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He held up his hand. “I was cleared by the Vikings’ medical staff to play. And even before that, in America, before I tried out for arena ball.”
But she was putting together his last few games, the way— “You tripped on the field last week. During the exhibition. Were you dizzy?”
His mouth tightened. “Let’s just go.” He turned.
She put her hand on his arm. “Hudson.”
“I don’t want to talk about it!”
Oh.
He’d rounded on her and now drew in a breath, clearly schooling his words. “Sorry. Let’s just get the boat and get to the resort and then…”
“You’ll tell me what’s going on?” She kept her voice low.
He stared at her, his chest rising and falling. “Maybe.”
“Okay. That’s good enough for now.”
Then she took his hand.
“What’s this for?”
“So you don’t face-plant.”
“I’m not dizzy.”
Yeah, well, she might be. Still, he didn’t let go, his hand big and safe and warm in hers as they walked down the sidewalk. They took cover in a Starbucks—like the medical staff would hunt them down. But he also needed coffee.
Then, while he sipped a trenta caramel macchiato, she called an Uber.
Meanwhile, he called the boat rental company. “They released our boat. We need to lay low until tomorrow while we wait.”
They made it back to the hotel still dating, but when he got out of the Uber, he let go of her hand. “I think I’m going to get some shut-eye.”
“Not on your life.”
He looked at her.
“You can’t sleep.”
“What, is that a crime here? No sleeping in the daytime?” He pushed into the hotel.
“You have a concussion!” She grabbed his arm, turned him just inside the lobby.
He raised an eyebrow. “I don’t currently have a concussion. And what, I can never sleep again?”
She narrowed her eyes at him. “I’m…coming with you.”
He shook his head, walking past the sleek wooden front desk, a table with a massive spray of exotic flowers.
“To my room? To do what?” He smiled then. “I mean, you may be taking this girlfriend thing further than—”
“Calm down there, buck. I’m going to watch you sleep.”
He punched the elevator button. “That’ll be high fun. Listen, here’s the highlight reel. I breathe. In. Then out. And then…wait for it—in again.”
“Perfect. Maybe I’ll catch up on a football game. I heard the Sea Devils’ game against the Vienna Vikings was a keeper.”
