The Handoff (Big Play #3)

by Jordan Ford

  Finn’s hand trails down my back, his long fingers spreading so wide they stretch from one side to the other. I glance at him and try to smile at the comfort he’s trying to offer, but it doesn’t really help. He’s a wreck, and it’s because of me.

  I catch a bustling movement out of the corner of my eye and quickly shift out of the way as Mr. and Mrs. Jones hurry over to their son.

  “Oh my…” Mrs. Jones covers her mouth as she takes in her beat-up son. I’ve never seen her rattled before, and I imagine this will be one of the only times I will. Her husband rubs her shoulders then takes my place beside Finn.

  I shuffle to the side as they fuss over him. Mack and Tyler are answering questions with a police officer and Colt’s on the phone, no doubt with Tori.

  Leaning against the wall, I watch Finn try to assure his parents that he’s fine.

  “Miss Mahoney?” A soft voice catches my attention. “Come with me, please.” I follow the nurse’s gentle command without question and am ushered into a side room. She makes me take a seat on the bed then starts asking me a bunch of questions.

  I answer them as best I can, going into detail about everything that happened.

  The nurse’s wide mouth curves just a little when I tell her how I dealt with Derek. Pulling open a side cupboard, she grabs a white gown with pale green checkers on it. I grimace as she holds it out to me.

  “Sorry, but we won’t be able to patch you up properly through those filthy clothes. I can help you get into it if you like.”

  I’m too tired to do anything but nod. The nurse puts on some gloves and helps me out of my rags, eyeing my wounds as we go. A few minutes later, I’m back on the plastic-covered bed with my legs dangling over the side.

  A female doctor walks in and introduces herself to me. “I’m Doctor Winslow. Let’s have a look at you, shall we?”

  She does a quick exam then decides the nurse can patch me up.

  “All of these are quite minor. There are no signs of internal bleeding or injury, and you don’t need any stitches. I’ll get Meg to patch you up and you’ll be out of here in no time.”

  “What about Finn? Have you seen him yet?”

  The doctor gives me a kind smile. “Is he your boyfriend?”

  “Yes,” I whisper.

  “He’s going to be fine. I’ve just sent him down for X-rays.”

  “Can I see him when he gets back?”

  “I’ll make sure of it.” She winks, then walks out of the room.

  The nurse gets to work on patching me up, and Mom shows up about halfway through the process. She rushes in, tears flooding her eyes the second she sees me.

  “Oh, my Layla.” Pulling in a shuddering breath, she leans against the bed while the nurse cleans my wounds.

  I find it hard to look at Mom. I don’t know why; I guess I’m still ashamed by what I let Derek do to me. Or maybe I’m still hurting that she’s spent the last three years standing up for him and not me. Whatever it is, Mom and I have some mending to do and I’m not quite ready to start repairs.

  It takes about twenty minutes of stinging sterilizing, but I’m soon looking like a patched-up pair of jeans with white, square bandages on my knee and forearms. I also smell like a medicine cabinet. The stuff she put on my throbbing cheekbone is freaking potent.

  “Is there anything we need to do at home?” Mom asks the nurse.

  “Just keep the wounds clean and watch for infection.” The nurse packs away her equipment, throwing gauze wrappers into the trash.

  “How can we tell if it’s infected?” Mom gives me a worried look before turning back to the nurse, who launches into a detailed description of what to look for.

  Mom watches her intently, nodding and hmm-ing where appropriate.

  I grip the bottom of the bed, my legs swinging.

  “…So, Layla’s free to go now. Do you have a change of clothes for her?”

  “No.” Mom frowns. “As soon as I got the call, I dropped everything and came straight over. Layla, sweetie, do you want me to run home and grab you something? Or I could send Mack. Let me go and talk to him.” She rushes out of the room before I can reply.

  The nurse gives me a sweet smile, rubbing my arm. “You can stick around here until your clothes arrive.”

  “Thank you.”

  She slips out of the room and I’m left alone with my dangling feet. Worry for Finn is making me nauseated. I rub my stomach and battle through the memories, the fear, and the foreboding sense of dread. I have no idea if all this shit will be enough to stop Derek. What if he keeps going after vengeance? Can I really put Finn in that position? He’s having X-rays thanks to me.

