Page 12 of Thaw My Heart
This is all my fault. I picked a fight with Cody—dumb, stupid Cody with his dumb, stupid face—and I made Maya so upset that she fell. And now she’s hurt, although I don’t know how badly because she and Cody have been talking to the paramedic for half an hour, and I’ve been instructed to wait outside since I’m ‘causing chaos,’ according to Cody.
I don’t think he has any right to talk to me about my behavior, not after the way he’s acted towards me for the past ten years. I mean, where does he get off acting so high and mighty? I know the truth. He’s scared. Always. Constantly. He’s scared of what other people think of him, how he’s perceived. And he’ll sacrifice anything to keep himself safe from a bad image. That’s why he abandoned Maya and I in high school. He was our very best friend. Our third part. But he gave it up for five minutes of popularity. And then he did it again after graduation when he abandoned his family. He abandoned all of us. To what? Talk back to some rich old ladies at a ski resort?
I pace the floor. I pace and pace and pace. Maya can’t be too badly hurt. Just a little twisted ankle. Surely. I cannot—willnot—be responsible for ruining my best friend’s trip. I’ve already been such a bitch to her all day.
God? The universe? The stars? Whoever is listening?I think as I look up at the sky,I know I haven’t prayed in… well, ever. But this is important. Please let Maya be okay. If she is, I will never fight with Cody again for as long as I live.
“Darcy!” Maya hobbles out through the sliding doors to me with Cody following closely behind, his hand extended out to steady her, should it be necessary. “I’m okay! It’s just a sprained ankle!”
“Thank God!” I pull her into a tight embrace. “I was so scared you were really hurt.”
“Relax, babe, I’m fine.” She pulls back, and I take note of the large smile on her face and flush to her cheeks. “And you will never guess who the physical therapist is here.”
“Uh...who?”
She doesn’t need to answer. He comes stalking out of the examination room like a peacock displaying his feathers. Louis.
I have to stop myself from facepalming. “Oh, for heaven’s sake.”
“My thoughts exactly,” Cody mumbles under his breath as he comes to stand next to me. The two of us watch Louis and Maya flirt back and forth, smiling and giggling and touching hands. At one point, Louis even reaches out and brushes a strand of Maya’s hair from her face.
I’m appalled.
“Aren’t you going to stop this?” I quietly ask Cody. He looks about as disgusted as I am.
“I already tried. She’s decided he’s her ‘soul mate.’ She said something about ‘invisible string theory.’ I don’t really know.”
“This is outrageous. She’s known him for not even two hours.”
“And it’sLouis,” Cody emphasizes, his face scrunched up in discomfort. “He has a tryst with every blonde who has set foot in the resort.”
“Did you tell her that?” I ask, gesturing to his sister, who is far too busy making heart eyes at Louis to even notice that we’re still here.
“Twice,” Cody confirms. “I’d beat him up, but he gives the best damn massages, and I really don’t want to get on his bad side.”
I stare at him. “How brave you are. Brother of the year.”
He shrugs. “She’s an adult.Iwarned her.Youwarned her. What else can we do?”
I consider for a moment. “Well, youcould…and this isn’t me saying youshould…but if you really cared about Maya youcould…cut his dick off.”
Cody hums and crosses his arms. “Yeah, that’s Plan B.”
“And Plan A is…?”
“I drag her back to Ohio by her ear.”
“Hm. Solid plan. I’m afraid we might be past that, though.” My stomach twisting unpleasantly, I nod toward Maya and Louis, who have started kissing. They’reactuallykissing! Perfect. Maya is getting more action than me on my honeymoon.
My cancelled honeymoon.
My trip with my bestie because refund policies suck.
“You’re gonna need a Plan C.”
The blood drains from Cody’s face, and I almost laugh. He storms up to his sister and her new boy toy and physically pries them apart. He then shoves his sister behind him and jabs his finger into Louis’ chest. “Not cool man. You donotmake out with my sister!”
“Don’t be such a jerk, Cody!” Maya cries in annoyance. “I’m an adult; you can’t tell me what to do!”
