Free Second Down (Moving the Chains Book 2) by Kata Čuić Page A

Get him out of his bedroom.”
    “He’s been holed up in his bedroom all week?”
    Alex shoots me a smirk. “Yeah. Something you two have in common.”
    “What does you guys taking him out to dinner have to do with me? I think it’s a great idea, don’t get me wrong. You should totally do it. Don’t his parents have anything planned for him, though?”
    “Nah, they’re working. Patty called off all last week, so she can’t tomorrow. And his dad? Well, his dad’s an asshole; there’s just no other way to say it.”
    I remember this information from one of mine and Rob’s screaming matches. “That sucks.”
    “Yeah. Anyway, it has to do with you because I want you to come with us. Think it’ll be a good way to bribe Rob into going.”
    I go back to sorting through music. “Alex, I already told you how uncomfortable he is around me. I seriously don’t blame him. If you want to bribe him to go, then invite his Dream Girl. That might cheer him up. He told me they were over, but maybe that’s just his depression talking for him.”
    Alex scrubs his hands over his face in seeming frustration. “I need to tell you something.”
    The seriousness of his tone grabs my attention. “Okayyy…”
    “What do you remember about Rob’s Dream Girl?”
    I can’t help the bark of laughter that sneaks out of my throat. “I thought you had to tell me something, not ask me something.”
    Why does Alex even care what I know about her? If he’d done his job as a wingman, I’d have never had to help Rob to begin with.
    “Look.” He blows out a breath. “I know you don’t want to talk about what happened. Hell, I don’t want to talk about what happened. You lost three days’ worth of memory, right? Have you even tried to remember anything other than the attack?”
    Alright, now I’m pissed. He has no right to act like I want to forget. “Just fucking spit out whatever it is you’re dancing around, then get the hell out.”
    “Evie.” His voice goes soft, maybe a little apologetic. “ You’re Rob’s Dream Girl. You just don’t remember.”
    My head throbs painfully in time with my rapid heartbeat as I gape at Alex. His face swims before me like a heat mirage.
    “Evie? Did you hear me?”
    My mouth opens and closes several times as if I could automatically respond to that bombshell with my usual flippant retort. But…nope.
    “Shit.” Alex’s panicked gaze darts between me and the open doorway. “Maybe Rob was right. Maybe this was a bad idea.”
    That cryptic statement snaps me out of my daze a bit. Still, my voice sounds hoarse and not nearly normal. “What does that mean? What does Rob think is a bad idea?”
    Alex turns his body to face me head on, his gaze boring a hole through me. He heaves a deep sigh. “I don’t have all the details to give you, but here’s what I do know. The day you were attacked, you and Rob got together. He finally came clean with you about everything. He’s been stuck on you since freshman year. Jeremy kind of put him on the spot when he put the idea in your head that Rob was into someone else. That stupid 12-step program that you made for him? You pretty much told him everything he needed to do to win you over. And I guess it worked. When you woke up in the hospital the next day and didn’t remember anything, he made all of us promise not to tell you.”
    He pauses to catch his breath, studying my face for a reaction.
    I have no idea how to respond. What are words?
    “Are you all right? You’re scaring me. Say something .”
    “Why doesn’t he want me to know?” It’s the number one question rolling through my mind. My brain absolutely cannot process the fact that I forgot Rob and I are…were?...together. Did he break up with me because of what he must have seen? Does he not want me anymore because he thinks I’m defiled?
    Alex bites his lip. “He’s afraid that if anyone tells you anything about those three days, that you’ll remember the attack, and he