Page 69 of The Wingman

“Sorry about that.”

He laughs. “When they release you, why don’t you come home with us? Marion will nurse you back to health in no time, and you’ll be back on the ice before you know it.”

I try to swallow the lump in my throat but can’t get it down. “What if I’m not?”

Arthur frowns as Kane pulls a chair up for his mother to sit. “What are you talking about?”

I turn from him. “Doc says I’ll likely be out for the rest of the season. Maybe forever…who knows.”

“Shit,” Kane says under his breath.

Yeah, shit…

“I know hockey means everything to you, Rider,” Marion says. “But your health is much more important to all of us.”

“What?” I ask, and turn to her, but when I do, the room spins.

“Easy, bro,” Kane says.

I pinch the bridge of my nose. “Marion?”

“Yes,” she says quietly.

“What if…what if I never play again?”

“Then you find something else to do,” she says, like it’s an easy solution. “No matter what, we’ll be here to support you in whatever you decide.”

“Yeah?” I ask, my hands as shaky as my body as I rake my fingers through my hair.

“Of course we will,” Jaclyn says as she comes rushing in, Lucy behind her. I stare at my two younger sisters and take in Jaclyn’s snarl. “If you didn’t have a concussion, I’d smack you,” she says. She’s the one who’s always understood that I never truly felt like I was family.

“Why are you always hitting me?” I grouch.

“Because I’m your younger sister, and you’re my big stupid older brother. No matter what, family supports each other, and yes, Rider, you are family. When are you going to finally start believing that?”

“Hear how she talks to me,” I say to Marion who is laughing softly, but my heart is racing with the things I feel for this family. My family.

“Hey Lucy,” I say as she bends to give me a hug. She rubs her big tummy as she stands back up. “How are you feeling?”

“Better than you.” I laugh at that. “Now you need to rest because this little one wants her uncle healthy and happy when she’s born.”

Uncle.

“You guys really don’t care if I can never play again?” Honestly, how the fuck did I get so lucky?

“Oh, my God, I am going to smack you,” Jaclyn says and it brings a big smile to my face.

“Me too,” Lindsay says quietly and I look at her. Jesus, if looks could kill, I’d be six feet under. What did I ever do to her?

Kane sits on the edge of my bed. “Dude, you’re family. No matter what.”

“We love you for you, you big dummy,” Jaclyn says with an exaggerated eye roll.

I take in all eyes staring at me, and tears prick my eyes. “I couldn’t have asked for a better family,” I say my heart aching, for the people I have here, and for the girl I’ve lost. Marion was wrong when she said hockey was everything to me. It might have been, but as I take in all the concerned faces, I realize there is more to life than the game. More to me than my skills.

“We should let you rest,” Kane says, and everyone nods in agreement.

I get a dozen kisses from the girls and everyone files out, everyone except Lindsay, who is staring at me, her arms folded, anger in her eyes.

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