Page 47 of Dirty Play

My jaw drops. “Two weeks? What for?”

Before he can answer, the discharge nurse walks in with his paperwork, and I swear I hear Cade sigh in relief.

“You’re finally free,” she says with a smile before turning to me. “Will you be driving him, Gwen?”

“Yes, Clara, I will. I can’t let this fool try to drive himself because, believe me, he’d try,” I say with a smile, but I hope he can hear the truth in my words. I know damn well he’s stupid enough to do it himself.

Probably some bullshit excuse of not wanting to inconvenience anyone.

Which is why I’m not telling him that I’m taking him to my place, not his.

This way, he can’t argue.

Chapter 18

Gwen

After we got to my apartment and got everything brought upstairs, I convinced Cade to have a movie day on the couch with me. I grabbed every blanket and pillow in my apartment and pushed both couches together to make a big bed. It looks like heaven.

Cade kept trying to help, but after I threatened to call Harris and tell him about the surgery myself, he finally listened and got comfortable while I set everything up.

Little did I know that his version of comfort leaves him in a pair of gray sweats slung low on his hips and a backwards hat—nothing else. And damn, he looks good. The bandage on his left side is enough to force me to keep my distance, though.

An hour later, we have snacks on the coffee table, the next Harry Potter on the TV, and we’re both snuggled into the couch. Not actually snuggling together… but right next to each other, and at the moment, it’s enough. I can tell that Cade’s in pain, but he’s been trying to rely less on pain medication. I try to explain to him that he’s done more moving around today than he has in a while, so he’s going to be in more pain, but he just growls something about being strong enough to handle it before stealing the bowl of popcorn for himself.

Whatever, tough guy.

“Uh, so remember earlier, at the hospital, when I asked if you could take some time off?” Cade asks nervously.

“Yeah?”

“Do you also remember how I mentioned that my sister Kylie was planning something for my parents’ fortieth anniversary?”

“Yeah?” I say, still confused how any of this involves me.

“That party just so happens to be planned for next Saturday.”

“Are you fucking kidding me, Cade? Why the hell would you have a major surgery before you’re supposed to be traveling home? How, exactly, were you planning to drive there? That’s at least a seven-hour drive!” I yell, moving to stand up, but his hand grabs mine, stopping me, and pulling me back against the couch. “What does any of this have to do with me, Cade?”

His mouth opens and closes a few times before he finally talks. “The surgery couldn’t wait; we both know that. I think we’re both aware of the concerns they had for Kennedy if she’d gone much longer without a transplant. The sooner she had the surgery, the better her chances for a full recovery,” Cade says.

I’m guessing there’s more to his story, this isn’t just about the last two weeks, but I’m sure he’ll tell me on his own time. And I know he’s not wrong—she needed the surgery, badly. Just the day before the surgery, we had a bit of a scare—luckily, they were able to stabilize her enough to have the surgery. I can’t imagine what it would be like to have a perfect match, surgery scheduled, and not be able to go through with it because your body isn’t strong enough.

That would be brutal, so I’m thankful for Cade for putting aside his own personal plans to help her. But that leads me back to this situation. What does this have to do with me?

“That still doesn’t explain why I would need to take two weeks off?”

“So, you can go with me,” he says matter-of-factly. Like he didn’t just spring a two-week trip back to his hometown—six hours away. A trip where I’d meet his parents for their fortieth anniversary, sprung on me so casually you’d think he was asking what I wanted for lunch.

“You want me to do what?!” I ask, my voice starting to rise again, but his look stops me.

“I need you, Gwen. I can’t go back there alone,” he says, a sad look crossing his face before he shakes it off.

“But—” I start, but he cuts me off.

“Look… like I’ve said, I haven’t been back home in years. For a lot of reasons, but mainly because a lot of shit happened, and well, I’m not entirely sure my parents want to see me as much as Kylie thinks they do. But on the off chance that she’s right, I feel like I do need to be there. My parents sacrificed so much for me when I was growing up to make sure I could be my best at hockey. I feel like this is the least I could do.”

“But why me? Why not bring Rex? Or Harris… isn’t he from there?” I ask, not understanding why I’m the best person for this adventure when there are people he’s known longer who don’t have to take time off to go with.

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