Second Down (Moving the Chains Book 2) (14 page)

I want to cry from his words. “Will you hold me for a bit longer?”

“If you wanted me to, I would hold you forever.”

Just tell me, Rob. Tell me you’re my boy. Tell me I’m not too broken to be your girl. Tell me protection and hugs aren’t the only thing you can offer now. Just tell me.

A few drops of wetness slide down my cheek, but I’m not the one crying.

He isn’t ready to tell me yet.

He still feels too guilty.

I can wait.

Chapter 15

Pieces

Rob

Another night, another nightmare. My pillow and the sheets beneath me stick to my sweaty skin. Blankets tangle around my legs like shackles. I blink into the darkness, fighting back the nausea that feels like a part of me. It never really goes away. Horror has become my phantom limb.

The therapy sessions aren’t helping. Holding Evie against me earlier in the safety of my car wasn’t even enough to stop my nightly ritual.

I can’t wrap my mind around the fact that she seems to need me, just like everyone has claimed all along. If I hadn’t heard the words from her own lips, felt her try to climb inside me tonight, I still wouldn’t believe it.

I squeeze the pillow in my arms tighter. How can I be there for her when all I feel every time I look at her is pain? I don’t know how to be her rock when I’m lying in my own bed in pieces.

Chapter 16

Don’t You Remember?

Eva

Candy from the chocolate factory, check. Cupcake eating race at the bakery, double check. Unfortunately, the animal shelter closes early on Sundays, so we’ll have to adopt a pet later this week.

Next items up on our scavenger hunt list: dyeing Rob’s hair and choosing each other’s spirit week outfits.

I’ve been trying to pull smiles out of Rob all afternoon, but he’s tenser than ever. I cast a glance at him in the passenger seat as we round the bend into his neighborhood. His mouth is set in a grim line, his focus solely on the road, and he’s white-knuckling the steering wheel.

In all fairness, the large box of chocolates that he bought me crumbles under my grasp. Sweat trickles down my back, my head pounds, and nausea threatens to crack my happy-go-lucky attitude for today.

I’m going to Rob’s house. In just a few short moments I will actually be in
Rob Falls’
house. But, will I remember having been there before?

“Are you sure about this?” he grumbles as he swings the Mustang into the driveway.

“You can’t bring your whole wardrobe to my house for me to pick and choose from, Rob.”

That was his actual suggestion when I mentioned coming here. Bickering over the myriad shades of dye at the store was quickly dwarfed by an actual argument over me setting foot anywhere near his home.

He turns off the engine, but makes no move to exit the car. We sit in silence for a few moments, his eyes downcast, his breathing a bit shallow.

“Come on,” I prompt him. “We have a lot to do.”

He doesn’t look at me before he exits the car, doesn’t say a word. I climb out while he gets in the trunk and retrieves our shopping bags. He barrels past me up the porch steps and to the front door, not even checking to see if I’ll follow.

I’m pretty sure the only reason he didn’t enter the house, then slam the door in my face is because he’s frozen with his hand on the knob.

“It’ll be fine. Really.”

The muscles in his jaw twitch as if he’s grinding his teeth into powder. “I still think this is a bad idea.”

“Papou already told me that I came to visit you here. It’s not like I’m going in blind.” Actually, I am. Try as I might, my mind cannot conjure an image of what lies beyond this door.

He rests his forehead against the red wood. “Do you remember any of this?”

“I’ve seen the outside of your house before, Rob.”

That catches his attention. My cheeks flame and probably turn the shade of the red roses that dot the landscaping.

Rob’s eyebrows climb up his forehead and a hint of a smile tugs at his lips. “When have you seen my house before?”

My mumble is hopefully incoherent. “I might’ve driven by it once or twice.”

He loses the battle against grinning, and his dimple makes a glorious appearance. Just as quickly, it’s gone. He pushes the door open without any further conversation.

The foyer is much larger than my own home and opens into a hallway that seems to run the length of the house. My eyes take in everything as my brain works overtime to recall any tiny detail.

“Do you remember?” Rob’s voice breaks my concentration.

“Did I come in through the front door? This doesn’t even look vaguely familiar. Did I maybe come in through the garage for some reason?”

“Both,” he responds.

