His Christmas Baby: A Friends to Lovers Romance Read online

  Great, he was drunk. “Or you were one second away from some very unfavorable rumors circulating.” I put up with Rask because he was good at his job. He made sure I got good endorsement deals and he wasn’t afraid to be creative. But he was a loose cannon. “See if you can find someone to latch onto at the hotel bar, that’s safer .”

  “But that Czech player was fucking magnificent. You won’t always be around Brady .”

  Thank goodness for that. “Well don’t do it when you’re my guest. I hear Stepchenko doesn’t mind your rowdy behavior .”

  He laughed so hard he nearly choked on it. “Yeah that fucker knows how to party. You used to know how too, but now you’re so squeaky clean that Rolex is looking at you .”

  That was actually good news, but I didn’t want details while he could barely talk without slurring his words. “That’s great Rask. Can’t wait to hear the details.” He replied with a long, blubbering snore and I laid my head back in the limo too, happy to use the silence to think about other, more pleasant things .

  But that would have to wait, because something rammed into Rask’s side of the limo and pushed us forward. Hard. My left shoulder smashed against the door and though I didn’t hear the crack, I sure as shit felt it. The limo spun and then tipped, sending a burning, searing pain through my shoulder as all my body weight landed on it even harder. It hurt so much I thought I might actually cry. Luckily the pain got so bad that I simply passed out .

  * * *

  W aking up in a hospital bed with machines buzzing, hissing and beeping all around, was scary as fuck. My arm hurt like a bitch, I didn’t know what time it was or even where I was other than a hospital. Worse, I couldn’t remember how in the hell I got here .

  “Sylvie? Sylvie are you here?” I don’t know why I called out for her, of course she wasn’t here. Right? “How long have I been out? Shit!” The pain that ripped through my arm when I tried to sit up was like fire under my skin .

  “You’ve been out for a few hours now, on and off. But this is the first time you’ve been up and conscious. How are you feeling ?”

  “Like a Mack truck crushed my arm.” I spoke with a bravado I didn’t feel as the pain intensified along with the reality of what it meant. “Give it to me straight, Doc.” I watched her carefully, Dr. Mason her white coat said in a brilliant cursive scrawl, as she tried to figure out the best way to give me the news .

  She sighed and then nodded, her dark ponytail bobbing behind her. “We need to get you into X-ray again now that you’re fully awake to see what we’re working with, but I suspect a break. Paramedics report multiple breaks, but the first x-rays didn’t turn out great because you’re an active sleeper .”

  I smiled even though I didn’t really feel it. My left arm felt like spaghetti, what I could feel of it, and that didn’t sound like good news. “Based on what you do know, how long are we looking at for recovery ?”

  “Minimum eight weeks of immobility and then at least three months of physical therapy. But that all depends on you, Mr. Houston. Follow instructions and we’ll get through it as quickly as possible .”

  This time my grin was genuine, because I would push myself to get back on the court before the end of the year. “Of course .”

  “We’ll get you up to X-ray within the hour .”

  Great. I would likely be here at least overnight. “Do you have any news on my agent?” She gave me a sympathetic look but only offered the standard privacy spiel. “Right .”

  Dr. Mason turned to go the moment the door flew open to reveal a heaving Sylvie, eyes wide and frantic, red hair half in and half out of a low ponytail .

  “Oh my god, Brady!” She flew to the bed, hands going straight to my face, caressing my head, neck, chest and legs. Taking a step back, her worried gaze shot straight to my shoulder. “Oh, Brady. Fuck, I’m sorry .”

  “Syl,” I grinned. “You got here fast .”

  Tears began to pool in her eyes as reality sank in and I knew she’d been on adrenaline since she learned of the accident. “My assistant, Sebastian,” she offered as an explanation. Then she straightened her spine and turned to Dr. Mason, battering her with question after question of my health. “You do realize that the longer we have to wait to find the proper treatment, the worse his odds of a full recovery are ?”

  “Of course, miss. But we do have a way of doing things .”

