“We’ll swing by the bathroom and let you take care of business on the way,” added Doc.
Great. He’d becomethatguy. Was there no end to how far he could fall? Scratch that. He knew better than to ask that question. When life had you by the collar, you didn’t egg it on to hit you again.
“We’re headed to New York for a three-day series. But I expect you at the field when we get back,” said Coach as he lifted his hat and repositioned it on his head. “Doc says you’ll be working with Elise at home until then and should be ready.”
“My neck brace will be off.” Once the brace was off, he’d be clear to do a lot more. It shocked him how quick this whole process was, considering all his body had been through. The rods were the answer. He didn’t have to wait for bones to mend, because they wouldn’t. His body would need to adapt, but that was a different process than healing.
“Good. That’s something to look forward to.”
Good thing. He didn’t have much else to look forward to. Although, he was really looking forward to holding Tilly. She liked to nuzzle his neck, said he was a warm body and she loved the feel of him next to her. Now that was a solid reason to look forward to getting the neck brace off.
Chapter Six
Tilly
Tilly groaned as she lifted her right arm over her head and tipped to the side. She sat on a purple yoga mat in her living room while Elise put her through a slow form of torture. Coach Wolfe and others were at Brayden’s—she hadn’t even known he’d be coming home today, and yet three cars showed up at his arrival as if they’d been scripted. Four cars if you counted that nurse that drove Brayden home. She still wasn’t sure how that had happened, but she was a mess, hadn’t showered in two days, and she wasn’t about to march over there and take on Miss Shiny Hair. Any other day she’d be all over the woman, but she just didn’t have it in her—the meds made her head foggy and her appendages lead.
Thankfully, the doctor said she could quit the muscle relaxers and move to over-the-counter options, which had helped ease the headaches. She didn’t like being knocked out and bleary-minded.
Elise felt along her side, looking for sore muscles and finding them with ease. “You got off lucky. You could have broken a rib.”
“Don’t remind me.” Tilly gasped as Elise pressed a knot that had formed between her ribs. “I’d trade places with him in a heartbeat.”
“I think this rib is out of place. Let me work it back in.” Elise did something tricky, and there was a pop. Tilly breathed in and was happy to find that the feeling of being constricted had lessened. “Umm, this one too.” Elise frowned.
“I wish it was me in the hospital. This is all my fault.” Tilly hung her head.
Elise pushed it back up and moved around to work on her lower back.
She bit her lip. “Is he really mad at me?”
“He’s not mad at you,” Elise scolded.
“He didn’t even tell me he was coming home.”
“I’m sure he just wanted to surprise you.”
Tilly lifted both her eyebrows, asking,Really?“You saw who dropped him off.” She’d seen Elise talk to the busybody nurse and practically cheered when Mrs. Wolfe sent her packing. Yes, it was creepy to watch the exchange through her cracked blinds, but she didn’t care. She wanted too badly to be with Brayden, to walk over there and slip her arm around his middle. But he hadn’t told her he was coming home. Hadn’t said a word, which made her think that he didn’t want her there. And that stung.
“A poor decision at best,” Elise admitted. “She’s not an issue, trust me. Brayden loves you with all his heart. That man can’t function without you. So you need to scoot yourself on over there and let him know that even though his world is falling apart, you’re not.”
Tilly nodded numbly. Clover had dropped off a bunch of groceries the day before. She could make lunch and take it over. Knowing Brayden, there wasn’t more than a few power bars in his cupboard and sour milk and mustard in his fridge.
There was a knock at the door, and both women turned as Mrs. Wolfe walked right on in. Tilly’s cheeks flushed. Clothing and used towels littered the living room floor. Throw pillows were scattered haphazardly across the furniture. Several cherry cola cans and takeout boxes filled the coffee table. She really needed to get her head on straight if Mrs. Wolfe was going to walk into her house as if they were best friends.
“May I sit?” the owner of the Redrocks asked as she sat on the couch.
“Of course. You’re always welcome, Mrs. Wolfe,” Tilly replied automatically. Her mother would be so proud of her grace under pressure.
“Please, call me Harper.” She smiled easily.
Tilly swallowed. “Okay.” If she didn’t know the woman on her couch was a billionaire, and the owner of a baseball team, and her boyfriend’s boss, she would think she was here on a social call. Tilly looked a little closer. Harper wasn’t that much older than her and Elise, yet she carried herself like a person who knew her way around life.
Harper smiled easily, her eyes twinkling with a secret—no, with a plan. She had something up her sleeve. “I don’t want to interrupt. I’ll just take a moment of your time.”
Elise pulled Tilly’s arm down and moved it across her front so she could work under the shoulder blade. “Don’t worry about me. I can pretend I can’t hear you.” She gave Tilly a knowing smile.
Tilly could only imagine the things Elise had to tune out at work. Massaging and exercising 25-plus men before and after a game or workout would make any girl’s ears burn with gossip and confessions. More than once, Tilly had emptied her troubles on the massage table.
