By Your Side(51)

“I don’t like anyone, remember?”

I took another small step forward. “I don’t think that’s true.”

“I do like distractions,” he said.

“Me too.” It was obvious he didn’t want to meet my brother, probably thought that meant commitment or something. “Okay, fine, there’s a park by my house. You have my address? It was on that letter my parents sent you.

He nodded.

“Meet me at the park? Four o’clock?”

“I will try.”

“Try hard.”

He smiled, and I could read his face. It said he wasn’t coming. I pretended not to notice. I wasn’t going to give him an easy way out. If he didn’t want to come, he’d have to not come knowing I was sitting in the cold, waiting for him.

Dax and I headed back around the cafeteria and through the main doors together. I said, “Bye,” and he gave me a head nod as we split to go separate ways. That’s when I saw Lisa leaning against a locker, staring at me. I smiled.

She dragged me by the arm into the closest bathroom and said, “Spill. Now.”

“Spill what?”

“You know what. I saw you pass him a note after lunch. How do you know him?”

I checked under each stall to make sure they were empty. “He was in the library with me.” There was no use in keeping it a secret anymore.

“Dax?”

“Yes.”

“Dax Miller?”

“Yes,” I said with more emphasis.

Her brow wrinkled in confusion. “He was in . . . wait . . . he was in the library with you? All weekend? As in trapped? As in you weren’t alone?”

“We were trapped together.”

“NO WAY!”

“Yes . . . way.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I’m sorry. He swore me to secrecy. Long story. Not one for the bathroom.”

“You’ll tell me all the details later?”

“Yes.”

“Was he . . . ?” She searched for a word to finish that sentence.

“He was nice, fun.”

“Fun?”

“Okay, not like Jeff fun. He was a little cold at first, standoffish. But once we’d been there for a while he was . . . fun.”

“That’s so crazy. You know Dax Miller now. Nobody knows Dax Miller.” She paced in front of the sinks. “You know Dax Miller.” She stopped with a gasp. “Wait. Do you know know Dax Miller? Have you guys like . . . ?”

“No.”

She smiled. “Huh. He’d be a good kisser, don’t you think? Those lips, those eyes.”

I shoved her arm. “Stop.” I could not think about kissing him. I’d already banned myself from doing that.

She studied my face and I knew my cheeks were red.

“You like him,” she whispered.

“No. I don’t. He doesn’t like anyone, and he’s not boyfriend material. At all.”

She didn’t seem to believe me because she said, “Autumn, what about Jeff? He needs you right now. He’s still recovering, then he’s going to have physical therapy and have to get back into life, and negative emotions might have a bad effect on him.”

My jaw tightened. “I know. I’m not going anywhere. There is nothing between me and Dax.”

“Then why are you hanging out with him?”

“He’s just a distraction.”

“Television is a distraction. Dax is a hostile takeover.”

“He hasn’t taken over anything.” Nothing at all. He wanted to be gone as soon as possible—no attachments—and I had just needed something to keep my mind occupied. Things would be back to normal soon.





CHAPTER 34


I got a text during seventh period from Mrs. Matson.

Jeff asked about you. Can you come after school today?

Jeff asked about me. Jeff was awake enough to talk and he asked about me. This was great news . . . really great news, I told myself again.

I texted her back.

Yes! Of course.

It was all my brain could think about the rest of school. I went immediately to the hospital after school for two reasons. One, so my parents, who were concerned about my emotional state (thank you for the heads-up, Owen), wouldn’t tell me I couldn’t go. And two, so that I wouldn’t interfere with Zach’s time. He wouldn’t head over until after baseball practice.

By the time I got to Salt Lake the anticipation of seeing Jeff, of talking to Jeff, had me so jittery that my hands were shaking. At first I sat in the car, trying to calm my nerves, but realized that it was only making me more anxious. I rushed through the parking lot and straight to the waiting room.

Mrs. Matson’s smile was brighter than ever. “Autumn, we’ve missed you. You haven’t been visiting.”

“We’ve been on the one-visitor-a-day schedule. Like you said.”

“That was meant for his friends. You’re family, remember?” She gave me a wink.

“Oh. Right.” Dallin would die if he’d heard that.

“Come on. Jeff’s waiting for you.” She tucked my arm in hers and led me to him.

When we walked in, he was asleep. My heart sank. But his mom left me at the foot of his bed and went to his side. She patted his arm. “Honey, you have a visitor.”