Total pages in book: 66
Estimated words: 62128 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 311(@200wpm)___ 249(@250wpm)___ 207(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 62128 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 311(@200wpm)___ 249(@250wpm)___ 207(@300wpm)
She rubs her forehead, like whatever she's about to say is going to be painful. The emotional whiplash she’s delivering is enough to make my stomach turn.
“The new treatment isn’t covered by their insurance and it's ridiculously expensive,” she blurts the words out, sounding like they almost hurt coming out of her mouth. “I know you know that since you've already paid for two rounds, but they think he's going to need at least ten to really see results.”
Holy shit, ten?
That’s a whole lot of dollars, and I absolutely don’t have the money right now. My first contract with the Badgers isn’t up for renewal for another year, and while I landed a stellar deal for the first contract of my career, I'd already blown through most of it covering my parents’ house, cars, utilities, medical bills, and Hadley’s tuition.
How the hell would I come up with enough to keep handling it all?
I don't let any of the stress show as I nod and smile at Hadley. “If that's what the doctor says he needs, then that's what he needs. Don't worry, I've got it covered.”
Hadley’s eyes water and she bites her lip like she’s trying to stop herself from crying.
“Hadley,” I say, trying to comfort her. “I promise it's okay. I've got some stashed away, I can handle it. Just tell the doctor to send the bills to my address. Will you do that for me please?”
The previous doctors knew the drill and just pushed the bills my way. But this new doctor had made the mistake of sending one to my parents’ house, and it had been a little bit of a shit show when mom opened it.
She wasn’t completely naïve—she knew how much experimental cancer treatments ran, especially without insurance—but she didn't realize how expensive they can get. It’d taken everything just to calm her down and assure her that this is why I’m a celebrity athlete, skating my way across the NHL limelight. Not only to repay them for the sacrifices they made when I was a kid so that I could have as much ice time as possible, but because I had it and I wanted to take care of them the same way they’d always taken care of me.
“I'll make sure of it,” Hadley says, sucking in a deep breath and not letting any tears fall.
“Thanks, kiddo,” I say, the nickname sticking despite her being a grown woman now. She'd always be my baby sister to me. “Tell Dad I said hi, okay? And that I'm really glad he's feeling well.”
“Will do,” she says. “Love you, see you at home.”
The screen goes black, and I pocket my phone, looking up to find Monroe focusing very intently on her phone. She definitely heard the entire conversation, which I knew and was fine with or I would’ve stepped out. I don’t make my situation public knowledge, but Monroe was friends with Hadley and was Reese’s and Pax’s best friend, so she'd likely known about it through the friend hotline already.
I hop up on the table, and she puts her phone away, eyeing my right shoulder.
“I saw the hit,” she says, her hands hovering above my shoulder. “You ready?”
I nod, and her hands test the muscle, her fingers working in powerful pulses and circles and flexes. I can only grit my teeth as she digs her fingers in, working out the tight knots that coiled up from the hit.
“Damn,” she says, digging into me a little deeper. “This muscle is angry with you,” she says.
“Are you sure it's me?” I ask through gritted teeth. “I think it might be mad at you right now.”
She laughs, shaking her head and increasing her pressure. “Trust me, in about ninety seconds this muscle is going to love me.”
“Hard to believe when it's screaming like it is right now.” I struggle to get the words out it hurts so much.
Monroe chuckles again, using both hands to push and poke and grip the muscle within an inch of its life.
I'm pretty sure I black out for a second.
“Are you coming out with us tonight?” I manage to force out the words through the pain.
“I think so,” she says. “Liam said something about looking up somewhere for us all to meet up.”
“Fuck, Liam? That's still going on?” I ask.
I knew she'd gone on a date with him for Valentine's Day, but I didn't realize she was still dating him a month later.
Damn, Pax hadn't mentioned anything. I'd been so wrapped up in the season and Reese that I hadn't even noticed. Either that or he was very good at hiding his feelings on the matter. Or maybe he’d finally moved on, even though he never admitted he started in the first place.
“Yes,” she says a little defensive. “Let me guess, you don't like him either?”