  Sylvie nodded but it was that nod that meant she wasn’t happy with the answer. “Look Doctor, it took a five hour flight, plus nearly an hour to get to the airport and another forty minutes to get here. That’s close to eight hours. His body is his livelihood so tell me what I need to do to get him in an x-ray right now .”

  “Don’t’ fight it, Doc. She’s a lawyer and my best friend, which means she won’t let it go .”

  Dr. Mason grinned and nodded in understanding. “You’re lucky to have a friend like her.” She turned to Sylvie. “I’ll just tell them some awful woman is yelling and I bumped him to the front of the line to shut her up .”

  I held my breath, thinking Sylvie might be too shaken up to take it as the joke it was meant to be. But she grinned and held out her hand. “Works for me. Thank you .”

  With a grin, she walked out of the room leaving me and Sylvie alone. “You’re fierce .”

  “And you’re getting an X-ray. Try not to freak out, yeah ?”

  I rolled my eyes at her mention of my low level claustrophobia. “I won’t because I have my secret weapon .”

  Blue eyes went wide. “No way! I’ve already let them paint me as the mean woman, I won’t make a fool out of myself and sing in front of them too.” She shook her head and crossed her arms, still protesting—too much—about how she wouldn’t do it when we both knew she would .

  Twenty minutes later I sat in the room while a kind tech took photos of the left side of my body. And Sylvie sang one of my favorite songs, Everlong by the Foo Fighters, in the off-key way only she could .

  Sylvie

  H earing about Brady’s accident had taken at least fifteen years off my life. Knowing that he was all the way in Montreal, took away another five years just in the hassle to get there. I’d nearly dipped into my savings to charter a plane, until a friendly clerk had accidentally bumped another first class customer for me. I made a note to send her flowers and chocolates when I returned to California. I jumped into a taxi, calling Merry on the way to let her know I’d be there for Brady if she couldn’t be .

  Paul Nelson hadn’t been happy, calling me several times on the way to the airport to assure me I would pay for…hell, everything. I didn’t have time to worry about all that, so I told him to do his worst, and then I turned to the briefs in my bag in an effort to forget that Brady had been involved in a car accident. Not just a regular fender bender either, the limo he was in had been t-boned and then it flipped on its side. The news had no idea how bad the injuries were, only saying that Brady, his rat bastard agent, and the driver had all been taken to the hospital. But I’d spotted at least four ambulances in the footage that had been playing on a loop on one of the TVs in the airport lounge. By the time the plane had boarded, I was a nervous wreck. The only good thing that had come from the stress, was that I’d found a strategy to win my next trial .

  Too bad I didn’t remember that as I barreled my way through the hospital in search of Brady. Or as I stood on the other side of the x-ray room belting out a very horrible, hoarse rendition of Everlong .

  “Okay that’s done now. Everyone have a good laugh while I go track down some coffee.” I heard a few chuckles behind me as I left to go find the machine that pretended to brew coffee, but was actually dirt water. Either way, the hot bitterness gave me another jolt of energy that I hoped would last at least until we found out what lies ahead for Brady. He would be torn up if this ended his year, but he’d be devastated if this ended his career .

  I hoped it didn’t end his career .

  But when we got settled back in his room, the news wasn’t good. “You
need surgery on your shoulder but we’re going to set the cast for your distal radial fracture here .”

  “Here? Where will the surgery take place?” I was probably overstepping but I was scared .

  Luckily, Dr. Mason was patient. “I have a colleague at Johns Hopkins who specializes in this type of shoulder surgery. Scarring will be minimal which means a faster recovery, something I’m sure is important to you Mr. Houston .”

  I took a few minutes to discuss the logistics of getting both of us to Maryland, but it turned out they would fly us both there. “When will you discharge him ?”

  “Once the cast is set, we’ll get you both flights unless you’d prefer to handle it .”

