Page 12

Chapter twelve

Holt

I’m such an idiot. I don’t know what I was thinking when I walked into Sutton’s office earlier and asked her if she knew what Rebbeca’s usual coffee order was. She grinned at me for a few seconds, and I thought she was going to give me shit about it, but she simply answered my question.

She winked at me after I thanked her, though. I shook my head and told her it was my way of thanking Rebecca again for being understanding about being woken up in the middle of the night, and for having to deal with my grumpy ass. I don’t think Sutton believed me.

I’m not sure if I believed it either. Even if I kept telling myself that was why I was buying her coffee.

I was going to the coffee shop after physical therapy anyway, so it wasn’t like I was going out of my way for her.

I was being nice. Besides, it’s only coffee.

People buy each other coffee all the time. It’s no big deal.

“So,” Wes says, strolling toward me as I’m making my way out to the parking lot.

“No.” I glare at him, hoping he gets the message that I’m not in the mood.

“Oh, come on, Holty. Are you and the doctor . . . ?” He bounces his eyebrows.

“She’s my neighbor. Hazel woke her up multiple nights screaming. I was being nice.” The last part comes out in a growl.

“You– ”

“Don’t. Whatever you’re going to say, or suggest, just don’t. Whatever shit you’re going to spout off, save it. I don’t have the time or energy right now.”

He swallows, blinking a few times. “How’d you know?”

I cross my arms, shaking my head at him, hoping he gets the message.

He blows out a breath. “Fair enough. But I still think—“

“Weston,” I snap, giving him my most intimidating goalie stare.

He takes two steps back, his shoulders falling. If I wasn’t the asshole that I am, I’d feel bad for using my intimidation tactics on my teammate—one of my best friends—but I am, so I don’t care. I wouldn’t have to resort to this if he’d just done as I asked the first time.

He puts his hands up in surrender. “Got it. Not another word.”

“Good. Leave Dr. Jansen alone too.” I give him another pointed look.

“How do you know I wasn’t in there to work up the courage to ask her out?”

I bite the inside of my cheek to keep from reacting, because I know that’s what he’s trying to get me to do.

“Do you even know if she’s single?”

He crosses his arms. “She is. I wouldn’t be thinking about asking her out if she wasn’t. You don’t care if I ask her?”

I narrow my eyes. “She can date whoever she wants. It’s none of my business.”

Because it isn’t. I’ve got Hazel and my career to focus on.

Not how pretty Rebecca looks in her purple scrubs today.

Or how much I wanted to stay and talk to her after my session.

Learn more about her. But she’s my doctor, and even if she wasn’t, she deserves better than me. I’d be a shitty boyfriend.

He watches me for a second before breaking out into a knowing grin. “If you say so.”

“I’m going to go now,” I tell him before spinning on my heel and stomping over to my truck.

I take a few deep breaths, trying not to let Wes’s words get to me.

What do I care if he asks her out? He’s a good guy, and he would make a great boyfriend for a lucky woman.

I sip my coffee before putting my truck in gear and making the short drive back to my apartment, where Hadley greets me at the door with Hazel.

I immediately take my daughter from my sister and snuggle her close, feeling a million times better.

“You alright, brother?”

I nod, holding Hazel a little closer. “Just Wes trying to stir shit up.” Hadley snickers. “Something you want to share, sister?”

She shakes her head. “I told him to leave you alone.”

“You two talking?” I don’t really care who she talks to. She’s a grown woman but I am kind of curious.

“No, I ran into him the other day at the store. He asked me a million questions.” She rolls her eyes.

“Okay.”

Hazel starts fussing.

“She’s probably hungry. Want me to feed her?”

“No, I got it, Hads. Thank you, though. For everything.”

Hadley smiles at me. “You know I don’t mind.”

“I know.” I pat her on the shoulder as I walk into the kitchen to fix Hazel’s bottle.

A crash of thunder startles me awake and I sit up, heart racing, hoping Hazel sleeps through all the noise.

It’s been pouring down rain, with thunder and lightning for the past few hours, but the thunder is louder now as the storm grows closer.

The wind is howling, and with another bang, the power goes out.

