Wren narrowed her eyes. “For real.”
“It’s not bothering me,” he insisted.
“Good.”
He sat on the table beside Max, and the space in the room instantly felt smaller. Max looked between Hunter and me for one beat too long. My stomach tightened.
“Something on your mind, McGuire?” Hunter asked without looking at him.
Max smiled slowly. “Always.”
“That’s unfortunate for all of us,” Hunter said.
Nate leaned back on his elbows. “Captain’s cranky today.”
“I’m not cranky.”
“You’re using your cranky voice,” Nate said.
Luca looked at Leo. “He has different voices?”
Leo nodded seriously. “Many.”
Hunter stared at all of them. “Does anyone here want to make the roster?”
The room went quiet for three seconds.
Then Max grinned. “That one is murder voice.”
Wren pointed to the door. “Everyone who is not bleeding, broken, or being actively treated can leave.”
Max slid off the table, still grinning. “Yes, ma’am.”
As he passed me, his gaze flicked once toward Hunter, then back to me. I focused on my tablet and pretended my pulse had not jumped. By lunch, I needed air. And Billie Rose. Luckily, Ihad an afternoon hospital meeting, which meant I got to leave the arena and pretend I had a normal life for three hours. Billie met me outside the cafeteria wearing scrubs, a messy bun, and the expression of a woman who already knew I was keeping secrets.
“You look guilty,” she said.
“Hello to you too,” I laughed.
“You also look like you’ve had sex.”
I choked on nothing. “Billie.”
She smiled. “OMG. You have.”
“Can we get food first?” I asked.
“Yes. Coffee for me and a confession from you.” She waggled her brows, and I shook my head, laughing.
Ten minutes later, we sat in the hospital cafeteria with iced coffees, two containers of fries, and my stomach in knots.
She leaned across the table. “Talk.”
I stared at my coffee. “Catherine Celia Davis.”
“Don’t full-name me. You sound like my parents,” I scoffed.
“Then stop looking like you committed a felony.”