Page 117 of Let You Love Me

Teagan reaches his good hand into the pocket of the athletic shorts he’s wearing under his costume and pulls out his phone. The screen is cracked; a massive spiderweb over a black screen with a giant chunk missing, revealing the electronics beneath. To say it’s destroyed is an understatement.

My mouth drops open, and I pause at another door while Sophie takes a step forward to get her candy. “What did you—”

“That’s what a cleat does to a phone screen when you step on it. It fell out of my locker and I hadn’t noticed. Saved it and brought it with me just in case you didn’t believe me.”

I exhale at the stab of guilt. “You didn’t need to do that,” I mumble, though deep down I’m not sure it’s true.

Would I have believed him if he came here with an injured hand and nothing else? I’d like to think so, but my trust issues say otherwise.

Would I have believed him if it was something as simple as traffic or a road closure? I’m honestly not sure.

“Well, I’m glad you’re okay,” I say, meaning it. “But the second we’re done here, you’re getting that hand checked out.”

Teagan reaches out and grabs my hand with his good one, lifting it to his lips and placing a quick kiss on my palm before Sophie turns around. Heat swells in my chest, and though he drops my hand a split second later, my heart swells.

#

Forty-five minutes of trick or treating and Sophie is ready to head home. We’re a block from my house when I glance up at Teagan. “Thanks for coming, injured hand and all.”

“Of course. I wouldn’t have missed it for anything.” He looks down at me and my heart flutters.

I swallow and glance at Sophie, a warning in my tone when I say, “Once we’re home, you have thirty minutes to unwind, and then grandma’s going to put you to bed, so I can go help Teagan with his hand. Okay?”

“Thirty minutes is a long time,” Sophie says, and I laugh. Knowing her, thirty minutes will turn into an hour or more if my mother has anything to do with it.

When we reach our house, I pause on the sidewalk. “Do you want to come in while I get Soph settled? I won’t be long.”

“You know you don’t have to come with me,” he says. “Not that I don’t want company, but I won’t be offended if you don’t want to spend your evening in the ER.”

“I’m going,” I say, leaving no room for argument. I almost never ask my mother for help, but I don’t want him to go alone, and selfishly, I don’t want our night to end just yet, so I’m making an exception.

Maybe my mother’s right. Maybe I need to live a little.

His brow creases, and I realize there’s something else. Something he’s not saying. “Okay, but I should probably wait outside.” He grimaces. “Somehow I don’t think your father would be too pleased to see me with you tonight.”

“What?” I ask, surprised. “Why?”

Teagan exhales and kicks at a rock on the ground.

“Teagan, what happened?”

Sophie tugs on my arm. “Mom, we’re running out of time.”

I sigh, torn between wanting an answer now and taking Sophie inside so I can get him alone. “Okay, we’re going,” I say to her, then turn back to Teagan. “Tell you what, she’s exhausted andwe’re pressed for time. It’s kind of a ritual for me to check her candy and see what all she got, but once I’m done, I’ll get her settled with my mother, then meet you there and you can tell me everything.”

“I hate to ruin your night, Lane. You don’t have to—”

“Iwantto.”

He nods, eyes locked with mine. “All right.” He glances down at Soph, then ruffles the curls beneath her hood and smiles. “Thanks for letting me crash trick or treating. I had fun.”

“Me too.” Sophie beams, and though the affection I see in her eyes and hear in her voice should scare me, it doesn’t.

“Catch ya later? Maybe at the lake house or our weekly Slice date?”

Sophie nods emphatically.

“Cool.” He offers her a fist bump with his good hand before she lunges at him and wraps him up in one of her signature hugs. “G’night, Sweet Sophie,” he says, and my heart clenches.

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