Allyson Reed finally has the life she wants in Massachusetts, but whenever Daxson Winters, the newest NFL superstar and love of her life suffers a gruesome injury, a dark piece of their past resurfaces threatening to destroy everything they've built...
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Allyson
"An MRI confirmed he suffered a triple ligament tear— anterior cruciate ligament, medial collateral ligament, and medial meniscus, in his right knee. He's in surgery now. They'll do a graft from his hamstring to reconstruct the ACL and repair the meniscus at the same time." I sighed into the phone and leaned forward in my chair to place my head in my free hand, focusing my eyes leave the gray-tiled floor.
Despite the chaos going on around me, I found it extremely easy to block out the hustle and bustle of the hospital waiting room. It probably had something to do with the fact that my mind was racing a mile-a-minute. All I could think about was my last conversation with Daxson. It was definitely a disaster.
I wanted nothing more than to see him again, to be by his side like he had always been for me. It was important for him to know that I loved him, I'll always love him, and so will the millions of fans who've watched him turn into the man he is today. He didn't need football to still be Daxson.
"Uh, can we do normal people terms? Some people aren't in medical school," Madison's reply broke my chain of thought and pulled me back into reality.
I fanned air toward my eyes in an effort to dry the tears welling along my eye lashes. "He hurt his knee in three different places. He's having surgery to repair it."
"Why aren't you with him?" Madison's voice was inquisitive as it echoed through the phone.
I tucked my loose hair behind my ears and managed a weak shrug even though I knew she couldn't see it. "He didn't want me to be there."
It sounded like she stopped whatever she was doing. "Excuse me? Daxson Winters, the man who is head-over-heels in love with you, the man who risked his life to save you... doesn't want you with him during something serious like this? Did he hit his head too?"
Another exasperated sigh left my lips. I knew it sounded odd, but unfortunately, it was the truth. Daxson seemed to be pushing me away instead of pulling me closer. I couldn't quite figure out why, and honestly, it bothered me the whole ride to the hospital. The reason that made the most sense in my head was that he needed a little more time to process his emotions. I mean, getting injured, and not being able to play the sport that got him so far in life, that was a lot for him to take in. Then, if you add on the fact he thought it was his last link left to his father, it must've been mentally devastating.
"I think it's just a lot to take in. I'm here to support him, not make things more difficult. I know Dax, and I know how strong he is. He'll be okay with time. I'm just giving him some space," I uttered.
Madison was quiet for a minute. "I'm proud of the woman you've become, Ally. You're so much stronger than you were when I first met you. He's really lucky to have you on his side."
I nodded and leaned back in my chair, trying not to let anymore tears leave my eyes. "Dammit, Madison. Why're you trying to make me cry?"
"Sometimes a cry is good for you," she whispered, and even though I couldn't see her, I could feel that she was smiling.
