Page 32 of Tripped Up

“The other night.” Wyatt clears his throat. “The panic attack.”

“It happens sometimes.” I pick at the loose thread again. I feel like I’m this close to unraveling myself. “Thanks for… you know.”

“Have you seen someone about them?”

“Yeah. I take daily meds for it.” Somehow, it doesn’t feel weird talking about this. Vulnerable, yeah. Usually, I want to lock it up in a box and throw away the key. Knowing Wyatt’s struggled with panic attacks of his own… for some reason, it makes me feel like I can trust him with this.

“Do you have rescue meds?”

“They make me crash. I think the dosage is too high. I’m trying to get established with a psychiatrist here.” I exhale slowly. “If it didn’t happen at work, I would have taken the meds. But I didn’t think it would be a good idea to pass out on the stage. That would have made things worse.”

I made it through my performance, but as soon as I got the go ahead from Hilary, I hightailed it out of there.

His deep chuckle sends tingles through my bloodstream. “I feel that. We have smelling salts on the bench. It’s not the same, but it does help me focus.”

“Maybe that’s what I need.”

“I’ll grab some for you,” he says.

“Oh, you don’t have to do that.”

“It’s the least I can do. We have them everywhere.”

I swallow. The unexpected offer feels… nice. Like he really is looking out for me. And not because Bex asked him to.

“Why are you being so nice to me?” I whisper.

Wyatt is quiet for a moment. “I’m just being me,” he finally says.

“No. You’re different lately.”

“Elsy, I’m just being myself. You haven’t been able to see it, but I haven’t changed. I’m still the same me I’ve always been.”

Right. He hasn’t changed. He’s still the same insensitive asshole he was all those years ago.

When I don’t say anything, he asks, “Why’d you call me?”

“I told you. I was bored.” A chill runs over me, making my skin rise in goose bumps. Why did I call him?

“Yeah. But why’d you call me?”

“I don’t know.”

He exhales slowly. “Okay. But when you figure it out, you let me know, okay?”

“Yeah, sure.” I roll my eyes even though he can’t see it. “What are you up to?”

“Just hanging at the hotel. I’m supposed to be taking my pregame nap.”

“Oh. I’m bothering you. I should go.” I don’t know why I even called him.

“You’re not a bother,” Wyatt says. “I… like this.”

“Don’t make this weird,” I snap at him. “It doesn’t mean anything.”

He laughs, sending a wave of warmth through me. “Yeah, okay.”

“Have you talked to Bex recently?” I shift on the couch, stretching my legs out in front of me.