“Baby, do you need me to come take care of you?”
“Mom, I’m fine,” I laugh, but she isn’t buying it.
“I’m gonna call River, and then I’m coming up there.”
“Don’t. I’m fine. The only reason I’m telling you is because I might not play tomorrow. So I don’t want you making the trip up here until I call, okay?”
She doesn’t like that. “Jace Ryan, I’m coming now. I’ll stay with River tonight.”
“Oh, Jesus. Mom!” I cry out, wishing I could scratch that image out of my brain. “No, please don’t do that. If I see your car at his house, I swear, please. Oh my God, I think I’m gonna puke.”
“Jace, I’m a woman who has—”
“Mom, please. Don’t say another word. Don’t come up here, and Lord, please don’t. Just don’t,” I beg, dry heaving. She answers me with laughter and I shake my head. “I’m good, promise. I’ll call you tomorrow.”
She’s hesitant, but I really need to get off the phone with her. “Okay, keep me in the loop. Love you.”
“Will do. Love you,” I say and hang up, knowing that from now on I won’t call her until I know one way or another if I’m playing or not. Ugh, my stomach is still not right. That was just wrong, though I can’t help but wonder when the thought of my mom and my coach together will stop making me sick.
Ew.
When my phone signals a text, I look down to see it’s from Avery, thank goodness.
Avery: Are you all right?! Do I need to leave class??
Me: No babe, I’m good. Just gonna lie down, take some pills, and pass out.
Avery: Are you sure? I can call Stu and tell him I’m not coming in.
Me: No way. It’s your first day, go.
Avery: You sure?
Me: Yes. I’m fine.
Avery: Okay. Text me.
Me: I will.
When I hobble down the stairs and into my room, I know I have no other option but to call my brother. I don’t want to. Things are so good right now. I mean, we are finding our place while falling for each other more and more each day. She is starting to trust me. I mean, last night solidified that, and I don’t want anything to come between us. But then, why am I assuming it’s bad? It could be great! He loves Avery and wants nothing more than for me to be happy. But I know that isn’t Jude and I know this is bad. Which scares the living shit out of me. Sitting on Markus’s bed, I click on Jude’s name and wait.
I don’t have to wait long.
“Hey, bro.”
“Hey,” I say wryly. “Calling you like you wanted.”
“Yeah, thanks. Practice run late?”
Shit, he’s stalling now.
My stomach drops as I fall back into Markus’s pillows. “Yeah, Markus hit me with the puck on the side of the knee, so I was getting fixed up.”
“You good?”
“Yeah, it hurts like balls, but I just took some pain meds.”
“Cool,” he says. “Stay off it.”