Chapter 22
CHAPTER
TWENTY-TWO
SILAS
I didn’t wake Brooke when I got home last night, and I didn’t say goodbye to her this morning. Partially because I knew I wouldn’t have time to say everything I wanted to. The other part…well, I’m still a little hurt, I guess.
Now, I’m meeting with my agent for breakfast to go over what to expect the days leading up to the draft and then draft day itself.
“So, you have quite a few teams interested in you, Silas. Off the record, of course. No offers or official conversations have been had on your behalf.”
“I wasn’t worried about that, Scott. But I am worried about who is interested. As I told you last month at the combine, I got married, so where I land needs to be easily accessible to her.” Because I’m going to keep planning my future as if she’ll be by my side. Fuck those papers.
“Ah, yes. Linson’s little sister. How did that happen again?
” He holds up a hand. “Actually, let’s table that for a different day.
We can put a spin on that whole thing once we know who we’re dealing with.
Some owners are a little more old-fashioned.
They might not want to know that you recklessly eloped in Vegas. ” He huffs a laugh.
“That might be how it happened, but that’s not how it is now.”
“Okay, so then you tell me. What teams would you be interested in talking with?”
“Well, honestly, any that can get me here within a few hours, tops. So, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, New Orleans. Maybe Denver, but that wouldn’t be a top choice.”
“Is she not planning to go with you?” He stops tapping notes in his phone.
“She’s only in her first year, and I don’t expect her to stop going to school for me.”
“Why wouldn’t she just transfer somewhere wherever you go?”
“Because she’s a climatology major, and she’s at the best school for that.”
My phone starts to ring in my pocket, then stops.
“Okay, I’ll see what I can do.”
It starts to ring again, and I pull it out to see Beck’s name.
Not sure if I want to deal with anything he might have to say right now, I ignore the call.
Within seconds, it’s ringing again.
“Scott, I’d better take this. Beck has called me three times in a row.”
He waves me off as I stand and move to the exit of the restaurant.
“Hey, Beck. What’s up?” I try to keep my voice neutral, ready for whatever he has to say.
“Silas, Brooke’s been in an accident.”
My heart stops. “Where is she?” I fumble with my keys and walk to my truck.
“They took her to Walker General. My dad is on his way, but it’ll take him at least two hours to get there. Get to her as fast as you can.” Beck sounds anything but his usual calm.
I get into my car, start the engine, and pull out of the parking lot. “Already on my way. But wait, how was she in a car accident? Was she by herself?”
“She was driving a Honda Civic, so I’m guessing she was in Chelsea’s car. They said a small tornado hit that side of town about forty-five minutes ago. Did you not see it?”
I shake my head even though he can’t see me. “I was in the gym this morning, and then I met Scott for breakfast after. Fuck, I just left him in the restaurant.”
“I’ll let him know what’s going on. Just get to my sister. And call me with updates as soon as you can.” He disconnects before I can reply.
I smack my hand on the wheel. “Fuck!”
The smell of disinfectant hits me as soon as I walk into the hospital.
I run up to the empty check-in desk—because of course it is—and look around for someone to help me.
“Hello?” I call out. I’m sure it’s loud, but I don’t give a fuck.
A little lady with white hair and a smile walks up, then sits down in the chair behind the desk. “Can I help you?”
“I’m looking for Brooke Linson. She was brought in a while ago. Car accident.” I tap on the counter while she slowly pulls up the computer screen.
“Oh, yes. There she is. Only family is allowed back at this time. They’re still running tests on her.”
“Okay, I understand, but I’m her husband.”
“Well, that’ll do it. You can go back, but I need your ID so I can issue a wristband.”
“Great. Thanks.”
She straps on one of those paper bands that suck to take off on my wrist.
“I’ll buzz you through those doors. Then you’ll take that hallway all the way down, then to the right. You should see her right away.”
“Thank you.” I take off through the heavy security door before she even stops talking.
I pace the hallway for a minute as I try to catch my breath, my heart still trying to kick its way out of my ribs.
I pull open the door, and there she is. She’s sitting up when I walk in. Alive. Breathing. A nurse takes her vitals.
Her head has a gauze wrap around it, and she’s covered in a blanket that’s too thin for what she just went through.
The relief hits so hard that my knees almost give out.
“Hey,” I say, keeping my voice steady because if I don’t, I’ll lose it.
She looks up, eyes glassy but clear. “Hey.”
I stop a few feet away, hands clenched at my sides, like I don’t trust myself not to crush her if I touch her too fast.
“You okay?” I ask, even though the answer is right in front of me.