  I close my eyes and dip my head. My hair falls off my shoulder, creating a curtain around me. I learned to fight for myself today. For the first time ever, I didn’t take the easy out. For once, I wasn’t little Lay-lay, the girl who constantly needs pulling out of whatever trouble she’s gotten herself into.

  Before today, I’ve always had someone to hide behind—my dad, then Mack…then Finn. But I didn’t hide today, and I survived. So, maybe I shouldn’t be putting Finn in the line of fire anymore.

  My eyes burn with tears as I suck in a ragged breath.

  Maybe I should do him a favor and back the hell off so he doesn’t get hurt again.

  I hate that idea more than anything, but my dad always told me that if you love someone, you put their needs above your own.

  Tears glide down my cheeks as I sit there contemplating what I should do.

  A knock on the door makes me jerk. I slash at my tears and flick my hair over my shoulders. Shoving on my neutral mask, I stare at the door as it slowly opens.

  Mrs. Jones’s round face appears in the gap. Her brown eyes scan me from the top of my head to the tips of my bare toes.

  “How you feeling?” She eases into the room, closing the door with her butt.

  I shrug, not sure I can speak.

  Her smile softens and I watch her wide hips as they sway towards me. “According to my boy, you fought tough today.”

  “I tried.” I sniff, then bob my head.

  “He’s gonna be just fine. They thought he might have a couple of fractured ribs, but the X-rays show it’s just a fair whack of bruising. He’ll need to take it easy, but he’s a tank, that boy. He’ll recover quickly.”

  I wince. “I’m so sorry.”

  “Why?”

  “Derek.” I shake my head. “He never would have gone after Finn if it wasn’t for me. I’m such a mess and Finn is so good. He’s good, you know?” I implore her with my tear-stained face. “He deserves better. I’m not… I’m not good.”

  Mrs. Jones tips her head, her eyes deep with conviction as she reaches for my face and gently holds my chin. “Let me tell you something. What you think about yourself is wrong. My boy is not stupid. He has never had himself a girlfriend because he has been waiting for the right one—a girl worth fighting for. Now whether you like it or not, that girl is you, and you will not be ditching my son out of some crazy delusion that you aren’t good enough.” She takes another step forward, crowding me out. “I’ve seen the way you look at each other. I’ve noticed the way Finn’s been acting since carrying you into our home. You’ve awakened the strength within him…just like he’s awakened yours. That’s not something you walk away from.”

  Dipping her chin, she gives me a pointed look until I finally give in with a small nod.

  “That’s better. Now, stop feeling sorry for yourself and take your behind two doors down. Finn needs a cuddle, and he only wants one from you.”

  I catch a fleeting glimpse of mother losing son, but she quickly hides it behind a wink and a smile.

  “Go on, now.”

  Her head flick forces me off the bed. Wrapping my arms around my waist, I hold the flimsy gown in place and shuffle after Mrs. Jones. She leads me a short way down the corridor and opens the door. Finn’s sitting on the bed, his toes scraping the floor as his long legs dangle over the side.


  He’s been forced into a hospital gown of his own, and I can’t help thinking how unfair it is that he can look so damn gorgeous in one of those things. His thick biceps curve beneath the fabric, showing off his unfathomable strength. Even injured, he could probably take on an army. And he would…for me.

  I hesitate in the open doorway.

  He’s talking quietly with his dad. Neither of them has seen me, and they don’t look up until some loud throat-clearing over my right shoulder grabs their attention.

  Finn’s father gives me a kind smile. “How you doin’, sweetie?”

  “I’ll live,” I rasp.

  “You sure will.” He winks, then catches whatever look his wife is throwing him behind my back. It must be a good one because he does a little hop-skip towards the door and Finn and I are suddenly alone.

  “You okay?” I creep towards him, the tiles cold beneath my bare feet.

  His nod is slow, his eyes too busy drinking me in. “I am now.”

  I give him a nervous smile, pausing before I reach him.

  Holding out his hand, he beckons me with a flick of his fingers. “C’mere.”

