26. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

Leo

The steady beep of the heart monitor fills the silence of Cat's hospital room. I lean forward in the uncomfortable chair, my elbows digging into my knees as I watch the rise and fall of her chest. The harsh fluorescent lights cast a sickly pallor over her skin, making her look more fragile than I've ever seen her.

It's wrong.

Cat's not fragile. She's a force of nature, all fire and sass and strength.

Her usually animated face is still, her features relaxed in a drug-induced sleep. The swelling in her lips has gone down, but the memory of her gasping for breath, her eyes wide with panic, is seared into my brain.

My heart clenches painfully in my chest, a physical ache that I can't shake off. For a moment, I thought I was going to lose her. The fear that gripped me was unlike anything I've felt since Wendy died. Something I never expected to feel again.

Fuck.

This thing with Cat . . . it’s not just attraction or fondness. Nope. It’s full-on, heart-stopping, terrifying love.

I love Catharina Alonso.

A fresh wave of panic crashes through me, my palms clammy again. Loving someone means opening myself up to loss, to abandonment. It means being vulnerable in a way I haven't allowed myself to be in years.

Not since Wendy.

My phone buzzes in my pocket, the vibration startling in the quiet room. I unlock the screen and read the text.

Mom: I'm in the waiting room with the kids. How is she?

Me: Recovering. Be right out.

Luckily, Nora had been at home when Cat had the allergic reaction. Stella had called her as I got Cat to the car. Taking the kids along wasn’t an option; I didn’t want them to be so close if Cat didn’t make it.

But Nora was going to want to be there for her best friend, so once Cat was in the care of the medical staff, I reached out to my mother. And Wyatt took care of talking to Coach Kinnear because like hell was I leaving Cat alone to go to practice.

I stand, my joints popping in protest after hours of sitting. I stretch, trying to work out the kinks in my back, and take a deep breath before stepping out into the hallway. I wish Nora was still here. She left about an hour ago, and I could really use her calm, rational presence right about now. But, fuck, dealing with my mother right now . . . I’d rather someone else run interference. Actually, wouldn’t mind if Garrison Lund showed up.

My teammate looks like an enforcer for the mob. Acts like it too, on the ice at least. Not sure what he does off it. Another teammate I hardly know much about.

As I round the corner, I spot my family immediately. Stella is curled up in a chair, her head resting on Mason's shoulder. My son's arm is wrapped protectively around his sister, his face uncharacteristically serious. My mother paces back and forth, her heels clicking against the linoleum floor.

“Dad!” Stella's head snaps up as soon as she sees me. She leaps from her chair and barrels into me, her small arms wrapping tight around my waist. Mason is right behind her, his usual stoicism cracking as he joins the hug.

I wrap my arms around both of them, holding them close. “Hey, kiddos. It's okay. Cat's going to be fine.”

“Really?” Mason's voice is muffled against my shirt.

I nod, running a hand over his hair, the soft strands slipping through my fingers. “Really. The doctors gave her some medicine to help with the allergic reaction. She's sleeping now, but she's going to be just fine.”

Stella pulls back, her eyes shining with unshed tears. “Can we see her?”

I swipe a thumb across the corner of one of her eyes, wiping away the tear building up. Looking at my daughter can be hard, it opens the wounds of my first love not being here.

But I know Wendy would want me to be happy, that she wouldn’t want me to be alone for the rest of my life. I just wish she was around longer for the kids to really remember her.

“Not yet, sweetheart. Cat needs to rest. But soon, okay?”

My mom clears her throat, cutting through the silence like she’s gearing up for a lecture. “May I speak with you for a moment? Privately?” Her voice is sharp, and she’s got that tight-lipped look that screams she’s not happy.

A dull ache pulses at the base of my skull. I don’t have the energy for this—for her—right now.

“Mason, why don’t you and Stella grab a snack from the vending machine? “I take my wallet out of my back pocket, handing a few bills to my son. My focus stays on the kids as they scamper off, hoping the distraction buys me time to brace myself for whatever’s coming.

