Page 120 of The Surprise Play

“She’s what?” Carson spins around in surprise, glancing down at her leg when I point to it. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

Satch quickly covers her damaged sweats with her winter coat while Carson looks right at me.

“I didn’t know, man.”

“That’s okay.” I give him a closed-mouth smile, although I’m still kind of pissed that he didn’t check on her more carefully.

How did she fall?

It must have been bad if she’s bleeding.

Has she got any other injuries?

I want to pepper her like a detective but sense she’s not gonna say a damn thing with Carson and Nylah watching, so I wrap my arm around her waist and help her up the front steps.

It’s awkward with our height difference, but I refuse to let her go until she’s gripping the inside railing and walking up to my room. Even then, I keep my hand on her lower back and gently support her.

“Can we get you anything?” Nylah calls up after us.

“No, I’m good,” Satch throws back over her shoulder.

I frown at my girlfriend’s back, wishing she wasn’t being so stoic about all this. It’s okay to bleed and ask for help.

Guiding her into my room, I help her out of her coat, smiling when I notice she’s wearing the hoodie I left in her room the other night.

Good. I wanted her to claim that thing. I hope she’s been sleeping in it. I love it when girls do that kinda shit. I love that she’s keeping me with her this way.

“You wanna sit?” I point to the end of my bed.

“No, I’m good.” She crosses her arms, curling in on herself as she hobbles a step away from me.

“Satch. Sit.” I say it softly, but this isn’t up for debate. “Let me look at your knee.”

With a reluctant huff, she shuffles to my bed and takes a seat. I crouch down in front of her, checking out the ripped fabric.

“You’re gonna need to take these off so I can get a better look.”

“What?” She flushes.

“I promise I’ll be a perfect gentleman.” I wink at her,grabbing the throw blanket off the side of my bed. “Wrap this around yourself. I’ll be back in a sec.” Walking to the door, I pause in the frame and glance back at her. “I’ll get the first aid supplies, and you…” I point at her with a grin. “You take those pants off.”

She flushes again, but this time she’s fighting a grin.

Good. I need her to relax and trust me.

I just want to look after her, and I’ll tell her that as soon as I get back to my room.

But first things first.

Trotting back downstairs, I hunt out the first aid kit in the top of the pantry and field a bunch of questions from Carson, Nylah, and Tyrell, who are all in the kitchen.

“You sure she’s okay?” Nylah asks.

“Yeah, she’s just got a banged-up knee.”

“Her hands might be sore too.” Nylah grabs a carrot stick off the board, grinning at Tyrell when he tells her to stop stealing his dinner.

“Yeah, she landed pretty hard,” Carson murmurs, flicking through the car magazine that arrived for him in the mail today.