  “I don’t want to hurt you.”

  “I just need your arms around me, Sundar, please.”

  Melt my heart. The way he’s looking at me right now, the gentle huskiness of his voice as he whispered those words. How can I possibly resist that?

  With a quivery smile, I close the space between us, gliding my arms around him and lightly squeezing. He bows his head and presses his lips against my shoulder. Leaning my cheek against the side of his head, I close my eyes and breathe him in. His strong thighs press lightly into my hips while his arms encase me. It seriously is the best feeling ever, and I can’t imagine being able to give it up.

  I don’t know if it’s selfish or not, but my resolve to walk away from Finn for his own protection turns to dust. I need him in my life, and I’m going to do everything in my power to be the best girlfriend a guy can have.

  #36:

  Real Friends

  Finn

  A soft knock on the door startles Layla. I tighten my grip, not willing to let her go, and look up as Mack slips into the room.

  “Hey, man.” He tips his chin at me. “I’ve got some clothes here for Lay-lay.”

  She turns in my arms, resting her head on my shoulder as she stares at her brother. “Thanks.”

  I know I’m supposed to let her go now so she can get changed, but I really don’t want to. She doesn’t seem that keen, either. Her fingers are still locked behind my back.

  Mack crosses his arms, giving us both a teasing look of reprimand. “You know you’re going to have to let each other go at some point, right?”

  Layla shakes her head and Mack starts laughing. “And I thought Kaija and I were bad.”

  He tries again, tipping his head towards the door while shaking Layla’s clothes in the air. The big hoodie I loaned Layla flaps around at the bottom of the pile and I share a grateful look with Mack.

  With a soft sigh, I ease away from her, brushing my lips across her forehead and giving her a little wink. She smiles at me then reluctantly shifts out of my space. Shuffling across to Mack, she gathers her clothes to her chest and turns to give me one more smile before slipping out the door.

  As soon as she’s gone, I squeeze my eyes shut and let it all show. The dark bruise on her cheek, her slightly puffy eye, the split on her lip—it kills me. I grip the edge of the bed, squeezing until my fingers ache.

  “It hurts, doesn’t it?” Mack’s question makes me open my eyes.

  I gaze across at him then press the bridge of my nose with my thumb and forefinger. “When he was hitting her…and then hearing her scream. I swear, man, I just…” I shake my head, my throat swelling so much I can’t even finish my sentence.

  “She’s safe now, and that’s partly thanks to you.” Mack steps over, slapping his hand on my shoulder and giving it a firm squeeze. “If you hadn’t been around to look after her and convince her to come clean on this, who knows what damage Derek would have done?”

  “But he still might do more,” I growl through my clenched jaw.

  “What you guys did today put a major pause on that, and he is not coming near her again. I don’t know how it’s all going to go down with the police and his dad, but I’ve told Mom that he’s not welcome back in Nelson. If he comes back to the house, I’m taking Layla out of there.”

  I glance up with a grateful smile. “It’s good to have you back, man. I know you’re not sticking around forever, but it’s nice having you here while we wade through this shit.”

  Mack dips his head, squeezing the back of his neck and grimacing. “I’m really sorry for my reaction yesterday…about you and Layla. I guess it was just unexpected. I was feeling low after leaving Kaija and then to find out my sister had gotten together with one of my best friends… I dunno, it just kind of threw me.”

  I shrug. “Yeah, well, we probably should have given you a heads-up.”

  “It happened kind of fast. I didn’t even think you liked her that much.”

  “I didn’t.” I shake my head and smile. “No one is more surprised than I am. Believe me. I guess Layla just showed me a piece of her heart over the break and I saw how beautiful it was.”

  Mack’s eyes glow warm as he nods. “She’s pretty good at hiding it. I think it’s just a defense mechanism.”

  “Yeah, well, she doesn’t have to use it around me anymore. Hopefully I can convince her not to use it around anyone.”

  “Think you already have, man.” A slow smile grows on Mack’s face. “I never thought I’d say this, because I never thought any of you guys would be stupid enough to fall for my sister and actually do something about it, but…” He licks his bottom lip. “If she’s gonna be with anyone, I’m glad it’s you. I mean that.”

