28. No Crying in Baseball #2
With a brisk nod, he rounds the corner and heads to find Ryan.
Once he’s gone, I dig around in my bag for the inhaler that magically appeared not long after the coffee shop incident.
I take a quick puff before I drop it back in my bag.
My breathing almost immediately begins to even out and grow less painful.
A few minutes later, Cooper returns and silently waves for me to follow him.
I trail him until he pushes me into the medical room.
“The coast is clear for now, but I’m not sure when or if someone might come back to check on him,” he whispers quickly before he closes the door behind me with a soft snick, leaving me alone with Ryan.
Ryan, who is currently lying on the exam bed with his eyes closed. They’ve stripped his jersey off him so I can see his bare chest and the angry red circle the size of, well, a baseball over his ribs on the right side and a bandage wrapped around his forehead.
I let out a quiet gasp and my hands fly to my mouth. The tears are starting up again at the sight of him like this.
But apparently Cooper was right, and he is awake because at the sound of me, his eyes fly open and shoot to me before he winces and squints his eyes.
“Isa?”
“Ryan,” I choke out his name on a sob.
His entire face softens. “Come here, baby.” He opens his arms up in a request for me to join him.
I rush over to him, all but throwing myself into his arms. I wedge myself onto the bed, careful not to jostle him too much because I’m not entirely sure where all he’s injured besides the obvious.
“I’m okay,” he says, brushing my bangs aside to press a kiss to my forehead and stroking a hand down my hair. “I’m okay.”
“I was so scared,” I whisper.
“I bet, but I promise you, I’m fine.” His words only slightly reassure me.
“You weren’t moving.”
“I know. The ball only knocked the wind out of me and cracked a rib, but I hit my head when I fell and went and gave myself a damn concussion. It was lights out there for a minute or so.” He grips my chin between his thumb and index finger to tilt my head back to meet his eyes.
“But that’s it. A concussion, a cracked rib, and likely a nasty bruise.
I’m fine,” he punctuates his statement with a tender kiss, his warm lips meeting mine.
When he pulls back, he looks between my eyes and watches as more tears stream from them. “What is this? Are you crying? Come on, baby. There’s no crying in baseball!”
I shove at him when he plasters his wide goofy smile on his face. “Oh, shut the fuck up. I was worried about you!”
His expression sobers, but only slightly, a small smile still present.
“I know, baby. But I’m okay. I just need to get some rest and sit the next few games out until I’m cleared from the concussion.
” He kisses my forehead again. “You can come home with me and make sure I wake up every hour, doctor’s orders.
” He winks at me, and I can’t help but laugh at this point.
“There she is.” He smiles tenderly. I roll my eyes at him, but he just pulls me closer into his chest so he’s holding me tight.
We’re silent for several moments before either of us speaks again.
“You must have been really worried if you let me call you baby three times without telling me off for it.”
“Maybe it’s growing on me,” I grumble. Because he’s right. I heard him say it, but I didn’t care in the moment. And honestly? I think I do kind of like it. I never thought a pet name like babe or baby would fit me because I’m too prickly, but with him it… fits.
“Um, baby?”
“Hm?” I hum in question, not even bothering to correct him at this point.
“Either you brought a really fun toy with to come check on me or your phone is going off,” Ryan jokes. It’s at that moment my brain registers the fact that, yes, my phone is vibrating. Incessantly.
I wiggle an arm free of his grip to retrieve it from my pocket and see a flood of messages from Liz and Jordan.
Jordan
OH MY GOD
Liz
We saw the whole thing here too
Jackson is beside himself
Jordan
ISA
Liz
That was a nasty hit
He’s not moving
Oh my god
Jordan
ISA
PLEASE
IS HE OKAY?
THEY CUT TO COMMERCIAL
TELL US HE’S OKAY?
ISA
ANSWER ME
Liz
Isa
Answer us please!
I look over at Ryan to get his approval before I say anything. I trust my friends completely, but it’s not my business to share anything without his permission, or the team releasing a statement. He gives me a kiss on the forehead and a nod of approval.
Isabella
Hi
He’s fine
I’m with him now
It’s a concussion, cracked rib, and a bruise from where the ball hit him. He just needs to rest and he’ll be good as new
Jordan
OH THANK GOD
we actually like this man
he’s good for you
Liz
I agree
Glad he’s okay
Take good care of him
My cheeks heat at the stamp of approval my friends gave him, especially knowing he’s without a doubt reading every message over my shoulder.
“They’re not wrong you know,” he says.
“About what?” I turn my head to look at him as I slide my phone back into my pocket.
“I am good for you,” he answers with a wink.
I roll my eyes. “Yeah, yeah. Whatever you say.”
“Let’s get out of here.”
“Can you do that? You don’t need to get checked out or anything?” I ask.
“Nope, I’m all good. Cleared to head home as long as I’ve got someone who can keep an eye on me for the next few days.”
“Okay, then let’s head home.” Untangling myself from his body, I rise from the table. I pause when I realize he still hasn’t moved and is looking at me with an expression I can’t quite read. “What is it? What’s wrong?”
He shakes his head as if removing himself from whatever state he was just in. “Nothing’s wrong. It’s just… you said home.”
My eyes widen as I realize the slip up. I did call his place home. And honestly? It feels like home. He feels like home. “Yeah, I guess I did.”
He rises from the table and tugs on my hand, pulling me in close. “I like the sound of that,” he murmurs in my ear, before turning and pulling me out the door behind him.
He’s quick to grab his things from the locker room and change out of his game uniform, or what’s left of it since he’s still missing his shirt, opting to shower at home instead of using the showers here at the stadium.
He throws his bag over one shoulder and pulls me close with the other arm, draping it over my shoulder as we exit the building.
He presses a kiss to the top of my head, and I feel his lips move as he says something under his breath, but I can’t quite make out what it is.