An Exceptional Twist

by Kimi Flores

  Since his shirt was righted, she stepped away, taking her intoxicating aroma with her.

  Placing his hand on Leah’s forearm, Caleb said, “No. Really. This is not your responsibility. You’ve dealt with enough.”

  Shut the hell up, Cuzz, and take your hands off of her please.

  A little embarrassed that Leah just made him out to be an invalid—even though he was—Stefen didn’t want Caleb pushing her away.

  Since everything was out in the open now, he decided to speak up, repeating Leah’s words. “Just because we slept together doesn’t mean we can’t be mature about this.”

  Caleb looked shocked, then mad as hell. His face literally reddened.

  Oh shit. Stefen shrank against his pillow.

  Caleb snarled. “You slept with her!”

  Stefen turned to Leah for help, but she was looking at the floor, her face redder than that sexy ass dress she owned. Frantically, she whispered, “I didn’t tell him we slept together, Stefen.”

  Fuuuuuuck! Stefen blinked hard.

  “Wait?” he pleaded with Caleb. “Why the hell were you so pissed at me, then? I thought you knew, especially after that look you gave me when the doctor pointed out the bite mark on my shoulder.”

  Leah’s face went another shade darker, now covering her face with her hands.

  Caleb’s nostrils flared even more. “I knew you pulled some shit, but I never thought she’d actually let you sleep with her.” Caleb addressed Leah. “I can’t believe you did that. As long as girls like you give in to whatever he wants, he’ll never change.”

  The expression on Leah’s face was enough to make Stefen’s blood boil. He felt the adrenalin rushing through his veins, wishing with every bone in his body that he could leap out of bed and throttle Caleb.

  With a little effort, he did manage to get out of bed and go face to face with his cousin.

  Stefen puffed up his chest the best he could before spitting out, “Don’t you ever speak to her like that again, do you understand? This is all my fault. I’m the asshole here. Don’t you dare take it out on her.” His body vibrated with anger, his chest heaving while he tried to remain calm.

  Attempting to hold back the sucker punch he wanted to give his much taller cousin, Stefen began to feel a little dizzy. This happened a lot lately. He backed up a few steps and grabbed the footboard.

  Caleb swallowed, looking somewhat remorseful. He stood in front of Leah, making an effort to lift her chin so she’d look at him, but she kept her concerned attention on Stefen. “Sweetie, I didn’t mean that as an insult to you.”

  Leaning forward, Stefen braced his hand on his thigh and exhaled. “How the hell was that not an insult?”

  Caleb glared at Stefen, then turned and spoke directly to Leah. “I’ve been trying to get Stefen to change for years now. I meant that he does this to sweet, unattainable girls. Once he gets the better of you, he moves on every time. I didn’t want him to break your heart, too.”

  Pressing his hand to his dizzy forehead, Stefen reminded them, “I’m standing right here, ya know.”

  Leah was still watching him, clearly concerned.

  “I know,” Caleb snapped. “And there’s a lady present. Put some damn pants on.”

  Glancing down, Stefen had forgotten he was standing in the middle of the room, wearing only a T-shirt and his boxer briefs. Nothing she hasn’t already seen. He wanted to both laugh and kick his own ass at that thought. Damn, I feel dizzy.

  Abby appeared from the hallway, giving each of them a questioning look. “Sorry, I got sick again. What’s going on?”

  Caleb, Stefen, and Leah glanced back and forth between each other. They all knew this had to happen for Abby’s benefit.

  Finally, Leah said lightly, “Nothing much. We just decided that it was a good idea for Stefen and I to make a truce, move on, and for me to help you with anything you need, Abby.”

  Stefen stayed silent, waiting to see what Caleb would say while his wife handed Stefen some athletic shorts. She rubbed his back, “You okay?” she whispered sweetly. He nodded, not wanting her to know what they’d actually been talking about.

  Leah was a genius, pointing out that the aid was really for Abby’s sake. Caleb’s one weakness was his wife’s well-being.

