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“Nothing for me, boys, I’m heading home.” Predictably, this causes something of a ruckus as everyone gives me shit while also trying to convince me to change my mind. Corwin, across from me, meets my gaze in silent support.
And just like that, I can feel my joy slipping away. I don’t want to go home to my humongous, empty house, and I don’t want to go out and find someone’s bed to warm for the night. I want one person, and it’s the one I can’t have. Maybe I’ll call him when I get home; it would be nice to hear his voice for a change, instead of the sporadic texts we’ve been exchanging these past few weeks.
“You coming over for dinner?” Corwin stands next to me, fully dressed and ready to go. We’re some of the last few peoplestill in the locker room, which probably means I’ve been sitting here staring off into space for a bit. Getting down to it, I start pulling my suit back on.
“I don’t know, I’ll probably just go home.” I’ve been spending more time at Corwin and Nigel’s lately, like I used to. They don’t seem to mind, and don’t make me feel like the third wheel in their relationship, which I am slowly becoming. I feel guilty for monopolizing their time, but seem unable to make myself stop. It’s better than being alone.
“Don’t do that, I’m going to make shrimp scampi with linguine. And homemade bread. You love homemade bread.”
I give him the side-eye for that one. Everyone loves homemade bread. “It’s okay, Cor. I’ll be alright on the copious number of leftovers you’ve stocked my refrigerator with.”
“Why would you have leftovers when you can come over and have something fresh?”
Chuckling, I sit down and slip on my shoes, lacing them up before standing again. I really do want to go over to his place, eat good food, work on a puzzle, and talk about the game. But that would make this the third night I’d spent over at their house this week, and there are still two days left. I need to pace myself.
“Really, Cor. I’ll be fine. I need to do laundry.” I did laundry yesterday, but he doesn’t need to know that.
“Alright, if you’re sure. I’ll make enough for you, just in case you change your mind.”
I don’t change my mind. Instead, I heat up some leftovers and stream the previous SCU game, telling myself it’s because I want to watch my boys play and not because the camera often pans the coaching staff behind the bench. I don’t recognize the new assistant coach but hope, for Nico’s sake, that he’s a strong addition to the team. Maybe he’ll be somebody Nico can rely on, even though the stubborn bastard probably won’t.
Nico looks tall and striking, standing behind the bench in his suit. Not a single brown hair out of place, and a look of concentration on his face as he focuses hard on the game. I can practically smell the Dove soap and feel the phantom touch of narrow fingers.Ugh, what the fuck. Shutting the laptop, I pick up my phone and call him.
He answers.
???
I’m jarred out of sleep by the shrill ringing of my phone. Groggy, heart pounding from being startled awake, I make a grab for my phone and knock it onto the floor.
“Fuck.” Muttering, I lean over the side of the bed and desperately answer the call before it goes to voicemail. I have just enough time to notice there’s no caller ID and that it’s just past one a.m. on the thirteenth of December. “Hello?”
“Good morning, may I speak with a Mr. Anthony Lawson, please?” The crisp female voice sounds far too chipper for a middle of the night phone call. My heart kicks up another notch, as I notice the background noise on her end of the line. It sounds like a hospital.
“This is he. How can I help you?” Clearing my throat, I swing my legs out of bed and let the sheets pool at my waist. Immediately, I regret this move—it’s freezing in here.
“Ah, hello! I do apologize about the early call, sir. My name is Rebecca, and I’m calling from St. Bruno’s Hospital—."
“Is everything okay?” I interrupt—I’m listed as an emergency contact for both Corwin and Troy—and then add a belated: “Sorry.”
“Everything is fine, no need to worry. I do wonder, though, if you’d be able to come by at your earliest convenience. We’vegot a Nico Mackenzie here who indicated you might be willing to—."
“Nico?” I’m panicked now, reaching for a pair of discarded sweatpants on my bedroom floor and trying to pull them on with the phone still clutched to my ear. Also, I interrupted her again. “Sorry! Jesus, I keep interrupting you. Is he alright? What happened?”
“He’s right as rain, love, no need to fret.”People don’t go to the hospital if they’re right as rain!She’s speaking in a calm, soothing voice, like she’s talking to a spooked cat. It only makes me fret more. “Unfortunately, we can’t discharge him unless someone signs him out and drives him. He’s well enough to go home, but the doctor would like someone to be there with him. He woke up a little while ago and asked for you. I wouldn’t have called you so early, but the poor dear is miserable here. He’s ready to go home.”
Oh my god, oh my fucking god. The room is dark, so I can only imagine what sort of mismatched clothes I’m grabbing. Snatching up a hoodie, I take the stairs at a jog. Was there an accident? Did he get hit by a car on campus? Fall down the stairs? She’s not telling me, and the absence of the information burns like an iron against my chest.
“I’m on the way now. I’ll be there soon.”
“Alright, well you take your time, no need to hurry. He’s having a rest right now, and getting some fluids. The doctor will speak to you once you arrive, okay?”
“Right. Okay.”
We hang up. I don’t peel out of my driveway, but it’s close. Checking the speedometer, I make sure I’m doing no more than ten over the speed limit. The roads are pretty much empty, at this time of night, but I don’t want to risk getting pulled over or getting in an accident. Barely taking my eyes off of the road, I dial Corwin and put him on speaker.
It’s Troy’s voice that comes over the line, startling me. Looking down, I mutter a curse. Troy and Corwin are the top two in my Favorite Contacts and I must have hit Troy by accident.
“Lawson? What’s going on, are you okay?” He sounds wide awake and panicked. “Sam, wake up.”
