Chapter 24
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
CATALINA
"I can manage," I protested.
Ignoring me, Dad and Shaw all but carried me into the house.
Marley and Eden carried my bag and a couple of teddy bears I'd chosen to keep.
Most of the plush toys and flowers I donated to the kids who weren't lucky enough to be leaving the hospital today.
I couldn't bring myself to give away the ones my best friends gave me.
That left at least twenty, given by the vet surgery and the patients there.
Apparently the huge floppy rabbit was from Leonard the Labrador. I appreciated his thoughtfulness.
"It's our job to take care of you," Dad said. He helped me down onto the couch and moved a few cushions closer, in case I needed them.
"It's your job to take care of sick people," I corrected.
"I'm not sick. I just have a broken bone.
" I didn't want too much of a fuss made of me.
I spent enough time in the hospital wallowing, I wanted to get on with my life now.
Including never seeing Easton or Cruz outside watching their team play hockey.
I didn't know what to think about their response to my attack.
They'd already proven they were good actors, they might be lying through their teeth about this too.
And the bet. I wasn't sure if they were genuinely sorry, or just sorry they got caught.
Probably the latter. Guys like them didn't waste time with regret.
They were probably making a bet about some other woman as I settled in to get comfortable.
"It's my job as your father to take care of you," Dad said. He leaned over and kissed my temple. "Can we get you anything?"
"I'd like some tea, but I can get it myself." I reached for my crutches.
"I know you need to learn to use them, but let me make you tea," Dad said. "Just this once." He held up a hand before I could argue and headed into the kitchen.
"If anyone is wondering where my stubbornness comes from." I waved in his direction and settled back down again.
"We figured." Eden sat down hard enough to make the couch bounce. "Shit, sorry."
Shaw gave her a look of warning, but didn't say anything. I couldn't kick him out of my hospital room, but I could kick him out of the house if he threatened my friends.
He smirked, but sat carefully on the other side of me.
"I'll go and help Oliver make tea," Marley said. She flashed me a smile and hurried off into the kitchen.
They just work together, I told myself. She'd never go there, and neither would he. I hoped.
"I can't believe those guys," Eden said. "They really had no idea what happened?"
"I didn't tell them," Shaw said.
Eden snapped her fingers. "That's right. You play on the same team. You trained with them a bunch of times and didn't say anything about the attack on Cat?"
"Nope." He sat back and laced his hands behind his head. "It was none of their business. If they wanted to know, they could have tried to find out."
"They wouldn't have known to ask you," I said. He probably wouldn't have told them anyway.
"They would have known to ask at your job.
If either of them was interested in you, they could have dropped in to ask you out.
They didn't. You know why?" He raised his shaggy eyebrows.
"Because they both thought you'd go to them.
They're used to women chasing them. They would have sat back and waited for you to fall onto their cock. "
"Ugh, that fucking bet," Eden groaned. "That's so icky. I wonder if anyone has ever done that to me behind my back?"
"They better not," I said. "I'd send my kitten army after them." I exchanged glances with Shaw. His eyes showed his amusement, but he didn't smile. Did he ever smile? I hadn't seen him do it yet. If talking about a kitten army didn't do it, I didn't know what would.
"Cat and her kitten army." Eden grinned. "That's so perfect. I can think of a few people I'd like to send them after."
"The list is long," I agreed. "Starting with Jason and ending with my attacker. Cruz and Easton are right in the middle."
"What about Dean?" Eden asked. "Where does he fit into all of this?"
"He doesn't," Shaw said. "He has no reason to come anywhere near Cat."
"I got the impression he liked her," Eden said. "Or was he mouthing off in the locker room too?"
Shaw frowned. "I don't remember him saying anything.
Not about Cat. He's the kind of guy who listens more than he speaks.
He talks with his stick." He blinked. "Hockey stick.
I don't want to think about his other stick.
He's a good goalie. One of the best. When he's not training or working, he's working out.
Running, lifting weights, boxing, whatever. "
"That might explain why he never approached me," I said slowly. "He was too busy exercising." I was as crazy about fitness as the next athlete, but it was good to have a social life too, once in a while. I reminded myself he was in on the bet before I let myself get too sympathetic toward him.
"Maybe," Shaw agreed. "I don't give a shit, to be honest. As long as he stays away from you, I don't need to break his nose. I fucking wanted to when those two stepped into your hospital room. I was ready to throw them both out the window."
"Since Cat's room was on the second floor, you wouldn't have done too much damage." Dad stepped back into the room, carrying a cup of tea in one hand and a chocolate chip muffin on a plate in the other. He placed them both down on the table in front of me.
"I would have tried," Shaw said. "I could run them over with my car if you’d like."
