Chapter 28
charlie
It was hard pulling myself out of bed and leaving Austin there. He didn’t have to be at work until later, and part of me wanted to stay, to soak up the warmth of his body beside mine for just a little longer.
Last night had been everything I didn’t know I needed.
After the bath, we ended up back in bed, tangled together, holding each other in the quiet.
It was safe, warm, and felt so right. His heartbeat under my hand, his steady breathing—it was like we’d created our own little world, and for the first time in a long time, I felt whole.
As I quietly left the house and headed to work, I thought about how important last night was—not just the physical closeness, but the foundation we were building.
Every moment together felt like another brick laid, another step toward something solid.
It wasn’t rushed or forced; it was steady, intentional.
I needed that. I needed to feel the ground beneath us, the security of knowing we were on the same path.
It wasn’t about jumping ahead or skipping steps—it was about making sure we had something real to stand on.
Something we could build on when the time came to step up, to decide what this was and where we were going.
I pulled up into the school parking lot. Jennie, Maura, Sara, and Lynn were huddled at the back door.
“Did I miss a meeting?” I asked after I hurriedly grabbed my bags from the back and strode toward them.
“A meeting?” Lynn asked.
Sara followed up with “No, but apparently we missed a wedding?”
“I tried to wait to tell them, I promise, but then this one”—Jennie pointed to Maura—“asked me what I did this weekend, and suddenly it all spilled out.”
I giggled softly before walking past them and opening the door. “Well, are we all going in and eating breakfast together, because I think I might win for best gossip for the weekend.”
Their mouths dropped, and all four of them grabbed their bags and hurried into school.
I was drained. It had been one of those days that somehow felt both endless and like it had passed in a blur.
After meeting with the girls this morning and filling them in, the rest of the day was nonstop.
Between instruction and a lunch meeting with HR to finalize Austin’s insurance, there wasn’t a second to breathe.
They confirmed the paperwork was being processed, and his new medical card would be emailed in a week or so.
By the time the final bell rang, I was spent.
I hadn’t even touched my phone all day. When I finally pulled it out, I didn’t text Austin like I probably should have.
Instead, curiosity got the best of me, and I searched his name on a popular social media site to see if videos from the game had surfaced.
Sure enough, there were a few clips—some of us together, others just him on the ice.
Hundreds of comments flooded in, most of them buzzing about how good Austin looked after disappearing from the public eye for so long.
It wasn’t as many as I’d feared, but it was enough to remind me I had to call my mom and brother tonight.
As for Austin? I’d tell him everything when we were home later.
I didn’t have the energy to text, and honestly, I wanted to see his reaction to getting his medical situation settled in person.
I sighed, and someone knocked on my classroom door. Evie was standing at the window of the door, waving furiously.
I smiled, and, with a soft laugh, I walked over to unlock the door.
“Hey.” Austin’s familiar blue eyes greeted me.
“Hi,” I whispered back.
“Austin said you were starving. He said we can get burgers before we go home.”
“You said you had a meeting during lunch. Figured you’d want something to eat. We can leave your car here, and I’ll drive you to work in the morning.”
I was exhausted, and while I was definitely hungry—starving, actually—I didn’t have the energy to go to his parents’ house today. The thought of having to socialize and wear that mask of politeness made my stomach churn.
“It’s just a drive-through,” he added, reading my hesitation. “We can eat at home.”
Before I could respond, Evie tugged on his shirt, whining, “I need to go home, Austin. Mom said she’s bringing me a giant chocolate chip cookie from work.”
I let out a small chuckle. “Okay, takeout sounds like a good idea.”
Austin smiled sheepishly, then glanced toward my desk. “Let me help you with your stuff.”
“That’d be nice.”
He moved across the room, already lightening the weight of the day.
We grabbed burgers from the drive-through, the smell of greasy food filling the car as Austin drove Evie home.
She practically bounced out as soon as we pulled up, waving excitedly and shouting something about her cookie.
Austin chuckled, leaning out the window to call after her before she disappeared inside.
With a shake of his head and a smile still lingering on his face, he shifted the car into reverse and drove us back to the house.
When we arrived, he parked in the driveway and walked around to my side, opening the door for me like it was second nature.
He rested his hand on the small of my back, guiding me to the front door.
“You ready to call your mom?” he asked as he opened the door, gesturing to me to head inside.
I closed my eyes, letting out a long breath. “No. It’s been a long day.” I opened my eyes and glanced at him. “I know I have to, but maybe we can eat first.”
