Page 90 of What About Us

“Xander—”

“No. You’re mine. I don’t know how many times I have to say it. I’m the one with memory issues, not you. So I want you to keep your gorgeous chin up. Unless you’re ashamed of me.”

“What?” I stare at him in shock. “How in the hell could I ever be ashamed of you? You’re the best thing that ever happened to me.”

That seems to make him stutter for a second.

“I want you to remember who the fuck you are, Ivy. You’re an incredible therapist, damn good at your job, and you deserve the seat at that table today. You’ve earned it. You have to remember that you’re with me. You belong with me. I want to obliterate all of that self-hate shit from your beautiful head because it isn’t true.”

He’s moved closer with each word, practically bending me back over the sink, and he’s so . . . amazing. How could I not be crazy about him?

“Thank you.”

“You don’t ever have to thank me for reminding you who you are.” He kisses me firmly, driving his point home. “Now, we’re going down there today, and we’ll get through the next few hours, and then we’re going to the game tonight.”

“We are? Are you sure you want to do that?”

“Fuck yeah, I want to do that. It’s the season opener, and I want to be there. We’ve got this.”

After kissing me once again, he turns me around and continues to brush my hair until any tangles from the flight are gone and I’m ready to go.

“Okay.” I square my shoulders and give him a nod. “Let’s do this.”

“Impressive,” Steve, the head physical therapist, says as I lead Xander through the exercises we’ve been doing and the things we’ve recently added. It’s not enough to give Xander a full workout, but it shows Steve what the hockey player is now capable of. “You can stop, X.”

Xander stands and rests his hands on his hips.

“The progression is steady,” I agree with a nod. “He’s nowhere near ready to play, but he’s doing very well.”

“Agreed,” Steve replies and turns to Xander. “I admit, I had a lot of reservations about you going to Montana and working with someone we don’t know. But I can see that I didn’t need to worry. I’m pleased.”

“We appreciate the reports you send to us regularly,” one of the coaches adds. “You’re thorough and communicative, which is the key to this working so well.”

I nod, feeling proud of myself, and notice that Xander smiles down at me.

“She’s busting my balls, but she doesn’t let me do too much. We’ve found a balance and a rhythm.”

We stay for only another half hour with the medical team, and then Xander has a meeting with the coaching staff.

“I’m going shopping,” I inform him. “At the merch store. Don’t worry about me.”

“I have FOMO,” he says with a laugh. “Go enjoy it.”

I nod and turn to walk away, relieved that my part is finished and that the team is happy with the work we’ve done and now I can breathe. But then I feel Xander’s hand on my wrist, and I turn back.

We’re alone in the hallway, since the medical staff has gone on to other things and the coaching team is in the office where the meeting is being held.

“You were fucking amazing in there,” he says, his voice low just in case anyone can hear us. “I’m so damn proud of you.”

“I’m proud of both of us because you’ve worked so hard,” I inform him and pat his shoulder. I want to kiss him, but for now, I’m more comfortable keeping things professional while we’re here.

And he knows because he just winks at me.

“I’ll come find you when I’m done. It shouldn’t take long.”

“No rush. I’ll be here.”

He doesn’t stop me when I turn to leave, and I walk down the long hallway and outside so I can make my way around the building to the huge merch shop.