15-05-2021-052358It-Ends-with-Us(1)

the other guy. He steps around Marshall and the first thing I notice
to
his arms.
are
shit. I know those arms.
Holy
are the arms of a neurosurgeon.
Those
is his sister? The sister that owns the entire top floor, with the
Allysa
who works in pajamas and brings in seven figures a year?
husband
soon as my eyes lock with Ryle’s, his whole face morphs into a
As
I haven’t seen him in—God, how long ago was that—six months? I
smile.
say I haven’t thought about him during the past six months,
can’t
I’ve thought about him quite a few times. But I never actually
because
I’d see him again.
thought
this is Lily. Lily, my brother, Ryle,” she says, motioning
“Ryle,
him. “And that’s my husband, Marshall.”
toward
walks over to me and kneels down. “Lily,” he says, regarding
Ryle
with a smile. “Nice to meet you.”
me
obvious he remembers me—I can see it in his knowing smile.
It’s
like me, he’s pretending this is the first time we’ve met. I’m not
But
I’m in the mood to explain how we already know each other.
sure
touches my ankle and inspects it. “Can you move it?”
Ryle
try to move it, but a sharp pain shoots all the way up my leg. I
I
in air through my teeth and shake my head. “Not yet. It hurts.”
suck
motions to Marshall. “Find something to put the ice in.”
Ryle
follows Marshall out of the room. When they’re both gone,
Allysa
looks at me and his mouth turns up into a grin. “I won’t charge
Ryle
for this, but only because I’m slightly inebriated,” he says with a
you
wink.
tilt my head. “The first time I met you, you were high. Now you’re
I
I’m beginning to worry you aren’t going to make a very
drunk.
neurosurgeon.”
qualified
laughs. “It would appear that way,” he says. “But I promise you,
He
rarely ever get high and this is my first day off in over a month, so I
I
needed a beer. Or five.”
really
comes back with an old rag wrapped around some ice. He
Marshall
it to Ryle, who presses it against my ankle. “I’ll need that first
hands
kit out of your trunk,” Ryle says to Allysa. She nods and grabs
aid
hand, pulling him out of the room again.
Marshall’s