He nodded without hesitation. “Whatever you need. I’ll leave after we eat, so you can have some privacy.”
Something inside me shifted with his words. The thought of facing my mom alone, without him there, suddenly felt unbearable. I didn’t want to do this by myself—not tonight, not with something this big.
“Please stay.”
He paused, his eyes locking onto mine. “You sure?”
I nodded, the knot in my chest loosening just a little. “Yeah. I want you there.”
He gave me a small, reassuring smile. “Okay.”
We settled at the counter, the aroma of burgers and fries filling the air as Austin opened the bag. He pulled out the food, handing me my burger before grabbing his own. The rustle of wrappers and the crunch of fries broke the silence, and for a moment, the weight of the day lifted.
“Alright,” I said with a smirk and bit into my fries. “I’ll admit I was starving. This hits the spot.”
He chuckled. “You and Evie both. She couldn’t wait to get home for that cookie.”
“She’s got her priorities straight.”
We ate in companionable silence for a bit before I cleared my throat. “Oh, by the way,” I started, glancing over at him, “I had a meeting with HR today. I got you officially added to my insurance.”
His brows lifted, and he paused mid-bite. “You did?”
“Yeah. They’re processing everything now, so you should be good to go. If your doctor asks, just have them bill my insurance. You’ll get your card in about a week.”
Austin set his burger down, leaning back slightly as he looked at me. “Thank you. You have no idea what this means to me.”
I shrugged, trying to play it off, but his sincerity made my chest tighten. “It’s no big deal. We’re married, remember? Gotta keep up the act.”
He shook his head, reaching over to rest his hand on mine. “It’s more than that, and you know it,” he said, gently brushing his thumb against my skin. “I’ve been on edge about not having coverage, and this . . . this takes a load off.”
“Just promise me you’ll take care of yourself, okay? You’re not doing this alone anymore.”
Austin’s eyes softened, and for a moment, his gratitude was almost tangible. “I won’t forget this,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. “Not ever.”
He squeezed my hand one last time before letting go. I ate my last fry and then picked up my burger.
“Alright, enough of the serious stuff. Let’s talk about the real issue.” He leaned forward with mock seriousness. “Who the hell eats their fries before their burger?”
I gasped. “Me, obviously. It’s called saving the best for last, thank you very much.”
He shook his head, laughing. “You’re doing it all wrong. The fries are the sidekick, not the star. You eat them as you go.”
“Says the guy who loads ketchup onto everything.”
“Hey, hey.” He held up a hand. “Ketchup is a universal condiment, and I stand by it.”
I rolled my eyes, grinning. “Next thing I know, you’ll be putting it on your pancakes.”
Austin paused, as if considering, then grinned wickedly. “Don’t tempt me.”
By the time we were done, the counter was littered with wrappers, and my stomach hurt from laughing more than from the food.
He leaned back, patting his stomach. “Alright, I’m officially stuffed. But I’ll say it—this was the best dinner I’ve had in a while.”
I smirked, tossing a balled-up napkin at him. “That’s because I’m great company.”
“Can’t argue with that.” He caught the napkin and chucked it into the trash can. “You might just be my favorite fry-hoarding, burger-saving fake wife.”
I laughed and shook my head. “Glad I could earn such a prestigious title.”
Austin stood and grabbed the crumpled wrappers and empty cups. “Let me clean this up.”
I watched him, my mind racing. The bathtub had been intense, emotional—him opening up about what he’d survived, me realizing how much I wanted to be there for him. But this . . . this was different. Seeing him here, fitting so seamlessly into my space, was quieter but no less powerful.
This wasn’t just heat or attraction. It was something steadier, something that made me want to keep him here in every part of my life.
As he rinsed out the cups and set them on the drying rack, I swallowed hard, the reality of what I had to do sinking in. This wasn’t just about calling my mom and Jacob. It was about telling them the truth, about facing the fallout of the choices I’d made—with him standing beside me.
I drew in a shaky breath as he turned back toward me, drying his hands on a dish towel. He tilted his head when his eyes met mine, and for a moment, it felt like he could see the storm brewing inside me.
“You okay?”
“Yeah. Just thinking.”
He walked back over and sat down beside me again. “You ready?”
I hesitated, then shook my head. “Not yet, but I know I have to.”
“Whenever you’re ready,” he said, his hand resting lightly on my knee. “I’ll be right here.”
And that’s when I knew—whatever came next, I didn’t want to face it alone.