5. Hunter

"You're sure you don't want me to drop you at home?"

"No." I shake my head.

Greedy is heading to campus for a few hours, and though we rode together, there's no way I'm leaving the hospital now.

He gives me a quick nod, then flicks his gaze to Levi. "I'm going in for film review and a quick lift. I'll have my phone on me. Text or call if you need anything."

Levi blows out a breath, then slowly nods. "Thanks. I will."

"I'll be back to pick you up in a few hours, Tem."

He pulls the door closed behind him before I have a chance to argue.

Instinctively, I lean in, desperate to comfort my friend.

"I'm so sorry, Levi." I wrap my arms around his bicep in a half hug, my heart aching for him. "This sucks."

He smells different nowadays. Even under the mask of the sterile hospital stench, the change is noticeable. The scent of drug store body spray and fresh cut grass have been replaced with subtle notes of cedar and something almost fruity, like peaches.

It's one more reminder of how much time has passed since we saw each other last.

"You don't want to be here, do you?" I give his bicep a final squeeze, then sit up and really take him in.

"In North Carolina, thousands of miles away from home, laying in a hospital bed? No. I don't want to be here."

Yeah. Okay. Dumb observation.

He reaches for my hand. "But waking up and being greeted by the prettiest girl in North Carolina?"

I snicker.

His face lights just a little for the first time since he woke up. "That part wasn't so bad."

We sit like that for a few minutes, nothing but the sounds of the IV drip and the subtle buzz of the overhead florescent lights filling the silence.

With anyone else, it might be awkward.

Not with Levi.

"Tell me about the girl… or guy," I hedge. "Who did you leave behind?"

Levi bristles. "Who said I left anyone behind?"

I interlace our fingers. His hands are warm and dry—tanned from life on the West Coast, with thick veins bulging prominently against the skin.

"Heartache knows heartache, babe." Ducking closer, I give him a sad smile. "I can see it in your eyes. You left more than college football back in California."

With a squeeze, he releases my hand. Then he closes his eyes, effectively shutting me out. After a few beats, his breathing slows.

It's late afternoon now, and I'm sure he's exhausted. I can't blame him for wanting to sleep, even if he's doing it to avoid my questions.

"His name's Trey," he finally says, startling me.

"Is he—"

"Was." Levi swallows thickly. "He was my boyfriend. We'd only been official for about a month. He's the punter on our team. A fifth-year senior. He stuck around so he could complete a spring internship with this architectural firm in San Diego."

"And when you say was?" I press. Because the fresh anguish etched into every line on his face goes beyond the physical pain of surgery.

"He didn't want me to come here. Told me point-blank that if I left California, he and I were through."

Seriously? Who gives a person they care about that kind of ultimatum?

"What did he expect you to do?" I demand, bereft on my friend's behalf.

An alarm connected to Levi's IV starts beeping, meaning a nurse or tech will be in shortly.

"He wanted me to have the surgery in California. Recover out there. Trey knows about my mom… her church. I think he was trying to protect me."

Levi grits his teeth and shakes his head. He heaves out a breath like he's ready to continue, but when the nurse sweeps into the room, he clamps his mouth shut.

After she's asked about his pain, she checks his blood pressure and comments that it's higher than she'd like to see.

I'm sure it is, considering we were just talking about his bigot of a mother.

Mrs. Moore is a real piece of work. And that's saying something, considering my own mother isn't winning any awards in the parental department. Levi's mom is very involved with her church. She does their books and leads the youth group and the choir.

I have no problem with people who love Jesus.

I do have a problem with two-faced hypocrites who don't practice what they preach.

She never even tried to protect Levi from his dad. If Mr. Moore were still alive, she'd probably still be making excuses for him, or pretending like he wasn't a mean, habitual drunk who was notorious for falling asleep at the bar after being served too much whiskey.

The list of people I dislike in this world is short, but Patricia Moore has earned a permanent spot near the top.

When the nurse finally leaves the room, Levi, head hung, continues.

"I couldn't stay in California. I couldn't put that kind of burden on him. I'm going to need a ton of support while I recover and help getting to physical therapy and follow-up appointments. I didn't even have a car out there."

"But you had him."

With a sigh, he fixes those denim blue eyes I know so well on me. He doesn't have to say it out loud. The contrition on his face makes it clear he's not sure he made the right choice. My throat clogs at the sight. I feel for him. Second-guessing is one of my specialties.

"I had him," he admits. "But how long do you think that would last? How long until he got tired of driving me to every appointment and taking care of me? I wasn't about to ask him to upend his life to be my full-time caregiver."

