by Teague, AS
“Feel better?” I asked.
“Fuck you,” he spat.
“I’ve already told you that once you’re off those pain meds, that may be a possibility.”
Aiden scrubbed a hand over his face. “Mel, please.” His voice was totally different, the anger that had been there literally a second ago gone, replaced by something that sounded a lot like despair.
“Look at me,” I whispered. When he continued to cover his face with his hand, I reached up gently and pulled it away. “Aiden, look at me.” Finally, after what seemed like the longest second in history, he turned his head. “You don’t want to admit you need help, fine. You don’t need it. But I do. I need to be here to help you get better.”
“Why?”
That was just the thing… I didn’t actually know why I needed to be here for him so desperately. It didn’t make sense. Our lives had been so very different for years, our paths only crossing occasionally and never lingering in each other’s space for long enough to be anything more than two people who had a connection they could never make work. But sitting here with him, even as grumpy and downright nasty as he was being, felt right. Because I knew deep down that he did want me here; he just couldn’t tell me that. And I was content to wait until he was ready. In the meanwhile, I’d do everything I could to help him.
But with his injury, it was finally the time that I could be there for him.
“I’m a physical therapist. You need physical therapy. Who better than me?”
He wasn’t buying it. “You heard the doctor… My career’s over.”
I arched a brow. “Is that what you really believe?”
His answer was immediate. “Fuck no.”
“Okay, then,” I said simply, pushing to my feet.
“Okay, then?” he repeated.
“Yep.” I walked to the door. “If you aren’t ready to give up your career, then I’m here to help get you back on the field.”
“Oh, so now you’re on my side? Even fucking Quinn has decided that I’m broken. But you’re suddenly Team Aiden?”
“I’ve always been Team Aiden, didn’t you know?”
He groaned. “Where are you going?”
“Thought you wanted me to get out?” I smirked.
“I do.”
“Sure.” I smiled. “If I’m going to take care of you, I’ve got stuff to do. I’ll be back later.”
“You’re not going to take care of me!” he shouted after me.
“Keep telling yourself that.” I tossed him a smile over my shoulder and then slipped through the door.
Once I pulled it closed behind me, I sagged against the wall. I’d been positive and optimistic for his sake, but the reality was that he probably wasn’t ever going to play again, and seeing the infamous Aiden Shaw lying in that bed was harder than I’d anticipated.
I blew out a breath though and told myself to get it together.
I had shit to do, and none of it included feeling sorry for the man on the other side of that door. He didn’t need my pity. What he needed was my help.
Chapter Thirteen
Aiden
“Knock. Knock.” Mel’s voice floated through the air, and I forced my eyes open.
“I’d tell you to go away, but you wouldn’t listen,” I grumbled as she pranced into the hospital room that I’d been in for the last week. I was starting to go crazy staring at the same four walls day in and day out, but the nurses had assured me that I would be discharged soon.
“You are not wrong.” Mel beamed as she tossed me a bag with what I could only assume was a chicken biscuit in it. My mouth instantly watered.
Mel took the tray of hospital breakfast food from the bedside table and shoved it on a counter. “Figured you were over fake scrambled eggs and turkey bacon.”
“How’d you know that this was my favorite?” I asked after opening the bag and seeing that there were not one but two chicken biscuits and hash browns inside. During the season, I didn’t allow myself to eat fast food, but this was literally one of the first things that I ate once I was able to.
She winked. “I have my sources. Eat up before it gets cold.”
She settled into the chair beside me and pulled out her laptop, opening it up and putting earbuds in and turning on Game of Thrones.
This had been our routine for the duration of my stay. She’d shown up every morning with something for me, whether it was a magazine, a breakfast biscuit, or a T-shirt and shorts and then settled into the chair next to me and proceeded to ignore me for most of the day. I’d watch over her shoulder, even though I had no idea what was going on because there was no volume.
