Page 74 of The Love Comeback
Panic threatens my vision, blurring it with tears. I feel like I could throw up, my hands shaking as the stretcher is brought out. “We need to get down there right now.” My voice soundsforeign to my ears, and all I can think about is Kade’s massive, limp body being loaded up.
“We’ll meet them at the team exit.” Nate grabs my arms and basically drags me, my feet feeling frozen to the floor. He leads the way to the door blocked by security, but they let him through, obviously recognizing him as Kade’s family. As soon as we slip through, I’m met with the sight of the medics and a stretcher.
“Kade!” I break free of Nate’s grasp, rushing to the side of it as the paramedics continue to roll him out. My gaze floods over his features, the light bruising on his temple and his dark brows lax because of his unconsciousness. “Kade, please wake up,” I catch myself crying as the words slip from my lips. I can’t believe this is happening. Fear thrums through my veins as I grab his hand, squeezing it.
“Ma’am, you’re going to have to meet us there if you’re not immediate family,” one of the medics says as we reach the exit, where the ambulance waits on the other side of the glass.
I nod, but I don’t want to let go. “I love you,” I whisper, leaning over him.
“Ma’am, unless you’re family, you gotta go.” The medic’s voice grows stern.
I bat away the tears and wrap my arms around myself, forcing myself to step away. I squeeze myself tightly as I watch Nate slip into the ambulance, and I’m left alone in the dimly lit hallway.
Please be okay, Kade. Please.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Kade
I love you.
All I hear is Ella’s voice on repeat in my mind. My head throbs like a sledgehammer taking blows to my temple. A groan escapes my lips, and as my eyes flutter open…
Everything is too freaking bright.
“Easy.” I hear Nate’s voice, though I don’t immediately pick him out in my spotty, strained vision. “You gotta stay still, Kade. You took a massive hit to the head.”
“Am I gonna die?” I chuckle, but abruptly end it with a groan as pain sears through the side of my brain. This isnotwhat I had plannedfor the game.
I love you.
I hear Ella’s voice in my head again. It’s jarring, knocking the breath right out of my lungs. And as my eyes finally focus, I see my brother sitting right beside the hospital bed.
I open my mouth, unable to stop thinking about her. “Was Ella here?”
“What?” Nate makes a face.
“Was Ella here?” I repeat myself, unsure of how to further clarify it through the haze in my mind. “Did she come to see me?”
Something flickers across Nate’s face. “She wanted to. She tried to go with you in the ambulance.”
“But?” I can hear the unspoken qualifier in his voice.
“Hospital policy. Family only in the trauma unit.” He sighs. “She was pretty upset when they wouldn’t let her come.”
The three words swirl around in my head for a few moments, leaving me to process justhowhard I must’ve crashed. I mean, that’s what happened, right?
“You were blocking, and Lopez took you out,” Nate clarifies. My confusion must be clearly written all over my furrowed brow. “Ella was there when you were loaded onto the ambulance.”
“Oh,” I say, hearing her words once more in my head. Did she really say them? Or is it all just wishful thinking? I mean, Ididtake a good hit to the head.
“Mom and Dad are still trying to figure out how to get off the cruise ship. Apparently, the cruise line doesn’t consider your situation an emergency.”
“Good to know,” I mutter, trying to say it with humor, but failing. I shut my eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath as the heart rate monitor beeps steadily, filling the silence that settles between my brother and me. “How long have I been out?”
“In and out for about three hours now. This is the most coherent you’ve been.” He checks his watch. “It’s just after midnight.”
Three hours. The game feels like it happened both yesterday and ten minutes ago. Time isn’t making sense yet.
