Page 26 of Wild About You
A part of me is really proud of him, but I can’t linger on that emotion for long without it clouding the anger I feel that I didn’t get to be by his side. That was the plan. He’d play junior hockey, I’d go to college, and someday we’d both be living our dreams together.
“It’s that one right there.” Everly points at the same time her phone rings in her lap.
I pull into the driveway as she answers.
“Hey, Ty. I’m just getting to the house now.”
My stomach flips as I hear just the faintest bit of his voice on the other end of her phone.
“No, he isn’t here.” She glances at me. “Something came up. Piper brought me home.”
“Yeah,” she says. “Yeah.”
I stare straight ahead, but then Everly holds the phone out toward me. “He wants to talk to you.”
“Oh, that’s okay.” I try to wave her off, but she keeps holding it out and eventually I take it.
“Hello?”
“Hey. Thank you for giving her a ride home. I’m sorry you needed to come to our rescue again.” His deep voice bats away that anger I was just clinging to.
“It was no problem,” I say.
“Well, I appreciate it anyway.”
I look out the partially snow-covered windshield to the house in front of me. “Your house looks nice.”
“It is, but it isn’t mine. We’re staying with a buddy until I can find us our own place. I had an apartment near the arena, but it wasn’t big enough for both of us.”
I file that information away to think about later.
“Everly said she has someone coming to check in on her later?” I ask as I avoid meeting her gaze. I want her to like me, but I also need to make sure I’m not dropping her off to fend for herself all weekend. She might be eighteen but she should have someone for emergencies.
“Yeah, Declan should be stopping by later. He looks in on her a couple of times a day while I’m gone.”
“The snow is coming down pretty hard.”
He hums. “I’ll text him, but if I know Declan, he won’t let something like a little snow get in the way.”
“It looks like it’s going to be more than a little snow,” I say, noting that the road behind us is now covered. “Do you want me to stay with her until he gets here?”
“I can’t ask you to do that. If he can’t make it, I’ll give the neighbors a call to see if they can drop by.”
“You didn’t ask, and I’m already here.” I smile at Everly. I don’t want to admit that I’m also not thrilled about driving home in this. I needed new tires months ago. My car will be skating home. “It’s no problem. I’ll just hang out until someone else comes.”
He’s quiet for a beat and I have to check the phone to make sure he hasn’t hung up.
“Tyler?”
His voice comes out gruffer. “Thank you, Pipes.”
I shut off the car. The nickname still gets to me more than I’d like to admit. “Okay. Well, good luck or whatever. I’m handing you back to Everly.”
Everly says goodbye to her brother and then looks at me. “You didn’t need to do that. I’m used to taking care of myself, you know?”
“I know.”
She raises a brow like she thinks I’m just telling her what she wants to hear.
