Chapter Twenty
Dev
I folded my arms and glared at my mother. “That was rude and uncalled for.”
Unperturbed, she pulled out her phone. “What was?”
“The way you spoke to Brody.” When she continued to study her phone and not answer, I snapped. “Mother. Put the damn phone down and listen to me.”
She managed to drag her attention away from the screen. “Yes, Devlin. What is it?”
“I said you acted rude toward Brody for no reason.”
“He’s a stranger.”
Astonished at her utter lack of capacity to understand, I managed to keep my anger under control. “Did you hear what I said? Brody is my husband. We’ve been together since college. We’re married.”
“Married?” Her gaze met mine. “How did two men so in the public eye manage to keep that a secret?”
“That’s not your concern.” No way in hell would I tell my mother any of the details. “The fact remains that Brody is the most important person in my life. And you will not shut him out. Is that understood?”
“I’m certainly not going to have such a personal discussion about a family issue here.” With disdain, she surveyed my room. “Now Hugo has packed up your things and will meet us at the airport. I’m going to get someone to help you dress and have you discharged so we can leave.”
With that pronouncement, she left, and I closed my eyes. How had this become my life? One minute on the road to glory, and the next stuck lying here, dependent on someone else to help me. I rolled my shoulders to get the creaks and aches out, then decided to attempt to sit up again. With that major feat accomplished, I lowered the bed rail and swung my legs over the side. I slowly levered upward and released a sigh of relief that the nausea and pain hadn’t returned. The door opened, and a nurse entered.
“Mr. Summers, you shouldn’t be getting out of bed by yourself. You need to call us to help you.”
I hung my head. “I’m so sorry. I needed to use the bathroom and didn’t want to bother you. Could you help me?” I flashed her a smile.
She blushed. “Of course.” She slid an arm around my waist, and breathing deeply, I waited a moment before taking a step and was relieved that I felt steady on my feet. The nurse walked me to the bathroom, and she was waiting for me when I came out.
“Thank you. I feel so silly asking someone to come with me.”
“You had a head injury, so you have to be careful. Make sure you always have someone there with you.”
“He will.” My mother reappeared. “I’ve signed all the necessary papers. As soon as Hugo arrives with your clothes, we can leave.”
Ignoring her, I addressed the nurse. “Thank you for your help. I really appreciate everything you and the staff did while I was here.”
“It’s our job, Mr. Summers. And we’re so sorry about what happened. We all hope you recover real quick.” She assisted me to the chair by my bedside, and I sank into it. Amazing how I could be on the field playing one of the roughest sports out there, but today I was tired from walking across the room.
“Thank you.” After she left, I pointed at my mother. “I need to make sure Hugo has my phone. There are people I have to contact.”
“The doctor said you have to rest.”
Her audacity was breathtaking. “Listen, Mother. It’s nice that you popped up and remembered I existed. I put you down mainly as a joke to myself, figuring if anything ever did happen to me, you’d remember you had a son. I should’ve changed that emergency contact years ago. The one thing you won’t do is keep me from the people in my life who mean something to me. First thing is, I’m not coming to stay at the house with you.”
Her jaw set tight. “You’re being foolish. The doctor said—”
“Screw the doctors. I’m going home to rest there. In case you don’t realize it, I’ve been on my own since I left for college, and you basically ignored my existence unless it was to trot me out at an event or two. That means I made my own life.”
“And that life includes sleeping with a man who barely speaks proper English,” she sneered.
I wished I were shocked by her ugly prejudice, but I wasn’t. “If you’re talking about Brody, he’s the best man I’ve ever met, with the biggest, kindest heart.”
“That’s sweet. But it doesn’t mean anything to me.”
My patience, always thin when it came to my parents, had reached the breaking point. “But it does to me. He is the man I love and whom I’m going to be with. Whether or not you approve or care doesn’t matter to me. I’m just telling you how it is and how it’s going to be.”
“Maybe.”
“Maybe? What the hell does that mean?” My head started to pound.
“I’ve had you scheduled for a psychiatric exam. You had a severe knock to your head, and I’m not sure you’re in the best state of mind to make the right decisions.”
