The first night Cash didn’t call, I knew something was wrong.

The next morning, I woke up terrified. I had a feeling down deep inside that things in Jacksonville had gone horribly wrong, and it drove me insane waiting to hear from him. I walked the hallways with him on my mind, flicked through old baseball replays to try to distract myself, even did my best to keep my head in the statistics and try to make some projections, but it felt odd having Cash gone.

It just wasn’t like him not to call. I hadn’t wanted to be that girl that rings up her guy’s phone in the middle of the night just to make sure the damn phone was working, but I really wanted to hear from him. I really wanted to hear the smooth buttery tone of his voice. I wanted to hear that deep chuckle that radiated straight between my legs.

I wanted him to tell me not to worry, because that was something else I wasn’t good at—not worrying. That’s why I had a head for numbers. They were solid, no variables, work hard, see immediate results. It was comforting, but having Cash gone threw me off my game.

It was also driving Coach insane that he was gone. The entire team relied on Cash to be their leader, like a team captain, he guided the team. Everyone, especially Rod, was lost without him.

By the time the sun set on the evening of his second night gone, and after a few unanswered phone calls, I was on my laptop booking a flight to Jacksonville. I’d managed to get my hands on the player records and had scrounged up an old address that may have been his father’s, or so I hoped, before I boarded my flight.

Now, immediately upon arrival, I was taxiing down the runway thinking I had to do what I could to get Cash safe and home and ready for the play-offs. I called the number listed in his emergency file, hoping his father would pick up, or that someone would tell me what was going on, but after six rings I was convinced no one was home and I was just wasting my time even being down here.

As I was about to hang up, the phone picked up and I heard a grunt.

“Uh, hello? Len Greenwood?”

“Who is it?”

“My name is Delilah. I’m a friend of your son’s. I’ve been trying to get a hold of him.”

“He’s in the hospital.” The phone went dead.

Hospital.

The hospital?

I choked on my sob, my stomach rolling with cold fear.

“We have to go to the hospital.” Tears rained down my cheeks as the taxi driver nodded, changing lanes and turning to go back the way we’d come.

“Everything all right, ma’am?”

“No, no, I was a fool to let him go alone. Maybe I could have helped, and now he’s in the hospital and no one even knew!” I babbled on, my heart aching with every word.

By the time I looked up a minute later, we were pulling up to the hospital entrance, and I was tossing twenties at the driver as I ran into the hospital.

“Cash Greenwood. Please tell me Cash Greenwood is here.”

“Oh, Cash?” The first floor receptionist’s smile brightened. “He’s on the third floor. Let me just get his room number…” Her voice faded behind me as I punched the button on the elevator, cursing it for taking so long.

I waited, twisting my hands together as the elevator rose, bursting through the doors once it finally come to a stop on the third floor. Without even thinking to stop and ask at the nurse's station, I sped down the hallway, looking in every room, glancing at the dry-erase boards with patients’ names on them. A few giggles came from down the hallway as a nurse exited a room. That was probably Cash’s room. Only he could send grown women into a tittering teen-girl mess.

“Cash?” I ducked in, sighing when my eyes landed on him. He was lying back in bed, his hand wrapped in white gauze, a boot on his ankle. “Oh my God, what happened?”

“Delilah?” Cash asked, eyes wide as if he didn’t believe I was really there. “Jesus, the hospital has been trying to call you ever since I woke up, but there was no answer.”

“I was on a plane. I saw the missed calls, but didn’t recognize them. And woke up? What do you mean woke up? Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, just a sprained wrist, and a pretty bad bone bruise on my ankle. And I have a bump on my head.”

“God, what did you do?” I went to the bed, wrapping him in my arms and sobbing.

“My dad…” Cash’s voice was laced with pain. “My dad hit me with his truck. I was trying to stop him from leaving. He was drunk,”

“Oh God, Cash. I knew I should have come. How are you feeling? When can you leave? And what about play-offs?”

“I’m gonna miss a few games, but the doctor thinks I might be able to play in two weeks. I’m hoping, anyway.”

“Two to four I said. Are you the lovely Delilah he’s been going on about?”

I turned to find a doctor in the room. “Yes, that’s me.”

“Glad you’re here. He has been out of his mind asking for you. We’re releasing him soon, I know he wants to hop on a plane and get back, but he’s going to need your help.”

“Anything, just tell me what to do.”

“I’ll have the nurse go over his discharge papers with you, but it was a near miss. He hit his head. We were worried about a concussion for a while there, but he’s out of the danger zone.”

