His volume is intimate as his warm fingers go down my arm. “I finally get to tell you that you did an amazing job tonight. From the first rehearsal, I saw it. You move like you were meant to be there. And now you are.” His eyelashes drop to my lips. “How did it feel?”
Feeling lightheaded I confess, “Amazing.” Like how you’re looking at me right now. “I didn’t even see the audience. I was really there. I was Izzy.”
“The zone. I know. I felt that vibe coming off you. I’m so jaded from having done so many of these. It was really cool to be dancing with someone like you. You made me remember what I love about it”
“Really?”
“That's why I improvised that kiss. It felt right.” He leans in, about to kiss me again, when three of our cast members kill the mood by shouting for our order. Asher chuckles and rolls his eyes. “We keep getting interrupted.”
Tucking my hair behind my ear, I gave him a flirtatious smile. “We do.”
“To be continued,” he says, taking my hand and braiding our fingers. We walk into the hospital room and I lock eyes with my sister who throws me an almost imperceptible nod of approval.
Asher gets drawn into a conversation about what this production will be like when it goes north.
I take advantage of him not watching me to glance over to Zoe.
Her barely contained excitement is so obvious I purse my lips, silently telling her, Shh.
She mouths, He looks like Ryder.
No, he doesn’t. Maybe the hair color. But she’s so obsessed with Tanner’s nephew she’d say a skillet looked like him. Anything dark. Anything hot.
When pizza is finally getting passed around the room, Marion calls my name. I let go of Asher’s hand, crossing to her bed.
“How long before this heals?”
“Are you and Asher dating?”
My neck flushes as I glance back to where he’s laughing with two of the male dancers, chomping basil and goat cheese. We’re not supposed to be eating carbs, but what’s a celebration without rebellion?
“I don’t know if it’s official. He just took my hand so I didn’t object, and that’s really all it is.”
“Wow,” she dryly mutters. “That’s convenient for you.”
I sigh, “I really don’t like it when you’re negative with me.”
“Negative? When am I negative?”
“Pretty often. For years.”
“I don’t know if you noticed, Sam, but my leg is in a cast suspended in the air. I’m sorry if I’m not super sweet right now. Kind of got fucked over.”
I’m torn between wanting to tell her that this is the reason people don’t like her very much, while simultaneously feeling sorry for her because she’s right. What happened to her I wouldn’t wish on my enemies, not that I have any.
“I’m sorry this happened. I can’t imagine what you must be feeling. If it were me I would’ve cried all night, too.”
“I wasn’t crying.” She wipes her eyes, blinking rapidly. “I’m allergic to something in this blanket. I think it's what they wash it with. A harsh chemical or something.”
Yeah, sure. They use harsh chemicals in hospitals where sick people are. “Did they give you an allergy pill?”
“I haven’t asked for one yet. But I’m sure they will. They’re taking very good care of me.” Frustrated with keeping up the lie she looks around. “Any more mushroom pizza left?”
Someone hands it to her and I glance around for Logan, wondering if he heard any of that. Only he would understand what I’m thinking right now.
But he’s not in the room, so I abandon Marion’s side now that she’s turned away from me like I’m no longer here, and walk over to Lexi and Zoe. “Where is Logan? Bathroom?”
Lexi gives me this knowing look. “He left while you were outside talking to Asher.”
On an annoyed smile, I turn to our cousin and demand, “Do you think Logan has a thing for me?”
Her nose crinkles. “That would be so weird. No way.” Glancing to Lexi she accuses her, “You are addicted to love. Not all of us are supposed to be paired off.”
And with that unusual outburst, Zoe stomps out of the hospital room, pushing her way through because it’s so crowded in here.
We stare at her until the door bars our visibility.
We exchange a look.
Lexi mutters, “Do you think she’ll die a virgin?”
The door swings back open and it’s Zoe. I grab my sister’s arm thinking there’s no way she heard that virgin comment. Especially since she’s grinning as she cups her hand. “Emma just got admitted! She’s having her baby!”
Chapter Fifteen
SAMANTHA
Emma’s father, our Uncle Jake, is losing his shit to an OB/GYN. “I don’t care if she said I can’t be in the room, I’m going in!”
Hannah rolls her eyes and whispers as we walk up, “This is not going to be fun. Cover for me while I disappear inside.”
Lexi runs over to the opposite side of the waiting room and starts dancing, hollering at the top of her lungs a song that our Uncle Jake would never know is popular. Unlike our music producer father, he works in construction, owning his own company with our Aunt Drew, his very patient wife who is nowhere to be seen. I’m sure she’s in the room with their daughter.
Jake looks over to Lexi in utter confusion. She is jamming it out like a total doofus. Behind him Hannah sneaks past, opens the double doors, and stealthily disappears.
Jake shouts at our dad, “Your daughter has lost her mind and she picks today??”
Uncle Jeremy walks into the room just in time to catch the end. Aunt Meagan is holding his hand and both are staring at Uncle Jake as he says, “Jeremy, my only daughter is having her first child and there is no fucking way I’m not going to be there holding her hand.”
Uncle Jeremy looks at Dad. “He wasn’t like this with Ethan.”
“It wasn’t Ethan having the baby.”
Jeremy mutters, “Right.
