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“Have I told you how beautiful you look tonight, Ricky?” Andy asked as we slid around the rink. He held my hand tightly as his hazel eyes met mine.
I nodded. “You did, a few times, but I like hearing it. No, I like hearingyousay it.”
“In that case, you look beautiful.” Andy chuckled softly before he skated to a stop. “I love you,” he whispered, his eyes dropping to my mouth. “I love you now, forever, and always. I just wanted you to know that. I don’t expect you to say it back if you’re not ready. Maybe you don’t feel the same way, but I just thought it was time to tell you how I felt.”
Tears burned my eyes. “You love me?”
“Yeah, baby, I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
Andy’s eyes went wide, then he leaned down and pressed his lips to mine. His hands found their way to my hips, his palm sliding over the small of my back. I hummed happily as he licked at the corners of my mouth before his tongue slipped between the seam, and then I was falling. I tried to grab onto Andy’s Panthers sweatshirt, but it was too late. I went down hard on the ice and was hit with a blinding pain.
“Jesus Christ!” Maverick screamed, and I could make out the sounds of his feet as he ran down the steps to get to us. “Andy, what happened? I looked away for one minute, and when I glanced back up.... Leo, are you okay?”
I moaned as the pain shot up my leg and over my hips. “It hurts.” I struggled to get up, but my left leg wouldn’t listen to me. “Andy?” I whispered. “I can’t move my leg.”
“Ricky, stay still. Don’t try to move.” Andy’s voice trembled. “Dad, what are you doing?”
Maverick waved a hand at him. “Calling an ambulance.”
“There’s no time for that,” Andy hissed, and then he scooped me up into his arms like I weighed nothing. “Put your arms around my neck, baby. Can you do that for me? Dad, you’re going to have to drive like Carson and Noel. We need to get to the hospital now!”
I felt my eyes roll into the back of my head. “I don’t feel so good, hon.”
“I know, Leo.” Andy held me tightly against him. “Dad, open the damn truck!”
Maverick huffed. “Don’t talk to me like that. I’m your father. I’m moving as fast as I can.” The sound of the doors unlocking had Andy quickly placing me inside the vehicle and climbing in behind me. He placed my head in his lap.
“I’m sorry,” I whimpered as fresh pain coursed through my veins. “I’m sorry that I ruined our date night and the first time you told me you loved me.”
Andy combed his fingers through my hair. “You didn’t ruin anything.” He cooed softly, his nails scraping over my scalp. “Just rest now, Ricky. You’re going to be fine.”
“You don’t know that.”
“You’re going to be fucking fine.”
I stared up at my boyfriend, all the excitement from earlier gone from his handsome face. It was now replaced with fear and worry. “I love you.”
“I know, baby, and I love you, too.” Andy murmured.
***
I woke with a gasp, the smell of antiseptic strong in my nostrils. It was dark except for the light from the monitor to my right and a sliver beneath the door. I groaned softly as I tried to shift my body, then clamped a hand over my mouth to stop the scream that threatened to escape. Fuck, that hurt.
“Ricky?” Andy’s voice was thick with sleep. “Do you need something? Are you in pain? I can get a nurse...” He was already slipping from the bed before I could answer. The door opened, and I was temporarily blinded. “Please, my boyfriend is awake. He needs something for the pain.” I heard Andy’s voice travel through the air.
He stepped back into the room and climbed into the bed before wrapping his arms around me. “I’m right here, baby. I forced them to let me stay with you.”
“You snarled and snapped at the other nurses like a rabid dog, sweetie.” The nurse flipped a light on before walking toward me. “This boy loves you, Leopold.” She winked.
I gave her a lazy smile. Her name tag read Beth, and it was decorated with all sorts of colorful stickers. Hearts, rainbows, and musical notes stared down at me. “I like your stickers.”
“Thanks, sweetie.” Beth’s lips turned up as she injected something into the port on my arm. “You should start to feel a little better now, sunshine. And you”—she pointed a finger at Andy—“I’ll bring breakfast up around seven. Do you want pancakes or waffles?”
I drifted off at the sound of Andy’s deep chuckle, his breath against my neck, his arm wrapped around my waist. When I woke again, my brother was sitting by the window, his arms folded over his chest as he nodded off. The sun was just starting to come up through the windows, bright and shining like a beacon. Jesus, wasn’t he supposed to be at the race? I grimaced as I stretched, getting a better look at my leg that was now encased in a bright, pink cast. My toes peeked out from the bottom, and my nails were still painted a bright red.
“You’re awake.” I glanced over at my brother, worry written all over his face. “How are you feeling? Any pain? Do you want me to get someone?”
