Page 57 of Once Upon A Player
The determination in his voice catches me. Everything about Lucas is action. When he decides to do something, he doesn’t bugger around and procrastinate like me.
Idowant that name change to be legal, so why am I waiting?
“Thank you.” I hope I don’t look as adoring as I feel, because that would be too mortifying. “I’m going to sort that out as my number one priority.”
His eyes smolder. I didn’t know such a thing was even possible, and shivers race along my spine. “Do you want to know what’s my number one priority right now, Violet?”
I have a good idea, but I want him to say it. “Surprise me.”
He brushes his lips across my cheek and teases my earlobe. It’s crazily arousing, and I sigh and tilt my head to give him better access. His voice is husky and full of promise as he answers, “You.”
Chapter Eighteen
Lucas
“I’m doing a press conference this morning to announce the deal,” Bec says on Tuesday morning. All the paperwork’s signed for the transfer, so it’s one hundred percent going ahead. I can’t wait to tell Violet. She can fly out with me when I go next month.
“Sounds good.” It’ll be great not to have to keep that under wraps anymore. We discuss details, and then her voice turns sober.
“Toby’s mum called earlier. Poor little lad’s back in hospital. Any chance you could visit him sometime this week?”
I come crashing back to Earth and rake my fingers through my hair. A familiar knot of dread grips my chest. “Yeah. I’ll go this morning if that’s okay with them.”
“Press conference,” Bec reminds me, but fuck that. If I don’t go today and something happens… no. Not thinking about it.
“This morning,” I tell her.
We make the arrangements, and when we end the call, I grip the back of the sofa and bow my head. I love meeting the kids through the Rainbow Star Foundation, but at the same time, it rips me up inside to see them suffer.
Get it together, Carter. This isn’t about you.
I force the image of my mum lying lifeless on that hospital bed to the back of my mind, along with the accompanying nausea. I suck in a jagged breath that burns my lungs. It doesn’t matter how many times I do it, my gut still recoils at the thought of walking in those buildings. Toby’s hospital isn’t far from here, but first I need to make a detour.
I get a taxi to the hospital after my lightning visit to Bec, where I picked up a stack of stuff for Toby. It’s a good job it’s cloudy today, so I can go in disguise. With a scarf hiding the lower part of my face and wearing a hoodie to cover my hair, I hope I’m as unrecognizable to everyone else as I am to the taxi driver. It’s okay when the foundation is doing some kind of publicity, when we want the press there for exposure, but for private visits, it’d be a nightmare.
The antiseptic hits me as soon as I walk in the door. I know most of it’s in my head, but it doesn’t make the smell go away. I breathe through it, forcing down the panic that stirs like a serpent low in my gut.
One step at a time.
I know my way to the ward, and Toby’s mum meets me outside the door. I take off the scarf and hoodie and dredge up my game face.
“Lucas, thankssomuch for coming. It means the world to Toby.” She gives me a tired smile and squeezes my hand.
“Hey, that’s okay. How is he?” I know it’s a fucking stupid question, but it’s like a dance of words, saying one thing while meaning so much more.
“He picked up an infection, but it’s hit him hard.” She gives a ragged sigh. “He’s still in remission.”
Relief floods through me. I know an infection is dangerous for him, but at least the cancer hasn’t come back, a worry that has been eating me ever since speaking to Bec.
We go in, and Toby’s sitting up in bed, tubes feeding into his little body. His face lights up when he sees me.
“Hey, Toby. How’s my main man?” We do a complicated high five that he taught Jax and me on his birthday the other week, and I sit on the edge of his bed. Within a couple of minutes a few other kids inch closer, and Toby’s mum brings over some chairs for them.
I’m glad I grabbed a heap of stuff from Bec’s. I swear that woman’s psychic. A few weeks ago, she ordered loads of swag from my new team, not that she told me until yesterday, when she suggested we do giveaways through my fan club. But right now, I’m giving away signed caps, backpacks, and soft toys of their mascot. The kids love it, especially when I tell them it’s a big secret and they’re the first ones who know I’m transferring to Madrid from United.
It’s over an hour later when I leave, and I only just remember to pull on the hoodie. I suck in great lungfuls of air and check my phone.
I switched it off while I was inside, and the messages have gone mad. I’ll take a guess and say the news has hit the airwaves.
