“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 her bathroom. She hated that he was seeing her like this, but there was nothing she could do about it, and she was throwing up so bad, that she kind of didn’t care.

“No,” she said waving him off, “It’s your first invitation, you gotta go.”

“It’s okay, it doesn’t matter, you are more important.”

She knew he was just being sweet. For weeks he had been so excited about the All Star games that were happening in Canada. They had bought two tickets and planned to go together, but that plan went out the window with her being sick.

“No, Tate, go. It’s okay, I swear. I’ll lie on the couch, watch you on--” she wasn’t able to finish her sentence because she started puking her brains out.

“This is stupid, I’ll just stay,” he said coming up behind her, and rubbing her back.

“No way, good sir,” she said wiping her mouth, “You are still considered a rookie goalie, and it is your first week of All Star stuff. Lucas and Shea are going, you go. You’ve got to go.”

She heard him let out a frustrated breath before he said, “Well maybe you will feel better before the flight tomorrow morning.”

Holding up her hand, she crossed her fingers, “Fingers crossed, ‘cause I want to be there.”

She didn’t make it.

She spent the next couple days laid up on the couch, running to the bathroom. Thankfully, the pain, diarrhea and fever subsided, leaving her puking only every once in a while. It was horrible. But most all, she was upset she missed going with Tate to All Star week. She was stuck watching it all on TV, which was awesome, but sucked at the same time. He looked so excited and he was first pick by Team Adler, which Audrey thought was the best choice, but everyone thought Shea would have picked Tim Thomas. Luckily, Shea was able to pick Lucas before the other guy so they had their whole team on one team. The game wasn’t until Friday, but before that, they had the skills challenge and other cool stuff. Tate had said he was really excited, he just wished she was there with him.

So did she.

After a couple days laid up on the couch, Audrey slowly got dressed, trying to look professional and like a cupcake maker. She decided that bright bold colors would express that, so she wore a green mini skirt, with dark black tights and yellow Gucci pumps. With a yellow-stripped button up shirt that tied into a bow on the back, she looked like an Ompa Lompa, but hey, at least she was a cute one. Just as she reached for her gorgeous green pea coat, she had the urge to throw up. As she ran across the hall to the bathroom, she realized that she could run pretty well in heels. Diving for the toilet, she puked her brains out to the point where she was dry heaving.

“Oh my God,” she groaned, sniffling as she took in deep breaths, “this is horrible.”

Sitting back on her haunches, she reached for a towel to wipe her mouth. She stood up, reaching for the toothbrush and brushed her teeth. After reapplying her makeup, she only made it two steps out the bathroom before she was turning around again, dry heaving.