Page 65 of Heatwaves

I can’t help laughing. “It does, but at least you get to spend more time with me. Now, what do you want for dinner?”

She considers me for a moment. “Pizza.”

“That I can do. You want your usual?” When she nods, I pull out my phone and place the order. “I’m going to run out and grab your crutches.”

Lila waves me off, so I finish the order as I make my way to the front door. Since it’s so late, it’s only going to take fifteen minutes for them to deliver the pizza, which is good because I’m starving.

I grab the crutches from my car before hurrying back to the house, setting them beside her before plopping onto the couch beside her.

“You know what I just realized?” she asks, turning to face me. “I’m going to have to get a new car before I go back to work.”

Wrapping my arm around her shoulders, I tug her against me. “We can do that this week. Maybe after you get the cast off your leg.”

I flip on the TV, putting on a show we’ve seen a million times but love to rewatch. As soon as the pizza arrives, we devour both pizzas. I also make sure she takes another pain pill. I’d rather she take them before her leg starts hurting.

“Hey, Lil…“ I trail off, wondering if I should really push her on this right now. It hasn’t gone well for me in the past, but I’m hopingthat since things have changed, she won’t be so quick to shut down.

“What’s up?” she asks, tearing her eyes from the TV to focus on me.

I bite my lip, deciding it’s worth a shot. The worst thing that can happen is she shuts me down. “I know you didn’t want to talk about it earlier, but I think we should maybe circle back around to talking about the guys and everything they dropped on you today?”

Her face goes blank for a moment before she nods. “Right. Yeah. We should probably talk about them. I don’t know if I can just forgive and forget, Wy. I know I’m not ready now, but I don’t know if I ever will be.”

“They’re your fated mates, babe. That means something.”

“That doesn’t mean I have to choose them.” She scoffs, digging her nails into her uninjured leg. “Theyleftme, Wyatt. Even if they didn’t know we were fated mates—even if they were off saving the realms—they still left me. I was alone with no idea what happened to them and completely brokenhearted.”

“It doesn’t seem like they wanted to leave you.”

Some people might wonder why I’m trying to help these guys with my girl, but I’ve known for a long time that I would never be the only man in her heart. If she can get past the fact that they left her, they could make her happy—happier than I can on my own.

Lila’s happiness is all I care about. It’s all I’ll ever care about, which is why I keep pushing her on this.

I don’t think she’ll ever be truly happy without the four of them in her life.

She shakes her head. “Maybe they didn’t, but they still did. It still hurts, and I just can’t forgive them right now. I just…I don’t want to think about it right now.”

“Of course, Lil. I’m sorry I brought it up.”

Lila shakes her head again. “No, you should bring it up. If I’m left to my own devices, I’m likely to just ignore it forever. Just maybe no more tonight?”

“Done,” I readily agree as she yawns. “Still tired?”

“It’s the pain pills. If my leg healing didn’t hurt so damn much, I wouldn’t take them.” She sighs, laying her headon my chest.

“Let’s get you back to bed, then. Do you want me to carry you?” Before I’ve even finished asking, I already know what her answer will be.

She shakes her head. “I can do it. Plus, I doubt you’re tired. Feel free to join me when you are.”

I watch as she struggles to her feet and uses the crutches to head down the hallway to the bedroom. She’s stubborn to a fault sometimes and way too independent for my tastes, but hopefully, I can get her to learn to rely on me.

Once I hear the door close behind her, I pull out my phone.

Lila says she’s not ready to forgive them, but I don’t think that’s the full truth. I think she doesn’t think she should forgive them.

They need to redeem themselves, and I’m just the incubus to help them out with that. Assuming they’ll allow me to help.

I pull up the group chat I started while Lila was in the hospital and weigh my words carefully before typing anything.

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