and doesn’t let me go.
“How are you feeling?” Dane asks for the hundredth time.
Rolling my eyes, I say, “I’m fine. I just want to go home.”
Mom made them keep me another night to make sure the concussion I’d received didn’t eventuate into anything more. I’ve been told to take it easy, and between Mom, Dad, and Dane, I’m sure everything will be alright. I’ll be waited on hand and foot.
“Can I have a minute?”
Glancing around Dane’s large frame, Parker stands there, his head low.
“Sure, I’ll give you two a moment,” Dane says and releases my hand.
“No, wait.” Parker holds his hand up. “Wait. I wanted to talk to both of you. To apologize for how I’ve acted lately. This…” He gestures between us. “… is going to take me a bit to get used to. You’re my little sister and he’s my best friend. I know I should be happy about it. I guess I’ve always been your protector, and now I have backup. Not only with Dane, but with William as well.”
My chest swells. “Oh, Parker.” I stand and walk toward him before I wrap my arms around him. “You’ll always be my big brother and protector,” I whisper into his ear.
When I release him, he steps up to Dane and extends his hand, and they shake. “Don’t go hurting my sister, or there’ll be more than one busted lip and a few bruises.” He laughs, punching Dane in the arm.
Everything has slowly done a three-sixty, and now we’re here. Peace has been made.
“The girls are keen to see you. They’re out in the waiting room—they couldn’t wait until you came over later.” He gives me a sheepish grin.
“Sure, they can come in. I’m hoping to get out of here soon. Then, we can go get something to eat other than this plastic hospital food. I need some real mashed potatoes.” We all crack up laughing. Parker leaves the room.
“I knew he’d change his tune eventually,” Dane says, and he leans into me, and his lips warm mine.
My hands cup his face. “You knew, huh? Then, why didn’t we tell him at the start of all this? Because you were a chicken, that’s why.” I kiss him again.
“Urgh. No. Don’t do that in front of me.” My head drops when Parker reappears followed by Aiden, Elsie, and Addison.
“Get used to it,” Addison says as she rushes to me and wraps her arms around me tightly.
“Uh… I can’t breathe,” I say.
She releases her grip. “Sorry.” Addison is shoved aside, and Elsie is next with another warm hug.
It’s so good having friends like these. Yes, they started out as my brother’s friends, but now they’re also our family.
My feet glide with the skates. A couple of weeks ago, I was this hopeless wonder who couldn’t get one foot in front of the other. Look at me now. Yes, I move at a snail’s pace, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Someone speeds past me. Lifting my head, I catch the back of Dane. A smile tugs at my lips, and my heart skips a beat. In the brief second I check him out, my skates fumble beneath me. With a thump, I’m on my butt once again. This is about the twentieth time.
“I see nothing has changed.” Turning my head toward the voice from my position on the ground, Jase stares down at me, a huge grin on his face.
“Shut up.”
He offers me his hand. I take it, and he pulls me to my feet with ease. “So, you and Dane, huh?”
“Yep,” I reply, releasing his hand and turning to grip the side of the rink. “How goes the girl hunt?”
He looks away then back to me. “Not so great. I keep getting the groupie girls.”
“Yeah, they’re pretty bad. Don’t worry. I’m sure the right girl is just around the corner. Word of warning—don’t do the dating sites. There are crazies on there.”
“Yeah, I heard. Sorry about that. I feel like it’s somewhat my fault because I pushed you into it.”
I swipe my hand. “Don’t worry about it. It all worked out.”
“But are you alright?” He leans against the rail and holds my gaze.
“I’m okay. Not great, but I’ll get better,” I answer honestly.
The nightmares have been terrible. Dane has stayed with me every night and woken me from all heart-stopping nightmares. In them, Dane doesn’t show up. But then, in reality, Dane’s right in front of me, saving me from my hellish dreams.
“I’m here if you need a friend.”