Ali stuck her head in the kitchen. Her face was pale. “Um, hi. I don’t mean to interrupt, but Kass, um, there’s been an accident. Luc is in the hospital.”
“What? How?” Kassie was still holding a dish that her mom had just washed. Gently, her mom took it from her shaking hands, probably worried she was going to drop it.
Ali moved closer to Kassie, bracing to grab her if she fainted. Not that she was going to be able to do much with Kaleb in her arms. “Tyler just called Kaden. There’s been some sort of accident. We don’t know any details. Tyler is going to meet Kaden at the hospital.”
“Ali, what happened?” Kassie’s mom asked, likely well aware that Kassie had no speech function at the moment. “Joe?”
Ali shook her head. “We don’t know, Mom.”
Kaden opened the swinging kitchen door so he could talk too. “Kassie, look, I don’t have any details. I just know that there’s been an accident. I don’t know for sure who’s hurt or if anyone even is. Tyler is going to meet us there.” Kaden paused and looked at her. “C’mon Kass, I’ll drive you to the hospital.”
Stunned at his offer, she stood frozen for a moment. Having been taught never to take kindness for granted, she nodded. “Yeah. Thanks.”
“Kass, give me your keys. I’ll drive you in your car.” He kissed his wife on her forehead. “Doll, when you’re ready, you’ll have our car to take Kaleb home. I’ll call you as soon as I know what’s going on.”
“Kaden, do you want me to go too?” Ali asked.
“No, you stay here and let Kaleb visit with Mom. I’ll ask if Tyler can drop me off after we figure out what’s going on. With any luck, everyone is okay and we’re making a wasted trip to the hospital.” Kaden moved into the kitchen and kissed their mother. “Mom, thank you for dinner. Sorry if I was more of an ass than I should’ve been. I’ll make it up to you.”
“Oh, Kaden. You absolutely were, but I love you anyway. Be careful driving, please. I hope everyone is okay.” Their mom hugged Kaden then moved to Kassie. “Dear, I’ll be right here if you need me. Remember, no hour is too late. I love you.” She kissed Kassie on her cheek.
“Kaden, please message me as soon as you know what’s going on. I’ll stay here with your mom, at least until we know the details.” Ali kissed her husband and then gave Kassie a tight hug. “It’ll be okay, Kass. I’m here too, if you need me.”
“Kass? Ready?” Kaden’s expression was soft. The anger was gone, or at least set aside for now. It was all she could really ask for.
The drive to the hospital was quiet. Neither of them spoke. The radio was on, but no one sang to the music or even bobbed their head. There had been no further word from Tyler, so they still didn’t know about what happened. They didn’t know about injuries. They knew nothing. Kassie’s chest hurt and she felt as though she couldn’t breathe. The closer to the hospital they got, the more anxiety and nausea set in. She watched the lines on the road as they drove, and silently prayed. Please let Luc be okay.
All this time, she had thought she wasn’t ready to say those three little words to him, to confess her feelings for him. And now all she could think about was why hadn’t she?
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
Luc
Luc walked the halls of the emergency room. His dad had been taken away for x-rays. He should’ve called Kassie, but his phone was still in the car, or maybe he’d left it in the tow truck. Right now, he wasn’t sure. His head ached and his neck was sore. The second that car had slammed into them, he’d tensed up. His Porsche was a loss; the airbags both deployed, and the front passenger side was smashed in. The sheer thought of it made him ill.
Fuck, my car! Ugh. Luc’s head pounded, forcing him to sit down in the closest chair he could find. Through the fog in his brain, he thought he heard Kaden’s voice. Looking around, he realized he was sitting in a private family lounge area by the waiting room.
He made a point to listen to see if it was really Kaden’s voice or if he was hallucinating. If he was hallucinating, then they’d better get him back there for some scans, too. The last thing he needed was a concussion. The way his neck was killing him, he’d no doubt be scratched for at least the next game. Sadly, he was more worried about his car than his own health.
But the voices continued. Yes, it was definitely Kaden.
“I wanted to make sure he was okay,” Kaden said. “Is there some law against that? He’s still my teammate.”
