Page 4 of Revival

My spine straightens. “You should.”

“Yeah? You think Lee is going to show up to my homecoming party?”

I fail to hide a grimace at the mention of Lee. Memories of how angry he was when Spencer left rise to the surface. “I don’t think my brother will be a problem.”

“You can’t know that.”

“He’s changed. He’s not the hothead he was when we were growing up. He’s married with a stepson. I mean, it’s been twenty years.”

His eyes find mine and flit between the two for a breath. “What are you really doing here, Cortney?”

“I thought you’d like a visitor.”

“I have them. Sutton and Silas and my mom have come by a handful of times each. I mean specifically, what areyoudoing here?”

At a point in our distant past, I would have been considered as close to him as his brothers and mother, but that time is long gone.

My jaw tenses. “I told you. I’m visiting.”

“You said it yourself. It’s been twenty years. We both know you aren’t here for a nostalgic trip to the past. You have a rock on your finger and a son.”

“Why does that matter?” My tone turns defensive. Mentioning my fiancé and my son is a low blow. “I care about you.”

“We both know there’s no point in digging up the past.”

“The last time I was here, you were pretty out of it. I thought you’d like some company, but if I was wrong...”

“Yeah, you were wrong. Unless you’re interested in cheating on that husband of yours.” A smirk pulls up the unhurt side of his lips, the already lopsided movement appearing even more so.

My jaw drops open, a hot flush racing across my skin. “Fiancé,”I spit. “And you’re the last person I’d ever even consider cheating on him with.”

Spencer looks like he’s sucked on a lemon.

The door behind me glides open, a nurse popping in, and the heated argument surrounding us fizzles into thin air. “It’s time to get up and walk.”

I sidestep the nurse to let her through and watch as she grabs his walker from against the wall. Keeping my attention on anything but him allows me a second to cool down.

“Good timing,” Spencer mutters to the nurse. “We were just finishing up ourvisit.”

This man! A petulant scowl steals across my face. I manage to wipe it clean before the nurse turns around.

He wants to be a bully? He forgets that we used to play the same games.

“Actually, could I take him? We weren’t quite done catching up.”

“That’d be wonderful.” The nurse smiles. “It’s so nice to see you with a visitor. Lord knows this place can get lonely.”

I shoot him a challenging look from across the room, daring him to say he’s had enough visitors for one hospital stay.

“You should really be going.” Wrapping his palms around the handles of the walker, Spencer glares as he heaves himself upright.

“One lap.” My gaze never leaves his as I lay out my terms.

“A half hour would be nice.” The nurse smiles sweetly at him. “He really needs to stretch his legs.”

Ha! How do you like them apples?

He slides up beside me at the door.

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