Page 37 of Power Move
Only twelve days, and six games, remain in the regular season. With so many injuries already, I don’t know how well we’ll do, now and in the playoffs. All teams are dealing with injuries. But none of that matters right now, only caring for my friend.
One of the trainers offered to drive him home, so we walk with him to the parking lot. It takes two of us to help him into the SUV.
Images of Jonas trying and failing to manage on his own bombard me as we board the bus that will take the team to the airport. I sink into the seat Sage saved for me, lean my head against the headrest, and lace my fingers through his.
Sage squeezes my hand. “Are you okay?”
“Jonas took care of me for months, letting me live with him. If we didn’t have this road trip, he could stay with me and I could help take care of him. Instead, he’ll be on his own for days.” Dull pain pounds in my temples. “He’s not comfortable having people he doesn’t know in his place, so I don’t think he’ll let me hire a nurse. I need to figure something out.”
Maxim, seated behind us next to Quinn, touches my shoulder. “We will.”
“My housemates have home games this week, so they’ll be around. And Jonas knows them. I’m sure they would stop by and check on him. I’ll ask.” Sage opens the messaging app on his phone.
Seated in front of us, both Remy and Morgan turn around. Remy says, “They’re great at caretaking. Very much a good cop, bad cop routine when needed. Soren’s been experiencing that firsthand with his hamstring injury. His texts about them are hysterical.”
Chat bubbles appear on the screen. Sage’s thumbs fly over the keyboard. New messages appear. “Phil and Gio responded. They’ll help however needed.”
The weight eases off my chest and shoulders. “That’s awesome. Tell them thank you.”
Quinn taps the top of my head. “I’m glad that’s worked out. Jonas isn’t the best at asking for help.”
More texts appear.
Sage’s smile fades into a frown. “Phil just reminded me, they have a road trip next weekend, from the twelfth through the fifteenth.”
The last game in our road trip is in LA on the fifteenth. We won’t get home until around three AM on the sixteenth. I twist in my seat to look at Quinn and Maxim. “Maybe we?—”
“Hold that thought.” Sage taps my arm. “Soren’s commenting. He thinks Jonas should just stay at our house theentire time, so he has someone available twenty-four seven. He also said he’s able to move around the house pretty well now, so he can look after Jonas while Phil and Gio are away. I’m adding Jonas and you three to the chat now.”
Hoping Jonas will be on board, I alternate between looking at the messages popping up on Sage’s phone and gazing out the window at the city rolling by to the soundtrack of notification buzzes and pings going off every few seconds.
Sage taps me again, then holds up his phone. “Jonas agreed. Phil and Gio will go and get him and his stuff now. He’ll stay in their apartment so he doesn’t have to deal with stairs, and they’ll take mine.”
“Or mine.” Remy rips open a protein bar. “I told them to Goldilocks their way through the second and third floor.”
Morgan’s head pops up over the seats. “Jonas and Soren will be good company for each other. They can commiserate about injuries ending their seasons early.”
“I asked the guys to bring Benny to visit him,” Remy adds. “They can watch movies. Benny’s a great mood lifter, and a good listener.”
I smile at the thought of Jonas making friends with the reptile. The way everything came together, orchestrated by Sage, I’m blanketed with relief and gratitude. “Thank you. This means a lot to me.”
“We’ve got your back.” Sage rubs his palm up and down my thigh. “And his.”
My phone vibrates with a text from Jonas to Maxim, Quinn, and me:Thanks for looking out for me.
I reply with a thumbs up emoji, then clapping hands. Emojis are easier than words sometimes.
So are actions. I cover Sage’s hand with mine and lace our fingers together. He leans in and pops a discrete kiss to my shoulder. He’s such a good guy. His support this afternoon iseverything. Having him in my life, knowing I can count on him, there’s an ease and relief, a comfort.
We get on the plane, and I have a message from Jonas that Phil and Gio have arrived and are helping him pack.
The flight to Chicago is only an hour and a half. Pierre tries teaching us a card game and I don’t get the hang of it until we’re about to land. Quinn and Morgan are really good though, and Pierre is happy he’s found new card players to replace Evgeny.
Once we’re on the bus to the team hotel, I check my phone and find another update from Jonas telling me he’s settled in at the Slash house, and two from my parents asking about plans for dinner.
Crap. I rub my hand over my face. With everything going on with Jonas, I forgot to text them.
Beside me, Sage gathers his things. I wonder if he’d want to meet them. Is it too soon, as well as too short notice? We haven’t had the conversation about what we are. But we have made plans for the summer, so maybe it isn’t.