Why is he here? I wonder if he told Kassie? How did he know about the accident? Luc continued listening to the conversation on the other side of the doors.
“You’re not going to kick his ass once you know he’s okay, are you?” Tyler asked.
Tyler. That’s how. He was my emergency contact. My second was Sam.
“Ty, can we not do that right now? Let’s find out if Marcella is okay before we talk about kicking his ass. Okay?” Sam added his two cents. And there he is.
Luc had better friends than he thought. They were all here worried about him. Maybe I should go out there and tell them that I’m fine, besides a few bumps and bruises. But he really needed to get hold of Kassie first.
“Do you guys know any details?” he heard Kassie ask. He voice was strained, and it sounded like she’d been crying.
“No. Sorry, Kassie. We told you all we knew. And they won’t tell us anything more. We’re not family and all that crap,” Sam said. “But, whatever. Kaden, I’m just shocked to see you here.”
“Well, where’s his dad?” Kaden asked. “Is Joe okay?”
“They won’t tell us that, either,” Sam said.
“We’re as much his family as anyone,” Tyler complained.
“I’m as much family as anyone,” Kassie whimpered.
“Kass, you’re not. You’re just—” Kaden stopped himself in mid-sentence, obviously aware that he’d spoken up when he shouldn’t have. “Kassie, I didn’t mean it like—”
Oh Kaden, bad move, dude.
“I’m just what Kaden? A bunny?”
“No, Kass, I never said that, I was just—”
You were just being an ass again. Luc knew he should get out there and stop this before it got ugly, but he was curious to know if Kaden was going to turn this around or keep digging his own grave.
“You were just what, Kaden? I’m not one of his conquests, or whatever you guys call the easy girls you prey on. No offense. I care about him, and he cares about me. I have no idea where our relationship will be in a year, or even a month. But right now, Luc is all I think about. And he makes me happy. So happy, Kaden. I love him.”
The words hit Luc straight in the heart. She loves me. He knew how he felt about her, but he’d been afraid to put it into words; it seemed too soon. He’d feared that she would run if he said those words.
And there she was, saying them.
He had heard enough. Dragging himself off the chair, despite his fierce pain, he somehow pushed through the door into the waiting room. His neck ached, and his head throbbed. But he needed to hold her. Kassie’s back was to Luc, and Kaden was standing in front of her. When he noticed Luc, Kaden just looked at him, wide eyed.
“Kassie.” Kaden nodded behind her and towards Luc.
Kassie wasn’t paying attention, or was too preoccupied to notice her brother’s body language. “Kaden, I’m not apologizing for how I feel about him. I love him, and you’re going to have to figure out how to deal with it.”
“Kassie.” Kaden urged again. His voice was calm.
“What do you want from me?” Kassie whined. “I just need to know that he’s okay. Please let him be okay.” The pain in her voice made Luc’s heart hurt.
He couldn’t let her worry any longer. Still unsure how to approach her accidental admission of her feelings, he quietly announced in a low voice, “Sweets, I’m fine.” He reached out and gently cupped her shoulder.
Kassie whipped around, eyes wide and watery, her mouth gaping open. “Luc? Luc! You’re okay!”
Before he could respond, Kassie wr
apped her arms around him and hugged him tight. Warm tears streamed down her face and smeared on his cheek.
“I’m fine. Well, mostly. I hurt like hell, but I’m still in one piece, so I call that a win.” He winced as pain shot through his neck and head.
Kassie gasped. “Oh, you’re hurt.” She reached up and touched the bandage on his head. She motioned to a chair by Kaden. “You should sit down. Luc, what happened?”
Luc looked up to see Tyler, Sam, and Kaden, each man silently watching him. Concern on all of their faces.
“Dad and I were driving home from dinner. Everything was normal. I guess people always think things are normal up until something bad happens, right?” Luc chuckled a little out of nervousness. “Anyway… I saw headlights coming at us. At first, I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me. The car must’ve been flying, because I swerved to the left into the oncoming lane to avoid it, but he still clipped the passenger side of my car. My poor Porsche.” He could have any car he wanted, but the Porsche was his baby. The thought of it being a crumpled mess made him sick to his stomach.
“Ouch,” Sam commented. “I mean, I’m glad you’re okay, man.”