“Shit,” I mutter. I grab my phone and note that it’s a little after two in the morning. Maybe we’ll get lucky and the power will come back on quickly. When I unlock my phone, I see the tornado warning. “Double shit.”

“Holt,” Hadley whisper yells from the hallway.

I stand and pull on a pair of gray sweatpants before going over to check on Hazel who is still sound asleep in her bassinet. Using my phone’s flashlight, I head into the hallway where my sister is standing, a blanket wrapped around her shoulders.

“You okay?”

“Thunder woke me up.”

“Me too.” I run a hand down my face.

“There’s a tornado wa—“ Hadley starts, but a bang from the apartment next door interrupts her.

“Fuck,” I hiss. “Will you be okay alone with Hazel for a few minutes? So I can make sure Rebecca is okay.”

“Go. I’ll be fine.”

Wordlessly, I turn, and using the light from my phone I make my way to the front door, step into my Crocs, and hurry over to Rebecca’s.

“Rebecca,” I call out, knocking on her door. “It’s Holt.”

There’s banging and cursing from inside her apartment.

I push a hand through my hair, knocking again.

Eventually, the door opens, and Rebecca is standing there dressed in a faded T-shirt and a pair of long baggy pants.

Before I can ask if she’s alright, another crash of thunder sounds, and she jumps, almost falling over.

“Careful.” I reach out without thinking and steady her. She’s shaking. “I heard banging. Did you get hurt?” I ask, stepping into her apartment, my hand still on her arm.

“I’m not hurt, but I hate storms,” she says, her voice wavering. “And there’s a freaking tornado warning, too.” She shivers, wrapping her arms around herself.

“It’s going to be ok.” I take a step closer to her, and without thinking, pull her into my arms.

She comes willingly, and I try not to think about how nice this feels. I run a hand down her back the way I do for my daughter when she’s upset. I hope that it’s comforting to Rebecca.

I like this, her in my arms. I shouldn’t be doing this but she’s scared, and I’m just offering comfort, nothing else.

“Sorry,” she mumbles against my chest. “I feel stupid.”

“Don’t apologize. Do you want to come next door? Hang out with us? My sister, Hadley, is up too.” I add the last part because I don’t want her to get the wrong idea .

“No, I’ll be alright.” She pulls away from me, and I reluctantly let her go.

I can barely see her in the glow of my phone flashlight. There’s another loud bang of thunder, and she jumps again.

“You sure?”

“M-maybe I’ll take you up on your offer.”

“Okay.” Without thinking, I hold out my hand, and she takes it. I tell myself it’s so I can make sure she doesn’t fall in the dark. Lies. “Do you want to grab your phone or keys or anything?”

“Good idea.” She peers into her dark living room.

“Want me to come with you?”

“Please,” she whispers.

I nod, although I’m not sure if she can see me, and let her guide me toward her room.

She lets go of my hand in the doorway, and I pause, not wanting to step into her sanctuary uninvited.

She grabs her phone from the nightstand before coming back over to me and slipping her hand back into mine.

I lead us through her apartment and next door, all the while trying not to think about how good it feels to hold her hand.

As I’m closing my front door, there’s another crack of lightning, and Rebecca jumps, banging into me. I spin around, my hands gripping her hips to steady her. She sags against me.

“Holt?” Hadley calls.

Rebecca moves back, and I let her go even though all I want to do is wrap my arms around her and hold her. Comfort her.

But I can’t.

She’s my physical therapist. I’ve got my hands full with Hazel, and even if I didn’t, I’m not in the market for anything. Nope, I’ve sworn off relationships.

“Sorry,” Rebecca mutters.

“Don’t apologize,” I whisper, shining my flashlight down the hallway and beckoning her to follow me further into the apartment.

My steps falter when we make it into the living room, and I’m greeted by candles I didn’t know I owned lit around the room.

I turn to Hadley, and she shrugs, mouthing Kat .

I internally groan. If this was any other situation, I’d make her blow them out and throw them away, but right now, I’m thankful for the extra light so I don’t have to keep using my phone as a flashlight.

“Hi. You must be Rebecca,” Hadley says as another crash of thunder sounds and Rebecca jumps again.