“What do you mean?”
“I ended up pulling over because my vision was starting to blur, and I misjudged the shoulder of the highway…”
“You crashed my car, didn’t you?” She asked, the look on her face telling me she already knew the answer.
Blake nodded apologetically. “But the doctor said it was a blessing in disguise because if I’d waited any longer, I could have died. So really, it was necessary, and you can’t be mad.”
She swatted his shoulder, and he flinched. “Ouch, my shoulder is bruised.”
“Have they checked that out?”
“I’m literally in a hospital, of course they’ve checked it,” he mumbled.
“You can never be sure with you. Sometimes I think you do these things on purpose just to worry me,” she grumbled, sounding like the perfect parent. “I’m glad you’re okay though,” she said.
“Although, I never should have trusted you with my car. I knew I’d come back to something wrong with it.” Blake smiled as she spoke as if he knew this was coming.
“I really am sorry. I’ll buy you another one when I buy mine, I promise.”
“You don’t need to buy me another one. We will just get it fixed,” she huffed as if he was absurd.
“Well, the damage is bad. I’d suspect a write off.”
“You’re lucky you’re in hospital and there are doctors around,” she gritted half-joking, half-threateningly but he only grinned at her.
“So, what did you mean about insurance then? Surely your surgery is covered?” She folded her arms across her chest, her hip popped in a stance I’d seen my own older sister wear. I bit back my grin, watching the conversation as if it were a live tennis match.
“Please remember I’m injured, and we have witnesses,” Blake pointed at me almost apologetically. The easy smile he’d worn sincehe woke up was gone and replaced with fatigue. A fatigue which matched that of his sister. Making them look even more alike.
“What kind of issue?” She asked, her voice weighted with pre-emptive worry.
“I forgot to renew your car insurance.” Where his earlier cockiness could fool you, the vulnerability was now apparent and an indication how much he cared about what she thought and the worry he caused her.
Her sharp intake of breath was matched only by her hand flying up to cover her open mouth. She shook her head, her eyes shooting daggers at a clearly terrified Blake.
“I’m sorry, Shel,” he tried but she held up her hand to stop him. I wanted to envelop her in my arms and tell her things were okay. God, I’d buy her a new car before I left if it would wipe that sadness from her face. But, like a caged tiger I was a little scared myself, and this felt like a conversation which wasn’t meant for my ears. Deciding they probably needed some space, I took that as my cue.
“I’m just going to find us some coffee,” I said, excusing myself. “You want anything?”
“I’d love one, thank you,” she replied, her tone softening to accompany the smile which was a fraction of its usual size.
“Good luck,” I mumbled towards Blake who was looking at me as though his lifeline was sinking, and he was about to face the executioner.
Corbin
Chapter Eleven
The Valley, Canada
“This level of cold is fucking ridiculous,” I said on a shiver and Shelby’s soft laughter instantly made me a little warmer. She’d been quiet when I returned with her coffee, busily tapping away on her phone, with an occasional rant about everything being delayed over the holiday season. I’d spent much of the afternoon giving her space I didn’t at all want to give, while getting to know her brother better. He told me about his job working for a local construction company, his apartment he’d recently purchased and his decision to spend his holidays working at the snow fields – based on both the snow goddesses and free time to snow play; whatever that meant. Interestingly, he also told me about his mate Cole and the not-so-legal dealings his family were often involved with. He didn’t go into details, and I didn’t ask, more focused on the quiet sighs of the woman sitting across from me, but Blake was easy to talk to and reminded me a lot of his sister.
“You're such a baby. Although it is minus five degrees,” she snickered, looking down at my bare legs. My thin jumper was doing nothing to keep the chill from seeping into my bones in a cold I’dnever felt. It was late, the fluorescents surrounding the hospital evidence of how long we’d been here, and I was more than ready for sleep.
“It’s not like we had much notice. I’m going to need some more appropriate clothing.”
Shelbs reached for my hand, pulling it from deep inside the pocket of my shorts and yanking me towards the awaiting taxi rank.
“I’m sorry. Come on, we’re going to have some work to do back at my place before we can warm up,” she said, and I grumbled, remembering the things she’d told me on the flight about frozen pipes and ploughing snow. She paid someone to keep an eye on the place while she was gone, but she said the first night might be a little cold while we worked the thermostat and organised supplies. At this point, I just wanted a warm shower and a pair of tracksuit pants because myshe’ll be rightmentality was not even a little bit close to being correct.