I turn to face him, my frustration shifting to confusion. “I thought I came Saturday morning before work to check on your ankle? How would I have come in both ways?”

His face twists into a grimace, and he squeezes his eyes shut. “Dammit.”

That’s all he says before he turns away from me.

Was I here more than once during the three days I’ve forgotten? No one’s said anything about that.

Rumblings of an argument float to my ears from the back of the house. Patty’s voice is a welcome sound, but the deep baritone interrupting her every other word is unfamiliar.

Rob’s heavy sigh competes with the cacophony. “Come on; let’s get this over with.”

I follow as he strides down the hallway, but I’m too anxious to really take in my surroundings.

While Patty has been a presence in my life since my attack, I’ve never really met Rob’s father. The only things I’ve heard about him from Rob and Alex haven’t been good. Between Rob’s confession that he’s an alcoholic, and Alex telling me that he’s an asshole, I find myself more anxious to meet him than I am to potentially remember anything.

The closer we get, the more their words come into focus.

“…not a good influence. It’s not worth tanking his career before it even begins!”

“There’s more to life than football, Gary.”

“Football
is
his life; don’t you get it?”

Rob reaches blindly behind him until he finds my hand, entwining our fingers. I don’t have time to react to that unexpected move because he tugs me into the kitchen with him.

The silence that descends upon the brightly lit room weighs heavily on my lungs like the most humid summer air.

Patty is the first to recover from our sudden intrusion. “Evie, honey! I didn’t know Rob was bringing you over today!” She glides toward me, embracing me warmly though Rob never releases my hand.

I fight the urge to shudder, appreciating her welcome as a diversion from the feeling of dread that the argument I overheard was about me.

“What a nice surprise.” Stepping back and holding me at arm’s length, Patty looks me over. “How are you feeling, sweetheart?”

This woman cared for my medical needs when I was released from the hospital because my own mother couldn’t. I feel the need to be honest with her. “Okay. I’m a little tired, though. We’ve been busy already, and we’re not nearly done.”  

I try to smile at her with as much enthusiasm as she’s shown me, but my surroundings are still making me uneasy, and the thought of how much Rob and I still have to accomplish from the list weighs on my mind. With every minute that passes in this house, I’m regretting more and more my stubborn decision to not back out of Court. Maybe I don’t have the strength for this charade, after all.

Smoothing a cool hand across my forehead, she clucks at me in that way that all mothers must know, some secret language that is only revealed after one has children. “Aww, I bet you’re exhausted. Your concussion symptoms will go away, but it could be another few weeks, so you need to take it easy and not push yourself too hard. Will you stay and have dinner with us?” With one final, kind smile, she retreats back to her original position at the stove.

Glancing between Rob by my side and the imposing man who leans against the kitchen island reinforces my belief that I’m not necessarily welcome here. They appear to be deadlocked in some silent stand-off.

For her part, Patty seems to be ignoring the tension in the room in favor of layering lasagna in a large casserole dish. Following her lead, I let my eyes roam over the kitchen, unsure if I’ve ever been in this room before.

The large area is an open design with gleaming white cabinetry, custom matching paneled appliances, recessed lighting in the high ceiling, and a large wall of windows that fill the air with cheery sunlight. The island in the center of the room is littered with bowls, the remnants of chopped vegetables, and several jars of spices.

The atmosphere of the space is decidedly incongruent with the mood.

I jump when Rob’s voice booms beside me, the volume too loud for our close proximity.

“Dad, this is Eva Papageorgiou. Evie, this is my dad, Gary Falls.”

Rob’s father approaches us as if he’s afraid I may bite him or turn on his son who still clutches my hand tightly in his own.

I’m struck by the absolute resemblance between the two. Rob gets his eyes from his mother, but everything else he inherited from his father, from the color of his light brown hair, the masculine features of his face, to his tall stature, and well-muscled build. As he walks toward us, my gaze flicks back and forth between them, because well, it’s kind of creepy. Like looking at a time warp. Rob is his dad, only a few decades younger. I’ll never forget the first time I laid eyes on his father in the stands at a football game freshman year. The man was the loudest spectator that day, constantly berating his son’s performance even as he heckled the refs’ every call. The resemblance wasn’t as close back then because Rob was still in many ways a boy. But seeing them together now? It’s clear that Rob doesn’t have to worry about his looks fading with age.

