“Yeah if I were planning on playing tonight. But I’m not.”
Her eyes widen, and I find it cute that she’s so shocked, but she really shouldn’t be. “What do you mean you’re not playing tonight?”
An adorable crease appears between Tae’s brows and I brush my finger over it before placing a kiss on her forehead. “I’m taking you to your appointment this afternoon and then I’m taking care of you afterward.”
She scoffs in disbelief. “You could still take me to my appointment this afternoon and not have to miss morning skate or your game.”
I shrug off her comment. “I could. But I’m using my leave of absence time to take care of you.”
“Jax, you can’t miss your first home game to stay here with me. I’ll be fine.”
“You’re having your port placed and receiving your first round of chemo this afternoon, there’s no chance in hell I’m going to my game. Especially considering it’s preseason. What if something happened to you while I was playing? You’ll likely feel sick. I’m not going, T. I told Scarlett, Coach, and management that I’m not going to be there today or at practice tomorrow after I researched and found out the first two days after chemo are the worst.”
Tears well in her eyes as she soaks in my words and my determined expression. There’s no talking me out of this, and I think she realizes that. “I-I don’t know what to say to that.”
“You don’t have to say anything, T. I’m right here.” Pulling her in for a hug, I keep my arms wrapped snuggly around her as I inhale deeply. “Now, I don’t know about you, but I’m about to eat at least half a dozen cinnamon apple muffins. Fuck, maybe even eight considering I don’t have a game tonight.”
Tae squeezes me tight around my waist and tips her chin, resting it against my chest so she can look up at me. “It’s nice to see some things haven’t changed.”
“Baby, if you bake it, I’m gonna eat it. That will always remain true.” I waggle my brows like an idiot and we both break out into a fit of laughter.
She shakes her head. “God, you’re weird.”
“Yeah, but you love me.”
“You’re right. I really do.”
The nurse just left the curtained area we’re sitting in as Taevin awaits her first chemo treatment. Her port was placed beneath her collarbone through an outpatient procedure, and after an X-ray ensured it was properly installed, Tae was wheeled to the cancer center wing. She’s still a bit loopy I think from the light sedation though, because she keeps staring at me with the most smitten look and saying the most off the cuff things. Like telling the nurse to “look into my sea glass eyes because they’re the most mesmerizing thing she’ll ever lay eyes on.” I managed to bite back my chuckle, but she had me full on chortling when she said “and not only does he look likethatbut he fucks like a god too. Some men have all the beauty but nothing to show for it. But not my husband—he’s got the looksandthe goods to back it up.”
So it’s only now as we’re alone again and she’s staring at me with hearts in her eyes that I lean in for a chaste kiss.
Tae tries to pull me back in to deepen the kiss but I turn my head and place delicate pecks along the inside of her wrist.
“I’m the luckiest woman in the world to have you.”
Lacing my fingers through hers, I bring the back of her hand to my lips for a kiss. I’m so grateful to have her now, but I wish there wasn’t so much of each other’s lives that we’d missed out on.
But before I can say anything Tae asks, “Hey, Bear?”
I smirk at her use of my nickname. Playing along, I ask, “Yeah, Thorn?”
“I’m not sure I can do this alone.” It comes out as a whispered confession, so quiet I almost miss what she’s said.
My heart sinks at the fear in her voice, and an ache I’ve never experienced spreads throughout my chest. “And you’ll neverhave to, baby. I’m right here,” I assure her, rubbing slow circles on her hands before kissing her forehead, hoping like hell I can pour every ounce of my love for her into this kiss. I wish more than anything in this moment for the ability to ease her fears and assure her everything is going to be okay; but the thing is, I can’t guarantee that. I don’t know what this fight looks like for her, but the one thing I do know is that I’m going to be by her side. And beyond anything, Taevin will not only know butfeelthat she’s not alone.
My phone buzzes incessantly on the bedside table, and I muffle a growl of frustration when I finally reach over and see Senator Satan on my caller ID. Standing from the bed, I leave Taevin resting in our room before making my way down the hall.
Swiping to accept the call, I sigh in annoyance at his interruption as I flop down on the oversized sectional sofa that takes up a good portion of the living room.
“Yeah?” I answer, not bothering with niceties since I know exactly why he’s calling.
“What’s this I hear about my son missing his game tonight? Tell me it’s not true.”
“Who’s your source?”
He lets out a displeased scoff. “Does it matter?”
“I guess not, but considering your other son isn’t on speaking terms with you, I figure it wasn’t him.”
