44. Noah
CHAPTER 44
NOAH
My swollen, elevated ankle is wrapped and impossible to actually look at right now, yet it mocks me.
I made it to the fucking Olympics and I’m out just like that. All because I landed wrong and rolled my ankle. I was tempted to push through, but I knew in my gut that if I did, I’d only worsen the injury, and I’d all but lost out on my chance at a medal already, so why risk it?
Fisher removes the icepack and observes my wrapped ankle. “The swelling is going down.”
“Only because you’re acting like an overprotective mother hen.”
Chuckling, he saunters over to the freezer, ice pack in hand. “Can’t I worry about my best friend?”
Eyes closed, I pinch the bridge of my nose, cursing the thoughts warring in my head. Chances are the next Olympics will be my last opportunity to earn a medal. I don’t see myself competing for another eight years, but I’ll work my ass off for the next four in preparation.
It’s sobering, knowing that what Fisher went through was even worse. While I know I’ll recover, his injury meant the end of his career. Suddenly, I feel like a pathetic asshole for sulking.
“How did you deal with it?” I ask. “When you knew it was over?”
Sighing heavily, he sits beside me on the bed and picks up the remote.
“Let’s see.” He flicks from channel to channel quickly. “I got angry, then I got sad, followed by angry again. I got drunk a lot. I thought my life was over. Then, when I thought I couldn’t sink any lower, my best friend asked if I’d be interested in coaching him. From there, things started to make sense again.”
“You were a great player, man. I hope you know that.”
“Better than you?” he jokes.
“Better than me and Elias combined.”
I’m not joking.
If Fisher hadn’t gotten hurt, he would’ve dominated all of us.
He clears his throat and shifts, like the conversation is making him uncomfortable. “Life had other plans for me. You learn to roll with the punches.”
“Still, I’m sorry it happened.”
He shrugs. “I’ve moved on. And this? I know it sucks right now, dude, but it’s not the end.”
“I know, but can I have at least a few days to mourn? I don’t even have my girl here to help me feel better.”
With a laugh, he drops the remote again. “I guess the least I can do is give you a few days to mope.”
“Dad?” Maddie pokes her head through the doorway, iPad clutched to her chest.
“Yeah?” I ask, adjusting the pillow behind my head. I’ll get up and walk around a little in a few minutes to ensure my ankle doesn’t get stiff. I just can’t put my full weight on it.
“Someone is knocking on the door.”
I peer over at Fisher. “Did you order room service?”
With a shake of his head, he stands. “I’ll see what it is.”
“Maybe it’s Sabrina,” Maddie says, her face lighting up with hope.
“Mads, I’ve told you, Sabrina is in Texas. She’s got a job there now, and she’s set to start soon.”
At least, I think so. Every time we’ve talked over the last week, she’s been cagey. I can’t help but worry that she’s already decided this long-distance thing is too hard and is trying to figure out how to let me down gently. If that’s the case, I don’t know how I’ll move on from here. I can’t handle losing my girl and the Olympics all at once.
Fisher strides out the door, and my little girl scurries after him. It’s probably just Elias, come to annoy me to no end, especially now that we’re both injured. If I’m not careful, he’ll move his shit in so we can recover together.
Fuck. That’s my living nightmare.
With a groan, I sit and swing my legs over the side of the bed. As I’m flexing my ankle in front of me, Maddie shrieks, and I nearly jump out of my skin.
“Sabrina! It is you! Daddy said it couldn’t be, but I knew! I knew!”
What the fuck?
Heart in my throat, I ease myself to my feet, using the bedside table to steady myself. As I stand, I knock my phone from the edge of the table, and when it thumps against my uninjured foot, a curse flies out of my mouth.
From the other room, Maddie yells out, “You said a bad word! Pay up!”
Sabrina’s laughter fills the air, and hell if it isn’t the most beautiful sound. It’s embarrassing how easily I could fall to my knees right now.
She’s here.
She’s really fucking here.
I limp to the doorway, and when I see her, I grasp the frame to keep from stumbling.
Fuck, I’m going to cry.
Even though she’s only been gone weeks, I swear she looks slimmer, like she hasn’t been eating well. Her eyes are tired, too, but the smile on her face radiates pure happiness.
“Curls,” I murmur.
“Hey.”
It’s a simple one-syllable response, but it hits me straight in the solar plexus.
I gasp for air, rubbing at my chest. “What are you doing here?”
As she crosses the room, Fisher ushers Maddie out the door. My poor little girl doesn’t want to go, but thank fuck my best friend is giving me this moment with Sabrina.
The door clicks shut softly behind them.
“You see,” she says as she stops in front of me. “This big dumb tennis player I fell in love with went and got hurt.”
“But your job?”
She splays both hands on my chest, the heat of her soaking through the fabric of my t-shirt, then slides them up and around my neck. “I didn’t take the job.”
“Sabrina,” I groan, pinching my eyes shut. “If you turned down the job because I got hurt?—”
“I told her no days before your injury. It’s not about you. I’m a big girl. I can make my own decisions.”
I grip her hip and squeeze. “It’s what you always wanted.” I’m so happy she’s here, but I don’t want her to set aside her dreams for me.
She shrugs. “Not anymore. Not in that way. I don’t have to be in a classroom to teach.”
“What do you mean?” I study her face and adjust my hold on the doorframe, then brush my other hand up her arm.
She’s real.
She’s here and she’s real and she’s close enough to touch.
“Jessica and I talked a lot about online teaching. I’d still plan lessons and teach. I just wouldn’t be in a classroom.”
