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“What hospital?” Preston has his phone out and is typing something.
I give him the details he asks for, and he leaves with his phone to his ear.
When I look at Jeremy confused, he smiles at me. “Preston’s dad was a surgeon, remember? He knows how to get information through.”
Oh, that’s right. Dude was fucking nuts, and I’m glad he’s dead.
“Are you playing tonight?” Jeremy sits next to me and wraps his arm around my shoulders. I lay my head on his and close my eyes, leaning into the comfort I need so fucking badly right now.
“Yeah, Coach said I could, but I don’t know who he’ll replace Paul with on our line.”
Jeremy rubs my arm as Preston comes back in. I can feel the tension radiating from him for the mere fact that I’m touching Jeremy, but right now, he can fuck off. Jeremy was one of my best friends before he came into our lives.
“Do you need anything?” Jeremy asks.
“I need to sleep,” I mumble. “But I don’t want to be alone.”
Tears clog my throat at the weakness. I’m supposed to be a grown man, but I still can’t handle anything on my own. I need reassurance that my friends don’t hate me, that my husband still loves me, that I’m not too much.
“Lay down. We’ll stay.” Jeremy kisses my hair, and I hear Preston come closer. I open my eyes and watch as he struggles with himself. His hand flexes, lifts a few inches, then drops back to his side a few times before he finally reaches out and lays a hand on my shoulder. The touch has tears flooding my eyes and falling down my cheeks, but this time, there’s no body-racking sobs. I know he’s weird about being touched. Jeremy is the only one that can get away with it, and Preston doesn’t touch anyone unless causing harm, so this simple, comforting gesture is everything.
“Thank you.” My voice is thick with exhaustion and overwhelming emotions. Jeremy squeezes me, then stands so I can lie down. I kick my shoes off, then crawl across the bed to lay my head on Paul’s pillow, wrapping my arms around myself so I don’t feel so alone. I breathe in a deep lungful of his scent and close my eyes, wrapped in his blanket.
“My sheets are clean, asshole,” I mumble, and I barely hear Jeremy snicker before I fall deep into the blackness of sleep.
* * *
When I wake a few hours later, there’s a white takeout container sitting on the bedside table with a note that says, “Eat this, dumbass,” in Preston’s sharp handwriting. My stomach grumbles as I sit up and reach for it. A chicken sandwich with lettuce, tomato, and red onion on wholegrain bread, packets of mustard and mayo, a bag of baked chips, an apple, and fresh veggies.
I inhale the food without any thought. I didn’t eat breakfast, and it’s about lunchtime, so I’m starving. There’s nothing left but the apple core and packaging when I’m done. I find a water bottle and chug that too, then search for my phone. When it’s not in the normal places I leave it, like the bedside table, desk, or bathroom sink, I check my pockets and find it.
There’s a missed call from a local Denver number and a voicemail.
“Hey, Little Menace, I’m okay. Super tired but in a room now. Kick ass at the game tonight. I want to hear all about it. Don’t let that shit stain from Minnesota get in your head. I love you.”
A watery smile turns up my lips, and I listen to it again. He sounds exhausted and a little scratchy, like his throat is dry, but in good spirits. He’s okay. The weight of what could have been lifts, and my shoulders finally drop, and I can suck in a deep breath.
There’s a knock on the door as it opens, and I look to find Jeremy and Preston coming in already dressed in suits.
“Did you eat?” is Preston’s first question, which makes me chuckle.
“Yes, Daddy, I ate.”
Preston shudders, and Jeremy laughs while I lift the food container to show him I did in fact finish my food.
“Smartass.”
“Your life would be boring without me.” I smile at the big grump and stand to stretch.
“Did you hear from Paul?” Jeremy asks, handing me the suit from my closet.
“Yeah, he’s in a room now.”
“Good.”
I strip out of my clothes without thinking twice about it, and Preston grabs Jeremy, turning both of them around.
“Both of you have seen my naked ass,” I say as I pull on the slacks.
