When at a meet. Oh Yeah
We bring the heat. Oh Yeah
We’ve got the hold. Oh Yeah
On all the gold. Oh Yeah
I grinned, recognizing Cora and Eirik’s voices. Even though they weren’t yelling, I was surprised the nurses didn’t kick them out or tell them to zip it. They danced into my hospital room, both of them in Trojan crimson and gold swim pants, jackets, and T-shirts, swim goggles on their foreheads. They continued to chant.
Cause when we race. Oh Yeah
We set the pace. Oh Yeah
We’re number 1. Oh Yeah
The only one. Oh Yeah
Oh Yeah, Oh Yeah, Oh Yeah, Oh Yeah
They finished and posed. Torin stared at them as though they’d lost their minds, but he was trying hard not to laugh. They looked ridiculous, but it was Homecoming week.
“First day of Spirit Week is…?” Cora asked, hands on her hips, head cocked to the side.
“Sports Day,” I said.
Cora’s chin trembled, tears springing to her eyes. “Tomorrow is…?”
“Neon Day, then Wacky Tacky,” I added, my eyes welling, too. “Then my favorite… Character Day.”
“You remembered. That means you’re okay, right? Your brain is working fine.” She closed the gap between us, tears racing down her face.
I lifted my hand toward her, and she gripped it, both of us crying. “They might have drilled a hole into my skull, but I can never forget how crazy you act during Spirit Week. What floor did we get?”
“Second floor, west wing,” Eirik said, grinning.
“We decorated it with blue balloons and streamers, water-themed…” Cora swallowed a sob and glared at me. “Don’t ever scare me like that again. I thought I’d lost you and… and… I want to hug you, but I’m scared of hurting your ribs.” She swiped at her cheeks. “I’ll say it again. Don’t ever, ever scare me like that again.” She glanced at Eirik. “Okay, it’s his turn. I’ll wait outside, where I can sob like an idiot without making you cry, too.”
I stared after her and shook my head. She was such a drama queen, and I loved her to death. My eyes connected with Torin’s, but he didn’t make a move to leave. In fact, he leaned back and got comfortable, his expression saying he wasn’t going anywhere. Sighing, I ignored him and focused on Eirik.
Eirik planted a kiss on my forehead, then sat in Mom’s chair and reached for my hand. My eyes went to Torin to see his reaction. Blue ice flashed in his eyes, his annoyance obvious. I knew his display of jealousy shouldn’t please me, but it did anyway.
“Do you want me to get you anything? Something to eat other than hospital food? Bust you out of here?” Eirik asked.
“I have our food here, bonehead,” Torin said.
Once again, I ignored Torin. “That’s sweet, Eirik, but I’m okay food-wise and leaving right now is against the surgeon’s orders.”
Eirik’s smile disappeared. “I’m so sorry I screwed up, Raine.”
“You? What do you mean?”
“It’s my fault you were hurt.”
I frowned. “No, it’s not. Why would you say that?”
“If I hadn’t left you alone to play that stupid game, you wouldn’t have been bored and decided to go home.” He pressed a kiss on my knuckles, and Torin leaned forward as though he wanted to dive across the room and maul him. “You know that I love you.”
Torin growled.
I shot him a warning look, but answered Eirik. “I know.”
“And that I would do anything for you,” Eirik added.
“I know that, too.”
“I let you down, Raine, and I’m really sorry.”
I sighed. “Eirik, don’t—”
“No, let me finish. If you want to change our relationship and go back to being just friends, I’ll understand,” he continued.
Torin sat up and I could only guess at what he was thinking—here was my chance to cut ties with Eirik. But I couldn’t take the coward’s way out and blame Eirik for something he hadn’t done.
“You’re not my keeper, Eirik, and I won’t let you blame yourself for something that wasn’t your fault.”
“You’re sure?”
I nodded. “I tried to climb the tree to get to my bedroom because I didn’t want to wake up Mom. It was my fault, not yours.” My gaze connected with Torin. He didn’t look happy. Eirik, on the other hand, sighed with relief and flashed his famous sunny smile.
“Good, because I wasn’t about to give up on us without a fight,” he said. Then he frowned. “Did Torin have anything to do with you leaving the party?”
“Why do you say that?” I tried not to look at Torin.
“Cora said you were dancing with him. Did he say or do something to make you leave his place? Because if he did—”
“No, he didn’t.” I shook my head. “We danced.”
“And kissed,” Torin added from the corner of the room.
“Was it Jess?”
I shook my head. “No. No one is to blame for what happened to me, Eirik.”