my mouth shut.”
“About what?” I press into the darkness.
“Let’s just get through this surgery. Once I’m on the other side of it, maybe we can revisit this conversation.”
I want to push harder. I want to fight for that secret. It’s been referenced too many times in my presence, and secrets have this way of coming out one way or another.
But I leave him be.
“So if you’re not feeling the fight...what comes next?”
“I guess maybe I set up a meeting with Phil.”
I remember meeting the Director of Player Engagement and Development at the Aces facility when Leah took me around to show me the ropes. “Are you leaning one way or another?”
“Maybe coaching,” he says dismissively. But then he adds, “I can get a feel for it from the sidelines the rest of this season since I won’t be able to suit up.”
“I’m so, so sorry, Luke.”
He squeezes my hand that’s still in his. “I know. Let’s get some rest now, okay?”
“Sure. Goodnight.”
Neither of us gets any rest, though.
We don’t talk, but I toss and turn. Luke is still since he doesn’t have much range of movement with his injury, but I can tell he lies awake, too.
When the light of morning dawns, I shift in his direction. His eyes are open as he stares up at the ceiling.
“Six hours until my knee is cut open,” he says.
“Good morning to you, too.”
He huffs out a little chuckle, and I lean over to kiss his cheek. He turns his head at the last second to catch my lips. “Thanks for our talk last night,” he says. “It meant a lot to me to know that you still want to be with me.”
My brows dip. “Of course I still want to be with you. I love you, Luke. Broken knee or not.”
“I love you, too,” he says softly. “Thanks for understanding.”
I just pray I can keep understanding as we fight together to get him healthy again.
CHAPTER 5
I stare at the clock on the wall as it seems to move backwards.
I’ve chewed off every fingernail.
I’ve been on my phone so much that I killed the battery.
I’m just sitting here now, biding my time in silence as I wait for some news. Any news. I’m desperate to know how he’s doing.
The surgery is only supposed to take a few hours. It’s been three hours and four minutes.
Nicki and Josh are here with me. It’s Josh’s day off, thankfully, so at least I don’t have to sit here alone. Nobody from Luke’s family is here, though.
A doctor walks into the waiting room, and every head in the room swings in his direction as we all wait for updates on our loved ones.
The doctor’s eyes land on Josh first and then me beside him. He’s an older gentleman with kind brown eyes and graying hair.
“Dr. Charles,” Josh says.
He nods at Josh then turns to me. “I assume you’re Luke’s wife?”
“Yes.”
“He’s out of surgery. It was a success and I’m confident he’ll have full range after physical therapy. He’s resting and still under general anesthesia but should be coming out of it any minute. He’s in the recovery room and nurses will be moving him to a room for the next two to three days for observation.”
“Thank you, Doctor,” I say, my voice shaking, and I can’t help when I start to weep.
He’s okay.
The surgery was a success.
He’ll have full range.
I let out a breath.
I feel an arm come around my shoulders, and I turn and cry into my brother’s chest. Nicki lightly rubs my back, and I can’t help but think what amazing parents these two are going to be.
When I finally compose myself and wipe away the tears, my brother lets out a soft chuckle. “Awfully attached for a fake marriage,” he whispers, and I give him a half-smile.
“Not so fake anymore,” I say wryly.
A short while later, a nurse pops in to let me know he’s awake. “Only the wife can come back to recovery,” she says to Josh and Nicki, who sit back down.
I follow her through the surgical recovery room, keeping my eyes on the floor as I feel a little faint. Curtains separate patients knocked out from anesthesia in their beds, and I feel a little queasy as heat creeps up my spine. I’ve never done well around blood or medical issues in general, so to be back here feels a little terrifying.
The nurse drops me into Luke’s bay, and his eyes are closed. Heat presses behind my eyes again as I