy best friends. I’m going to be in your shit because I love you both. That’s not gonna change, man, and you know it.”

I feel Brady nod behind me. “Fair enough. And just to put your mind at ease—I did try to convince her to stay here. When she insisted on going, I insisted on refundable tickets in case she changed her mind. I also insisted on Dr. Anderson’s approval for her to take the trip.”

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