I shrugged and handed the teenager behind the counter a ten-dollar bill to cover both our orders. “Away.”
“Why? Because of me?”
“Because I’m busy and not interested.”
Reid sighed. “Look, Ollie, I don’t want to interfere in your life any more than I already have?—”
“You’re not interfering?—”
“—so if you want to talk or…whatever, then you can. It won’t hurt my feelings?—”
“Reid,” I said, and waited until he looked at me. “I’m not going anywhere. I know you think I want to be anywhere but here with you, but I can assure you that’s not the case.”
Reid’s eyes widened slightly.
“Stop trying to get rid of me or palm me off on someone else,” I continued. “I know you’re nervous about how badly I’m gonna kick your ass in this game, but I believe in comebacks. Don’t you?”
His mouth quirked up on one side, and when a plate full of fries was pushed his way, he picked one up and popped it into his mouth. “Guess I can’t let you off that easily,” he said, munching away.
“Damn right. I need someone to give me a run for my money.”
The teen handed me a plate of nachos and my change, and as we headed back to our now-empty lane, Reid said, “You’re crazy, you know that?”
“Batshit bonkers,” I agreed, and then figured I’d pass along someAlice in Wonderlandadvice. “But all the best people are.”
eight
AFTER SHOWING NO mercy and handily kicking Reid’s ass not just once, but twice, we piled back into my car and I turned the heat on blast. The temperature had drastically dropped while we’d been inside, and we sat there shivering together and watching the lightest of snow flurries hit the windshield until the hot air kicked in.
Reid’s teeth chattered as we put our hands in front of the vents to warm them up. “I don’t think I’m cut out for cold weather. We should be on a beach somewhere.”
“I hear Miami’s nice this time of year.” I went to put the car in reverse, but Reid’s hand on my arm stopped me.
“Do you mind if we don’t go back yet?”
“Of course. Is everything okay?”
He nodded and let go of my arm, and I wished he didn’t have to do that. I was hyperaware of every single time he touched me, and yet I knew there was nothing behind his gestures, nothing more than a natural friendliness from being comfortable with someone. That he was comfortable with me should’ve been enough.Let it be enough, Ollie, for fuck’s sake.
“It’s starting to feel a little suffocating at my parents’ house, is all,” he said, leaning back in his seat, looking out at the snowhitting the window. “They watch me like I’m gonna break any minute.”
“I’m sure they just worry about you. It’s been an adjustment on their part, too.”
“I get that.” He ran a hand over the stubble coating his cheeks, drawing my attention to his strong jaw. The Reid before the accident had seemed meticulous about keeping his face cleanly shaven, but I had to admit, the bit of growth he kept now looked hot. “I can see it in their eyes. The waiting. Wondering if I’ll ever get back to myself.”
I stayed silent and listened, because what could I say? There was no way to know whether he’d ever be able to fill in the holes in his memory, and I wasn’t about to give him any false hope. Then again, sometimes it seemed like he’d rather not know who he’d once been, which made me even more curious about the man sitting beside me.
“I’m thinking maybe I should go to my place,” he said. “To live, I mean.”
“You could. If you feel you’re ready for that.”
“Hey,” he said, shifting in his seat to face me, his eyes alight. “You wanna see it?”
“Your place?”
“Yeah.”
Twist my arm, why don’t you.“Sure. Where to?” I said, putting the car in reverse and backing out.