Breaking The Rules: Book 2

Chapter 34: A Fresh Start

𝚆𝚎𝚍𝚗𝚎𝚜𝚍𝚊𝚢, 𝙾𝚌𝚝𝚘𝚋𝚎𝚛 𝟷𝟸𝚝𝚑
Parker POV

I never get early anywhere after football practice.

Seriously, I've lost count of the amount of dinners I told my mom that I'd be joining, just to have practice run an hour over, making me return home to an empty kitchen and a cold plate of food.

I've broken the driving laws many times in futile attempts to meet Miles on time on our dates over several different occasions.

Over time, I learned that the appointed end times for practice are nothing except mere suggestions. Suggestions that are generally ignored by an insane forty-seven year old man who thinks that a fleet of teenage boys has no lives.

That's why when Griffin asked me to pick him up from physical therapy last night, I balked. If I wasn't outside the front hospital doors exactly at seven-thirty, Griffin would forcefully extract the fingers from my hands. There was no way I could commit.

Until I found out Greyson would have to leave practice early to make it across town for a teacher meeting, I.E. why Griffin needed a ride.

So, I agreed. And miraculously, without Greyson influence, Snyder let us go thirty minutes early for doing a great job, and I make it to the hospital half an hour earlier than I thought I would.

Since it's later in the evening, the parking lot is partially empty as I pull in, the car humming underneath me. I whistle to myself as I take the closest space near the door and slide the car in park.

"Well..." I say to myself and tap my fingers on the wheel as I double-check the time. By the time I made it home, I'd have to turn right back around to come back here. Miles is spending quality time with his family so I can't crash at his place. I guess I could, I know he wouldn't complain, but it doesn't mean that I wouldn't feel guilty.

I could mess around on my phone or finish the homework that's burning a hole through my backpack in the back seat, although...

Fuck it.

Running a hand back through my hair, I grab my key fob and turn the car off before hopping out. I have to squint against the bright setting sun as I shut the car door and tuck my hands into my pockets, strolling to the front of the hospital.

The automatic doors whoosh open forcefully, blowing the strands of hair off my forehead as I walk in.

Melanie, the older receptionist behind the front counter, looks up as I come in and smiles as she pushes her glasses back up her nose. "Parker! Good afternoon, what are you doing here? Hollie isn't off for another five hours."

I return her polite smile as I wander up to the counter. One of the perks of playing football growing up and having a family member in the building means that most of the regular workers in this wing know the rest of my family well.

"Hey, Melanie. I'm here for Griffin. Uncle Greyson had a late meeting, Hollies working, and Rose is out of town tonight. I get to play Uber," I say lightly.

Melanie chuckles and rolls her chair closer to her computer, clicking her mouse multiple times. "I see! All of you are such busy bees. Do you guys ever rest?"

I laugh and lean my elbows on the counter, embracing the cold stone on my warm skin. "Hell no. It's not in our DNA."

She hums knowingly and spins her chair around to grab a pack of post-it notes, ripping one off the top. Pulling a pen out of the pocket in her shirt, she clicks it and scribbles on the note before facing me again and slapping it on the counter.