Tate turned to say something to Lucas, but he was on the phone, yelling about something. Tate turned back to where Shea was being interviewed, and sat down in the chair that was next to him. Taking in a deep breath, he ran his hand through his hair and let it out as his leg bounced. Tate looked back at Lucas to see that he was still on the phone, and appeared to still be yelling. He didn’t know what was going on but he hoped everything was okay because Lucas’ face was bright red and a vein was popping out on his head.

Tate reached into his pocket, making sure his phone was on.

It was.

Letting his head fall back, he let out another breath as his mind wondered. What if something happened and she was lying on the side of the road, dead? What if she had some kind of crazy stomach bug that ate away her stomach and came out looking like an alien and it killed her? Tate sat up, holding his head as he shook it. He needed to get it together, he had an important interview with the NHL network about the All Star week, and he couldn’t worry himself with what ifs. They wouldn’t help the situation.

But he couldn’t help it, through Shea’s entire interview and a little into Lucas’, Tate sat there coming up with the most horrible scenarios that took the love of his life away from him. He hated when he did this, he would always think of what could happen instead of just thinking that maybe they gave her some great meds and she is knocked out. Or maybe, she is dying in the hospital and they didn’t know who to call so she was just going to lay there and die without him there telling her how much he loved her.

Tears filled his eyes and he looked down, trying to push them back. He felt like he didn’t get to tell his mom, dad, and Matilda enough that he loved them. When they were taken from him that was one of the hardest things to cope with. Did they know that he loved them more than life itself? Did his father know that Tate wanted to be him, and that he was the best father in the world? Did his mother realize that his childhood was the best because of her kind words and loving smiles? Did Matilda know that Tate couldn’t have had a better sister and that he thought she was the most beautiful girl in the world with such an amazing talent? He would never know but he learned from that situation and knew that a day wouldn’t pass without him telling Audrey that he loved her, and that she was the most beautiful person on the inside and out.

He wouldn’t make the same mistake twice.

Letting out the breath he was holding, Tate glanced up to see Shea watching him. “You okay?” he asked.

“I can’t get a hold of Audrey. I don’t know where she is.”

“Isn’t she sick? She is probably sleeping. It’s okay. She’ll call you.”

Tate nodded, “I hope you are right.”

Just then his phone rang. Tate rushed to get his phone out of his pocket almost falling out of the chair he was in. When he saw Audrey’s smiling face on the display, he answered quickly, “Baby, you okay?”

“Yeah,” she said breathlessly, “I’m sorry I’ve been at the doctors, and didn’t have service.”

“Oh, okay, everything okay?”

“Yeah, everything is fine.”

“Did they give you the medicine?” he asked, she sounded weird and it was making him nervous.

“Um no, they said I didn’t need it. That I would be okay.”

“Okay,” he said with his brows coming together, “so you are okay?”

“I’m good, I’m great actually, are you okay?”

“Yeah,” he said with a grin as his heart settled, “I was worried about you. I love you.”

“Oh, Tate, I love you more, I’m sorry to make you worry.”

“It’s okay, I’m just glad to hear your voice.”

“It’s good to hear yours.” She then paused before saying, “So what are you doing?”

“Interviews.”

“When are you going to be home?”

“My plane leaves after this, I should be home by 5.”

“Okay, are you coming straight home?”

“Of course, I haven’t seen you in nine days, I plan on keeping you very busy tonight,” he said with lust lining his words. His need for her was great and he couldn’t wait to get his hands on her.

“Mm, I can’t wait,” she cooed causing his dick to come alive and press hard against the zipper of his jeans.

“It is crazy how you only have to say that and all the worry from before vanishes and I find myself harder than a rock,” he whispered gruffly into the phone.

“Stop teasing me, Tate, I want you so bad,” she said breathlessly.

“Not as much as I want you,” he groaned but when he received an amused look from Shea, he laughed before saying, “But that will have to wait. I need to tell you something.”

He hadn’t had the chance to tell her about Elsa calling him. Audrey had been so sick, and busy, while he had been slammed with stuff for the Assassins. He knew it wasn’t the best time, but he didn’t want to let her go, and he knew that if he didn’t change the subject, the NHL network wasn’t going to receive an interview from him. He would be on the first plane home to ravish his love.

“What?” she asked.

“I talked to Elsa the other night.”

“Elsa? Your ex?”

“Yeah, she called because apparently my parents had a storage unit that the lawyer forgot to tell me about. Or it got lost in the paperwork or something like that. I don’t know. Anyways, my lawyer is her brother and he asked her to get a hold of me.”