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Brendon

B y the time I’m released, I’ve been poked, prodded, had a balloon shoved up my nose, and got no Paul update because they wouldn’t let Scott in. I’m finally able to put clothes on and leave the ER with tape on my face, but I’m free. In the waiting room, Jeremy rushes toward me when he sees me while Preston ambles.

“You okay?” Jeremy grabs me to look at my nose. “That looks awful.”

“Thanks, you look great too, asshole.” I’m hungry, irritated, and just want to be fucking cuddled.

“Do you have a ride back to campus?” Scott asks, and Preston tells him yes. I hand Scott my discharge papers for Coach, and he leaves us.

“I want to see Paul,” I tell them and head toward the elevator.

“It’s late, man, I don’t think they’re going to let you in,” Jeremy says as he trails after me.

“I dare them to stop me.” After the shitshow that has been the last twenty-four hours, I need to see him.

It doesn’t take me long to find the post-op ward, but the lady at the desk is not amused to see me.

“Visiting hours are over,” she says in a firm voice.

“I just spent hours downstairs in the ER. I haven’t gotten to see him since he was taken back for surgery. I just want to see him for like five minutes!” I’m so far past done it’s ridiculous. I’m tired, hungry, frustrated, and in pain—both physically and mentally.

“Only family members are allowed back after visiting hours.”

“He’s my husband!” I shout at her. My entire body is tight with tension, and I’m ready to snap. Christ’s sake, I just want to see him. Why is this so fucking hard?

She looks at me for a second while my chest heaves and my jaw aches. I’m sure I look like a fucking wreck, and I hope it’s pitiful enough to get what I want.

“I won’t stay long. I just want to see him for a few minutes,” I reiterate.

“Fine, five minutes,” she snaps. “Room five forty-six.”

“Thank you,” I tell her and hustle down the hallway before she changes her mind. I follow the numbers on the doors until I find the right one and stop just outside of it. Nerves flutter in my stomach. What if he doesn’t want to see me?

I roll my wrists and crack my fingers while I stare at his door, working up the nerve to open it. I hate that I question everything. He fucking married me, but I still don’t know if he wants to see me.

Just do it. Go in. Maybe he’s asleep anyway.

Reaching for the handle, I let out a slow breath and push it open. The low hum of a TV is on when I enter, but I can’t tell what it is yet.

I peer around the corner to see two beds, one empty and one with Paul sitting up, looking at me. A big smile spreads over his face, and I race toward him, not able to hold back anymore. He opens his arms, and I collapse next to his bed on my knees, wrapping one arm around his back, one across his lap, and laying my cheek on his chest.

He holds me as tightly as he can, kissing my hair and rubbing my arm.

“Hey, it’s okay,” he murmurs. “That was a nasty hit you took. Did you break it?” Paul lifts my face with his fingers under my chin, but I can’t speak, only nod as tears fill my eyes and fall down my cheeks. I’m so fucking weak.

Paul brushes the tears away with his thumbs and places a gentle kiss on my lips. “You’re okay. I’m okay. We’re okay. ”

“I love you.”

He smiles at me again and kisses my forehead. “I love you too. I’ll be back tomorrow, okay?”

I lay my cheek against his chest again and inhale his scent. It’s not right since he’s wearing a hospital gown, but it’s better than nothing.

“I was so scared,” I whisper, and he cups my head. “I called your grandma but probably made her panic, so you might want to call her to tell her you aren’t dead.”

He chuckles, and the sound makes my heart a little lighter.

“Hey,” he says as he lifts my face to his again. “Thank you for taking care of me.”

I pull my eyebrows together and look at him as sternly as I can. “Don’t ever make me be the adult again. That shit sucks.”

He laughs and kisses me again. “I’ll do my best.”

Reaching for the back of his neck, I kiss him a few more times. Quick presses of our lips, not nearly enough, but better than nothing, then sigh and rest my forehead against his.

“I have to go. The nurse gave me five minutes.”

Paul runs his hands through my hair again and kisses my head.

“Thank you for coming up here to badger the nursing staff,” he says with amusement. When I look up at him, he’s got a half smile on his lips. I sigh and stand, cupping his face and kissing him carefully so I don’t hit my swollen, bruised nose.

“I love you,” I breathe against his lips.

Paul nips my bottom lip and says it back to me.

“I’ll see you tomorrow?” he asks. “Or are you on concussion protocol?”

“No concussion. I’ll come get you if you’re released early enough.”

He holds my hand as I walk away and doesn’t let go until we are physically too far apart to touch anymore.

On my way past the nurses’ station, the woman lifts a strict eyebrow at me as I walk down the hallway.

“Thank you.”

“Mmhmm.”

Jeremy and Preston are waiting for me with arms crossed, both wearing stern expressions. It’s kind of scary how much Jeremy is starting to look like Preston.

“What?” I hit the button for the elevator, but neither of them says anything until we’re out of the hospital and I’ve been locked in a car with them.

“You’re fucking married?!” Jeremy finally snaps and yells, making the Uber driver jump and swerve a little. “Sorry.”

Oh.

Shit.

“Uh. Yeah.” I shrug like it’s not a big deal, but I know Jeremy is not going to let this go easily. I’m not embarrassed about being married to Paul, but I don’t know how he’ll react to Jeremy and Preston knowing. We agreed to keep it quiet until he was ready.

Now I have a healthy dose of guilt heaped on top of everything else.

I lean my head back on the headrest and sigh. I’m so fucking tired. Today has sucked, and all I want is to be wrapped around Paul in bed, watching TV until I pass out, but I can’t. I have to just fucking manage.

We stop at the pharmacy on the way back to campus to pick up the pain meds the doctor prescribed, then finally go back to the dorms. I’m running on empty by the time my feet hit the hallway of the third floor, and I have to force myself to keep moving. Jeremy puts a hand on my back, and for once, Preston doesn’t growl. They make sure I get inside and help me get my suit hung up, apparently Preston has a thing about suits, then I’m allowed to go to bed. I take a pill and lie down on Paul’s pillow, needing any part of him I can get, but I don’t sleep. Not until the pain pill kicks in and forces my eyes closed.