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“He's good,” she says but she doesn't turn the phone for me to sayhelloto him, so I know he's not in the vicinity. “He's getting his treatment right now. I just stepped out to call you.”

My stomach twists, a sense of foreboding threatening to swallow me whole. “What's wrong?”

“Nothing major,” she hurries to say, giving me a sympathetic look. “They think this treatment is working, and he’s looking healthier than ever. Honestly, I don't remember the last time he’s looked this good. He loves this new doctor he's with. And Dad is so grateful for you, he and mom both.”

Warmth spreads through my chest, and I nod.

The simple motion has me hissing, the pain in my shoulder tightening with every movement I make. But hearing her words makes every hit I take on the ice worth it. Makes every cheesy video Reese and I post on the social media page worth it.

Not only is Reese soaring high, finally creating the content that keeps viewers coming, not just with our videos but with the Badgers in general, but I've landed the Liquid IV deal too. The money came in a couple of weeks ago, and I funneled it all into upgraded medical care for Dad. I wiped out a shit ton of their bills too, leaving just enough of that endorsement deal left over to handle taxes.

“That's good to hear,” I say.

“It really is,” she says, but I can tell there's something she isn't saying.

“Just tell me, Hadley,” I say. “Whatever it is, it’s fine.”

She rubs her forehead, like whatever she's about to say is going to be painful. The emotional whiplash she’s delivering is enough to make my stomach turn.

“The new treatment isn’t covered by their insurance and it's ridiculously expensive,” she blurts the words out, sounding like they almost hurt coming out of her mouth. “I know you know that since you've already paid for two rounds, but they think he's going to need at least ten to really see results.”

Holy shit, ten?

That’s a whole lot of dollars, and I absolutely don’t have the money right now. My first contract with the Badgers isn’t up for renewal for another year, and while I landed a stellar deal forthe first contract of my career, I'd already blown through most of it covering my parents’ house, cars, utilities, medical bills, and Hadley’s tuition.

How the hell would I come up with enough to keep handling it all?

I don't let any of the stress show as I nod and smile at Hadley. “If that's what the doctor says he needs, then that's what he needs. Don't worry, I've got it covered.”

Hadley’s eyes water and she bites her lip like she’s trying to stop herself from crying.

“Hadley,” I say, trying to comfort her. “I promise it's okay. I've got some stashed away, I can handle it. Just tell the doctor to send the bills to my address. Will you do that for me please?”

The previous doctors knew the drill and just pushed the bills my way. But this new doctor had made the mistake of sending one to my parents’ house, and it had been a little bit of a shit show when mom opened it.

She wasn’t completely naïve—she knew how much experimental cancer treatments ran, especially without insurance—but she didn't realizehowexpensive they can get. It’d taken everything just to calm her down and assure her that this is why I’m a celebrity athlete, skating my way across the NHL limelight. Not only to repay them for the sacrifices they made when I was a kid so that I could have as much ice time as possible, but because I had it and I wanted to take care of them the same way they’d always taken care of me.

“I'll make sure of it,” Hadley says, sucking in a deep breath and not letting any tears fall.

“Thanks, kiddo,” I say, the nickname sticking despite her being a grown woman now. She'd always be my baby sister to me. “Tell Dad I said hi, okay? And that I'm really glad he's feeling well.”

“Will do,” she says. “Love you, see you at home.”

The screen goes black, and I pocket my phone, looking up to find Monroe focusing very intently on her phone. She definitely heard the entire conversation, which I knew and was fine with or I would’ve stepped out. I don’t make my situation public knowledge, but Monroe was friends with Hadley and was Reese’s and Pax’s best friend, so she'd likely known about it through the friend hotline already.

I hop up on the table, and she puts her phone away, eyeing my right shoulder.

“I saw the hit,” she says, her hands hovering above my shoulder. “You ready?”

I nod, and her hands test the muscle, her fingers working in powerful pulses and circles and flexes. I can only grit my teeth as she digs her fingers in, working out the tight knots that coiled up from the hit.

“Damn,” she says, digging into me a little deeper. “This muscle isangrywith you,” she says.

“Are you sure it's me?” I ask through gritted teeth. “I think it might be mad at you right now.”

She laughs, shaking her head and increasing her pressure. “Trust me, in about ninety seconds this muscle is going to love me.”

“Hard to believe when it's screaming like it is right now.” I struggle to get the words out it hurts so much.

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