“You have got to be fucking kidding me.” I’d always tried to hold my tongue around my parents, but this was beyond the pale. “You think I’m incapable now? This is outrageous. I need my phone right now.”
She glanced at her watch. “I was told you might experience sudden outbursts of rage.”
No way in hell I would fall into her trap. I steadied my breathing and clasped my hands in my lap. “I’m not raging. I’m annoyed. I do see a therapist.” At her startled expression, I smiled. “It must’ve been the loving childhood I had. But I insist on being able to call my assistant and agent. This is my business, Mother. I have people who work for me and contracts I need to honor.”
She eyed me with suspicion, but I remained calm. “Very well,” she replied, and inside I cheered. “When we get home. But you’re keeping the appointments I made with the psychiatrist and the neurologist.”
I’d already won. “Fine with me.” All I needed was to get to New York. I already had a plan in mind.
**
Hugo settled me into the bed. “I have some water here and the medicine your doctor prescribed for pain. Plus your phone and the charger.”
I had nothing against poor Hugo. He was only following orders. “Thank you, Hugo. I appreciate it.” I pretended to yawn. “I think I’ll take a nap. I’m tired.”
“Very well. If you need anything, just let me know.” He paused. “Your parents had a dinner engagement this evening. They’ll be home later.”
Of course. Far be it for them to change their plans and stay with me. “No worries. I’m sure I’ll go to bed early as it is. Thanks.”
He withdrew, and I plugged in my phone. While my head still hurt and I had several bouts of dizziness, I refused to sit still. “Ezra?”
“Jesus, Dev, I’ve been going wild with worry. How are you? Where the hell are you? I haven’t been able to find out a damn thing, and Brody’s traveling—”
Simply hearing Ezra’s voice made me happy, and I laughed. “I’m here. In New York.”
“Oh, thank God. Dammit, Dev, I’m so sorry about what happened. That was a cheap shot by those bastards.”
My smile was grim. “Yeah, well, their season has ended, so let them spend the whole off-season thinking about it.”
“How’re you feeling? I only got a quick text from Brody before the team left, saying you had a bad concussion but thank God no broken bones or muscle damage.”
“Yeah. Only damage is to my ego. Dammit, Ezra, I can’t believe I’m not gonna be there on the field.”
“They’re playing for you. They know you’re still their leader. Your main objective now is to get strong and healthy again. And you’re at your parents’?” The curiosity in his voice couldn’t be disguised.
I laughed. “Yeah, I couldn’t believe my mother came to see me either. I don’t get it.”
“Maybe she feels remorse?”
I snorted. “Yeah, sure. That’s why my parents left me to go out to a function tonight. She came because I had her down as my emergency contact on my forms and they called her. And how could she say no without looking like the cold, uncaring bitch she is? First thing tomorrow, Ezra, please contact the Kings and make sure I get those forms changed. I want your name as my emergency contact.”
“Not a problem. Consider it done.”
“Thanks. I appreciate it. I’m gonna call Fallon now. Talk to you tomorrow.” I ended the call and hit Fallon’s number.
“Oh, jeez, Dev. Thank God. You’re okay? I tried calling, but no one answered, and I was going crazy here. You’re sure you’re all right?”
I waited for him to stop and catch his breath.
“I’ll be okay. Sucks that I can’t play, but better safe than sorry.”
“Of course, of course. You can’t take a chance. I don’t know what I’d do if you were hurt. I’ll make sure you have everything you need once you’re home. When will that be? I have to make all the arrangements.”
I bit back a smile. Fallon had always been intense, but it made him great at his job. Next to Brody, I trusted him with everything I held close. I’d offered him the position of working for me as my PA, never imagining how much I would come to lean on him. He, on the other hand, kept himself a closed book.
“Tomorrow morning around ten, after my parents leave, I need someone to come here and take me home. Can you arrange for a car to get me?”
“You’re home? Thank God. You think I’m just gonna send you a car? Fuck that. I’ll do it myself. But Dev, I think you need a nurse as well. Or some kind of home health care to make sure you’re okay and not overdoing it.”
“Yeah? I guess…all right. Can you arrange that for me?”
