Right Move (Clean Slate Ranch #6) - A.M. Arthur Page 0,36
both times at the ghost town, he might not have been confident enough to approach him at Thanksgiving. To be his friend.
“Me too.” George gazed out at the road ahead of them, his profile distant. “I’m grateful Slater and Derrick came home when they did that night, or me and Orry might never have gotten to know them.”
Levi searched for a “that night” reference but found nothing familiar. “What night?”
George blushed and looked at his lap. “Why do things keep slipping out around you?”
“Because you trust me. But you don’t have to explain anything to me. Not unless you want to, and I won’t share your secrets. I promise.”
“I know.” He stared at his twisted fingers as he spoke. “When I quit skating, my coach was furious. Like, beyond furious, because he’d spent so many years training me. Grooming me. He was so desperate to get one of his athletes into the Olympics, and he was sure I’d be the one. When I refused to compete anymore, he trashed me to any reporter who’d interview him. After Orry and I moved in with our grandparents, Adrian, my coach, came to their house to try and reason with me. When I refused and Grandpa ordered him out, Adrian got physical. Gramma had to call the police to remove him.”
“Damn,” Levi said, aching inside for what had clearly been a traumatic moment for a teenager.
“Yeah. I didn’t hear from him again for years, so I assumed he’d moved on. But this past summer, he showed up at the apartment. He was so polite and contrite over the speaker, said he wanted to formally apologize in person, that I took a chance and let him in. Orry wasn’t home or he would have talked me out of it. As soon as I let him in, he put the chain on the door and started yelling at me. I tried to stand up for myself, but he was just there. In my face.”
They were maybe a mile from town but Levi didn’t care. He pulled over to the shoulder, because George was getting upset, and this story deserved Levi’s full attention. He shifted into park, took off his seatbelt and slid closer to George on the bench seat. Took on a chance on squeezing George’s knee.
George covered that hand with one of his and met Levi’s eyes. Grief and anger stormed together in their depths. “I finally told him that everything that happened, all the reasons I quit were his fault and to fuck back out of my life. He hit me in the face hard enough that I knocked the futon over backward and a picture fell off the wall.”
“Fuck.” Fury blazed deep inside Levi where he tried to hide his quick temper. Running and meditation helped but he couldn’t do either of those things in this moment. All he could do was twist their hands until they were palm to palm and listen.
“Derrick and Slater had just gotten home from a date and they heard the thump. Came upstairs and knocked. Adrian tried to send them away, but Derrick threatened to call the police. Adrian said some mean things about us and left. I haven’t had contact since.”
“Thank the universe for Slater and Derrick. You could have been hurt a lot worse.”
George trembled once. “Believe me, I know. Orry came home a few minutes later, and they were so kind to us both. Supportive. After that, Orry and I started hanging out with them in the living room more.”
“We’re all put in the places we’re meant to be.”
“I don’t think I always believe that but it’s a nice sentiment. However—” George’s eyes brightened a bit “—I do believe it in our case. You’re the first person I’ve told about that night with Adrian, beyond the people who witnessed it firsthand.”
“I’m honored that you continue to trust me with your secrets, George. Sincerely.”
George released his hand and rubbed at his own eyes. “I didn’t mean to share all that in your truck. Fuck, we won’t be late, will we?”
Levi glanced at the dash. “Nah, we aren’t too far, and Reyes knows we’re coming so even if we were a few minutes late, he’d hold the wagon.”
“Okay. I’m okay.”
“All right.” Levi slid back across the seat, buckled up, and got them back on the road.
They didn’t speak again as they drove through Garrett. Main Street was decorated with Christmas lights and pine garlands, and some of the businesses had decorations in the windows. George