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Tate moved close to her, kissing underneath her jaw, “I will always be here to put you back to together. Always.”
~*~
The next couple days were magical. They spent every waking moment together. They went to movies, they stay home to watch re-runs of their favorite shows, they looked for spots for Audrey Jane’s but most of all they loved. They made love every chance they got, they held each other, and they enjoyed each other’s company. It was amazing. She had never been so in love, and she wouldn’t change it for the world.
Thankfully and by the grace of God, Fallon had called to ask them for dinner. She hadn’t heard from her sister since their fight about Tate. Audrey had been nervous about what Fallon would say, but she seemed fine, and Audrey learned later the reason.
“I talked to Tate.”
Audrey glanced up, confused, “When?”
“A week ago.”
“About?”
“About everything. He reassured me about the things that were bothering me and, Audrey, I trust him, and you know how I am. I don’t trust anyone for as far as I can throw them.”
“I know,” Audrey said. It was one of Fallon biggest flaws, but it was who she was, and they loved her just the same.
“I’m sorry, Audrey, I should have trusted you, but then again, I never would have gotten the show of Tate coming in and putting me in my place,” she said with a grin, “He’ll fight until the end for you, I hope you know that.”
“I do, and I love him for it.”
“Good,” she said as she took a bite of the Carmel Apple cupcakes Audrey had made for the evening. Audrey watched her sister eat as all the love she had for Fallon exploded inside of her. She had never met someone so loving and hardheaded in her life, but she wouldn’t love anyone the way she loved her sister.
“You’re always gonna be there for me, aren’t you?”
Fallon shot her a grin as she licked the caramel icing from her fingers, “Until the day I die.”
They shared a long loving look before Audrey nodded, “I love you, Fal.”
“And I love you, AA.”
“I love you AA!!” Aiden yelled as he came into the room, wrapping his arms around her. Audrey’s face broke into smile for her favorite little guy as she picked him up and kissed him all over his face.
“I love you, Punkin!” she gushed, holding him tight to her.
“Are you ready for the concert tomorrow?! I am!”
Audrey laughed at his bright little face. She wasn’t as excited as he was, but she was glad to make him happy. She had gotten him the tickets for Christmas, and he had been counting down the days until the concert. He was so cute. Out the corner of her eye, she saw Tate and Lucas enter the room and said, “I sure am, do you think Tate is?”
Aiden laughed as he glanced over to where Tate was reaching for a cupcake, “Think I am, what?” he asked.
“Excited to go to the concert!” Aiden gushed with his arms up in the air.
“I still don’t think he should go,” Lucas grumbled from Fallon’s side.
“Why not?” Audrey asked.
“It’s a boy band, A, it’s bad enough he listens to the music, now you’re taking him to a concert?”
Audrey giggled as she shook her head, “Big Time Rush is awesome, Lucas, stop hating.”
Aiden nodded as Tate laughed beside her. “Surely you are not looking forward to this,” Lucas said to Tate.
Tate shrugged his shoulders, “Sure I am. It will be fun. I like Big Time Rush, right kiddo?” he said with his hand held out for a high five.
“RIGHT!” Aiden yelled before slapping his little hand against Tate’s. Everyone laughed as Lucas stood by the counter shaking his head. Being surrounded by all the laughter and love of her family, Audrey felt on top of the world. She never thought this would happen, but it had, and she didn’t think she would ever come down from the high she was on. She was in love, her family was healthy, and she was opening a cupcakery.
Could life get any better?
***
Fucking Big Time Rush.
Tate had never missed a game, but lying in bed, with trash can beside him and feeling like his stomach was about to explode he knew there was no way he could play. Between puking and the explosive diarrhea, Tate had no choice but the blame the sickness on Big Time Rush. He wouldn’t blame it on Aiden or Audrey because they just wanted to have fun, but it was the boy band’s fault for having their concert in the middle of January with nothing but germ invested girls in that place. It had seemed like such a great idea, and he had a great time, singing and joking around with two of his favorite people, but damn those sickly little girls who didn’t stay home when they should have!
Shaking his head, Tate held his stomach as he groaned. He had never felt such an awful feeling, and Rick, his trainer, told him he had probably contracted the stomach bug that was going around. Tate gave him a dirty look and said, “Thank you, Captain Obvious.”
Now he laid in bed, sweating, and puking while Audrey waited on him. Like now, she walked in with a tray of stuff, looking so damn beautiful but all he could do was grunt at her.
“I called Piper, she said she and Allison had this around New Years. She said that the puking and shitting went away after two days, but the nausea will last about a week.”
“Fantastic,” he groaned as she handed him a glass.
“That will help, it’s ginger ale.”
“Okay.” He took a sip, and swished the liquid around him mouth before swallowing. “I feel like shit.”
“I know, baby, I wish I could help more.”
Tate nodded, his eyes closed, “Love, you are helping enough.”
She moved her fingers through his sweat drenched hair, and said, “I think I found a spot for Audrey Jane’s.”
“That’s great, baby, I promise I want to be happy for you, but it’s kind of hard to move right now,” he groaned again.
“I know, I’m sorry, that was selfish of me, I was just excited. We’ll talk about it when you are better.”
“No, I want you to tell me, it makes me feel like I’m not dying.”
Audrey laughed, “Over dramatic much? What’s up with men acting like total babies when they are sick?”
Tate scoffed, “Do you want me to throw up on you?”
She giggled as she rubbed his back, “Oh hush, you wouldn’t dare.”
“You are right,” he said softly with a small grin on his face.
“I made your favorite for when you are feeling better,” she whispered.
“Punschrulle?” he asked, but even the thought of his favorite dessert his mother used to make him, couldn’t make him feel better.
“Yeah, I already ate half of it, but I’m saving the other half for you.”
“Awesome, babe, thanks.”
He felt the bed, dip underneath him and then her arms gathering his burning hot body in her arms, kissing his temple before settling into the bed with him in her arms. He let out a soft groan as he wrapped his arms around her middle, nuzzling his nose in her chest.
“You are going to get sick, love,” he muttered, his breath hot against her bare skin.
Audrey shrugged her shoulders, dusting his burning forehead with a kiss, “All I can do is hope you’ll hold me when it happens.”
Tate placed a small weak kiss in the middle of her chest and whispered, “I will.”
And for the rest of his life.
Chapter 25
Audrey should have listened.
If she would have, she probably wouldn’t be in her bathroom with her head in the toilet, puking her brains out. Her stomach felt like it was going to rip open and little aliens were going to run wild out of it. She was puking, craping, and had a fever that burned her body from head to toe.
It sucked.
Especially since Tate was leaving for eight days.
“Baby, I’ll stay, I don’t have go, and it’s only the All Star game. They can get someone else,” Tate said from the doorway of