“Miss Papageorgiou. It’s a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance. It does my heart good to see you up and about. How are you feeling, my dear?”

              Well, this is a far cry from a few moments ago. His hazel eyes hold no hostility, and his gaze roams over me as though he’s trying to ascertain if I still bear any injuries.

I try not to squirm under his scrutiny. “I’m well; thank you for asking.”

“Good. Glad to hear it.” His apparent inspection of me complete, he turns his attention to Rob. “And where have you been? You haven’t watched a single game all weekend.”

“Didn’t Mom tell you about the scavenger hunt we have to do this year for Homecoming Court?”

Mr. Falls rolls his eyes. “Yes. What a waste of time and talent that could be better spent practicing. I don’t understand why they feel like they need any more school spirit. Is having a team that consistently brings home a state championship not enough?”

Rob rolls his eyes just as his father had. “Guess not.”

Mr. Falls scoffs, then stalks to an open doorway that looks like it leads to the basement. “Call me when dinner’s ready, Patty.”

The very air in the room seems to breathe a sigh of relief with his departure.

“So you’ll stay and eat with us, then?” Rob’s mom asks.

Rob disentangles our hands and heads to the fridge.

Taking a deep breath to still my swirling thoughts, I tear my gaze away from Rob. “Uh, I don’t know. How long does it take to dye hair?”

When Patty looks at me with an expression that is equal parts confusion and horror, Rob bursts out laughing. “It’s one of the scavenger hunt items. ‘Dye one partner’s hair.’”

Turning toward her son with a look that has fully morphed into fear, Patty abandons her casserole in favor of finding out more about our little to-do list. “You’re not dyeing Evie’s hair, Rob.”

“Course not. She’s gonna color mine.”

Patty breathes a sigh of relief, turns back to the stove and puts the finishing touches on the lasagna. “Oh, all right. Because those chemicals wouldn’t be a good idea on your scalp right now, honey.”

Though his mom had been addressing me, Rob takes over the conversation. “I already thought of that. That’s why I offered my head up instead.”

After she places the pan in the oven and sets the timer, Patty turns back to face both of us, leaning against the countertop and smirking in that way her son always does. “So, what color will you be sporting for Homecoming, sweet boy? Blue?”

His laughter is easy, the kind that he doesn’t give much lately. “No. Brown.”

“Brown? What made you choose brown?”

“I didn’t.” Rob gestures to me. “Evie did.”

Patty turns to me with a raised eyebrow.

“I figured you and Rob already have the same eyes, so for a few weeks, you can have the same hair color too. He’ll look like your mini-me.”

She throws her head back, laughing boisterously. “Honey, there is nothing mini about that boy, believe me.”  

A hot blush flames from my neck up to my face. Could Rob’s mom possibly know about the rumors going through school of his supposed size?

If Patty notices my embarrassment, she says nothing, instead refocusing her attention on Rob. “Are you going to give Evie a tour of the house?”

His answer is sharp. “No.”

She sticks her tongue in her cheek and crosses her arms over her chest. “Well, do you need my help with anything?”

“I don’t fucking need any more
help
,” he hisses.

My eyes pop out of my skull. What happened to the guy who spoke so sweetly to his mother over the phone?

“Are you sure you want to go to Homecoming with my son? He can be a real pain in the ass sometimes.” She sighs, shaking her head, then walks to the island to begin cleaning the mess. “I guess at least you won’t have a date with weird hair, so he’s at least got that going for him.”

Rob and I never discussed the idea of actually going to the dance together. The only deal we struck was to team up for the week, but his mother is speaking of it as a foregone conclusion. Does Rob even want to go to Homecoming with me?

“Evie, let’s just go upstairs, so you can invade my sanctuary, then we’ll get out of here.” Rob doesn’t address his mother’s assumption, but he also appears to be eager to get out of the kitchen and change the subject.

I guess that answers my question.

“You get to go through Rob’s room as part of the scavenger hunt? What do they hope you’ll find in there?” Patty moves about the kitchen, putting away spices, carrying dishes over to the sink, but she seems completely unaware of the lingering discomfort between her son and me.