Luc nodded to his friend. Kaden sat beside Sam. He was quiet, and the recent look of anger was not on his face for the moment. Luc guessed it was only temporary, but he’d take it.
“Luc, what about your dad? Where is he? Is he okay?” Kassie asked.
“My car spun and finally came to rest in the grass on the side of the road. Dad got bounced around worse than me. I guess I sit so far back that I avoided a lot of the impact of the airbag. Just some neck soreness and back pain. My head’s killing me, but they checked me over and released me. But Dad, he’s banged up pretty bad. The air bag got him in the face, gave him a black eye and possibly a broken nose. He was complaining of shoulder or arm pain, and they’re checking for broken ribs and internal injuries. He’s getting x-rays now. But he’ll be okay.” Luc hadn’t really let what had happened sink in until now. Things could’ve been a lot worse.
Kassie tightened her hold on him. “So, he’s okay too. Thank god.”
A man’s voice interrupted them. “I’d say you two had a guardian angel watching over you.”
“Doctor, you may be right,” Luc answered. He was sure he knew who was watching over them. “How’s my dad?”
“Well, we’re waiting for his scans to come back. I’m heading back now to check him over while we wait. You can go see him in about fifteen minutes. Then I’ll see you again once I have the results.”
“Thanks, doc.” Luc nodded to the doctor before he disappeared down the hallway, then turned his attention back to his teammates. “Guys, I appreciate you coming down. But things look okay, and I’m sure your wives could use you at home.”
“Dude, we’re always here for you. We’re your family too, you know,” Sam said with a smile. “I just needed to know that you and your dad were okay. When Tyler got your message, he didn’t know who was hurt or how bad things were. And we wanted to be here for you.”
“Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you guys.” Luc apologized to everyone, but his gaze was on Kassie.
She finally let him go. Her eyes darted between the floor and him. He could only assume she was nervous about what was said when she didn’t know he was standing behind her.
“You didn’t… We were just… I… We thought… We didn’t know…” Kassie rambled, not finishing a single thought.
“Kass. It’s okay.” Luc took her in his arms and gently kissed her forehead. Sliding his thumb over her jawline, he felt her trembling. Was she nervous about what she’d admitted or still upset over the accident? He laced his fingers through hers, holding her hand, hoping it would give her some comfort and keep her close.
Tyler cleared his throat. “I’m glad you’re okay. You gave us all a scare. I think we’ll get going and let you tend to your father.”
“Yeah,” Sam added. “Text us once you get your dad’s results.” Sam looked at Kaden and waited.
“Uh, Ty, you think I can get a ride home?” Kaden asked calmly. “I drove Kassie here in her car, thinking she’d need it to get home or to take Luc home in.”
Kaden had been surprisingly quiet all this time.
Tyler nodded. “Absolutely, K-man.” He walked towards Luc and put his hand on Luc’s shoulder. “Marcella, let Coach know if you need a day or two to take care of your father. Give me a call in the morning and let me know how you’re feeling and what the doc says. I’m sure you’ll be sore. Coach has already given you the morning off, just in case. Please tell your dad we all hope he’s okay.”
“Yeah, sure. I’ll hit you up tomorrow morning. Thanks again for checking on me.”
“Don’t forget to call me when you’re ready to go car shopping, dude,” Sam joked. “Maybe we can get you into a muscle car this time.” He smiled and gave Luc a fist bump. “Kassie, nice to see you again. If you need any help with this guy, please give me a call.”
“Thanks, Sam. I absolutely will,” Kassie said in a quiet voice.
Tyler moved his attention from Luc to Kaden. “Kaden, you coming?”
“Yeah. Uh, can you give me a second? I’ll meet you out front.”
Tyler nodded.
Once Sam and Tyler were out of earshot, Luc waited to see exactly what was going to go down. Kassie tightened her hold on Luc’s hand.
“Look, Luc,” Kaden said. “I’m glad that you and your dad are okay.” He paused and moved his eyes to Kassie then back to Luc. “I know we haven’t seen eye to eye on this. And I’ve been kind of an ass lately.”
“Kind of?” Kassie exclaimed.