"If he was willing, though—"

He groans and buries his face in his hands. "He thought he was willing. He didn't know what he was signing up for. How could he take me to daily PT and doctor's appointments between school, practice, and his internship?"

He sits up straighter, his expression hard and determined.

"I refuse to be anybody's burden, Daisy. Full stop."

"I'm so sorry," I offer again, heart sinking.

"I don't want your pity," he retorts, his tone dripping with disgust.

"I get that," I whisper, taking his hand once again. "But I care about you, Levi. I hate to see you hurting."

The heavy burden of heartache blankets the room as we sit quietly, both lost in thought.

Life isn't fair. No one is guaranteed a happily ever after. But there's solace in knowing that there's a person in this world who sees me and knows me. Levi knows my darkest moments and witnessed my lowest lows, and despite it all, he stuck by me.

I'll do the same for him. Always.

With a sniff, he buries his face in his hands, but he's not fast enough to hide the single tear rolling down his cheek. I reach out and swipe it away with my thumb, cupping his jaw and hoping he can feel the comfort I'm offering.

"You're okay. I'm here. Greedy and I are both here for you."

He sniffles again, then speaks without looking up. "I was happy, Hunter. I already miss that version of myself."

"You can still be that person."

This time, he eyes me cynically and peels my hand off his face. "I can't. Not here."

I press my lips together, desperate to argue. Before I can formulate a response, he speaks again.

"My mom already set me up on a date next week," he bemoans, his voice cracking. "Next fucking week. I won't even be able to walk without crutches by then."

My stomach twists at the thought of Mrs. Moore sinking her claws into Levi all over again. Back in high school, he was always concerned about upsetting his parents. He walked a fine line of obedience, one that was drawn with the charcoal of fear. "Why would she do that?"

He gives me a knowing look.

"Easy. If she can't pray away the gay, maybe she can set me up with a nice girl who's eager and willing to get married and have babies."

We share a pointed look. Levi is bisexual. He tried to come out to his mom in high school, before he and I even met. But the way he tells it, she shoved him right back into the proverbial closet. Then she regularly started leaving conversion camp brochures in his room.

His shoulders sag, and he deflates before my eyes. "She also has a meeting scheduled at the bank."

Confused, I frown, but I remain quiet while I consider why the hell she'd do something like that.

"She wants me to take out a small business loan. Invest in a local branch of Chapel Hill Insurance. She already talked to a man from church who's supposedly agreed to be my mentor while I go through the training program."

"That's bullshit." I sit ramrod straight, clenching my fists in my lap. "She can't just force you into a life she designs for you."

Levi meets my eyes and offers a defeated smile.

"She can if I'm dependent on her to care for me, take me to all my appointments, and keep me on her health insurance to cover all this." He waves his hand dismissively around the hospital room.

"No." I shake my head, adamant. "No fucking way. I'll talk to Greedy. We can help, Duke. We'll figure something out."

I'm so angry on his behalf, so frustrated and determined to come up with a solution that doesn't involve Mrs. Moore orchestrating Levi's life, that I almost miss the way his smile softens.

"I'm glad you two are getting along," he offers.

I snap my mouth shut.

It's easy to forget that I haven't actually seen and I've barely spoken to Levi in over three years. It was hard at first—ignoring his messages, avoiding his calls.

It was best for all of us if I cut ties and kept my distance.

But now that he's here… Gosh. I missed him. I missed him so damn much.

We've always clicked, the two of us, and I've always felt safe when I'm with him. He gets me on a level so few other people do. He sees me for who I am and knows my darkest secrets, and he still loves me.

He's here under the worst circumstances. But the situation doesn't have to be hopeless. I won't take this second chance with him for granted.

"It's been… rough." I pause there, waiting until Levi meets my eyes before continuing. "I came back to town in August. I've been living at Dr. Ferguson's house since. I've tried to keep my distance, but…"

I'm not ready to divulge the extreme lengths I've gone to keep my stepbrother at arm's length over the last several months.

Just like I'm not ready to admit to all the times I've slipped up. All the times I've let the connection between us spark back to life, given him hope that we could be more.

And I'm really not ready to confess what happens on the darkest nights, when there's no moon in the sky or hope left in my personal well.

"He doesn't know," I whisper. I choke back a sob at the thought of the secret I've held tight to for three years. "I don't ever want him to know."

Levi furrows his brow and clenches his jaw, studying me.

After a few breaths, he blinks. "He won't find out from me."