  “Sounds like we all agree, then.” Caleb stepped between Abby and Stefen, then moved her away. He placed his hands on the side of her face. “Anything you need, love, please let us know. You can’t do it all yourself, and even though Stefen needs a lot of help, none of us wants you killing yourself, either. We can all work together.” He gave Abby a quick kiss on the forehead, shooting Stefen a heated glance.

  Abby sighed and leaned into him, oblivious of the tension still in the air.

  Leah smiled through her eyes at Stefen, acknowledging her victory. Thank god I’m on your team right now.

  As he watched Caleb and Abby, Stefen had to admit he was an envious beast.

  Caleb was right. All he had to offer a woman, like the one in the room that set his blood on fire, was a broken heart.

  And Leah was right. He leaned on his looks to get woman and now that those were gone, he was a lesser version of himself. He would love to be different someday, able to offer someone what Caleb gave Abby, but he highly doubted that would ever happen.

  “Well,” Stefen headed toward the bathroom with his shorts in his hand, “I think I’ll get dressed if you guys will excuse me.” He stepped into the bathroom and looked at himself in the mirror.

  He was an absolute mess. No wonder Leah gasped when she saw him. The bruises were gone, but four weeks after the attack, his sunken eye was still jacked-up, and his skin still had a sickly tone after taking all of the meds he was prescribed. They’d reset his nose, but it was still a bit crooked.

  Feeling a void in his heart, he mourned the man he used to be. He would never again be the good-looking guy Leah first met. Pulling the collar of his shirt to the side, he examined the puckered pinkish scar on his clavicle. His stomach turned, realizing Leah must’ve seen it too when she helped him with that damn shirt.

  Probably thinks I look like a monster.

  The cast on his arm was scheduled to be removed during his first visit to UCLA Medical Center next week. The pain had gone down. He hoped at least that was healing nicely. He couldn’t wait to shower without a plastic bag on his arm.

  Hearing muffled voices, Stefen realized the threesome was still in the room. Standing closer to the door, he heard Caleb ask why Leah had given into Stefen and why Abby hadn’t told him everything.

  Abby’s response nearly knocked Stefen on the floor. “It was Leah’s story to share, not mine.” There was a pause, then an even softer whisper, “She fell in love with him.”

  The hell? The wood of the door dug into his ear as he smooshed himself against it. He felt like a little kid, but couldn’t care less at the moment.

  “Abby, don't exaggerate. I couldn’t have fallen in love with him. We didn't even know each other that long.” Why doesn’t she sound convincing?

  “I call bullshit, Leah. I can see right through you. Besides, you’re telling a girl who not only met, and fell in love with the man of her dreams within a year, but also married him, and is pregnant with his child.” He could imagine Abby rubbing her still flat belly.

  Quietly, Leah murmured, “It doesn't matter now. That’s over, and I have someone else to focus on. So let’s put this crap behind us and not look back.”

  Someone else? Her high school crush? Moving in front of the mirror once more, he leaned onto the counter, closed his eyes and let her words sink in.

  It’s over. She has someone else. It’s for the best. I won’t ever be able to give her what she deserves.

  Stefen threw the shorts on, washed his face, and brushed his teeth before picking up his eye patch. Popping it over his eye, he prepared himself to face another miserable day. Maybe a little less miserable with Leah.

  Caleb and Abby went downstairs to make breakfast, leaving Leah to pac
e back and forth in the room while Stefen dawdled in the bathroom.

  He spends more time getting ready than I ever do.

  As much as she wanted to rip his arms off and beat him with the bloody stumps, her heart was overwhelmed. When she walked through the door, the humiliation on his face was enough to make her want to bolt and never come back. He looked so lost and hopeless and nothing like the confident cocky man she was used to.

  Honestly, she was shocked by the damage those assholes had caused. Not because he looked like shit—though he kind of did—but more because he looked miserable. Even with his droopy eye, scars, and cast, his new slight imperfections didn’t really change much. He was still gorgeous.

  “Of course he is,” she muttered dryly under her breath.

  And now she had all these jumbled up emotions after hearing about his stupid flower pot. When she listened to him fumble out his reason, she wanted to grab him and never let go. It validated that he did care about her once, it hadn’t just been her imagination.

