Derek nodded and tipped his head back. I could see how stressed he was about this.
But tomorrow was a home game, so he’d be able to see Callie right after, since I knew she tried to go to as many games as possible.
“We’re here for you, man,” I said. “Seriously. Just let us know.”
He nodded, and I glanced at the other two, who also nodded.
Seemed that while Zoe was working on her girl gang, I’d joined a brotherhood and that was a good feeling.
33
Zoe
“Girl’s night, take two!” Callie said as she stepped into the house.
I grinned and shook my head, turning my television on.
“I see she’s feeling better,” I called over my shoulder as Emma, Charlotte, and Preston followed her in.
“You know it,” she said.
I heard rustling as they set things down on my dining room table, then I felt someone’s arms go around my shoulders.
I turned my head just enough to see that it was Callie.
“I’m sorry about the last time,” she said.
“Don’t apologize. You had a shitty day, and it all came out. It happens.”
“Still,” she said, squeezing my shoulders once more before releasing me. “I feel bad.”
I flicked through my channels until I found the local one showing tonight’s game and left it on the pre-game show.
I turned to face Callie. “Seriously. Don’t feel bad. I’m sure I’ll have a day sometime where I shit over everything. Life happens and friends are there to help.”
She smiled. “Thanks.”
I followed her into the dining room. “Why aren’t we at the game again?” I asked.
“Because it’s too fucking hot,” Emma said.
I arched a brow. “It’s only June. It’s going to get hotter.”
Emma groaned. “I know. But I just can’t sit out in the sun.”
I shrugged and helped them pull things out of the bags of food they brought.
“I figured since we aren’t going to the game,” Charlotte butted in, “we’d bring the game to us. You have a grill, right?”
I nodded. “It’s a small tabletop one. It’s in the kitchen right now.”
“That’s fine. But I have burgers and hot dogs. We have shitty beer to drink. It’ll be like we’re there, but in air conditioning.”
I laughed and walked into the kitchen to get the grill out.
We all spent the time before the game started getting everything together and by the time we finished, the first pitch was being thrown.
Unlike the last time we had a girl’s night, when Callie lost it because of her mom, there didn’t seem to be any impending doom and we were all able to joke around with each other.
It was a lot of fun.
Charlotte volunteered to give everyone pedicures. She brought out a foot tub and gave a full spa experience. It was better than any pedicure I’d had at a salon.
Emma made a pitcher of margaritas, and after my first sip, I knew I needed to pace myself. I wouldn’t be coherent later if I didn’t.
With the game in the background, we chatted about our men and how ready we were for the end of the season.
Callie was going on about something with her in-laws, with Charlotte interjecting, when a line drive was hit to Jacob. I perked up, watching as he got ready to field the ball.
But as I watched, something went wrong.
I sucked in a breath, watching as he seemed to trip and go down.
They cut to commercial quickly, and all I saw was him on the ground, clutching at his leg.
No one said anything for a few moments. I stared at the screen, willing them to bring back footage of the game. I had no idea what was going on, but I knew that something had happened to Jacob.
“Zoe,” Charlotte said, touching me on my shoulder.
“Emma's calling the stadium to see if someone can give her an update,” Callie said, sliding off to the couch to settle next to me on the floor.
I nodded, my gaze still pinned to the television.
The commercials ended and the first shot we got was of the coaching staff huddled around Jacob and paramedics on the field.
I sucked in a breath at the visual. “Oh my God,” I whispered, my heart pounding as I watched them load him onto the back of a Gator and drive him off the field.
He waved, and I could hear the roar of the crowd in the background as they drove off.
The commentators started speaking as the camera followed Jacob off the field.
“Well, folks, we don’t know exactly what happened. But Jacob Vaughn was fielding a line-drive, and he went down. Our thoughts are with him and his family as they wait to hear what happened.”
That was all they said. Nothing about what the injury could be, though they probably shouldn’t speculate, or anything else.
Just they’re thinking about him, then on to talking about his replacement.
What the hell?
“Okay, I talked to Sue. She was able to get down below,” Emma said, coming back into the room.
She walked over to me and crouched down. “They don’t know what it is, but it’s looking like he’s broken his ankle or sprained it.”
I sucked in a breath. Emma continued. “Until he’s at the hospital and they get x-rays, they won’t know which it is. He’s talking, he’s lucid, that seems to be the only problem. I know what hospital they’re going to if you’d like to go?”
I nodded quickly. “Yeah, I want to go. I can call an Uber.”
I’d been drinking too much to drive now and there was no way I was going to sit at my house waiting for something.
“I’ve got you,” Emma said. “I haven’t had anything to drink yet.”
I nodded and dashed from the room and into my bedroom, quickly changing into jeans just in case it was cold in the hospital and grabbing a few other things that would be useful if I was there for a while.
By the time I came back out, Callie was holding my phone out to me.