I listened as the doctor began talking to Cash, warnings about resting a lot the next few weeks. I’d almost lost him before we’d even had a chance to start; we’d nearly lost it all.

“Mr. Greenwood?” A nurse popped her head in, interrupting my thoughts. “You’ve got a guest. Okay if I let him in?” I shrank from her arched eyebrow. “You’re a popular man, Mr. Greenwood.”

“Sure, thanks, Mrs. McCarty.” Cash’s eyes grew round.

“Thanks for seeing me, son.” I turned to find the old man whose voice I recognized from the phone call.

“You landed me here, I’ve got nothing to say to you.” Cash’s gaze was hard, frightening.

“Well, I’ve got a few things to say to you. I resented you, Cash. When you left, lived all those big dreams you had, I didn’t handle it well.”

I shrank back against the wall, wishing I could disappear, wondering if I should interrupt them to excuse myself. This was a conversation that needed to happen, I just didn’t want to witness it.

“I haven’t been a father to you.” Cash’s dad advanced farther into the room, his body slow and hunched with age and drink. He reeked of alcohol—he really was a barely functioning alcoholic. “I’m real sorry I couldn’t keep it together after your mom was gone. I think she was the glue our family needed, and without her…I just let you go, son.” I heard the tears echo in the old man’s throat when he finally reached the bed. “I’m real sorry, Cash. I thought by staying away I was keeping you safe. I can’t hurt you if I’m not around you.”

Cash’s eyes roamed up and down the old man’s face, pain slicing his features. His eyes looked like those of a little lost boy who’d been hurt one too many times.

“I’m gonna stop drinking, son. I’m done.” Cash’s father paused, then turned and caught my eye. “I see the love for you in this woman’s face, you know I’ve lived my whole life never realizing just what it was that made life worth living.” He nodded, then turned back to his son. “It’s love, boy. Love for your family and the love of a good woman.”

Cash’s fingers were twitching against the white sheet as he lay battered in the hospital bed, hit by the very man who was supposed to spend his life protecting him. I didn’t know if Cage would have the courage to forgive him and move on, and I wouldn’t judge him if he didn't, but I knew his empathy was deep.

“I’m checking into the detox facility they have downstairs. Nurse McCarty here was telling me all about it.” The old man nodded at the nurse who had reappeared at the door behind him.

“Told him we can get him in tonight,” Mrs. McCarty confirmed.

“I’m not asking for miracles, son. But I know I’ve done wrong by you, and I want to start doing right.”

My heart almost shattered when I saw Cash’s face turn up in the smallest of smiles. “That’s all I want, Dad. That’s all I’ve ever wanted.”

“I love you, boy.” Cash’s dad leaned down, wrapping Cash in a weak hug and patting his back. I watched as Cash’s eyes swam with some sense of emotional healing. He’d been waiting his whole adult life for this moment, and he deserved it.

I backed away, preparing to give them some privacy, but Cash stopped me. “Dad, I’d like you to meet Delilah.”

“Hi.” I smiled, feeling the heat of being caught burn up my cheeks.

“Hope you’re gonna put a ring on that, son.”

My mouth dropped open, and Cash started chuckling. “Have plans to, sir.”

“After baseball season?”

“Before.”

“Wait a minute!” I shrieked. “You’re gonna ask me to marry you before the end of this season?”

“Well, now you’ve ruined the surprise.”

“Cash! That’s a few weeks away!”

“I know, I was wondering how I was gonna wait that long, too.”

I laughed, shaking my head as happy tears streamed down my cheeks.

Cash pulled me into his lap, one hand in my hair as his lips touched mine. “There’s no crying in baseball, Ms. Grey.”

We flew back home on a red-eye, Cash was anxious to get into rehab since he still hoped to finish out the season. Play-offs were just starting, and while he’d definitely be missing the next few weeks’ worth of games, he was hoping to play at least the last few, as long as the team got that far.

Depending on how the series went, he only had a handful of weeks to get back into playing shape before the Timberwolves would get their chance to play against the other leading team in the World Series.

“This boot pisses me off. Shouldn’t I be walking on it to speed recovery?”

“Um, no. Not according to the doctor, you shouldn’t.”

Cash sat on my couch, baseball game on TV while he munched on sunflower seeds.

“Maybe I should get a second opinion.” He tossed a few more seeds into his mouth.

“The doctor said you’ll be fine, but you have to rest it.” I lifted his leg gently, propping it under a pillow to keep it elevated.

