A smile spreads across my face. The person next to me grabs a hold of my shoulders, jumping up and down, celebrating the play. Caught up in the moment, I do the same before my eyes glance back and I notice Hunter has still yet to get up off the ground.
My heart stops. My breathing quickens. The coach runs out from the dugout and players swarm the plate.
“No!” I yell as I rush to the side and try and get a better view of what happened. I can’t see. No one will move. I claw at the fence, wanting to break through and get to him.
“No! Someone tell me what’s going on!”
But no one hears me. Soon, a stretcher is brought out and they slowly load his body on the unit. The crowd still won’t clear. I can’t get a good glimpse to see if he is okay.
Running towards the exit, I fight my way through the crowd until I reach the entrance to the team tunnel.
“I can’t let you pass Miss.” The guard says, just as I see the stretcher with Hunter’s body being carried down to the locker room.
“That’s my fiancé!” I yell, but the man doesn’t budge. “I have to see if he is alright! Please!”
“If I let just everyone through that claimed they were with one of the players, we wouldn’t have a locker room, we’d have a strip club. Now please, back up, I said I can’t let you through.”
“You don’t understand, that is my fiancé. Hunter Alexander. I was just down there in his family’s seats. He was hurt. Bad, and I need to see if…”
“She’s with me, Kobe.” a man’s voice cuts me off.
Glancing over my shoulder, I notice the man that Hunter first walked into my shop with. The one the blonde and the redhead were talking about when I found out about Ol’ Miss. I smile hesitantly at him and thank the Lord Kobe listens and lets us pass.
“Rex Roberts,” he says with a wink, and I can’t help but blush. He sure does live up to his reputation, but right now all that matters is getting to Hunter.
“Come on,” he says, as he leads the way back to the locker room. “Hunter was right, you’re worth losing it all for, because he’s never been a bigger winner than when you’re by his side.”
* * *
By the time I am allowed into the room, the entire staff, coaches, and attending doctors have left. Rex sits next to Hunter and I give them a moment. Rex lifts his eyes and gives me a small smile. Saying a few more words in a whisper, he puts his hand on Hunter’s shoulder and begins to walk away.
“He’s all yours,” he teases as he walks past.
“You’re leaving?” I ask, slightly scared to be left alone in the room with Hunter after everything that has happened between us.
“Yes ma’am,” he whistles. “Got my heart set on something red tonight, and she never disappoints. Even if she never lets me close, either. Not yet, that is.”
He gives me another panty melting wink before pulling on the door handle and taking his leave. When the door shuts, the sound makes me jolt. I wait for Hunter to turn around and acknowledge me, but he doesn’t.
Scared, I walk forward and pray that I could speed up time. Just this once. To fast forward so I know the outcome before I even start to apologize.
He’ll forgive me, right?
As I approach, I notice Hunter’s knee is wrapped in a brace. Walking slowly forward, I tell myself to breathe with each fearful step I take. Finally, when I make it to his side, I’m surprised when he still refuses to turn and look my way. Standing there, staring at his silhouette, I worry for the first time since I found the courage to come here that he won’t want me. That what I broke, we won’t be able to fix.
“Hunter, I…” I start to speak, but he still doesn’t turn.
His jaw is set in stone, he stares straight ahead and doesn’t even blink as I stand next to him and wish like crazy I could take everything I ever did wrong in our relationship back.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper, and turn to leave, but his strong grip stops me as he grabs a hold of my arm and pulls me back. Turning, I look up into his eyes and see his full of a fear that matches my own.
“No, I’m sorry,” he whispers. “For ever letting you walk out of my life and not doing a damn thing to stop you.”
He pulls me towards him and crushes my lips against his. I gasp from the urgency in his kiss before I am pulled under and into his hypnotic spell. His tongue caresses mine. He fists my hair and wraps his other arm around my waist, keeping me pressed tightly against him. I fist his shirt in my hands and pull him into me as I deepen our kiss, needing to taste more of him, feel more of him, and know that we are okay. That our world is finally once again right.
Releasing me, I keep my eyes closed, soaking in every bit of this moment. When I open them, his sexy grin takes my breath away before he pulls my hand up and kisses it.
“You dropped something,” he whispers, as he slowly takes my hand in his and slips my ring back on my finger. Stunned, I look down in wonder. He had it with him this whole time?
