Page 66 of In Too Deep

Shaking my head against his chest, I sniff. “I’m so glad I didn’t drink the damn soda.”

He rubs the back of my head for comfort. “What do you think Caro will do?”

“Probably go home and be with her parents for a while. Being here would only be a harsh reminder, I would imagine.”

“Yeah, it puts a dampener on the whole damn thing, doesn’t it?”

“Yeah, sure does, because even if they find that Marta planted the drugs, they’re still a banned substance and in Caro’s system, so the disqualification can’t be overturned, can it?”

He shakes his head. “I doubt it. If you have drugs in your system, no matter how they got there, they’re there. That’s a disqualification no matter how sad the story is.”

“This is bullshit.”

He sighs. “I know, trust me, I know.”

Caro walks over to me, and I pull myself from Coby to hug her. Wrapping my arms around her, she clings to me tightly. “How are you doing?”

She sniffs. “I can’t be here.”

I exhale. “I understand. Do you want me to come home with you?”

“No! You stay for the relay. Australia needs you.”

Tilting my head, I slump. “Caro, you need me more.”

“No, I’m fine. I just want to spend some time with Mum and Dad at home, away from everything and anything swimming right now.”

That includes me.

I’m just as much a reminder of swimming as anything else, but I understand. “Okay, but if in the next few days, you need me, you tell me, and I’ll be on the first flight back to you.”

“Thanks, but I mean it. You stay for the relay and kick some goddamn arse.”

Half smiling, I gesture in understanding. “I promise.”

Trinny walks over and leans in, embracing me tightly. “Good luck, darling, we’ll be watching at home. You can phone anytime you need us, okay?”

I smile. “Okay, thanks for being here, but take care of my girl.”

“Will do.”

Trinny grabs Caro, pulling her into her side, and they walk off with her family.

Coby moves back in to hold me. I can’t help a wave of emotion that washes over me, and I begin to cry. Suddenly, my support here has evaporated. Caro and her family are likemyfamily, and now they’re leaving, all I have is Coby and East. And while they’re great… nothing beatsactual familysupporting you and being by your side.

“C’mon, let’s go find somewhere quiet where we can let you gather yourself,” Coby offers.

I nod, and we head to our nook.

Taking the short walk, we set up on the ground, and Coby rests his back against the wall. I sit in between his legs, leaning against his front. I rest my head on his shoulder. He wraps his arms around my waist and holds onto me as I whimper.

“It’s okay to be upset, Lace.”

I wipe the tears from my cheeks. “I can’t even imagine what she’s going through right now.”

“It’s probably best for your sanity if you don’t try too hard to think about it. Just be there for her when she messages or calls, and when she gives herself space, let her have it. She’s going to need time to get her head around this.”

“Yeah. I just wish there was more I could do.”

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