Page 29 of Top Shelf
Was she angry? Had I said something wrong? Or rude?
I wished people weren’t like this. I tapped on the tip button, then bumped my card against the screen until it beeped. The receipt printed, and she shoved it at me, then turned her back.
Well. At least I didn’t have to make small talk. I was worse at that than dealing with awkward silences. And frankly, I was ready to be inside my head and not in the real world. Things had been a lot since stepping out of Quinn’s car five weeks ago without my virginity. Leaving that behind in his hands, in that hotel room, was still a little surreal.
It had been the best and worst night of my life.
The best because he had made me feel cherished, wanted, and adored. I’d felt like I belonged in his arms, and for the first time in so long, I could be myself and not have to overthink and worry that I was too much.
It was the worst because when I got home and settled into my bed, I knew it was over. Even before I’d seen that he’d left the chat, I knew I wasn’t going to hear from him again.
I was tempted to send him a text, but I didn’t think my heart could take knowing he’d blocked me. I couldn’t sleep, so I spent all night making a little burrito for him and convinced Matty to drive me by his hotel so I could leave it on his doorstep at ass o’clock in the morning.
I’d almost given the burrito a sad face, but the truth was, I wasn’t sad.
He’d given me exactly what I asked for.
Quinn took what I offered and gave me a single night where I felt absolutely respected. He’d made my first time something most people fantasized about. There had been nerves and a little fear, both soothed by the passion in his kisses.
God, I would have loved to find a way to keep that. To keep him. Not that he would have been interested in an anxious little weirdo who spent his nights rocking on his bed and making strangely shaped yarn animals, but a guy could dream.
“Order number seven!”
I jolted, almost dropping my phone before shoving it back into my pocket and fumbling with the bags the girl was offering out. The water bottles were cold as they bumped my leg, and I wished in that moment I wasn’t wearing shorts.
Whatever. I just needed to get home. I just…
BZZT BZZT!
I had a sudden, wild thought as I stepped into the street. It was Quinn. It had to be. I yanked my phone out of my pocket and glanced down at the screen.
Colton: Hey dude, are you…
A sudden bright flashing light blinded me, and then the sound of an alert horn. The trolley, which was now running just to the left of where the old trolley tracks were, was whipping toward me. I leapt backward as fast as I could, and it missed me by a second.
Relief flooded through my body a nanosecond before I heard the screeching tires. And there was someone screaming. Oh…was thatme?
When the car slammed into my body, I felt no pain. There was just an odd sense ofI guess this is happening.
And before my body hit the street, everything around me went black.
“How long?”
“After his surgery, I’d say about six months.”
“Six months! And you swear he’ll be able to play again?”
“Ma’am, is that really your biggest concern right now? Your son was hit by a car!”
“My biggest concern is that my son doesn’t lose the one thing he’s worked his entire life to achieve. He can do anything, but this means everything. I don’t expect you to understand. Doctors never understand anything. Men never pay attention.”
“Ma’am, please?—”
“Stop calling me ma’am. It’s ugly!”
Attempting to groan against a ragged throat, I turned my head and forced one eye open. Everything felt heavy. And hot. And itchy.
I hurt, but I couldn’t pinpoint exactly where the pain was coming from.
