Page 116 of Three Hockey Hotties

We all hear her audibly let out a sigh of relief.

“We weren’t sure if we should call you or not,” Dash says. “We don’t want to upset you.”

At that Abby actually swears under her breath.

My eyebrows shoot up and I eye Kane and Dash. Abby isn’t much for swearing.

“What’s that, Lollipop?” Kane asks.

“I’m angry with myself,” she says. “I’ve done this all wrong, said the wrong things if you think that you can’t call me and tell me when there’s an injury or an emergency. That you think I can’t handle hard things.” She pauses. “Though I understand why you think that. I…didn’t handle this last hard thing very well. And I’m really sorry.” She pauses again and we hear her sniffle as if she’s tearing up. “I should be there.”

I’m not sure what to say to that.

“This wasn’t to make you feel bad,” I tell her, my heart aching for the pain I hear in her voice. “We just didn’t want you to be upset when you found out later that Kane was in the ER.”

“I’m glad you called. You should always call,” she says, softly. “I want to know what’s going on with all of you. Good and bad.” She stops, then says. “I get that now. We’re in this for better or worse, right?”

My throat feels tight and I nod. Then clear my throat and say, “In sickness and in health, Abby girl.”

“Damn right,” Dash says.

“No matter what, Lollipop,” Kane adds.

She sniffles again, louder and it’s clear she’s crying now. “I would drive home tonight if I had a car.”

Home. She said home. About us. The relief I feel is so strong I have to take a deep breath before I can speak.

“No,” Dash says before I can. “It’s too late. Even if you had a car, we wouldn’t want you driving in the dark upset. Kane’s okay. We’re here. We’ll see you tomorrow? Or Monday?”

We’re all trying desperately to be thoughtful and considerate and fuck, it’s killing all three of us.

“Tomorrow. First thing,” she says firmly. “I love you. All of you.”

“We love you too.”

“Take care of Kane, please.”

“We will. Even if he’s a lousy patient.”

As it is, Kane is fucking around with the buttons on the bed, and he nearly launches himself across the room when the mattress suddenly snaps forward behind his head.

I snap my fingers at him and point in warning.

We end the call a few seconds later after final goodbyes and I glare at my brother. “Are you trying to give yourself whiplash on top of a concussion? For fuck’s sake.”

“No. I’m trying to get up. We need to drive to wherever the hell Abby’s parents live and pick her up. This is bullshit. You heard how miserable she sounds.”

“She did sound miserable,” Dash admits.

“I can’t believe she somehow feels guilty.” I shake my head. “I hate that. I hate this. I want to hug and kiss her and show her that we’re a team. We do all the hard shit together.”

“That’s why we’re going to get her,” Kane insists.

I eye him. He still looks loopy.

“No. You’re staying here until you’re cleared by the doctor. We’ll go get her.”

“I don’t like that,” Kane protests.