My Ex’s Roommates: Chapter 59

I didn’t have any intention of playing up my injury until I walked up the driveway to our house and saw Harper sitting in the grass with Casey. They had a bottle of wine between them and Harper didn’t immediately run or start shouting when she spotted me. Instead she gasped and shakily climbed to her feet. I froze where I was as she came at me, unsure of what was happening until she captured my face in her hands and pulled it down.

“You’re hurt! Carter, no! What happened?” Her bottom lip poked out. “Come on. I need to take care of you.”

Casey stood up and grinned at me. I could tell immediately that she wasn’t drunk. Judging by the smirk on her face she’d been scheming. “Oh, Carter! That looks bad! You’d better let Harper take a look at that and keep a close eye on you.”

Dylan and Silas walked up behind me, their mouths tight with the same frustration we’d felt all day. As soon as they noticed Harper fawning over the cut on my forehead I could sense both of their moods lifting, if even just a bit. She wasn’t completely closed off to us if she still cared so much that one of us had gotten a bump on the head.

Casey waved goodbye and laughed as she practically skipped away. I wouldn’t thank her because it would just encourage her antics but I was thankful. Any progress with Harper was amazing, even if it was won over wine and cuts.

“You sit on the stool and I’ll get my bag.” Harper stumbled over the tiny step leading into the house and laughed when I caught her and set her back on her feet. “Who put that step there?”

“I’ll get the bag.” Silas charged ahead of us and took the stairs two at a time.

“Okay, he’ll get the bag.” Pointing out the stool I was supposed to sit on, Harper moved to the sink and washed her hands. “I have some thoughts.”

Dylan sat next to me and when Silas reappeared with her medical bag, he sat on my other side. When she stood in front of me, she’d be close to them, too. I felt their desperation because it was my own.

“This kitchen…” She looked for something to dry her hands on and finally sighed dramatically and fanned them in front of herself. “Dylan, what is going on? Are you sick? If you’re not already, you’re going to be if you eat in here. It’s gross. And I read about the interception you threw tonight. Don’t tell Casey. I wasn’t supposed to be thinking about football but I read the updates on my phone.”

Dylan grunted, getting insulted in multiple ways. “Okay. I’ll take those thoughts into consideration.”

“Your stats tonight were shit. You’re all lucky you were playing against an even shittier team tonight. And you.” She swung around on Silas. “You missed a field goal that you could make in your sleep. It was like you were a double agent, playing for the opposing team. That was not the same team that beat USC last week.”

I winced when her glazed eyes turned on me. “I played like shit, too. I know.”

She stared at my cut and pouted again. “Yeah, but you got hurt so it’s okay. Did they check you out before you left? How many fingers am I holding up? Who’s the president?”

“You’re not holding up any fingers, baby.” My breath caught when she moved between my thighs to get closer to my forehead. Her hands were soft and warm as she gently prodded the skin around the cut. “They checked me out. It’s just a cut.”

She started to move away but I caught her arm. She seemed to remember that she was mad at us all of a sudden because she put her hands on her hips and frowned. “I’m not speaking to y’all.”

Silas sighed. “Just let us have a few minutes, princess.”

“My head really does hurt…” I was going to hell. For sure. “Does it need a bandage?”

Her pout came right back. She grabbed a few things from her bag and stood between my thighs again. She was quiet as she rubbed ointment over the cut and applied a bandage. She didn’t move when she was finished. She stayed where she was with her hands resting on my shoulders. It took me a moment to realize she was crying.

“Hey. Harper, baby, don’t cry.” I wrapped my arms around her and held her to my chest. “Please don’t cry.”

She pushed away from me and stood over her bag, absently touching things inside. She opened her mouth like she was going to say something but then she snapped it closed and shook her head. “I’m going to bed.”

“Harper, wait.” Dylan reached out for her but she backed up so fast that she hit the counter behind her.

“I’m not ready. I can’t.” She whimpered and then rushed out of the room and up the stairs.

I winced as she stumbled on the stairs more than once but I forced myself to stay where I was. Rubbing my jaw, I looked at Silas and then at Dylan. “Well, that fucking sucked.”

“It’s progress?” Dylan sighed as he stood up. “I guess I’m going to clean the kitchen.”

Silas blew out a slow breath. “I’ll help.”

They both looked at me and I shrugged. “Why the fuck not? It’s not like I have anything better to do right now.”