  The next few hours were a rush of phone calls and planning. It was late when we were finally able to leave the hospital, but not before stopping to see his agent. “Not only did you come see me, but you brought me a bit of candy.” Even all busted up with casts on both legs and one arm, the guy was a creep .

  “Think again, old man. How long are you in here ?”

  “Fuck if I know. Weeks or months. When they let me out though, I can get one of those sexy little home nurses.” He coughed and winced, reaching for his ribs with his good hand. “I’m gonna be out of commission for a while .”

  “Don’t worry about that, Ted. Worry about getting better and flirting with nurses.” Brady told him about the shoulder surgery and the need to move fast .

  “Yeah, go on and get to it. Don’t worry about me, these Canadians are nice as fuck.” He grinned but his eyes began to drift so I stepped away and let Brady say goodbye .

  “All right, let’s get this shit show on the road,” he grumbled, upset that I had to push him in a wheelchair to the waiting shuttle. He whined the whole way to the airport, while we waited, and most of the flight to Maryland, which had been the smoothest two hours I’d had since I first got the news .

  “Are you going to be a grumpy little baby the whole time, or can I expect you to man up soon ?”

  He looked stunned at my words while we waited to check into a hotel. Tomorrow would be the consultation and hopefully surgery the next day. “I can’t believe you just said that .”

  I sighed, feeling bad since he was ten times more stressed about this than I was. “Sorry, but look, this is shitty all the way around. A bad attitude is just going to make it more tense than it has to be.” I stepped forward when the clerk nodded in my direction, checked us in and got the key cards. Sebastian had really come through getting rooms and transportation for the duration of the stay in Baltimore. I didn’t know how long we would be here and I wanted to be prepared .

  “So, this is cozy,” he said. I heard the smile in his voice and I had to see what had put it there .

  “Is the suite not fancy enough for you Mr. Big Shot?” I stopped inches from his tall frame and my gaze swept the room. It was a suite all right, complete with a kitchenette and common area. The only hitch? It was a one bedroom suite .

  “No big deal. This way I can check on you.” It wasn’t a big deal, either. Brady and I had shared beds plenty over the years and nothing ever happened .

  “It’s my arm, not my legs or my dick, Syl .”

  “Fine. I’ll sleep on the sofa.” I didn’t want to argue. I was tired, stressed and worried. “We need some clothes so I’m going out to get us some stuff.” I hadn’t even stopped at home before heading to the airport so work was all I had on me .

  “No need. My assistant handled it. If they’re not in the bedroom then they will be here shortly.” He dropped onto the sofa, fatigue lines tightened around his mouth and eyes .

  “What do you need, Brady? Pain killers? A bath? Tell me .”

  He grinned. “Come here, Syl.” He wrapped an arm around me and I laid my head on his good shoulder, inhaling his familiar masculine scent. “I’m glad you came for me .”

  “Of course I did, you’re my best dude .”

  “You were scared .”

  “So scared. But I had a good bit of anger to help since Paul gave me shit about leaving.” I gave him the basic details of Paul trying to poach Antoni .

  “What are you going to do about him? Or your job moving forward ?”

  “That was at the top of my things to think about until I heard you were in an accident. I’ll have to quit soon, probably either way .”

  “Where will you go?” His hand stroked my hair and it felt so good I groaned .

  “I don’t know. Maybe home or just a smaller town .”

  “You didn’t call me back .”

  I sat up and looked at him. “I know. I was busy fighting with Paul and the senior partners and by the time I got around to it, you were on my TV sending a down the line shot that was pure poetry .”

  “I’m kind of surprised that you didn’t call to make sure I was thinking about your favor .”

  “I didn’t want to pressure you while you were in the middle of a tournament. You said you’d think about it, and I know you will. Besides I’m not some baby hungry crazy woman .”

  “Well I have thought about it, and I’m going to do it .”

  My body went completely still and the only sound was that of my blood rushing through my body. Brady said he would do it. He would give me a child. Then all the tension seeped out of my body, all the stress of the past year just floated away. “Brady .”

  “I do have conditions though .”

