“I guess we do.” Hayes meets my gaze over the top of her head, and smiles. And oh, my God, my heart just about bursts open. It’s like the boy on the bridge finally came back to me. This is him, the real Hayes. He’s who I keep trying to reach. I knew he was in there.
Until his phone buzzes. It’s face down on the floor, but the sound is loud enough to catch my attention. I glance over while he’s reading the message that came through.
And I would swear the temperature in the room drops twenty degrees. He shoves the phone in his pocket, then stands.
“Don’t you want to play?” Lucy asks, oblivious.
“No, I’ve got to do some things.” He leaves his would-be car on the table and leaves the room without another word. He slams his feet on the stairs as he climbs them.
Lucy’s chin trembles. “Did I make him mad?”
I have to grit my teeth to keep from saying what I feel. “No, sweetie. I guess he didn’t like the message he got. Maybe it reminded him of something he was forgetting to do.”
“That’s why I don’t want to grow up. You can’t just have fun when you want to.”
“Yeah, believe me. Take your time with the whole growing up thing.”
I deliberately put more energy into keeping things upbeat and happy for her sake. Another good thing about being a kid is how quickly your mind can go from one thing to another. It doesn’t take long for her to forget all about it. Me? Not possible.
We clean up the mess and I let her snag a couple of cookies before we go up to her room. It’s the kind of room I used to dream about when I was her age, with a big dollhouse and all the toys she’s always wanted. Her bed is under a canopy with twinkling fairy lights.
“Read me a book?” she asks, and I’m happy to agree.
We settle in once she’s washed up and in her pajamas, and she munches her treat while I read. I almost don’t want to leave. I wouldn’t mind falling asleep in a bed made for a fairy princess.
But I don’t get the luxury of forgetting my problems.
Once she’s asleep, I tuck her in and turn on the night-light before gently closing her door. Across the hall, Hayes’s bedroom door is partly open. I see the light from his bathroom spread across the floor. Once I get a little closer, I can hear the shower running.
I poke my head in, then tiptoe to the bathroom. It’s full of steam billowing out from over the top of the shower door. From this angle, I can’t see inside, and he can’t see me. Should I say something? Ask him if he’s okay? I’m still debating whether to tell him about Logan finding me at the drive-in. Does he need to hear about that right now?
I jump a little when his phone buzzes. I didn’t realize it was right here on the counter, close to the door. It’s a new message. I shouldn’t look, should I? But maybe it will help understand why his mood changed so suddenly down there. I know he’ll never tell me.
It’s from a contact labeled only as C. There’s that gorgeous cock. I can’t wait to get my lips around it again.
I cover my mouth, horrified. So that’s what this is about? C. That has to stand for coach, right? Who else could it be?
I tap the screen, unable to help myself. I need to know. This could be proof. This might be enough to change things for him.
There’s the new message I just read, and the one before it is from Hayes. It’s a picture of his erect dick, the message before it is a request for a picture. I need a dick pic. Give me something to think about when I’m in bed later.
Now I’m too sick to my stomach to scroll further.
Besides, a noise from inside the shower steals my attention. The flow of the water is loud, but I can’t pretend not to hear sniffling. Crying.
I close the app before approaching the shower door. “Hayes? Are you okay?” I round the tiled wall and come to a stop in front of the glass doors.
He’s in there, only he’s not washing up. Instead, he’s naked, sitting in the corner with his knees pulled up to his chest and his arms wrapped around them. I’ve seen nothing so heartbreaking. He’s in so much pain. I only want to help him.
So I do the only thing I can think to do. I take off my shoes, open the door, and step inside fully clothed. He doesn’t stop me from kneeling next to him and wrapping my arms around him as far as I can.