“Consider it done. Anything you need.”
“What I need is to get out of here. I’m already feeling smothered.” I raked my hand through my hair. Sweat beaded on my forehead.
“Try and rest. A head injury is nothing to joke about. I’ll get you all sorted out, and you’ll be in your own bed by tomorrow night.”
Tears poured down my face. “Thanks,” I whispered, furious with myself for losing control. “I’ve felt so cut off and alone.” I huffed out a laugh. “I can’t believe I’m acting like a baby.”
Fallon made a sound of disagreement. “Don’t you worry. I’ve got you. You know that.”
“I do. And I appreciate it.” I wiped my face. Now that I was on familiar ground and in touch with people I trusted, that unbalanced feeling would correct itself. “More than you can possibly know.”
“Go to sleep, and I’ll get everything ready for you at home. See you tomorrow.”
I ended the call and sent a text to Brody, letting him know what happened, where I was tonight, and where I’d be going tomorrow. A minute after I sent it, he responded.
Take care of yourself. That’s all I care about. Rest and heal. Then a heart emoji.
I took my pain meds and closed my eyes. The last thing I recalled was Brody telling me he loved me.
**
My parents came to see me at eight the following morning before they left for classes. My mother stood at the door to my room, as if afraid of catching something if she entered. My father stood by my bedside and examined my medicine bottles. “I hope you aren’t becoming addicted to these. There’s an epidemic of people dependent on them because of injuries. It’s a quick slide for you athletes, I’ve heard.”
King of the warm and fuzzies—that was my father. “Don’t worry. I feel better this morning, and I don’t need them.” It wasn’t a lie. I’d had a decent night’s sleep, and it had made me feel almost whole. All the aches and pains from playing the game, along with the brutal sack, felt manageable. The occasional blurry vision and constant pounding headache had all but vanished, but a dull ache remained, though I still had no memory of what happened on the field leading up to my injury. I knew I’d need to go to the doctor here and get checked out, but it all seemed overwhelming, like a mountain I hadn’t prepared to climb.
“Your mother told me about your…relationship.”
I crossed my arms, and I could see him checking out my tattoos. “Nice, aren’t they?”
He grimaced. “I’ve never understood the need to desecrate your body like that.”
“Then it’s a good thing you’ve never gotten any. I love them, and it’s my body. Anyway, about my relationship, you can say the word, you know. Husband. Brody’s my husband. We’re married. In love. Have been for years.” I made a rolling motion with my hand. “I’m gay. I’ve known it since I was twelve years old.” With each word, he recoiled farther, until he’d joined my mother by the door.
“I have to leave. The car is waiting downstairs.”
Frankly, I was surprised he’d come to see me at all, considering I barely remembered his presence during my childhood. My mother, working toward her tenure at Columbia, hadn’t been home much either. Both my parents were raised by full-time nannies, so it was all they knew.
“Good-bye,” I replied. I figured after I left today, I probably wouldn’t be seeing them again. I could hardly imagine them sitting at the kitchen table with Brody and his mother.
I waited for the front door to slam, then called Fallon. His mouth was running before I had a chance to say hello.
“How was your night? I’ve canceled all your appearances for the week, but we can put out a statement later for the press so they stop hounding you. Plus, I’ve got your masseur coming later this afternoon, and I have an appointment set up with a neurologist tomorrow. A nurse is waiting at your place.” His warm, reassuring voice was so good to hear, it made me emotional all over again, and I pinched my eyes shut.
“Thanks, Fallon. You’re the best.”
“Just get yourself home and let us take care of you. Ezra was already here this morning. I’m coming with the car and driver. We’ll be there at ten.”
“I’ll be waiting. Thanks.”
I moved slowly, but had no problem walking on my own. I opened my suitcase and tossed in the few items I’d taken out—phone cord and headphones, and made sure to take my meds with me as well. I showered and dressed, then made my way downstairs. Hugo was nowhere to be found, which I preferred. He didn’t deserve to be put in the middle. Outside, I set my bag on the top step and sat waiting. I couldn’t wait to get home, but the truth was, until Brody came back, it wasn’t a home to me.