She’d occasionally pause to ask me random questions that literally didn’t have any purpose, but for the most part, she just sat there, keeping me company whether I wanted it or not. The second day, she’d noticed me watching along with her and had turned on the captions so that I knew what the hell was being said.
I maintained that I did not need or want her here, but the truth of the matter was, every morning when my eyes opened, she was the first thought on my mind. Every morning, I gave her shit and told her to leave or tried to pretend she wasn’t there, and every morning, she smiled and promptly ignored me. And then I spent the rest of the day watching a show with her, even though we both acted like the other wasn’t there.
Because of the severity of my injury, Dr. Reed hadn’t cleared me to fly home, the worry of a blood clot making his decision easy for him. But I was desperate to get out of this town and back home, where I belonged. I missed my kids. I’d talked to them a few times, but just seeing their faces over video chat wasn’t enough.
The guys had all flown in to see me, Griff and Brooke being the first ones here, followed by Shane and Trav. Quinn had left the day after my surgery to get back to practice, but he’d texted every day since then to check in on me.
I ate the biscuits quickly, trying to savor them, but in the end, the pure hunger for something other than hospital-grade food winning out, and then balled up the wrapper and tossed it into the trash.
“Touchdown,” Mel murmured, her eyes still on her computer screen.
I sighed. “When are you going home?”
She pulled the earbuds out and closed the screen on her laptop, and I immediately regretted asking the question. “Never mind.”
“I’m pretty sure we’ve had this conversation already, like, every damn day, but since you insist on telling me to leave, then I guess we can have it again.”
“I didn’t tell you to leave; I just asked when you were leaving. It’s a big difference.”
“Uh huh. Sure. Anyway, I’ll go home when you go home.”
“Don’t you have, you know, a life in Chicago waiting on you?”
She shook her head, her messy curls in a bun on the top. “Actually, no. I haven’t gotten a job yet, and other than Smelly Cat, there’s not much that needs me there.”
There was a knock at the door, and then Dr. Reed popped his head in. “Aiden, you got a minute?”
I nodded and he came all the way inside, stopping when he saw Mel beside me. “Hey, Mel. Didn’t expect to see you here so early after last night.”
She grinned, and I looked between the two of them. “Last night?”
“Yeah, Mel and I went out for drinks. She had a few more than I did.”
Mel shrugged. “I feel great. Besides, can’t let Aiden down. He counts on me to be here every day.”
I rolled my eyes. “I do not.”
She patted my good leg and smiled patronizingly. “Keep telling yourself that, Shaw.” When I narrowed my eyes at her, she shot me a wink and then turned to Dr. Reed. “Okay, Hampton, tell me something good.”
“Had a steak omelet for breakfast. It was damn good. Georgia’s been staying with me, and despite being a raving lunatic most of the time, she manages to whip up a mean spread in the mornings.”
Mel grinned. “Damn, I should have accepted your invite to go back to the house. I could really go
for a decent breakfast. I’ve been hitting fast food every day since I’ve been here.”
My eyes darted back and forth between the two of them as my blood began to heat. This had to be some sort of joke that I wasn’t in on. Surely, Mel and my doctor weren’t hooking up and discussing it in front of me.
“Hey, come by tomorrow morning. I’ll make sure something good’s on the menu.”
“It’s a date.” Mel beamed. “Now, anymore good news?”
My jaw fell open, and I sputtered, “Excuse the fuck out of me, but you have got to be shitting me right now.”
Mel turned and frowned. “What do you mean?”
I blinked at her. Then turned my disbelief to my surgeon and glared. “Are you really making plans for a date in my hospital room right now?”
Hampton’s head fell back as he laughed, but Mel crossed her arms over her chest. “What’s the matter, Aiden? You’re not jealous, are you?”
She was baiting me. She knew good and fucking well that I was jealous. “No, of course not. Just find it a bit… rude, that’s all.”
Mel pranced over to Dr. Reed’s side and looped an arm through his. “Are you insinuating that Dr. Hampton Reed is unprofessional? That he would hit on a patient’s friend during said patient’s lowest point?”