After they disappear around the corner, I turn to face my mother. Her lips are pressed into a thin line, forefinger tapping her forearm. It’s the same look when I announced I wanted to go pro instead of going to college. “What's going on, Leo? Stella mentioned something about you asking that nanny on a date?”

Her tone hits me like a slap, and the way she talks about Cat makes my blood simmer. My hands ball into fists, nails pressing into my skin, but I keep my voice level. “You know what her name is. Or do I have to watch her put you in your place again once she’s better?”

My mother rolls her eyes. “Oh, yes. I remember. And from how your daughter’s been acting lately, seems that poor demeanor is rubbing off on your children.”

I stand taller, my body going rigid. “Tread carefully, Mother. Cat’s important to us. To me.”

She lets out a sharp laugh. “Important? She's temporary. Your agreement with her is only until the end of the school year. And now I hear you're starting a relationship with her? Under your roof, with the children there? It's inappropriate, not to mention confusing for Mason and Stella.”

Her words hit deep, striking at the doubts I’ve tried to shove aside. I’ve had my fair share of second-guessing, but that tension, the knot that usually sits heavy in my gut, it’s . . . gone. Because I’ve finally accepted that no matter how hard we all try, as parents we’re going to fuck up.

Stella pointed that out to me with the whole dance class situation. But Nora’s also an example. She’s an amazing woman, an amazing mom, but keeping her past a secret from Wyatt led to Jake getting kidnapped. If we’d known about her ex, neither Wyatt nor I would’ve ever let Jake leave with him.

And there’s also my brother. While my mom may have pushed Winston to write himself out of the family picture, my father didn’t help matters. He was too passive, never wanted to ruffle any feathers, and in the end that never helped matters in our household either.

I cross my arms in front of my chest, meeting my mother’s gaze head-on. “I appreciate your concern. I do. But you need to back off and trust I can make choices I believe are best for my family and myself.”

She starts to interrupt, but I lift a hand. “No, let me finish. Cat’s become a part of our family. The kids adore her, and, well . . . I'm in love with her.”

A squeal erupts from behind us, the sound piercing in the quiet hallway. I turn to see Stella bouncing on her toes, a huge grin on her face. Mason stands beside her, a small smile playing at his lips. So much for getting snacks.

My mom’s expression twists from shock to disbelief, and finally settles into something that looks a lot like concern. Her frown deepens, lines creasing her face. “Leo, think about what you're saying. Think about the children.”

“The way you thought about Winston? Or how you handled what has to be one of the most scary, yet important moments of his life?”

Her mouth falls open.

“Mom, you’re not perfect. Far, far from it.” I take a deep breath and let it out slowly. “So, unless you’re prepared to lose another son and your grandchildren, I think you need to take what I’m saying seriously.”

She recoils like I slapped her, but she stays quiet. Her eyes scan my face as if trying to find some way to argue. The silence stretches between us, heavy and thick, until finally, she gives a small, reluctant nod. “Fine, Leo. I'll try.”

When she walks back over to the chairs and takes a seat, I turn to my kids, kneeling so we’re all at the same eye level. “Since you two chose not to listen and be nosy, are you both okay with me dating Cat?”

Stella's response is immediate and enthusiastic. “Yes! Oh, my god, yes!”

Mason is more subdued, but his smile is genuine. “I'd like that, Dad. Cat's cool. And I want you to be happy.”

I pull both into a hug, holding them tight like I can somehow keep them from growing up so fast. Pressing a kiss on top of each of their heads, I clear my throat and stand, holding out my hands. “How about we go check on Cat?”

They nod, each slipping their small hands into mine, and we walk down the hall together.

For the first time in a long time, I'm not just looking forward to the next game or the next season. I'm looking forward to the future, to all the possibilities it holds.

And that, more than anything, feels like a win.