I sigh and rub my eye sockets. I love my mom more than I love anything or any person. But I really don’t care to be coddled right now.
“I finally made it. I’m finally living my dream. Isn’t that what you’ve always wanted for me?”
“I always knew you could achieve anything. But I’m worried. Can you blame me?”
“All of my medications are prescribed,” I lie, and I hear her groan over the phone.
“But they don’t know.”
“They can’t know.”
“I swear to fucking god, Owen. If you so much as sprain an ankle, I’m driving to Connecticut and dragging you home. Or I’ll tell them everything.”
I groan over the phone, knowing she’s completely serious. It’s why I didn’t tell her that I got bumped up to the Foxes.
“I promise I’ll be careful. I’m taking care of myself.”
I hear her click her tongue over the phone, and she sighs. “Okay. Don’t make me drive out there.”
“Well, I was hoping you would for a game.”
“Such a smart ass,” she says, and I laugh.
“Where do you think I learned it from?”
She sighs, and I know she’s irritated with me. She loves me enough to know what a dream this is. I would never forgive her if she ruined this for me, and she knows that.
“I expect to hear from you at least once a week.”
“Okay.”
“And your brother would like to hear from you.”
I groan, and my mother doesn’t comment. I know it’s not Max’s fault that he got the better end of our genetics and got to live out my dream. But I can’t help being a jealous asshole.
My mom breaks the silence. “You know, you’ll run into him eventually.”
The thought of running into him on the ice has me wanting to quit right now, but I won’t. The chances of me playing during games aren’t even that high right now. So we will cross that bridge if or when we have to.
“Then I’ll see him when I see him.”
“I really wish you two would get along.”
“I know, Mom.” I feel guilty. The fact is it’s on both of us. I hate Max because he has everything I want, and Max hates me for hogging all of our parents’ attention.
“I love you, and I better hear from you within a week.”
“Love you too.” The call ends, and my head is aching by the time I’m leaving the coffee shop. I’ve got about an hour to kill before practice, and the only thing I want to do is sleep, but I don’t. Instead, I go for a light jog before I head to the training facility.
CHAPTER4
These last two shifts have been a true fucking nightmare. Not only have I been working with Shuana, but it seems like I’m so knee deep in paperwork that I’m not even practicing medicine. I do paperwork and spend less time observing and assisting in surgeries, hardly any patient care, which is where I know I should be.
Even though I’m feeling like shit, there’s no reason to wallow in it. So I stick to my routine and head to Alpha Fitness. It’s the one place I feel like I can clear my head. Besides staying in shape, I love the burst of energy working out seems to give me. I’m not overly fit by any means, but I’ve got a good amount of muscle at this point. I’m lean and happy with my appearance, so now it’s all about maintenance.
I’m lifting, listening toCaptain Hookby Megan Thee Stallion, when there’s a hulking presence behind me.
Alexi fucking Bandnin.
