Page 30 of Tangled with the Tight End

“As does being a firefighter,” I retort.

We’re both in peak condition—our jobs demand it.

I follow Patrick into the kitchen, insisting I can stay upright on the scooter while he makes our coffee. I down my pain meds and wheel into the family room, transferring to the sofa.

Patrick sets my mug on the coffee table within my reach and takes a seat in the stuffed chair next to me, sipping his coffee. “So, how long do they say you’ve got to be homebound?”

“I switch to a cast in about a week and a half. Six to eight weeks of keeping that on. That means I’ll start rehab by the end of October if all goes well.”

“Can you play this season?”

“I might make the last game if I’m lucky. And then if we’re in the playoffs and the big game …” My voice trails off.

“Maybe Daisy and I will have news by then,” Patrick says with a soft, almost hesitant smile.

“News?”

“We’re trying to make you an uncle … again.”

“Ahhh … That kind of news.”

I smile, well aware he’s shifting the topic to keep me from focusing on losing my season during a year when I’m at the top of my game. But also, he chose this moment to tell me.

“I’m happy for you, Patrick.”

“Daisy is …” he trails off, a note of awe in his voice.

“Will you ever get over the fact that she loves you the way she does?”

“I hope not.”

I sip my coffee, closing my eyes and imagining we’re just hanging out on an early morning before work.

“Why don’t we do this more often?” I ask him.

“I get busy with the podcast … work … my marriage.”

“And I get busy with football.” And nothing else.

“Let’s make a point of doing this more often,” he says.

“I’d like that.”

We talk about the podcast and I even end up speculating about the Thunder and the season ahead—without me.

Before I’ve even finished my coffee, the sound of voices outside the door carries through to us.

I pull up the security app and check the doorbell cam.

“Mom and Dad are here,” I tell Patrick.

“Were you expecting them?”

“No. Mom said she was going back to Nashville. I guess she went and came back … with reinforcement.”

“I think this is my cue to head out.”

“Oh yeah,” I joke. “Go ahead and put those two good ankles to use and run away while you can.”