She nods. “Yeah. I’m okay. Just a little bump and cut on my head. They have to keep me for concussion protocol though.” Her voice is scratchy.
I exhale, slow and controlled, then step closer and take her hand in mine. I lean down and rest my forehead against hers. She’s warm. Real.
“Fuck me, that was a scary call to get,” I admit quietly.
She whispers, “I’m sorry.”
“You have nothing to apologize for,” I say immediately. “It was an accident.”
We stay like that until the nurse slips out and the door clicks shut behind her.
That’s when the silence hangs.
The heavy kind. So, I pull back and sit on the side of the bed.
“I started to have a panic attack,” she says.
I nod. “Okay.”
“Before the tornado. I was thinking about us.”
A panic attack at the thought of being married to me is not a good sign.
“What about us?” I practically whisper, not knowing if I want to hear the truth.
Her breath stutters. There it is. The truth finally stepping into the room. “I didn’t intend on filing the annulment papers. I wouldn’t,” she says quickly. “I swear.”
“I know,” I tell her. “Deep down, I didn’t think you would.”
“But …” She lets out a shaky breath.
“But I left anyway,” I finish gently.
She nods, eyes dropping to her hands. “I think my dad just needed to know I wasn’t trapped. That I had a choice in my future.”
That one hurts. I won’t pretend it doesn’t. But hurt isn’t the same as anger.
“I never want you to feel trapped,” I say.
“And I don’t,” she admits. “But we can’t deny that life is moving fast here. There’s a possibility that things could get hard for us.”
I scoot closer to her. “I have no doubt they will, but just because things get hard doesn’t mean we’ll fall apart,” I say. “But I think we need to build a foundation on truth.”
She looks up at that.
“Truth about what?” she whispers.
Now is the right time.
I take her hands in mine again. “Truth about how I feel about you.” I lift her hand and kiss the back of it. “Brooke, I’m obsessively in love with you. And I really hope you love me too.”
Her eyes fill with tears.
“Silas, I don’t know what marriage is supposed to look like. I didn’t have parents to model. Sure, Casey and Charlie’s parents were around, but I think it must be different, seeing it rather than living it.” She tilts her head and smiles softly. “But I do know that I love you.”
Fuck yes.
“It doesn’t matter what it’s supposed to look like. We build our own life,” I say without hesitation. “Together. With conversations like this—even when they suck.” I kiss her gently.
When I pull back, she laughs weakly. “Yeah, this one really sucked.”
“Yeah,” I agree. “But you’re still here. And so am I.”
I lean in, resting my forehead against hers again, breathing her in, grateful she’s okay.
She closes her eyes, settling against me.
“Hey, Cupcake?”
“Hmm?”
“I want to do this the right way. I don’t want our marriage to be based on a spontaneous decision we made when we were young. I want it to be based on me loving you and you loving me. I want you to choose me, just like I choose you. Will you marry me again?”
Her eyes open, glassy, and the sweetest fucking smile spreads across her face.
“Yes. I will marry you. Because I love you.”
“I love you so much it hurts.” I slide my hands, carefully, around her neck and lean in to kiss her.
We stay like that, kissing and just breathing each other in until Ryan rushes into the room an hour later.
“Brooke,” he says, measured. “Are you okay?” He walks over to her and lays a hand on her arm and kisses her cheek.
“I’m feeling better. Mostly a little rattled by the whole thing now. But, hey, that could definitely be a paper topic for one of my classes.” She smiles weakly, and her eyes start to flutter.
“You can’t go to sleep yet, baby.” I lightly squeeze her hand.
“But I’m tired. I just want to rest my eyes for a few minutes.”
“No, Brooke. Silas is right. You have to stay awake for a while.”
“Oh, Dad. Silas and I are getting married.”
He looks back and forth between us. “Aren’t you already married?”
“Yes, but we want to do it the right way this time. So, you can go ahead and shred those papers, like I told you to at lunch the other day.”
Ryan starts to say something, but I interrupt.
“I understand why you did it. I really do. But, sir, we love each other. This isn’t a joke to us. We want to make a life together, and I’ll do whatever I can to make sure she’s happy.”
“What about school?”
“Well, I’m hoping to get drafted close enough that the commute is easy for us. Then once she graduates, she can decide if we stay here most of the year or wherever I’m playing. I just want her. The rest is just a bonus.”
He pulls in a deep breath. “Okay then. You’re both adults. All I can do is be here for you when you need me, I suppose.”
“Thank you, sir.”
I hold out my hand to him, but he pulls me in for a hug.
“Welcome to the family, Silas.”