Page 67 of For You I'd Mend
“Walk,” Cal said, an edge to his voice that ripped the smile from Aiden’s face.
“Leave it, brother,” I said. “I’m fine, and I’d be honored to be your best man.” It still felt wrong, but accepting the title would hopefully be enough to get him off my case, for now.
Cal nodded, but I knew it wouldn’t be the end of it. As a PT, Cal studied people’s gaits to understand their injuries. The only cuts he’d ever failed to notice were ones on my torso, which I didn’t like to make because they damaged my ink, or my arms, which were too visible. My refusal to walk was enough confirmation for him. I wasn’t looking forward to the conversation we’d be having this afternoon.
“So,” I said, “if we’re not meeting one of your guys, who are we meeting, Aiden?”
“Does Poppy know about the cutting?” Aiden asked. He never called her by her actual name, and the seriousness of his tone meant he wouldn’t stop until I answered him or left.
“Not yet,” I said.
“How is that possible? Were the lights off?” Cal asked.
“Dude,” Aiden said. “No details, remember. Hell Cat feels like a sister to me already, and I don’t need that mental image.”
“I kept my legs covered,” I said.
“Again,” Aiden said, “I don’t want that picture in my head. But that’s weird as shit, Theo.”
“Weird is explaining all those scars to the first woman he’s slept with in years,” Cal said.
“She wasn’t some chick from Church,” Aiden said. “She deserved that conversation before they fucked. Forget that, she deserved it months ago before she got her feelings all twisted in him.”
“Wow,” I said. “You really have gone full brother mode with her.”
“Damn right,” Aiden said. “And based on your not-so-subtle conversation with Cal, I’m guessing you’re cutting again? You promised us you’d stop. Remember?”
Of course, I remembered. It was just after the tenth anniversary of the accident. We’d all talked about what we thought we needed to move past it. Me: Nothing. I’d carry the guilt the rest of my life. But Aiden and Cal had surprised me when they said they needed me to stop cutting myself. It scared them. Clearly, it still did.
“For what it’s worth, Thursday was the first time I’d done it since I made that promise.”
“Which is all the more messed up,” Cal said. “It should have been one of the best nights of your life.”
“It was,” I said around the lump in my throat.
I hadn’t seen Poppy since Thursday night because first I was working and then she had a rush custom order. At least, I hoped she did and wasn’t avoiding me. We’d texted back and forth but neither of us mentioned what had happened between us.
“I’m so confused,” Aiden said, shaking his head. “Maybe I really am as dumb as everyone thinks.”
“No one thinks you’re dumb,” Cal said. “And I doubt anyone but Theo understands why he does what he does. It certainly doesn’t make sense to me.”
“It was just—a lot,” I said. “You know I love her.”
“Yes,” they both said.
“Who do you love?” asked a soft voice. I turned and watched Everly Hendricks cross the final feet of frozen ground to where we stood beside the barn.
“Hey there, Ev,” Aiden said, pulling her into a tight hug. “He has it bad for Poppy Stevens.”
“I met her at Karma when she worked there,” Everly said with a bright smile. “She’s beautiful, Theo.”
I cleared my throat. “She is.”
Shit. Everly Hendricks was here. In the field where we all partied before my buzzed ass got behind the wheel and drove. The last patch of earth where Logan danced and laughed like he had decades left to live, because he should have, would have, if not for me.
“Good to see you, Everly,” Cal said, pulling her into a hug.
No way in hell could I hug Logan’s sister. I’d rather cut off my arms. I waved at her and shoved my hands in my pockets.
