Page 220 of The Surprise Play

Carson and Tyrell are on either side of me, helping me up the front steps and into the living room. Easingonto the couch with a wince, I stare across the space to my bed in the corner and can’t help an unhappy sigh. This is gonna suck.

“Wywee picta.” Zoey runs in, holding up drawings for me.

I take them with the best smile I can give her, although I’m sure it’s not as sunny as it would usually be.

“Careful of his leg, Zo,” Carson warns, steering her away from my busted knee.

She gapes at the bandage before giving me a serious look and running back out of the room again.

I gaze down at the scribbly colors. She’s gone for circles in orange and lines of blue and red.For Wilyis written in neat handwriting at the bottom corner with a heart next to it. That must be Sienna’s writing. I brush my thumb over it and look at the next picture while Tyrell goes back to my truck to unload the rest of my stuff.

Satch will be here soon.

She really wanted to ride home with me, but I made her go to class. She’s missed so much school already and is getting too far behind now. I don’t want her working until three in the morning to catch up.

I wouldn’t let it go, and she huffed off to her classes this morning.

She’ll forgive me, and I already can’t wait to see her this afternoon.

“Okay, I think that’s everything.” Tyrell dumps my bag on top of my temporary bed, and I give him a closed-mouth smile. He sighs, resting his hands on his hips. “You’ll be back in your own room in no time, man. You gotta believe it.”

“Yeah, thanks.” I nod. “I’ll work hard, do everything I can to speed up the recovery.”

“I know you will.” He grins, walking out of the room as my sister bustles in with her stuff.

“Am I sleeping in your room or Zander’s old room?”

“Blake,” I whine, tipping my head back. “You should be heading back to Chicago.”

She rolls her eyes. “Are we seriously having this discussion again?”

I glare at her. She’s frustratingly stubborn, and no one can talk her out of sticking around in Nolan to help with my recovery. I didn’t ask her to, but she won’t fucking let up!

Between her, Sienna, and Satch, I’m gonna be fucking henpecked, not to mention the visits my parents will no doubt make. It’s safe to say, I’ll be well looked after. I shouldn’t complain, but I’m pissed off that people are gonna have to sacrifice and rearrange their schedules for me.

“We do it because we love you,” Satch reminded me. That thought helped a little.

Still, looking at my sister, I try one last time. “It’s your freshman year. You should be?—”

“Exactly. My freshman year. Ridiculously easy, and the perfect one to make compromises on. I’ve already told you I’ve contacted each of my professors to explain the situation, and they’re happy for my friends to record every lecture. It’s like doing online school for a few weeks, and I don’t understand why you’re so against it. It’s a fucking brilliant plan, shithead!”

Her cute face scrunches into a scowl, and I can’t help a snicker. “You’re a pain in my ass, butt face.”

“Yeah, well, I love you too.” Her sneer is adorable, and I grin at her, hoping to break the tension. She huffs, snatching her bag and stomping up the stairs, grumbling about ungrateful brothers.

Shit. Staring down at my bandaged leg, I will my body to heal as fast as it can. The doctor told me it’d be months of recovery before I’d be fit to play again. Whichever team drafts me is taking on a risk, but I’ll work my ass off to prove it’s the best decision they could make.

I won’t get much game time, if any, in the coming season, but I’ll become part of whatever team takes me and make it count.

Although… Satch is making me realize that football doesn’t have to be myonlycareer. Shit, that speech she gave my parents—hell,everythingshe’s said to my parents—I can’t stop thinking about it. She’s so convinced of my capabilities, and maybe I’m starting to believe it too. I have no idea what else might inspire me other than football, but for the first time in my life, I’m kind of open to exploring it.

“Doter Zoey here!” Zoey runs back into the room with her plastic medical kit, and it’s impossible not to smile at her.

She’s put on her doctor’s coat but buttoned it wrong, so it’s all out of alignment. Brushing a curl off her face, she sets the kit down on the floor and proceeds to go through all the toys, taking my temperature and blood pressure.

She seems to know not to go near my leg, and even though she stares at the bandage a few times, she resists the urge to investigate it.

I get my knuckles tapped by the little hammer insteadand am sure to make my fingers shoot out in response. She giggles and does it again. Her sweet amusement continues to fill the room until she tires of my antics… and to be honest, I’m tiring fast too.