Dr. Reed’s lips twitched, but he stood there silently. “My lowest point?” I hissed. “Please, this is far from my lowest point. I just want to know why the hell you’ve been here all week, crammed up my ass even though I’ve told you I didn’t want you here, only to be making dates with this guy. Hell, maybe that’s why you’ve been here. Hoping to catch a glimpse of your old pal.”
Mel dropped his arm and crossed back to where I lay helplessly in the bed, unable to even get up and take a piss by myself, and leaned over me. Her chest was directly in front of my face, and despite being irritated as shit, I snuck a glance.
She was fucking perfect, like always.
“If I wanted to hook up with an old friend, I wouldn’t need to sit by your bedside twelve hours a day hoping he would notice me.”
I leaned my head back and met her penetrating gaze. “Dr. Reed’s a handsome guy. Maybe you’re starting to lose your appeal the older you get.”
It had been my goal to wound her, maybe piss her off so much that she would leave me the hell alone once and for all, but apparently, my insult did nothing but fuel her fire. Her lips curved up into a wicked grin, and for a minute she reminded me of the Cheshire Cat. “I haven’t lost my appeal to you in my old age, have I, Aiden? Don’t think I didn’t see your gaze drop to my chest just now.” She leaned in and pressed her lips to my ear. “Keep slinging the insults, Shaw. You’re just wasting your breath.”
She righted herself and then propped a hand on her hip. Glancing over her shoulder, she silently asked for some sort of permission, which Dr. Reed gave with a quick jerk of his chin, and then she looked back to me. “Hampton and I worked together when I lived here, just a few short months ago, in case you’ve forgotten. There is nothing going on between us. That would be pretty weird, considering you are more his type than I ever will be.”
I stared at her for a moment and then quickly snuck a peek at where the doctor was watching me, his lips pressed together to keep from laughing. “You’re gay?”
“Man, I can appreciate a nice rack or a firm ass on a woman just like the next guy, but that’s about as far as it goes. Your girl here’s a catch though, and if I weren’t gay, then I’d be killin’ myself at a shot with her. But”—he held up a hand in surrender as I thought about how easily the words ‘your girl’ rolled off his tongue—“unless she’s got a secret she hasn’t let me in on, she’s just not my type.”
Mel tilted her head and hummed, “You are too kind, Dr. Reed. Now,”—she clapped her hands together and spun back to me—“the good news. Let’s hear it.”
I felt like a damned fool, and worse than that, a fucking asshole. But I didn’t have time to dwell on my feelings of inadequacy long before Dr. Reed’s booming voice interrupted my thoughts, saying the five sweetest words I’d ever heard. “You can go home tomorrow.”
Chapter Fourteen
Mel
The flight from Atlanta to Green Bay had been a quick two and a half hours, thanks to Aiden’s private jet that he’d chartered. Hampton had been insistent that if Aiden were going to go home, he had to have a direct flight.
Aiden had been so ready to go home that I wouldn’t have been shocked if he had found a way to teleport home if that’s what Hampton asked of him.
While the flight had been smooth and easy, the air inside the cabin had been thick with tension. Aiden had been less than thrilled to hear that I was planning on staying in Green Bay with him, but when Dr. Reed had pointed out that having me close by would really be in his best interest, he’d quit complaining. He hadn’t agreed or even seemed marginally happy about it, but he’d at least stopped grumbling. I’d let all of his comments roll off my back, but I was starting to question whether or not I was making the right decision coming here with him. He was more than capable of hiring an agency to help him with his recovery, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was supposed to be here with him.
I’d arranged to have a car pick us up from the airport and drive us back to his house, and we’d just arrived when Aiden spoke for the first time in three hours. “Where are you staying while you’re here?”
“You mean I’m not invited to stay here with you?” I arched a brow as I pushed open the car door.
“If you’re gonna be sleeping in my bed, then by all means, be my guest.” The crude Aiden was back, but I just waved him off.