“Your phone was ringing. It had Noah’s name on it, so I answered. He’s still on the line.”
I took the phone and smiled my thanks. “Hey,” I said, stuffing things into my purse.
“Did you see?” His voice cracked and my heart hurt for him having to witness Jacob go down on the field.
Those two were two peas in a pod.
“I did. Emma is taking me to the hospital.”
“Can we meet you there?” he asked.
I hesitated.
“Come on, Aunt Z. You know I’m not going to sit at home with them not knowing what’s happening.”
I sighed. “Yeah. Okay. I’ll text you where we’re going.”
“Okay.”
We hung up, and I started out the door, Emma on my heels.
“Before you go,” Charlotte called out. “Do you have a spare key? I’ll get things cleaned up here, then I’ll head to the hospital.”
I nodded. “Yeah. Let me grab it.”
I jogged back inside and into the kitchen, grabbing one of my spares.
“Here. Just hold on to it.”
She nodded. “We’ll be there soon.”
I pushed her and the others from my mind as I followed Emma to her car.
She told me the name of the hospital, which I quickly texted to Noah. Then I shot a message to Cass, wondering if she’d been at the game or not.
She quickly responded that she’d seen it and to keep her updated.
I blew out a shaky breath and locked my phone.
The ride there was silent. I didn’t know what to say, and I was certain Emma didn’t either. What could we say?
Yeah, his injury wasn’t life threatening, but it could be career ending. The owner was putting pressure on the team again and Jacob was already worried his contract wouldn’t be renewed after the season.
This injury could be what ended his career.
I blew a breath out as Emma pulled into a parking spot.
&nbs
p; Before I could open the door to get out, she reached across the console and put a hand on me.
“I know you want to get in there. You might not be able to find anything out initially because you’re not next of kin. Once Chase is here or someone on staff, we should be able to find out more, okay? But we’re going to get what we can.”
I nodded and sniffled, tears gathering in my eyes. Yeah, it wasn’t life threatening, but it was hitting me that this was serious for Jacob and his career.
I’d told him I loved him by accident the week before, but hadn’t said it since. He hadn't brought it up either. I had no way of knowing what was happening with him right then, and likely wouldn’t until he was released or someone on his approved list could get the info.
I was a mess.
We made our way to the waiting room, and I grabbed a chair while Emma went up to ask about Jacob. She turned back moments later, shaking her head.
I sighed, and my shoulders slumped. I didn’t have high hopes that she’d find out a lot, but I hoped she’d be told something.
So I guess I was in for the long haul, waiting for someone to come give me the information that the man I was in love with would be okay.
34
Zoe
Thirty minutes after Emma and I arrived at the hospital, Noah and my dad showed.
A few minutes later, the girls showed.
And almost an hour after that, the baseball team started trickling in.
First, it was Derek, King, and Alvarez. Then some of the other players. Then the coaching staff.
The room was full and so was my heart.
I hadn’t met many of the guys, only the ones that I saw the day we went to the stadium, and the few I’d met while with Jacob.
But they all came over to speak to me, hug me, whatever, to let me know they were there for me and Jacob.
It was a lot to take in, especially since we still knew nothing.
I glanced around the room and stared as Lexi from the bank walked up to the desk at the hospital.
I nudged Emma, so turned to look at me. “What’s up?”
I nodded toward the desk. “What a coincidence. I work with her.”
Emma followed my gaze, and her eyes widened when she saw her.
“You work with her?”
I nodded. “Yeah. She’s kinda my supervisor, but not really. I work as a teller and she’s a loan officer, I think. But we work at the same branch.”
Emma looked back at me with wide eyes. “You know her?”
I narrowed my gaze at my new friend. “I mean, kinda? I talk to her at work and that’s it.”
Emma pursed her lips and glanced around.
I did, too.
It was then I noticed how several of the guys were glaring at Lexi’s back.
Or it looked like they were as they led her through the double-doors to the back.
“Do you know who she is?”
I arched a brow. “Someone I work with?”
Emma stared at me for a few beats before blowing a loud burst of air out of her mouth. She squeezed the bridge of her nose. “He hasn’t told you?”
“Told me what?”
“That he was married?”
I shot Emma a look. “Of course I know he was married. We talked about that early on.”
Emma stared at me for a few beats more. “But he didn’t tell you to who?”
I shook my head. “No, why would he? They didn’t have kids, and he said he wanted nothing else to do with her.”
I left out how she’d been trying to talk to him about getting back together. I wasn’t sure how many people other than me, and maybe his parents, knew that.
“Did he tell you her name?” Emma asked, almost sounding exasperated, which I didn’t understand.
“No.”
Emma stared at me, and neither of us said anything for several moments.
“I seriously can’t believe I have to do this,” she muttered. “Let’s go for a walk.”
She stood and gripped my arm, pulling me with her.
I glanced at Noah and saw him passed out on my dad, who was sitting next to Chase, chatting.