  I grin. “Even if you didn’t, I’d still be with her. No disrespect or anything, but I’m not letting anyone get in the way of us…even her dumb-ass brother.”

  With a gruff chuckle, Mack holds out his hand. I wrap my fingers around his and pull him against my chest. We slap each other on the back a couple of times and give each other a nod.

  Nothing more needs to be said.

  The door swings wide and my mother bustles in.

  “Right, time to get you dressed and out of here. Dad’s paying the bill.” She looks at Mack and gives him a short nod. “Mr. Mahoney.”

  He smiles. “Hey, Mrs. J.”

  “Suppose I’ve got to thank you for showing up and protecting my Finn. Hope you managed to land a few punches before the police showed up.” Her eyes are dark and stormy. Mom’s pretty good at keeping her anger in check. She speaks her mind and puts on a gruff show, but I’ve never seen her lose it before. I can’t help but wonder how she’d react if Derek walked in right now.

  I’m guessing she’d go ape-shit. You don’t poke mama bear when her cub’s been hurt.

  Mack grins at my mom. “I got in as many punches as I could. I’d bleed for this guy.” He nods at me.

  “And that’s why I love you.” She pats his arm and points to the door. “Now, get your butt out of here so he can get changed.”

  With a soft snicker, Mack heads out. Glancing over his shoulder, he gives me one more chin tip, raising his eyebrows and telling me he’ll be waiting outside.

  I nod and let out a relieved sigh. The thing I like best about Mack is that he gets over stuff quickly. I learned early on in our friendship that there was no use telling him what he wanted to hear…and lying to him while he was in New Zealand was just another reminder of that. I’m glad I was honest about Layla. I meant it when I said I wouldn’t let him come between us, and I’m pretty damn relieved that he’s cool with that. One less obstacle to overcome. If the start of my relationship with that beautiful girl is anything to go by, it’s not going to be an easy ride.

  But, oh man, it’s going to be worth it.

  *****

  The waiting room is overflo
wing by the time I shuffle out. I don’t know who called everyone, probably Tyler, but half the football team is there to check on me when I finally appear. I smile and pound fists, repeating “I’m fine” to everyone who asks, looking for Layla the whole time.

  I finally spot her on the outskirts, trapped in a bear hug from Pixie Girl. She doesn’t look too worried about it. Her eyes are closed and she’s kind of smiling as Tori digs her little fingers into Layla’s back as if she can’t quite hug her tight enough.

  A half smile tips my lips when Tori pulls back and holds Layla’s shoulders. Her lips are moving in fast forward, her expressive face racing through a bunch of emotions as she tells Layla how worried she was. That’s what I’m figuring. I can’t really hear her, but I can see it all. I guess I wasn’t the only person to get a real glimpse of Layla Mahoney. I couldn’t be happier that Colt’s girl saw her too.

  The hospital doors slide open and two girls rush in. Roxy’s face is pale, her blue eyes large as she clips across to Layla. Michelle is bouncing along just behind her and they both stop short when they see Tori and Layla deep in conversation. Well, Layla’s only listening with this cute little smile on her face, but still, they’re engrossed.

  Roxy’s face flashes with a sharp frown before she flicks her hair over her shoulder and puts on a bright smile. Her straight white teeth are on full display by the time she reaches Tori. With a subtle hip bump, she moves Pix out of the way and wraps her arms around Layla.

  Tori fidgets with her bracelets as she takes a step back, but then her lips rise with a smile. I glance at Layla, who is mouthing “Sorry” and making a face over Roxy’s shoulder. Tori shakes her head, her cheeks practically glowing as she brushes her hand through the air.

  I can’t think of anything cooler than those two becoming friends. Colt and I have always been closer than any of the guys, and to have our girls hit it off would be awesome. I find him in the crowd and we share a hopeful smile; he must have been watching the exchange, as well. He shuffles through the bodies and arrives at Tori’s side. Running his hand down her back, he whispers something in her ear that makes her laugh and turn towards him. Cupping her cheek, he rubs his nose against hers and gives her the kind of kiss that lets the world know how precious she is to him.