“Kass, please. Let me say this. You can criticize me later.” Kaden continued, “Luc, you know I can’t apologize for my feelings. But I will for how I handled this situation. I could’ve done things much differently. I think that you and I should sit down and talk about everything once you feel up to it.”
Luc nodded. “Yeah, absolutely. I’d like that.”
“And Kass, I know I’ve given you a lot of crap about this and the code. But you’re my sister and I just want you to be happy. Even if it’s with my teammate—I mean, if Luc makes you happy, then I’m happy for you.”
“Wow, I didn’t expect to hear that. Thanks, bro. I am very happy, I swear.” Kassie pulled away from Luc and hugged her brother.
“Okay, enough hugging. I’m sure Ty wants to get going, and Ali is probably wondering what’s going on. I’ll call her and mom in the car to let them know everyone is okay. I’m sure Mom will want to make Joe some soup or something.” Kaden started to walk away, but stopped in front of Luc first. He put his hand out to Luc. “We’ll talk in a few days. I’m glad you’re okay, buddy.”
Luc smiled and nodded. Overcome by such a modest gesture, he didn’t know what else to do or say. They had done nothing but argue over Kassie, and suddenly things had turned a corner. He watched as Kaden walked away. Kassie was back to holding his hand, and she had herself wrapped around him as if she was afraid he was going to leave her.
“Kass.” Luc gently lifted her chin to meet his glance. Her dark eyes were wide and glistening. She was beautiful. Not being able to contain his love for her, his lips curled into a smile. There was a certain feeling of a weight being lifted from him. Sure, Kaden wasn’t one hundred percent okay with them, but he was willing to give them a chance. And he’d finally agreed to have a man-to-man sit-down with Luc; that was the best part. That was all he wanted from Kaden, a chance to explain, to prove himself.
“I know I already said it, but I’m so glad you’re okay.” Kassie put some space between them and glanced to the floor. “I’m sure you heard me saying some things to Kaden.”
Her expression had changed, and it punched him in the gut that she was now nervous because he’d heard her admit her feelings. Softly tipping her face back up to him, he smiled what he hoped was a soft smile. “Yes sweets, I heard what you said. And you don’t have to be nervous or embarrassed. I’ve had this w
eird feeling in my chest since the day I met you. I didn’t know what it meant then, but with each passing day, the need to be with you grew stronger. We hadn’t known each other that long, so I was convinced that it couldn’t be love. Because love at first sight isn’t real. That’s what I thought, anyway.”
He was rambling, but he didn’t care. These words were long past due. She needed to know exactly how he felt. All of it. Every crazy detail.
“But the feeling didn’t go away. It just got more intense. When I wasn’t with you, I wanted to be. Even my dad tried to convince me, but I didn’t believe it could happen so soon. And I dare to say it felt crazy.” He stared into her deep eyes. Studying her sweet lips, her rosy cheeks, and her long dark lashes, he knew. “But my dad was right, as always. Even though I haven’t known you long, Kassie, I’m in love with you, too.”
“Um, excuse me,” a nurse said from the doorway. “Sorry to interrupt, but you can go back and see your dad now, Mr. Marcella.”
What a time for the nurse to come out. At least he got out everything that he needed to say. He whispered to Kassie, “We’ll continue this later.” Leaning down, he kissed Kassie on her forehead and took hold of her hand before following the nurse back to his dad.
His dad was sitting up in a hospital bed in slacks and a hospital gown, still in the emergency department. A black eye was forming, and his arm was in a sling. “Dad? You okay?”
“Hey there, son. Yes. Your old man is just fine. A bit banged up, but I’ll live. At least that’s what they tell me.” A lighthearted smirk filled his face. “Kassie. Nice to see you, dear. I didn’t expect to see you here, but I’m glad you are.”
“I’m glad you’re okay Mr. Marcella.” She slid her arm around Luc’s waist, pulling herself as close to him as she could get.
“I feel like I missed something. Does someone want to fill me in?” his dad asked, with a curious look on his face.
Luc shook his head. “Dad, you didn’t miss a thing.”
His dad swung his legs over the side of the bed and proceeded to slip his shoes on. He stood up and put his wallet in his pocket.
Shot at Love Page 27