  Shaking her head, Leah pushed those thoughts out of her mind. She needed to concentrate on her purpose here, not on the feelings she still had for Stefen.

  The bathroom door opened and he came out, wearing an eye patch. Glittering jewels bedazzled the entire thing, and she couldn't help but laugh. “I take it Madison made that for you?”

  He smirked, still looking sexy as ever. “Yep. She said I looked like a pirate, so she added the skull and cross bone charm, then felt the need to dazzle it up with the rhinestones.”

  He would do anything that little girl asked. Leah had to admire that. “Well it's very stunning. I can't wait to take you out in public with it.” She snickered because it was also funny as hell.

  He shook his head, laughing a little. “Uh, no. If Madison isn’t around, I wear the cloth one the doctor gave me.” He looked down, admitting, “Besides, I don't feel comfortable leaving the house unless it's to the doctor's office.” He continued to look at the floor when he touched the eye patch and frowned, breaking her heart.

  He’s really lost. How can I go from being so pissed at him to wanting to help him get through this?

  He finally looked up and ran his hand through his messy, overgrown air. “I’ve been wanting to go out for a haircut, but that can wait. The idea doesn't thrill me.”

  Leah smoothed her palms on the front of her jeans, nervously offering, “If you really want one, I can do it. I used to cut my dad's hair before he died. I even got my Cosmetology License when I turned eighteen, so I could make a few bucks on the side during college. I cut all the guys’ hair in our dorm.” She rocked back and forth on her heels as she rambled on. “It's been a while, but I got pretty good at it. I can’t do anything fancy, just trim up what you already have.” He seemed unsure until she asked as she twiddled her fingers, “Don’t you trust me?”

  “With every part of me,” he blurted.

  Her eyes widened, and she took a slow breath as their eyes locked. He seemed to be begging her to believe him, but she couldn’t. How could she after what he’d done to her?

  Still, the honesty in his eyes…he looked raw. She had to give in, even if just a little.

  Recovering quickly, she let out a breathy laugh. “Okay, then.”

  He was exactly what she wanted—as a friend.

  Initially, when she'd suggested the haircut, Stefen wanted to scream, are you out of your damn mind? He went to professionals who had celebrity clients.

  Instead, he admitted that he trusted her, because, well, he did. He had screwed her over, and now she was here to help. Besides, he was already sporting a girly eye patch and scars. Who the hell was going to look at his hair? He'd only wanted it cut because it felt uncomfortable. Every time he moved, it tickled his ears and neck.

  Now Leah was towering over him in the bathroom with a pair of Abby’s sharp scissors. He was sitting in a chair, a towel draped around his shoulders. Running his hands through his hair once more, he hoped he wasn’t making a mistake. His knee bounced nervously despite himself.

  Snipping away, she brought up the elephant in the room. “So we kind of got off on the wrong foot.” She rested her hand on his shoulder.

  The connection warmed his skin, and he fought the urge to pull her into his lap.

  “We’re both obviously looking for something different, romantically, but since we’re going to be around each other a lot, I’d love if we could try to be friends. Like real, honest friends.” She continued to move the scissors through his hair. The feel of her fingertips on his scalp calmed his anxiety over the haircut. “I could use another friend. With the baby coming, Abby’s going to be preoccupied.”

  After everything I’ve done, she still wants to be friends? Hell yeah, I want her in my life, anyway I can have her.

  Placing his hand on top of hers, he answered, “I'd like that. We were kind of great together before that night. I mean, the sex was amazing. Best I’ve ever had, to be honest.” She stopped cutting his hair and stared at him in the mirror. “I’m sorry I went and ruined it, Leah.”

  He finally got his chance to apologize and it felt fantastic, until he saw her shaking her head out of whatever thoughts she’d been having.

  Blinking hard, she moved in front of him and squatted down. She looked up, her hands on her thighs. “If we’re going to give this friendship a go, you cannot say things like ‘sex’ when referring to us, okay? That's in the past and needs to be buried.”

  “All right.” He agreed, but that stung.

