Page 127 of Pinch

They all leave the room, and I quickly send a text to Knox.

Haddy returns to my side, her blue eyes so heavy, but a smile is on her face.

Reaching out, I cup her cheek with my hand. “How long have you been here?”

“As long as you have.” Her voice is quiet, but it sounds so good.

“Fuck, you must be exhausted.” I wish we were back home, and I could spoon her against my chest, holding my hand over Lucy.

She huffs a laugh. “I wasn’t leaving until you opened your eyes.”

Sliding my hand over her soft hair, I can’t stop drinking in her pretty face. “Why didn’t you go home and rest?”

Exhaling apfft, she reaches for my hand on her head, pulling it down. “I couldn’t leave you. What if you woke up?”

She stayed by my side. I can’t put into words how that makes me feel. She never left me. As uncomfortable as she must’ve been with the baby. As tired as she was.

“Why would you do that, Princess?”

I need to hear her say it.

Pretty blue eyes blink up to mine, and her expression softens. “I’d do anything for you, Gavin.”

That’s all I needed to hear. Knox hasn’t returned my text, and even if he did, it wouldn’t matter.

“You can do something for me.” I pull her hand into mine. “I know you said you didn’t want to be my wife…”

Her chin pulls back, and her eyebrows clench. “I never said that!”

Chuckling, I kiss her fingers. “You kind of did.”

“I said we couldn’t get married just because we were pregnant,” she argues. “We didn’t even know each other then.”

“What do you think?” I cock an eyebrow at her. “Do we know each other now?”

“We know each other a lot better…” She leans forward to put her hands on my face gently, then just as gently press her lips to my damaged ones.

Sitting higher, I cover her hands in mine then I pause, looking into her eyes, letting this feeling settle around us. “Good.”

Twenty-one days.

The doctors couldn’t rule out whether I’d suffered a concussion because I was out for so long, so our team trainers recommended we play it safe and follow standard concussion protocol, which means I’m on the bench for twenty-one days.

It’s a freaking lifetime in hockey, especially at this time of the year. Mav’s pissed. I’m pissed.

Placing my hands on the dining room table, I exhale heavily as I re-read the email on my phone for the tenth time. Yes, my recovery is important, but so is winning the championship.

I have a dentist appointment tomorrow to get my tooth capped, and the bruise on my head is still pretty ugly. But I’m so damn glad to be out of the hospital, back here with Haddy and Mav and Gigi and the dogs.

“Welp, I’m headed out.” Knox emerges from the kitchen, where he was chatting with Mav and Gigi. “I’ve got to get back to New Orleans.”

“Thanks for taking care of that for me.” I hold out my hand to fist bump.

Knox secured the ring and held onto it for me while I was in the hospital, bringing it to me as soon as I got home.

“No problem, cuz.” He bumps my fist then points at my face when I smile. “Next Halloween,Dumb and Dumber.”

“No.” My voice is flat, and I hear Haddy’s snortle coming from behind me.