I sit back, glancing around to make sure no one heard me, and when I look back at Dave, he’s staring at me, an awestruck expression on his face. “What’s it like?”
Frowning, I say, “What’s what like?”
“Having someone love you like Cassidy loves you?”
Surprised by his question, I look away, my eyes scanning across the ice in search of Cassidy. She’s still at her seat, talking animatedly with the fans around her.
As if she can sense my gaze she stops talking, steps away from the group so she can see me clearly. She waves, and I wave back, feeling incredibly silly and having no idea why, since it’sjust a husband waving back to his wife. And surely it’s better than the middle finger she used to give me on a regular basis.
She watches the people around her disperse then turns back to me, catching my eyes from across the ice. She points at me and I smile. Then she points at herself and my smile grows. I expect her to make a heart or the American Sign Language sign for ‘I love you’, but no…not Cassidy. Instead, she makes a circle with one hand, points a finger with the other and then shoves that finger through that circle with the lewdest expression on her face that I think I’ve ever seen her make.
My eyes narrow, my lips press together. I shake my head and mouth, “You cut that out,” but all she does is grin, obviously exceptionally pleased with herself.
Dave howls beside me. “Did she ju?—”
I cut him off with my elbow in his side. “Don’t start.”
He laughs even louder, so I look back at Cassidy who’s still watching me with that big grin. I sigh heavily, squint at her intently, but then she blows a kiss at me. I pretend to ignore it for about three seconds before begrudgingly snatching it out of the air, but then I make like I stuff it into my pocket, which only makes her grin harder. Then with a flurry wave of her fingers, she exits her row, making her way toward the exit.
Dave wheezes beside me. “Oh man, you got it bad.”
I start to deny it but then stop, knowing there’s no point in wasting my breath on what is an obvious lie. So I grunt, getting to my feet and shoving him until he does the same. We walk toward the locker room, but Dave stops just inside the doorway, his expression serious as he whispers, “Seriously Ren. What’s it like?”
Frowning slightly, I try to think of a way to describe my current feeling in terms where someone who hasn’t lived it might understand.
Finally, I sigh deeply, then reply, “Magic. Complete fucking magic.”
30
UNDER THE WEATHER
CASSIDY
One thingI was not at all prepared for was how bone tired I was going to be during the first trimester. I’ve witnessed how tiring late term pregnancy can be for the more obvious reasons, but the hidden exhaustion in the beginning is almost debilitating.
Because what the fuck.
I’m slowly coming around from an early afternoon nap, sipping the cup of peppermint herbal tea that Ren brought me. He’s going about getting ready for his game, not even requiring my help to find anything. Which makes me ridiculously annoyed.
Ren stops beside me, a teasing grin on his face as he braces his hands on the arm and back of the sofa, leans in. “I’ll let you help me when you’re feeling better.”
“You don’t have to pretend to need my help.”
His grin broadens, his eyes twinkling. “But I want you to help me, surely that counts for something?”
I sniff, turn my nose up as I retort, “Not really.”
He chuckles, kisses me on my nose before straightening. “If it’s any consolation, I’ve been doing all this stuff on my own since I was a kid.”
“Your mom didn’t help you?”
“She helped me by making me do it myself until it became like muscle memory.”
He turns, walks toward the door, leaving me to my petulant inner monologue. I stick my tongue out at his retreating back then set the empty mug on the table next to me.
Slowly, I ease my tired body off the sofa, being careful to get my bearings before attempting to stand upright. I sway a bit, my hand moving to the arm of the sofa to steady myself.
“Is your appointment this week?” Ren asks from the doorway, a slight frown on his handsome face.