“So?” I prompt.
“So,” she teases, her tone full of sass. “I’m searching for a job like that. I’d rather teach virtually and travel with you guys. I’m not happy without you and Maddie.”
My heart thuds heavily in my chest. “You’re not?”
I guess I’m a little surprised to discover that she might enjoy our company as much as we do hers.
“No, I’m not.” She cups my cheek. “The two of you are my home.”
Fuck.
I close my eyes, trying to keep my emotions at bay. Blinking them open slowly, I ask, “We are?”
“Yeah, and I hope I’m yours.”
I press my forehead to hers and bury a hand in the hair at her nape. Fuck, I need to feel more of her. “You are, beautiful girl. You definitely are.” I steady myself, then cup her cheeks, gliding my thumb over her lips. “God, I’ve fucking missed you. You have no idea.”
Now that she’s back, there’s no denying the ache in my chest that’s lingered since she left.
She sniffles slightly. “I’m sorry I didn’t call as much as I said I would. It was too hard.”
“You’re here now.” I swipe at an errant tear, my throat tightening. “That’s all that matters.”
“I wanted to wait until I secured a position before I told you, but then you got hurt and…” She tightens her grip on my shirt, her bottom teeth digging into her lip. “I couldn’t wait.”
“I love you,” I whisper, ghosting my lips over hers. “This is better than any fucking medal I could’ve won.”
She lets out a watery laugh. “Really?”
“Fuck, yeah.”
Finally, I press my lips to hers in earnest, and she stretches up on her tiptoes, clinging to me with her arms around my neck.
“I’m never letting you go again.” I peck another kiss to her lips. “I thought I was doing the right thing, telling you to go, but I’ve hated every minute without you.”
“Good.” She holds my gaze, her dark irises swimming with sincerity. “Because I don’t plan on going anywhere.”
I hold her tight against me, burying my face in her neck and inhaling her scent.
“Don’t get hurt again.” She pulls back and narrows her eyes. “I mean it. I was scared to death.”
“I’m okay.” I grasp her elbows and give them a reassuring squeeze. I can’t stop touching her. Like if I let go, she might disappear. Like maybe this is all a dream. “It’ll take a few weeks to fully heal, but it’s nothing serious.”
“I don’t care.” She shakes her head, sending her curls flying. “Don’t do that again.”
Heart flipping at her concern for me, I tangle my fingers in her hair. “I’ll do my best, but you know I can’t make promises like that.”
“You’re right.” She worries her lip between her teeth. “But from now on, we’re together, okay? For real.”
I grin, brushing my fingers lightly over her left cheek. “Are you asking me to be your boyfriend, Curls?”
She rolls her eyes and I swear she has to resist the urge to shove me. “It’s not like you asked me to be your girlfriend.”
With a hum, I kiss her again. She’s getting impatient with me, but I can’t help it. I’m greedy for her.
When I pull back, I smooth her hair back and cup the back of her neck. “I haven’t asked you to be my girlfriend because that term is far too insignificant for what you are to me.”
She blinks up at me with those big, dark eyes. “And what am I to you, Noah?”
I gently pinch her chin between my fingers and hold her gaze, doing my damndest to be sure she truly understands what I’m about to say.
“You’re my everything.”
Both of my everythings are snuggled up with me in the bed, Maddie in the middle, of course, and Sabrina still within arm’s reach.
“I love ice cream,” my little girl says as she scoops another spoonful.
“Really?” Sabrina grins. “I never would’ve guessed.”
Maddie beams up at her. It takes my breath away, seeing the way my daughter admires Sabrina. I wasn’t the only one hurting when she was gone. But Maddie doesn’t seem to be holding any resentment toward either of us.
“I was thinking,” Maddie says, her spoon clanging against her ceramic bowl as she makes sure to get every drop of melted ice cream. “Since you aren’t in the Olympics anymore, we should all do something fun. Maybe go to the park together?” Head tipped back and lips lined in chocolate ice cream, she looks from me to Sabrina and back.
My eyes burn with unexpected emotion. It’s such a simple request, yet uninterrupted time together is hard to come by and so damn important.
I ruffle her hair and give her a sad smile. I want to say yes, but I have my ankle to think about. “I can’t do that much walking at the moment, Mads, but let’s come up with another activity instead.”
She twists her lips back and forth. “Maybe we could take a class where they teach you how to make macarons? Do you think they have that? You could just sit on a chair,” she muses.
Sabrina places her hand gently over Maddie’s mouth, making my daughter dissolve into laughter. “You little pastry monster,” she scolds playfully.
“But can we?”
Sabrina peers over at me, and I give her a wink.
“We can.” She pulls Maddie into her side and drops a kiss to the top of her head.
Maddie, perhaps sensing an opportunity, says, “What about a puppy? I was thinking a wiener dog? One with long hair?”
“Nice try, kid.” With a laugh, I sit up a little to adjust the pillow at my back. “I see what you’re doing.”
“Is it working?” she asks with a winning smile.
Sabrina pokes her cheek, then hands her a napkin. “Not anymore.”
She wipes the ice cream off her face, and for a long moment she’s quiet. When she speaks again, her tone is soft and full of affection. “I love you, Dad.”
“Love you too, Mads.” I lean over and press a kiss to her temple.
“I love you, Sabrina.”
Sabrina’s eyes are soft and warm when they meet mine over the top of Maddie’s head.
“I love you too, Maddie.”
Just like that, a feeling of contentedness that I thought I might never experience again spreads through me, and I smile.