Maybe This Time (Maybe #1)(41)

“Your eyebrow!”

“You’re gonna be a nurse, you can stitch it up,” he says, grinning. He smells like sweat mixed with his spicy cologne. Surprisingly, it doesn’t smell bad at all.

“I’m still on the theory work!” I say, my voice going a little higher. No way could I stitch that up.

Reid chuckles at the look on my face.

“Reid!” I hear my dad call. “Doc will stitch you up.”

“Who’s your Doc?” I ask, looking around.

He winces, the poor man must be in pain. “Not one. Doctors we have on call for the fights. Why don’t you go wait with Ryan and I’ll meet you out front?”

“Nice fight, Reid,” Jade says, walking up to us.

Reid nods. “Almost there.”

“Almost there,” she whispers back, exhaling deeply.

“I’m gonna get a doc to fix me up,” Reid says, kissing me on my head. He gives Jade an undecipherable look as he walks off. Jade is scowling, her eyes following Reid.

“What is it?” I ask her, knowing something is up.

“Nothing,” she says shortly. “Come on, let’s go.”

“Summer! Let’s go!” Xander calls out. I follow the group outside, wondering what the hell is going on right now.

“You coming home with me?” Xander asks.

“No, I’ll wait for Reid with Jade,” I say.

“Ryan, you waiting here with them?” Xander asks him.

“Of course,” Ryan replies, a scowl appearing on his handsome face.

“Okay, I’ll see you at home then,” he says, kissing me on the cheek. “Look after her. Precious cargo right here,” Xander says before walking to his car.

I can see my dad smiling, looking proud. I roll my eyes.

“Dad, come over tomorrow for dinner,” I say when he comes over to say bye.

“What are you cooking?” he asks, his eyes flaring with interest.

“Whatever you want,” I reply, smiling.

“You know me, I’ll always want meat and potatoes.”

“Meat and potatoes it is.”

“See you tomorrow, baby girl,” he says, pulling me in for a warm hug. I turn to see Jade watching us interact, a wistful look on her face.

“I better be invited,” Ryan adds, leaning on his car. The wind keeps blowing his hair into his face.

“Of course you are. Jade, you can come too,” I tell her. She’s not so bad after all, when she tones down the melodramatics. Jade looks surprised at the invite, hell, I surprised myself.

I look up from my phone, seeing Reid walk out towards us. His steps are hurried, and I can see his fists are clenched. What the hell happened? He pins me with his gaze, now close enough that I can see his eyes. They soften as they rest on me. “Let’s go home, beauty.”

“What happened?” I demand.

“Nothing,” he lies. I know he lies because he looks away as he says nothing, not maintaining eye contact.

“What. The. Fuck?” I growl when I notice that he has pink lipstick stains on his neck. He’s wearing a hoodie again, but they still don’t completely hide them. I ignore Reid, my heart shattering, and walk over to Ryan’s car, getting into the passenger seat. I’m not going home with that bastard.

“Summer…” Reid calls out, stalking to the car. I lock the door. Ryan sticks his head in the driver’s side, looking confused.

“Will you take me home?” I ask him, my voice breaking. Ryan immediately hops into the car, and closes the door, pressing the central lock so Reid can’t get in.

“What’s wrong?” he asks, looking baffled.

“What’s wrong?” I repeat, sounding a little hysterical.

“Calm down, Summer,” Ryan demands.

Reid stands next to the window and knocks on it. “Open the door, Summer,” he says, sounding a little frantic.

“Reid has f*cking lipstick all over his neck!” I say to Ryan, turning my back on Reid so I can’t see him.

“Reid would never cheat on you,” Ryan says confidently, trying to placate me.

“Yeah, so some bitch’s lips just fell on his neck?” I can hear Jade and Reid talking to each other in heated tones.

“Why don’t you just ask him? I’m sure there’s an explanation.”

“You driving me, or should I call a cab?” I ask him, my voice low.

“Fuck,” he curses. He gets out the car and says something quietly to Reid. Reid pushes Ryan out of the way and hops into the driver’s seat.

“For suck's sake, Summer, I didn’t kiss anyone,” he says, anger and worry flashing in his eyes.

“I’m pretty sure that speaks for itself,” I say, looking straight ahead.

“Summer, look. She wanted me, she tried. I told her I was with you, and it was serious.”

“That seems to be a common occurrence for you, right? Girls jumping at you while you remain the innocent victim,” I spit.

He rubs his hands down his face in frustration.

“Who was she?” I ask him through clenched teeth.

“The doctor. She’s kind of my ex. The one I broke up with just after Reece died,” he says. His voice is low and sad, but I can’t deal with both his pain and mine right now.