Page 74 of Married As Puck
The silence stretches between us, heavy, suffocating. I hate seeing her like this. I hate that I put that look in her eyes.
“Hey,” I say softly, reaching out despite myself. My fingers brush hers, tentative, careful. “I’m still here. I’ll be fine.”
She glances back at me, and for a heartbeat it feels like the world tilts into something I don’t know how to name. Then she pulls her hand away again, standing straighter, putting that invisible wall back up.
“You better be,” she says, trying for stern but sounding more like a plea. “Because I don’t think I can handle another scare like this.”
Her words sink deep, and I don’t know what to say to them. So I just nod. “I’ll try not to give you one.”
She exhales, shakes her head, and sits in the chair by my bed. “I’m staying until they release you.”
She settles into the chair like she’s not moving anytime soon, arms crossed, eyes fixed on me. Part of me wants to let her stay—hell, part of me wants to reach out and just keep her close.But the other part? The one that’s still reeling from the doctor’s words, from Jack’s smirk burned into my head? That part just wants silence.
I drag a hand down my face and sigh. “Brie…”
She looks up instantly, so damn alert, like she’s waiting for me to say something important.
“I think you should go home.”
Her brows knit together. “What?”
“I need space,” I say flatly, forcing the words out before I choke on them. “I’m not… I don’t feel like talking to anyone right now. Not even you.”
Her lips part like I just slapped her. She doesn’t say anything at first, just studies me, searching my face for something—maybe for proof I don’t mean it. But I do. At least, I think I do.
“You can’t just shut me out like this,” she says quietly, her voice tight with hurt. “You don’t have to talk, Cam. I’ll just sit here. You don’t even have to look at me—”
“No,” I cut in, harsher than I mean to. I swallow hard, my chest heavy. “Please. Just… go. I need to be alone, okay?”
Her eyes glisten, but she bites down on whatever words she wants to throw back at me. Finally, she nods, stiff and jerky, and stands.
“Fine,” she says, her tone clipped. “I’ll go.”
I watch her grab her bag, her shoulders squared like she’s trying to hide the fact that she’s hurting. Every step she takes toward the door feels like a mistake I can’t undo, but I don’t stop her.
When the door shuts behind her, the silence rushes back in. I lean back against the pillow, staring at the ceiling, telling myself this is what I need.
So why the hell does it feel like I just pushed away the only person who actually cares if I wake up tomorrow?
27
“Hey! What are you doing here?” A sweaty Keith steps in front of me as I exit the locker room.
“What does it look like?” I ask, downing the bottle of water in my hand. Brie left it on the kitchen counter this morning with a note attached. It read,‘Stay Hydrated.’
We haven’t exactly been speaking to each other since I got discharged from the hospital. I’ve been doing a good job keeping to my room and licking my wounds, whilst heeding to the doctor’s instructions to get enough rest and stay away from the rink. He doesn’t understand, no one does.
One of the things that has kept me from letting my demons win has been the constant texts and calls from my other teammates. I really appreciate their support. The only person who didn’t reach out is Collins and I wonder why. Brie said he’s the one whotexted her, so he knew I was in the hospital. I’ll definitely give him a call after practice.
Keith wipes the sweat from his brows, an irritated expression still on his face. “Do you have a death wish?”
I maintain a blank expression. “What do you mean?”
“Don’t fucking piss me off with this act, Cameron. What are you doing here? It’s been barely twenty-four hours since you got discharged and––”
“And there’s less time left before the big game.” I interject.
He shakes his head. “Is that what you’re worried about? Ever heard the saying that health is wealth? You won’t be able to make it to that big game if you are not fully recovered and even if you do, you’ll be absolutely useless out there.”
