Dean (Face-Off 6)

“Oh, right.” Will nods. “We’re playing the Caps soon. I hate Duke Baldwin.”

Ethan nods in agreement. “Dickhead.”

I don’t agree or disagree.

After they gather their gaming equipment, I walk them to the front door.

“See ya at practice tomorrow,” Ethan says.

Will tips his head to me.

Once they’re gone, I remove my phone from my pocket. Kat answers on the second ring.

“Hey, Kitten.” I lean my back against the door. “How was your day?”

She sniffs as if she’s crying. “Okay, I guess.”

“What’s wrong?”

Dead silence.

“Kitten, c’mon, talk to me. What’s going on?”

“Nothing. I don’t feel good. I’m tired. I haven’t been sleeping well.”

I let out a sigh of relief. “For a second there, I thought you were crying.”

Another awkward pause and then she says, “I need to see you, Dean. Your birthday is coming up. I want to visit for the weekend.”

“That’s two weeks from now.”

“We have to plan it around your schedule,” she says so low I struggle to hear her.

“What’s going on? You sound different. Are you upset with me for not calling back right away? Because if you are, I’m sorry, baby. I got caught up in everything that’s going on here. I swear I didn’t mean to upset you.”

“I’m fine, Dean.” She sniffs again. “Just sick, that’s all.”

“Okay, but if something is bothering you, you would tell me, right?”

“Of course,” she whispers. “Hey, I’m gonna hang up. I need to get some sleep. Call me tomorrow.”

“I have practice in the morning. I’ll call you after you’re done work.”

“Sounds good,” she says in a hushed tone. “I love you.”

“Love you, too, Kitten. Night.”

“Night,” she says and then the line goes dead.

What is going on with her? Lately, Kat hasn’t been herself. It’s as if the distance between us is tearing us apart, and I don’t know how to fix it.

Chapter Twenty-One

Kat

Silvia sits in the chair next to me, nodding at my stomach. “How are you feeling?”

“The morning sickness is getting worse. I threw up twice already today. I’m so frustrated I want to rip my hair out.”