Page 75 of Everything In Between
“You know, I remember the very first time Hayes had an injury on the field,” she says. Her voice is level, calm, as if her son isn’t in there having medical tests run on him. Turning to her husband, she asks. “Do you remember?”
He nods and leans against the wall. “How could I forget? He was a freshman in high school, starting out on junior varsity.”
I turn to her in anticipation. “Yeah? How did you cope?”
She chuckles, her eyes glazing over as she recalls the memory. “He was so excited to be playing, and in his very first game, he got tackled right to the ground and ended up spraining his ankle so bad he had to sit out half the season.”
I already know this event probably shaped who Hayes would become as a player for the rest of his career. “What did he do?”
“Oh, he was so upset those first few days,” she says, nodding to herself. “But then after that, he seemed to look at things differently. He still attended every game, even on those crutches, and he watched, and he paid attention. When he finally got back into the game himself, he had a broader understanding of what was expected of him in that role.”
“Wow.”
A fond expression appears on her face as she remembers her son at that age. “That’s Hayes. His whole life, he’s always been one to look at the glass half full whenever he can, rather than letting circumstances get him down.”
“Do you think he’s upset about this?” I ask.
“Undoubtedly. But he’ll find that silver lining. And I’m sure it will have a lot to do with you being by his side.” She leans toward me and nudges my shoulder with her own. “I’m so glad you’ve found each other. He’s been alone for far too long.”
I give her a sad smile. “I don’t think he’s been alone at all. I don’t know how he could be with parents like you and Andy. You’ve raised an amazing man,” I tell her, my voice soft. I peer up at his father to see him watching me with glassy eyes. “It’s been a privilege to know him.”
Merilee gives me a warm smile. “He has said the exact same thing about you, dear.”
I can’t get over how much they love him.
How much I’ve grown to love him.
The fluttering in my belly and soul-crushing affection I feel whenever I’m with him only confirms the feelings. I am completely in love with Hayes. Watching him drop to the field and not pop right back up has activated a whole new kind of fear inside of me—the fear of being unable to experience this life without him. Being robbed of sharing the highs, and the lows, and everything in between withhim. Somehow, this man has finagled his way into the deepest recesses of my heart and set up camp there, with no hope of ever leaving.
Not that I want him to leave. Ever since Hayes has come into my life, I’ve known nothing but happiness and contentment. I can’t picture a version of my life he’s not a part of.
Time ceases to exist for a while as I’m lost in my hopeless thoughts of infatuation over him, but finally, I hear that lowvoice that knows the exact tune of my heart and soul call my name.
“Jersey.” As soon as I hear his voice, I straighten my neck, catching sight of Hayes on the stretcher as they wheel him out of the diagnostic room. He stops the EMTs right before they adjust the stretcher to load him into the emergency rig.
In a few long strides, I’m next to him, taking his hand and squeezing it tight. “Hey there, handsome.” I curse when one traitorous tear sneaks out of the corner of my right eye and falls down my cheek.
Hayes’s amber eyes track the movement, and he squeezes my hand. He plasters on a tight smile and, in a shaky voice, says, “I’ll be okay. It’s just a scratch.”
I laugh through the emotion that’s threatening to explode out of me and shake my head. He and I both know this isn’tjust a scratch.
“They’re sending me to the hospital for an MRI.” His face is pale, missing that usual luster it usually has. I can only imagine that his thoughts are running a mile a minute, thinking about what this injury could mean for the rest of his season. “Will you guys meet me there?”
“Of course we will, sweetheart,” his mother answers, stepping up behind me and placing her hand on my shoulder.
Hayes meets my eyes again and I notice his typical glint is gone, replaced by a deep-seated worry. “Jersey, will you take my car? It’s still in team parking from yesterday before we were bused to the hotel. The keys are in my bag. That way, we can go straight home whenever they release me.”
“Of course.”
Hayes nods and then drags my hand closer so he can kiss the back of it before letting me go.
His trainers and the EMTs get him settled in the ambulance and close the doors behind him. His parents wait with me whilehis trainers collect his bag and personal items from the locker room before handing them to me.
We do a lot more waiting at the hospital in a private waiting area while Hayes is with his doctors. The entire time I seem to hold my breath, my chest aching with the pressure of the unknown. Eventually, a nurse comes out to tell us Hayes has finished all the necessary testing and is ready to go home.
Hayes looks weathered as they wheel him out in a wheelchair, and I can tell he doesn’t want to be here right now dealing with this—he wants to be with his team.
I stand up and hurry over to him, wrapping my arms around his neck and kissing the side of his cheek. “Are you okay?” I ask, stepping back and giving his mom the chance to hug him too. His father claps him on the shoulder.
