Page 66 of Too Far

Except the designated spokeswoman speaks up again before any of the other girls can get a word in. “They can. But we don’t. You can leave.”

“Well, okay then!” Misty clasps her hands and draws in a breath like she’s eager to agree.

Beside me, Decker holds up a hand. He shakes his head once, effectively silencing her. I have to hold back a laugh as the air deflates from her lungs. Resigned to her fate, she click-clacks to the corner of the room, pulls out her phone, and focuses on the screen.

So much for helping the guys relate to the public.

“I’ve got this,” I murmur, brushing past both boys. “So if you don’t like football,” I start, moving closer to the apparent leader of the group. “What do you like?”

I’m close enough now to make out the butterfly template the little girl is hyper-focused on. She’s working on an intricate, perfectly symmetrical pattern for the wings. I wouldn’t want to be bothered in the middle of that project, either.

She pauses and looks up at me like she’s noticing me for the first time. Our eyes lock, and the authoritative look she gives me makes me stand a little straighter. I don’t think I’ve ever met someone so young yet so commanding.

She scans the room, looking at each of the other three girls in turn, having some sort of silent conversation. Finally, she speaks.

“We like crafts. But good crafts, like loom bracelets and fuse beads. Not baby crafts like coloring.”

Noted. No baby crafts.

She can’t be more than seven or eight, but I have to assume, given where they are and the reality of their lives, the last thing they want is to be babied.

“And we like games,” the smallest girl in the corner pipes up. She’s dressed in a hospital gown, but she’s got a bright pink boa draped over her shoulders and heart-shaped sunglasses perched on her head.

“Do you have any games here we could play?”

“Of course we do!” she cheers, hopping to her feet and ambling over to a big storage locker. She wraps her tiny, pale fingers around the silver handle and opens the door to reveal a cabinet practically overflowing with board games and puzzles.

Wow. It’s like being in the toy aisle of a big box store. They’ve got everything.

I scan the selection, racking my brain for memories of rules and objectives for the games I recognize.

My hunt doesn’t last long. As soon as I see the box, I know.

“Anyone who wants to play a game, come over here!” I announce.

The smallest girl is still by my side, and another rushes over. A third stands slowly, then, with the help of the nurse, wheels her IV stand and oxygen cart over to join us.

Their leader is the lone holdout.

“You can join in at any time if you change your mind,” I tell her. Shifting slightly, I survey Decker. As I expected, he hasn’t taken his eyes off me since we arrived.

I give him a small smile, then turn back to the girls surrounding me.

“Come closer,” I mock whisper. I eye the guys and cock a brow, making it clear they are not supposed to hear. Kendrick bites back a smirk. He has little sisters. He can probably guess how this is going to go.

“Make room.” At the command, the circle widens a bit, and the leader joins us.

Everyone loves a secret.

I smile at her so she understands that she’s welcome and wanted and that it’s okay to be standoffish or even skeptical. Those are facts of life I know all too well.

Crouching low, I take each of the girls in, then smile up at the nurse who’s also joined us.

“Here’s my idea.” I keep my voice low as I explain what we’re going to play and who is going to play with us.

“The boys won’t do that!” one of the little girls exclaims.

I can’t help but grin.