“No worries, Aiden. I’ve got a place rented.”
I helped him from the car, and together we walked to the front door of his house. I’d never been here before, but I had looked it up on Zillow one time. The pictures did the house no justice. It was massive and modern and exactly what I pictured Aiden living in.
The front door flew open and Sandy, his housekeeper, appeared in the entrance, a large fake smile plastered to her face. “Aiden!”
I’d never met the woman before, but Brooke had told me about her. She was in her mid-sixties and had never been married or had any children. Aiden had become like her son over the years, and considering that his own family weren’t very supportive, I was glad to know he had someone like her.
She threw her arms around his waist and pulled him in for a fierce hug. For the first time in over a week, I saw an emotion other than anger cross Aiden’s face. His eyes squeezed shut as he allowed the plump older lady to wrap him up and hold him close to her large bosom. I felt like an intruder in a very personal moment and I quietly took a step back to give them a little more space.
Sandy finally pulled away and cleared her throat before looking over to me. “You must be Mel.” She looked back to Aiden and smiled a toothy grin. “Your description of her didn’t do her justice.”
My cheeks flushed as she motioned for me to come over and then wrapped her arms around me. “I’m a hugger, dear. Poor Aiden here hated it at first, but he eventually came around.”
She patted his cheek and then stepped aside and said, “Welcome home.”
With extra care, Aiden hobbled into the living room, Sandy and I trailing in behind him. There wasn’t much luggage to be brought in, but the driver from the car set it inside the door, and I tipped my chin in thanks.
“Dear, we’ve got your guest room down here all set up.” Sandy gestured for us to follow, but I put my hand on his arm to stop him.
“You need a wheelchair?”
He wrenched his arm away. “No.”
Oh-kay, I mouthed and let him continue to limp down the hall on crutches. When he got to the doorway of what I was assuming was the guest bedroom, he stopped short.
“What the fuck is this?” he growled.
“This is a hospital bed and the rest of the medical equipment you’re going to need until you’re strong enough to make it up the stairs to yo
ur bedroom,” I told him smartly.
He looked at me, bewilderment creasing his brow. “You did this?”
I lifted a shoulder. “I did.”
“I didn’t ask you to do any of this for me.”
I shook my head and stepped around him and into the room before pulling the covers down on the bed. I smoothed the sheet and patted the bed. “No, you didn’t. The only thing you’ve asked me to do was leave. Which, by the way, I’m still not doing. Now, it’s time for you to get off your feet and into bed.”
“Why, Mel… You have no shame, asking me to bed with Sandy in the room,” he said with mock modesty.
I glanced to where Sandy was watching us closely, the very corners of her mouth tipped up.
“I’m almost to the point where I would do just about anything to get you to quit your bitching. But, no, I’m not interested in crawling into bed with you right now. Unless it’s to smother you with a pillow and put us both out of our misery.”
Aiden finally relented and shuffled over to the edge of the bed just as the doorbell rang.
“That’ll be the nurse,” I told him when his brow shot up.
“Nurse? What nurse?”
“The one that I hired for you.”
“Why the hell did you hire a nurse?”
“Well, even though I said I wasn’t leaving you, I do have to sleep at some point. Plus, I’m sure you’d rather Sandy not be the one to help you pee in the middle of the night.”
“I don’t need a damn nurse.” Aiden pushed a hand through his hair and then sat heavily on the edge of the bed. “I don’t need any of this. Fuck!”
I propped a hip on the edge of the nightstand and nodded. “Okay, then. I’ll tell the nurse to leave and call the medical equipment company to pick all this stuff up first thing in the morning.”
“Thank fuck.”
“If you can walk your ass upstairs to your bedroom.”
Aiden glared at me, his jaw ticking. He knew as well as I did that there was no way he was getting up those stairs unassisted, if at all. But the guy was stubborn, and I didn’t put it past him to try anyway. I thought momentarily about going ahead and dialing 9-1-1 for when he fell down the stairs and needed to go back to the hospital.