  Still, he couldn’t fault her. The connection they shared that night was unlike anything he’d ever had, then he had to go screw it all to hell by turning it into something cheap and meaningless. The memory was one he’d never be able to bury, but he understood.

  Leah patted his thighs, then stood and maneuvered around him. She leaned into his body several times while she cut his hair. Loving this closeness, he took a moment to close his eyes and cherish it. He continued to fight his desire to pull her onto his lap and cover her with kisses.

  This friendship thing might end up being more difficult than he thought.

  It was difficult knowing that, because of his stupid selfish actions, he and Leah would never be together again, not in the way he found himself wanting more than anything.

  It didn’t matter anyway, the best thing he’d ever had to offer was his nice-looking face and good body. Now that was ruined. The injuries would heal, but he’d always have physical and mental scars. Nobody would ever want to get close to him again, not that he wanted anyone else but Leah.

  In his heart, Stefen knew he would always be a broken man, not fit for her.

  They'd fallen into a seamless pattern this past week, and Stefen was thoroughly enjoying his time with Leah. When she wasn’t working or teaching her weekly dance class, she was with him.

  It was a little humiliating, though, being so weak. A few days earlier, he was so dizzy and nauseous that he rushed to the bathroom, barely making it in time to vomit in the toilet. She’d followed him in, rubbing his back in the midst of him puking his guts out.

  Who does that? Certainly not any of his caregivers growing up.

  If the tables were turned, he wasn’t sure he’d be able to reciprocate. Sensitive gag reflex and all. It didn’t seem to bother her, though. She’d said it was because her mom and Dani were always telling her stories about their patients in the hospital.

  Thankfully, they agreed to the friendship part before she had to watch him lose his breakfast.

  Today, she drove him to his first consultation at UCLA Medical Center, about two hours south of Santa Barbara. The doctor removed Stefen’s cast and assessed his future care.

  Leah was practically glowing when she saw him walk into the waiting room, without the cast. “How does it feel?” She lightly ran her fingertips up his forearm causing the skin to prickle.

  Damn, her touch makes me think dirty things.

  Clearing his throat, he deepened his voice. “Fine.”

  O
n their way out, she said, “You’re probably hungry since all you’ve had today is coffee and that gross-looking protein bar.” She stuck her tongue out and grimaced. “So we’re going somewhere special for lunch.” Bouncing on the balls of her feet as they walked, she explained why this place was so special. “It’s a sandwich shop that everyone in my hometown loves. Honestly, you’ll never find a better sandwich.”

  She was absolutely giddy with her school girl grin. According to her, they were only about fifteen minutes from the city she grew up in. Hometown or not, he was starving and willing to go anywhere she would take him.

  “Sounds good. My treat.” He wanted to wink, but his good winking eye was currently covered with a very manly, not sparkly patch.

  She stopped behind her van, grabbing his hand quickly. “Stefen, we’re friends now. It doesn't have to be your treat, unless you let it be mine next time.”

  As much as he hated that she only wanted to be friends, at least they had some sort of title. “Fine,” he sighed. “But this time, it's mine.”

  Tapping her fingers on the steering wheel as she drove, Leah appeared a bit nervous. She was really quiet for a moment, then said, “I hope you don't mind, but I invited my, um, friend, Ben to join us.” She paused a moment. “We went to high school together and kind of, um, reconnected when I visited my mom last week.” She glanced quickly at Stefen, biting her bottom lip like she always did when she was anxious.

  So this is the guy. Thanks to social media, he knew exactly what kind of ‘friend’ Ben was, but he didn’t necessarily want her to know he’d been stalking her.

  “Sure, no problem,” he lied. But it was a problem. It was his turn to tap his fingers.

  It was odd that she was introducing Ben as a ‘friend’. Leah hadn't actually admitted to Stefen that she and this doctor were dating, but it was going to be pretty damn apparent when they greeted each other with a kiss.

  Shit. How am I going to get through lunch with Leah all over another guy?

  Feeling jealousy rear its ugly head, Stefen turned to look out the passenger window. To make this friendship thing work, he’d have to keep his attitude in check.