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I cocked my head with a raised eyebrow and looked at him for a beat, barely resisting the urge to put my hands on my hips. “What am I doing here? Holden, you haven’t answered any calls or texts in nearly a week. You recently got out of the hospital where you had major surgery. Several. What do you think I’m doing here?”
He looked confused. “But…how did you know where I live?”
I threw up my hands and then let them fall to slap my thighs. “For the love of Christ, Holden. Why is that what you’re fixating on right now? Your information is on file with the team.” I twisted my hair and then pulled it over one shoulder, my frustration more than evident.
“I mean… I, I don’t know. I’m just surprised to see you, I guess. And…did you use my middle name out there?” He cracked a smile, and it melted a tiny bit of my anger.
“I warned you I’d hunt you down. And I did use your middle name. So?” The corner of my lip tipped up. “Neville, huh?”
He looked a bit sheepish. “Yeah, my parents had a thing for The Omega Man. Particularly, Charlton Heston’s character. Don’t ask. I don’t know much more. But if you’re wondering why they didn’t use the character’s first name, Robert, then you’re thinking along the same lines as I have my entire life.”
I shook my head. “Isn’t that the seventies post-apocalyptic sci-fi thriller with the nocturnal homicidal maniacs?”
Holden looked genuinely surprised. “Uh, yeah. Way before your time. How do you even know that?”
I blushed a bit. “I’m not that young. I was born in the eighties. But I have a major thing for old sci-fi and horror films. It’s a quirk.”
Holden rolled closer. “First, old with regards to things from the seventies…ouch. You do realize I’m one of those things from the seventies, right?” I saw the twinkle in his eyes, so I knew that he was kidding. “Secondly, not so much of a quirk. I love them, too. Alien, The Stepford Wives, Phantasm, Invasion of the Body Snatchers. I mean, come on.”
I could only stare at him in wonder. Nobody got my love of the wonderfully weird from before my time. Nobody. Very interesting.
“Do you want something to drink?” Holden asked as he rolled past me. Now that my temper had settled a bit, I took a moment to look around. And I was right. The place was all black, grey, and white with glass and chrome accents. There were splashes of color here and there in impressionistic paintings on the walls and throw pillows on the window seat, but it was all very clean and crisp. I wasn’t at all surprised. Normally, I preferred a more lived-in look to homes, but this really worked for Holden and he looked so…right here. Even in the chair.
“Um, no. I’m fine. But thanks. However, we need to talk.” I walked a little closer to him.
He turned to face me and looked down at his lap, a tic starting in his jaw. When he looked back up at me, I noticed he had bitten the inside of his lip. It was something I had seen him do at the practice facility when he was intent on or about something. “Yeah, I suppose we should. Do you want to settle in the living room?” He motioned with his good arm.
“Sounds great. Lead the way.” I followed him down a short hallway to a massive great room filled with black leather couches and red easy chairs around a stone fireplace centerpiece. The grey barnwood floor carried through in here, interrupted only by the plush white rug. Holden parked his wheelchair next to one of the stuffed seats and a side table and motioned for me to pick a spot. I sat on the couch opposite him and clasped my hands in my lap.
He stared at me, those gemstone orbs seeming to burrow into my soul. I wasn’t sure who should speak first—him, or me. When I waited a beat and he still said nothing, I decided to start things off.
“So, how are you feeling?”
He bit the inside of his lip even more and I wondered if he was trying to decide how to reply or if something else was bothering him. “I’m honestly not sure how to answer that. The pain is pretty intense. And before you ask, I’ve been taking my meds. Yari, my housekeeper, threatened me with bodily harm if I didn’t. Though, so did you.” He chuckled.
“The pain’s to be expected, Holden. I mean…these were very serious injuries. And they required major surgery. More than one type, actually.” I took a deep breath and looked away before focusing on him once more. “But how are you feeling? How are you holding up with all the changes?”
He scratched his cheek and looked away. Running his tongue over his top teeth, he focused on me again. The set of his shoulders wasn’t a great sign. “I don’t know what to do with myself, Doc. I should be with my teammates and coaches. I should be taking my team to the culmination of another year of hard work. I should be hoisting that silver trophy and bringing it home to our fans. Instead, I’m sitting here in this fucking wheelchair.” He looked away, and I swore I caught a sheen of tears in his eyes.
I couldn’t stop myself. I scooted forward on the cushion and grabbed his good hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. “Holden.” He didn’t budge. “Holden. Look at me.” He did, and I looked into those gorgeous blue eyes, trying to make him feel the faith that I had, the hope. “We are going to get through this. Do you trust me?”
He blinked. “I barely know you.”
I smiled. “You know what? You’re right. So…what do you say we do something about that first and foremost? Let’s get to know each other better, and then we’ll kick these injuries to the curb. Because I believe, in my heart of hearts, that you are going to be okay. No, that doesn’t mean you’ll play again. We know those days are over. And we’ll deal with the grief of that later. But I do believe that you’ll get your quality of life back and find something that brings you just as much joy. If not more.”
He swiped at his spiky hair and then lowered his hand again to mine to squeeze, his blue topaz eyes meeting mine. “From your mouth to God’s ears.”
Chapter Seven
HOLDEN
“Osric, you’re a sadist, you know that?” I grouched at the nurse as he did his thing, making sure I was clean, changing my bandages, exercising the leg and the shoulder a bit.
The younger man smirked, clearly not apologetic or offended.
“I don’t know about sadist, but I do enjoy my job. And you know what they say: no pain, no gain.” He lifted my elbow again, gently pushing it, being very careful but testing my range of motion. Once he’d finished, he reached over and took out the pills I needed to take, handing them to me with a bottle of water. “Your reward.”
I scoffed. “Some reward.” I tossed back the pills and took a big swig of the liquid. “Anything else for today?”
