Page 64 of The Fractured

I pressed a palm against my stomach, over the scar, as if that might settle my nerves.

Today’s a good day… I think.

I wore a long-sleeved, maroon shirt with a wide neck. It was the kind of shirt that sat snug but comfortable, tucked into my high-waist jeans. The only issue was that I hadn’t factored in the weather when I dressed for the soccer game this morning. It was cooler, and the thin sleeves of my top were doing nothing to prevent the tiny goosebumps rising on my skin, but I wasn’tcold,cold. The shivers I was experiencing felt different. It made me feel out of place.

Maybe because I hadn’t been out of the house much, other than going to work. It's the nerves from that.

Just nerves.

The crowd didn’t seem to help either. Although I knew most of them from the PTA Mom was head of, there were so many of them.

I inhaled deeply, trying to focus on the game instead.

His hoodie-clad arms wrapped around me from behind as we stood along the fence line of the soccer field. In an instant, the shuddering was gone. The warmth was back. I felt safe despite not being in any real danger to begin with.

“I think the ref is blind,” Dean muttered from over my shoulder. His gaze was firmly on Jane’s soccer game.

I grinned and leaned my head back against his chest. “Maybe you should referee. I’m sure the mothers on the PTA wouldlovethat.”

Those same mothers who hadn’t stopped with the uneasy, side-long glances in our direction since we arrived. Once word had spread of my plus-one to the game being someone far outside their social pool, they hadn’t stopped muttering or staring. A clear indication that Mom liked to gossip to them about my love life.

“You’d think they’d never seen a tattoo before,” I said quietly, offering a polite wave to another mom I saw watching us.

She promptly diverted her attention back to the game and raised her chin.

“I think they might be worried I’ve corrupted you. And it might spread.” His voice was like warm honey down my spine with light hints of humor laced in every word.

Maybe I was corrupted. Dean told me about what he and Seb had gotten up to last night with that teacher, and I had barely batted an eye. Well, I was still shocked, but based on the fact the teacher was a douchebag and the world had shown itself to not be as black and white as I once thought, I wasn’t nearly as upset as someone should be if they discovered their boyfriendgentlythreatened a teacher.

And broke the man’s finger.

I half smiled, closing my eyes for a second. “I think some of them are a little jealous too.”

“Because none of them are in a happy relationship?” He chuckled, and it vibrated through my body.

Our small talk drifted through easy subjects and soft laughter, warmed by the sun and the orange and yellow hues of the trees around the field. It was a moment painted in gold.

“Who’s the guy?” Dean asked during halftime as Jane’s team gathered on the far end of the field.

My eyes found who he was talking about: a tall, lanky teen handing out water bottles to Jane’s team members. And he hadn’t taken his eyes off Jane since they started talking during halftime. His smile was broad and unwaning, meanwhile, Jane hadn’t stopped twirling her auburn ponytail around her finger.

She never twirled her hair.

“That’s what she wanted my opinion on,” I said quietly in realization with a smile.

My sister had a crush. Or maybe something more based on the way she was giggling and grinning.

Dean straightened behind me. Arms still around my waist, but a small frown appeared on his face as he watched the interaction.

“Relax. I think he’s harmless,” I said as the mystery boy hesitated and then awkwardly brushed a strand of Jane’s hair behind her ear.

I looked to my right, where Mom was talking with several other moms. Clutching coffees in their hands with buttered bagels, they hadn’t noticed the boy interacting with Jane. I doubted Mom knew about him. Any boy she deemed fit for her daughters was paraded and talked about nonstop. She would’ve talked all about him when we got here earlier, probably aroundthe time she had looked at Dean and said, “Oh, I thought this was a family-only thing.”

When halftime was over, Jane jogged back onto the field and noticed us watching. She raised her thumbs as she mouthed, “What do you think?”

I smiled and raised both thumbs too.

Mom was none the wiser.