"I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that." Dad raised his eyebrows at the defenceman before heading back into the kitchen.
"At least we know your father won't tell the cops," Shaw said slightly louder than was necessary.
"If they hurt my daughter, then I know nothing," Dad called out.
"Didn't you take an oath or something?" I asked.
Dad came back out with more muffins and cups of coffee. "Yes, I did. The day you were born, I swore to you I'd take care of you no matter what. I take that oath more seriously than anything else in my life. Besides, it wouldn't be me doing the harm. Not with my own hands."
Shaw rubbed his chin with his thumb and forefinger while picking up a cup of coffee in his opposite hand. "I'm starting to like you, Doctor Ryan."
"Call me Oliver." Dad sat down in the chair beside Marley. "Since we're clearly on the same side, we should be on first name terms."
Shaw nodded. "Okay with me." He sipped his coffee.
"Have the police found anything?" Marley asked. "Have they figured out who did it yet?"
"They've interviewed the entire team," Shaw said. "And everyone who worked in the rink. So far, they haven't arrested anyone." He looked irritated. "As far as I know, they haven't even found the hammer. They only need to look as far as Easton's ute."
"You're very sure he did it?" I asked.
"You're not?" Eden asked.
I shook my head and tore off a piece of muffin. "I don't know what to think. He seemed genuinely surprised to find me there in the hospital. If he and Cruz knew I was there, why not come and see me sooner? What better way to make it look like you had nothing to do with something?"
"Or they took the time to get their story straight," Marley suggested. "And perfect the art of pretending to be innocent when they were guilty as shit."
"Maybe," I said slowly.
"You really don't think so, do you?" Eden said. "Is it because you want to think the best of them? Because you don't have to be so nice if you don't want to. If they were involved, they don't deserve your goodwill."
"I know," I said quickly. "They just don't seem like the kind of guys who do more than stupid, high school locker room crap.
They'd lose their careers if the police could prove they were involved.
Their day jobs and their hockey dreams." I was thoughtful for a moment.
"My attacker knew about my dream. He knew how to end it and what it would mean to me.
Would someone do that if they had big dreams of their own they'd worked their asses off for? "
"If they thought they'd get away with it," Shaw said. "Those assholes think they're above everyone else. Why wouldn't they think they're above the law, or smarter than the cops? They think they're fucking untouchable."
"Why cover his face then?" I reasoned. "If they're untouchable, would they care if I saw them and could identify them?"
"That would have made the situation more complicated," Dad said. "Untouchable or not, they would have known what the consequences were if you pointed your finger directly at them."
"I suppose so." I realised I still had the piece of muffin in my fingers. I popped it in my mouth and groaned in pleasure at the taste. "That's so good."
My groan must have had an effect on Shaw. He gave me a look, his eyes darkened.
My clit throbbed in response. My leg was broken, not the rest of my body.
Whether or not I trusted him completely, there was an undeniable attraction.
Not to mention there was something particularly attractive about a guy who didn't take part in high school locker room bets.
Not to mention ones who growled at his teammates the way he had yesterday.
I believed he would have punched the shit out of them on my behalf, given half a chance.
"What you need to do right now is get some rest," Dad said. "Practice using your crutches but don't overdo it. Do the exercise your physio gave you."
I made a face at him. "Yes, Father. I wasn't planning on curling up on the couch and doing nothing until the cast comes off.
" Although, now I thought about it, that sounded tempting.
Only slightly though. I had to get back to work and life.
I had to move as much as I could, especially if I was going to eat chocolate chip muffins as good as these.
Getting back to fitness was going to be difficult enough without letting myself wallow for weeks on end.
"We'll all make sure you take care of yourself," Marley said. "Won't we?" She looked around at everyone, but her eyes lingered on my father.
"Yes, we will," he said softly.
I hadn't heard him use that tone of voice for years.
Not since my mother. I'd have to talk to both of them at some point.
Before anything developed between them. Now might be a good time to look into setting up my own clinic.
I could give Marley a job as my receptionist. I'd need one and they'd have no excuse to spend time together.
I knew a couple of older women I could introduce my father to. Anyone but my friend. I wanted both of them to be happy, but that couldn't happen if they were together.
"You have an extra room?" Shaw asked. "Otherwise I'll sleep on the couch."
Dad turned and raised his eyebrows at the defenceman. "You're staying here?"
"You couldn't keep me away." Shaw sipped his coffee, while leaning back on the couch and looking very much at home.
"I guess that's settled then," Dad said.
I wanted to tell Shaw it wasn't necessary for him to stay, but for some reason, I didn't want him to leave. Something that went beyond keeping an eye on me.