  “Of course.” I would draw up any contracts he wanted or needed to feel secure. “Name them .”

  “First, I will damn sure be involved in raising any kid of mine .”

  “Okay.” It would be easier to have Brady’s help .

  “Second we make this baby the old-fashioned way.” He grinned at my shocked expression .

  “What? Did you just say…you want to …?”

  He shrugged. “I don’t not want to. It’s not about that, though I do plan to enjoy it. It’s just, I can’t do this with you of all people and have it be all clinical and impersonal .”

  Okay. I would get my baby but I’d have to have sex with my best friend to do it. Not that it would be a hardship, but it would be strange. What if it messed everything up between us ?

  “Are you sure this won’t be too strange ?”

  “Maybe at first, but we’re both hot and fit, and we have chemistry. Besides don’t act like you haven’t been trying to get another taste since seventh grade .”

  I groaned. “I could say the same to you. If that first kiss is what I should be longing for, sorry babe. It wasn’t that great .”

  “Yeah,” He shrugged. “I didn’t know the art yet. But I do now.” He threw me a cocky grin .

  I willed my body not to shiver at his words, at the anticipation. “Okay. We’ll do this. But let’s talk about it after your surgery.” That way I had more time to get used to the idea of sleeping with the boy I’d known forever .

  Brady

  “Y ou really didn’t have to bring me home with you, Syl. I have Ma and your mom eager to take care of me back in Almond Valley.” I wanted to be here with her, but I knew her work week could be brutal .

  “I know I didn’t have to, but I wanted to.” She held the door open so it wouldn’t smack me as I entered. The surgery had been quick, relatively painless and mostly noninvasive. We stayed in Baltimore one extra night after the surgery and flew straight home because Sylvie had court in the morning. “Besides who’s going to take better care of you ?”

  “If this is how you treat future baby daddies, then I might just make you my girl forever .”

  She grinned and locked the door. “I’m already your girl forever .”

  “Yeah, true. But now I get to make it official.” I gave her a suggestive wiggle of my eyebrows and she laughed .

  “You have to take pain meds soon, so maybe you want to go through the menu drawer and find something for us to eat ?”

  “If you’re going to have a baby, you should probably learn how to cook .”

  She sighed. “I know and
I will. As soon as the pink lines, or is it blue lines? Well as soon as the word ‘pregnant’ appears on a stick, I’ll sign up for a cooking class .”

  “Yeah? Let’s do it together.” It sounded fun and since I had nothing but time for at least the foreseeable future .

  She froze at my words, her pale skin an intriguing shade of pink. “You have a knack for making everything sound dirty .”

  “Thanks, though that one was unintentional .”

  “Sure.” She didn’t believe me but that was okay, no one knew my tells better than Sylvie. “I’m going to put you in my bed and I’ll take the guest bedroom because you’re way too big for it .”

  I grinned again. “Yeah I am .”

  “You are impossible. Order us some food, I’m starving .”

  She disappeared down the hall and I flipped through the menus, laughing. “You have a serious problem, Syl. There are at least thirty-five menus here.” I picked one of the Asian places and called in an order for delivery .

  “Thirty-eight,” she called from the bedroom and when she came out a few minutes later in yoga pants and a Stanford Law sweatshirt, she looked ten years younger. “A girl’s gotta eat.” She dropped down beside me, leaving just enough space so she didn’t hit my arm. “How are you feeling ?”

  “Like I’m probably going to be out until January. At least,” I told her, adding the one part I couldn’t bear to think about .

  “So January is our goal? I can work with that. You have at least six weeks to chill out, relax and enjoy being a bum. Then, we work you hard.” She palmed her face. “Good lord now you’ve got me doing it !”

  “You know what they say about great minds and all that, right ?”

  “I think you’re confusing great with perverted .”

  I shrugged. “They’re all the same, right?” Her laughter echoed in the room as we settled in to watch a little television. My eyes began to drift closed sometime during the history documentary she insisted on putting on. “You know a sleeping pill would have worked better .”