“I can’t stay cooped up like this, Delilah. You know, he could have taken away my career. I try not to think about it, just stay focused on getting better and be thankful that it wasn’t worse, but it’s not easy.”

“I know, baby.” I frowned, thinking how hard this must be on him emotionally. His dad and him had had the healing conversation in the hospital, but Cash had years of built-up bitterness to shed. “Keep in mind that wasn’t really him, though. That was the alcohol.”

“But it was him,” Cash insisted. “That’s the only father I’ve known, someone drunk and angry and dangerous.”

“I know it’s hard, but just remember he’s trying. That’s the best you can hope for, and trying is more than a lot of people manage. It’s been a week, he’s been calling regularly. This might be the thing that turns him around, Cash. Truly.”

“I keep thinking that. It feels too good to be true, though.” He pushed a hand through his hair. “I’ve been waiting my whole life for him to change. What’s different now?”

“He almost lost his son,” I reminded him. Cash’s eyes peered up at me, swirling with emotion. Sitting on this couch had gotten him thinking a lot, and I wasn’t sure that was the best thing. Cash was a guy who liked action, he liked to be doing something. Just sitting all day wasn’t enough for him.

“Take me with you.” Cash’s tugged me down against his body. I wished I could keep him with me at all times. Him flying off to Florida by himself had caused this all in the first place. I knew it was silly to think that I could have changed the outcome in any way, but the fear that had clutched at my heart when I’d learned he was in the hospital had been like another side of hell. I never wanted to live through that again.

I wrapped my legs around his on instinct. “I’m pretty sure this doesn’t fall under doctor’s orders.”

“I’m not good at following orders.” Cash’s lips brushed against my neck. I smoothed my hands through his hair as he captured my lips in a soft kiss. “Take me to the ball field with you today.”

“Cash!” I huffed, pulling away from his deceptive kiss. “Stop trying to blackmail me into giving in. You’ve got a checkup next week. Don’t rush it, or you might regret it.”

“I’m going crazy sitting on this couch all day!” Cash locked my fingers in his and pulled me back against his lips. “The only bright spot is the fuck-hot nurse I lucked out with.”

I grinned against his lips, succumbing to his touch when his hands raked down my waist and fisted at the cheeks of my ass. “You’re not being a very good patient.”

“Give me a chance to try better. I may have a bum leg, but I’m pretty talented with my fingers.” Cash slipped a palm down the waistband of my pants and under my underwear. My heart hummed with love for him, his touch, everything about him.

“I’ve got to get to work, Cash Greenwood. Coach doesn’t like when I’m late.”

“Well, I don’t like when you leave.” Cash gripped my ass cheeks harder, dragging his teeth across my bottom lip and convincing me that being late didn’t sound so bad right now.

“The field is weird without you there,” I pouted, my heart falling when I thought of how much I’d grown used to him around every day. Sure, he was staying at my place while he rehabilitated, but I was at the stadium five or six hours every day without him. The job felt a little hollower without him around goading me. “I think Rod said he’d stopped by and hang out with you today.”

“He’s not as pretty as you are,” Cash teased sliding a finger under the elastic of my panties. “Plus, all he talks about is Gina now. I’m glad he’s found someone, but I think he handed over his balls to her.”

“Cash!” I swatted at his arm, erupting into giggles.

“Call in and stay with me today.” He wrapped a palm around my neck and pulled me in for another, deeper kiss. Our tongues swirled together, his fingers dancing across my skin, and the only thing in my head was that I wanted to pull off my pants and slide down onto him right there, window and work be damned.

“Rod will be here any minute, he doesn’t have to be in to practice until later.” I pulled away slowly, rubbing my body along every hard, solid inch of him.

A low groan escaped from Cash’s lips as he watched me, his beautiful eyes dark with sexual tension. I turned, breaking eye contact and sliding my laptop bag over my shoulder.

“At least a goodbye kiss?”

I paused, pursing my lips at him. “If I come back over there, I won’t leave.”

“That’s what I’m planning on.” His eyes did that sparkling thing I loved. He tossed one arm over his head as he stared up at me, the taut muscle pulling at his T-shirt. Stubble covered his jawline, and I almost found myself locking the door, crawling back to him, and ignoring Rod when he showed up in favor of lying naked on this couch all day with my strong, handsome ball player.

“See you later, playboy.” I blew him a kiss, scurrying out the door before he could use his devilish hands and convincing words on me again.