“N-no…” I blinked at my teammates. With effort, thanks to my trembling limbs, I moved back to the couch. I took a minute to breathe with my forehead pressed to my fists. Then I lifted my head from the bent-over position, more in control of my emotions. “You think I hallucinated the man?” I tried to meet everyone’s gaze. They all looked worried.
Cormac glanced at the others. “We remember what happened during your first concussion, how you hallucinated then. You were so sure we were there to hurt you…”
“Made me sick,” Maxim said.
Stolly looked away, his jaw tight.
I narrowed my eyes. “So, because I have a history of hallucinations?—”
“Specifically of deep, personal harm during them,” Cormac supplied. “I asked Amber if it was possible for that to happen again. She and Dr. Hutchins conferred, but they didn’t tell me anything about your case specifically.” He paused. “When I pushed, asking if it was possible hypothetically, they said yes. In fact, they think it’s likely—and that’s your mind’s pattern when it’s injured.”
“A pattern. There’s a pattern for concussion.” I knew that. We all knew our symptoms usually amplified with more head trauma. But I’d never considered the hallucination possibility. It had all seemed so real. My chest squeezed. My heart ached. “You think I’ve spent months pushing away the love of my life for nothing?”
The guys all looked at each other. Cormac grimaced as he answered for them. “Yeah. That’s what we think. And worse, we know Vivian’s been talking to some doctor, who sounds like a total shitbag, according to what we got from Hana.”
I covered what could have been a horrifying shriek with a cough and clearing my throat.
Cormac paused respectfully. “And for the record,” he continued after a moment. “The ladies were going to contact Vivian and bring her out here if we didn’t. So, we did it first.”
My mother muttered something about men and egos and needing to win. She wasn’t wrong. “You’re a better man than this doctor,” she said, sitting beside me and patting my hand. “And Vivi loves you. So the boys hatched a plan to get her here. Because they love you. And also, they want to have a matchmake win.” She glowered at me, causing guilt to flare. “I don’t approve of this part of the process, but I like that they included me. And I wanted to see how you reacted to the news that your Vivi has a new man.” She smiled brightly. “You hate it.”
“I do,” I said. “I really hate it.”
“Good. So you fix the problem between you two, and I get grandchildren.” My mother started babbling on in Spanish about how cute my babies would be while I met each of my teammates’ eyes.
They were more than teammates, though. We were family—a patchwork of backgrounds and hobbies and personalities that fit because of our love of hockey, competitiveness, and decency. These men were some of the best people I’d ever known.
“Thanks. All of you. I appreciate you wanting the best for me.”
“Took you long enough to realize that,” Stolly grumped.
“You’re not going to hit me, are you?” Maxim asked. “I don’t want a big bruise on my face. Ida Jane fusses.”
“But she makes you apple butter to soothe the booboo,” Naese taunted.
“It is delicious. More addictive than drugs.” Maxim sighed. “I love that stuff, and I hate that I love it so much, but I love it too much to?—”
“Got it,” Cormac said. “Back to Cruz. Look, man, we weren’t trying to piss you off or freak you out. We just want you to be happy.”
“And Vivian makes you happy,” Naese said. “Or at least I know she makes you all wistful and shit when you’re not together.”
“You boys may all be grown men, but your mouths offend my ears,” Mom informed them. “Speak like humans, not middle school children.”
“Yes, Lola,” Cormac said. “Sorry.”
“Good. Now, let me talk to my son un momentito.” My mom turned toward me. “Son,” she said in Spanish. “I understand your fear. First your father, then Ruben. But Vivian won’t be hurt because you love her. Well, not more hurt. You’ve put her through a bad time.”
“How do you know.”
“I got the Facebook, don’t I?”
“You’re stalking Vivi on social media?”
“I needed to know if this woman was good enough for you.” Mom sniffed. “She’s lovely. I think she likes animals more than you,” she added with a smile.
I chuckled. Noticing my friends frowning, I switched to English. “She does love them. In Michigan, she asked to pet every dog we met.”
“This is how I know she is for you, my son. She has a big heart.” My mother also switched to English.
