Page 132 of What Are the Chances
Hearing the wordsepsissent a surge of worry coursing through me. I hadn’t even thought about that until now.
Finally kicking into gear, Will stepped closer and closed his large hand over mine. Both Tanner and dad’s gazes dropped to our interlocked fingers. I didn’t care. Not one bit. If this room wasn’t as hostile as a jail cell, I would’ve made Will get into the bed with me.
“A possible infection, but not a common one,” the doctor explained. “But of course we’ll remain vigilant and test for that too.” The doctor looked between the three men. “Whoever is taking Riley home, I’ll supply you with a checklist of symptoms to look out for over the next seventy-two hours.”
I didn’t need the list. I knew the signs well. I’d looked them up after mum was diagnosed, wondering whether I’d missed any of the cues.
When the doctor left I had the urge to follow her. The tension in this room was one for the record books.
Tanner gently sat at the foot of the bed. “What happened, Ri?”
I recounted the same story I’d been forced to tell the paramedics, then the nurses, and then the doctor. “I was running past the dog park and saw two dogs fighting. The owners were struggling to separate them, so I went over to help. One nipped me by accident.”
“Accident my ass,” dad seethed. “I’ll be calling the pound to have the dog put down.”
“No way!” I gasped, bolting upright. “For all we know that dog was innocent and only defending itself.”
This whole ordeal had been blown out of proportion. There’s no way I was being responsible for a dog being putdown as a result. If the owner hadn’t called an ambulance, nobody would be none the wiser. But she’d taken one look at the blood pouring down my forearm and dialled 911 before I could stop her.
“Why were you out running?” Tanner asked. “You told me you were heading to lunch with Caufield when we spoke on the phone.”
“Oh, um, my plans changed last minute so I went for a run to pass the time before tonight’s game.” I looked up at Will. “Speaking of which, you should be there. Not here.”
Dad glared at Will. “Yes. You should be.”
Will met my father’s gaze. “So should you, Coach.”
“Riley’s my daughter.”
“And she’s my girlfriend.”
Tanner’s eyes widened. He subtly glanced at me as if to saywhat the fuck are you going to do?In which case my answer wasI have no freaking clue.
“I’ve got it from here,” dad said. “If you head back now, you’ll be able to make the second period.”
Will’s hand tightened over mine. “With all due respect Coach, I don’t give a fuck about hockey right now.”
The doctor needed to come back and do some more tests, because my heart was now erratically beating in my chest. If Tanner and dad weren’t in the room, I’d literally have Will naked beneath me on the bed.
Hearing that was like velvet in my veins. He’d come through. When I needed him, he was here. I shouldn’t have ever doubted him.
Dad jutted his chin at Will. “So Riley is the girl you’ve been turning down extra ice time for?”
Tanner groaned. “Give it a rest, dad. Not everyone lives and breathes hockey.”
“Apparently not.” Dad’s narrowed eyes moved between Will and me. “How long has this been going on for? Since Riley started working with the hockey team?”
“Can we not do this right now?” I exasperatedly groaned.
Time and place, dad.
Standing, Tanner yanked on dad’s arm. “Come on, old man. Let’s direct that charming personality towards the nursing staff so we can speed up the last bloods and get Riley out of here.”
Somehow the mood only became more sombre once they left. Now dad and my brother weren’t here to distract me, I could finally gauge Will’s mood. And he was pissed off. Heat radiated off him and the hand that wasn’t holding mine was balled into a fist.
“Did you–” I cleared my throat. “If you want to get back to the game, Tanner can take me home.”
Anguish crossed Will’s face. “Not a chance.”