They looked fine, so I let Emma lead me out the double-doors to the sidewalk outside.
“What’s wrong?” I asked her.
Emma turned away from me for several moments before turning back.
“Lexi, the woman you just saw in there that you work with? She’s his ex-wife.”
I stared at Emma for several moments as I processed her words.
“What?”
She nodded. “Yes, that’s his ex. I’m surprised she’s here, actually. I can only assume she’s still listed as his emergency contact and she got called. Or maybe she saw it on social media and came. But if she went in the back, she was probably on his paperwork.”
She was muttering to herself now as she paced.
I stared at Emma, trying to process what she’d said.
“I’ve been working with his ex and didn’t know it?”
She nodded. “I guess I can see why he wouldn’t tell you her name. Like you said, there’s nothing tying them together. But you need to know that the players really don’t like her.”
“They don’t?”
She shook her head. “How much do you know about their marriage?”
I shrugged. “Enough to know that they wanted different things.”
Emma made a noise. “I guess that’s a far estimation.” She blew out a breath. “We’re going to go back in, and I’m going to see if Chase can get some info. He’s listed as a person to get medical information for Jacob. Maybe we can figure out what’s going on. But—“
She broke off, her voice faltering. “Just be careful about Lexi. I know you know her from work, but… I don’t want you to get caught in something with her.”
My brows rose. “What do you think I might get caught in?”
Emma shrugged. “I honestly don’t know. I’m just trying to warn you just in case.”
I nodded. “I’ll be careful and pay attention.”
“Good.” She nodded and led the way back inside.
I reclaimed my seat and watched as she talked to Chase, who immediately went to the desk to talk to the nurse there.
They talked for several moments, and she walked off, leaving him there by himself.
He looked our way and winked, which I assumed meant he was waiting on some kind of information.
The nurse returned after several minutes and they talked for a few more beats before he nodded and walked toward me.
“So, we have confirmation that it’s a break. He’s on some strong drugs right now and isn’t very lucid. However, I asked about me and one other person going back and they gave us permission. So if you’re up for it?”
I nodded and stood.
“I’ll watch your things,” Emma said.
I smiled my thanks and followed Chase. The double-doors leading to the back opened and there was a nurse waiting for us. She led us through the open bays and toward a room in the back portion.
As we walked up, Lexi stepped out. I sucked in a breath as I caught sight of her face.
Her eyes were red and puffy and there were tear tracks on her face.
“Chase,” Lexi said. “I was about to ask someone to grab you to come back.”
Her gaze slid past Chase to me, and her eyes widened almost comically.
“Zoe? What are you doing here?”
“She’s dating Vaughn,” Chase said, brushing past her.
Lexi moved to the side, and I stepped into the room, trying to ignore her.
Jacob was on the bed, his leg elevated by a pillow with a dopey grin on his face.
“Zoe,” he slurred, shooting me a wobbly smile.
I walked over to him and took his hand.
“Hey,” I said, looking him over.
Minus the foot, he didn’t seem to have any other injuries and I breathed an internal sigh of relief. I was worried that we weren’t being told everything.
<
br /> “I hope you weren’t watching,” he slurred out.
I winced. I was definitely watching.
“Don’t worry about that. Just focus on getting better.”
He smiled lazily at me, and as I watched, his eyes grew heavy and then closed.
I sighed as I continued to study him.
“Thanks for coming back, but you need to leave to give him time to rest,” Lexi said.
I met her gaze. I could see no trace of tears anymore. Instead, she looked angry as she stared at me.
I wanted to argue, but I looked at Chase and he shook his head. “We’ll head out. Why are you here?” he asked.
As I waited for her response, I pressed a kiss to his hand, then to his cheek before carefully laying his hand down.
“I’m still listed as his next of kin and emergency contact. They called me.”
“Did you call his parents?”
Lexi scoffed, and I looked up to see her glaring at Chase. “What do you take me for? An imbecile? Of course.”
Chase arched his brows. “I was just checking. You know they’ll want to be here. I’ll be back later.”
With a nod, he motioned for me to precede him out the door.
I waited until we were away from the room before I breathed a sigh of relief.
“She has that impact on people,” Chase muttered. “I didn’t realize his information wasn’t up to date. I’ll make sure that gets handled once he’s up and able.”
I nodded. I didn’t much care either way, though I’d freely admit I didn’t want another run-in with her anytime soon.
Based on the glare she was sending me I had a feeling that things were about to heat up in a bad way at work.
The next day, I returned to the hospital with a small lavender plant to put in Jacob’s room.
He had been moved into a room overnight, but was being released today. I hoped to get there before they released him. I had heard nothing from him, so I assumed he was having one of the guys get him later.
Once I parked, I stopped at information to ask where his room was, then rode the elevator up.
The doors slid open with a ding and I stepped out, looking at the signs to figure out which way to go.
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