Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 101335 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 507(@200wpm)___ 405(@250wpm)___ 338(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 101335 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 507(@200wpm)___ 405(@250wpm)___ 338(@300wpm)
“Everyone’s buzzing about this room,” Dr. Knox said from the door. He walked to the bedside, grinning.
“He married me,” Colt said, stifling a yawn. He was tired, exhausted really, and the yawn won out. Hearing a noise in the hallway, Colt turned his attention toward the open doorway and groaned when he spotted another nurse entering his room, carrying a tray full of medicine.
“Here we go,” she said cheerfully, going through the motions of entering his medicines into a computer as she handed each one to him.
“I’m glad for you two, but I think you overdid today,” Dr. Knox said as he started to examine Colt. The doctor pulled a pen light from his pocket and shined it in Colt’s eyes.
“He did!” both the nurse and Jace said in agreement.
“Hey,” Colt started, but the nurse shoved the last pill in his mouth, silencing him.
“You’ll be asleep soon with that one, sweetie,” she said with a smile. Colt could almost see her and Jace doing a mental high five.
“Good, he needs to sleep,” Jace piped in. “I keep trying to remind Mr. Hardhead that he was just in a really bad automobile accident.”
“You should go home to sleep,” Colt said, ignoring them all as he looked over at Jace and gave him a nod to affirm his statement, before giving in to another yawn.
“I’m not going home,” Jace protested, shaking his head.
“I’m with Colt on this one, Jace. We have a flight scheduled at six in the morning,” Dr. Knox said.
“Did you talk to the team?” Colt asked, changing the subject.
“I did. I’ve spent most of the day on the phone with them and the medical staff in Dallas, preparing for your arrival.”
“How did they take it?” Colt asked. He wasn’t near as concerned about his medical care as he was the attitude. He needed to know what faced him when he returned to the mainland.
“As well as expected,” Dr. Knox said, leaving everything right there, not offering anything more. For Jace’s worrywart sake, Colt didn’t ask further. He could read between those lines. The owners of the team couldn’t have been pleased with any of this, especially the impending investigation of Colt’s accident, all right after their big Super Bowl win. Colt figured they questioned whether his alcoholism played a part in the crash. It had to be assumed he’d been drunk driving during the accident. Damn, why hadn’t he considered that before now? Colt didn’t voice any of his concerns, instead he turned toward Jace.
“Doc, tell him to go home and get some rest,” he said, tightening his grip on Jace’s hand, but Jace wouldn’t look at him.
“Jace, I’m not going to tell you what to do, but I did take the liberty to ask Mitch to arrange secured transportation for you to go home, pack, close up your beach house. I can stay with Colt while you’re gone,” Dr. Knox offered.
“That’s a great point. We don’t know when we’ll be back. And you could sleep a few hours,” Colt suggested again. He could feel his eyes already drooping, the drugs taking effect. It had been a big day. A wonderful day, probably too big for his injuries, but he’d married the man of his dreams.
“It would be easier if we could leave from here in the morning,” Dr. Knox offered. Colt nodded and his eyes slipped closed. After a minute, he managed to pop them open again.
“Sleep, Colt. If you’re certain you can stay, I’ll go get our stuff together and lock up the house, but I’ll be back soon.” Jace leaned in for a kiss and tenderly brushed a strand of hair off Colt’s forehead; Jace held his position and remained right in his face. “I love you.”
“I love you.” Colt kissed Jace again and then grinned. “My husband,” he whispered. He tried to put up a valiant fight, but he couldn’t hold his eyes open any longer.
***
“I wanted Mitch to destroy the marriage license,” Jace said immediately to both of them while he covered Colt up.
“I didn’t think he’d do it,” Dr. Knox said, taking a seat on the long sofa Jace had called home since they had arrived in this room.
“No, but he’s not thinking right. I won’t hold him to it,” Jace said, busying himself with cleaning up their dinner plates. He wouldn’t make eye contact with either Mitch or Dr. Knox. There were too many conflicting emotions rolling through him, and he pushed them all aside. This wasn’t about him, only about Colt. Nothing mattered in how he felt about anything. At this point, they were all about Colt and his recovery. No way would he do anything to cause resentment between them, yet if he forced this marriage, it most definitely would.
“I think he’s done with that other world, without you it holds nothing for him. He loves you. And he knows the deal, and he seems fine with it,” Mitch quietly said, rising, fishing the keys out of his jeans.
“What’s that deal?” Jace asked, and for the first time, turned to Dr. Knox.
“It would be speculating at this point,” Dr. Knox said, staring him directly in the eyes.
“Please speculate then. I need to know what to prepare for. Colt certainly won’t tell me until it’s gotten too out of hand,” Jace said, moving to stand in front of Dr. Knox.
“Well, I’m sure New York’s already been on the phone with their second string quarterback, going through everything trying to find an angle to take on someone new. Public relations is already on overload with his drinking and partying, not to mention his last highly televised relationship. Public records will show him married to you for a couple of weeks now. So he’s a recovering alcoholic with a sorted past and now a homosexual,” Dr. Knox said, finally rising to stand in front of Jace. Mitch came to his side. All of them spoke in hushed tones so not to bother Colt.
“This investigation will filter through every part of their organization. I’m taking this personal, and I don’t have any filters. It’s gonna be a lot for Colt to bounce back from. They’ll stand by him for a while, Jace. Maybe indefinitely if he keeps his nose clean and does what he is supposed to do,” Mitch said.