Empty Net

by Toni Aleo

  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
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.

  “What the fuck is wrong with me?” she asked out loud to no one at all.

  After a few more minutes of dry heaving, and reapplying, she finally made it down stairs to grab her bag, and paperwork before leaving. She had a meeting with her realtor about the building she wanted for Audrey Jane’s. It was on West End, right beside a busy restaurant chain. The space was perfect, and huge, with a kitchen already in the back. She was beyond excited! Now, if only she could only stop puking, life would be a heck a lot better.

  When Audrey arrived at the vacant building, she parked her car and made her way around the busy Applebee’s. Outside of the red brick building stood James Justice, her realtor and also Shea’s brother-in-law. James smiled as Audrey approached him, holding out her hand when she reached him.

  “Audrey, so great to see you again,” he said with a smile. James had been her family’s realtor for years. He helped with all of Rocky Top’s realtor needs, and now he was going to help Audrey make her dream a reality.

  “Hey, James, how’s the kiddos?”

  “Great, Ryan is getting huge, acts more like Shea each day, and Amelia is perfect. Beautiful, just like her mother,” he said, opening the door for her.

  “Aw, that’s great. How is Grace? I haven’t seen her since the Christmas thing at the arena, she was working and I didn’t get to talk to her much.”

  “She is good,” he informed her as he hit the lights, “she is busy, like always, but good.”

  “Good, tell her I said, ‘hi’,” Audrey gushed with a grin.

  “Well do, I have to say, Audrey, you are just glowing, are you excited?”

  Audrey giggled, “I am!”

  “Awesome, let’s check out this space. I really think it is what you need for Audrey Jane’s.”

  And on he went, into his realtor spiel, but it wasn’t a load of crap. She couldn’t help but agree with everything he said. The windows were wide and would be great for displaying. The floor plan was wide, so she could have a dine-in area, and also a play area for kids. The ceilings were high, with beautiful chandeliers hanging from them. The chandeliers were missing parts on them but that was fixable. She would want them pink anyways. Everything was paintable, and the lease would only be for six months if she wanted it to be and a year at the most. It was doable, and she loved it.

  A lot.

  “I’m gonna call my boyfriend,” she said as she stood in the middle of the room.

  “Well, I need to run out to another appointment, so just lock up on the way out and I’ll come by and put the box back on when I pass by. Text me what you think, and if you decide something today, just call me and we’ll get started.”

  “Alright,” she said with a grin, hugging his tightly, “Thanks so much, James.”

  “No problem, talk to you soon.”

  Audrey watched as he left, and then dialed Tate’s number.

  “Hey baby,” he answered.

  “Hey.”

  “How you feeling?”

  “Like poo on a stick.”

  “That is intense,” he laughed.

  “Who you telling?” she laughed along with him, “Anyways, I think I am standing in the middle of Audrey Jane’s.”

  “Really? Are you at the place on West End?”

  “I am, and I love it, Tate, a lot.”

  “Well get it, baby,” he eagerly said, “Don’t wait, someone could come in behind you and get it.”

  Audrey paused, biting on her lip, “I kinda wanted you to see it.”

  “Can you put a hold on it until Saturday?”

  “I don’t know,” she whined, “I took a whole bunch of pictures, I’ll send them to you.”

  “Sounds good, I’ll be waiting.”

  Twenty minutes later, Tate called her back and said, “Get it, it is beautiful.”

  “I know. So you agree? I would call Fallon, but she is up there with y’all.”

  “Yeah, I say do it, I will show her the pictures too, she will be back Wednesday, she can come see it then, but, baby, it is what you want.”

  “It is,” she agreed, nodding her head, “I’m gonna do it.”

  “Awesome, I’m so proud of you,” he said as Audrey grinned widely.

  “Thanks,” she gushed, spinning around, but she soon stopped, realizing that was a horrible idea. “Ugh, Tate, I’ll call you back,” she groaned before she ran back to the bathroom and promptly puked. She started to dry heaving again, and she kind of wished she would have eaten something just so she wouldn’t dry heave anymore. Holding her stomach, she stood up, washing her mouth out before going back out into the space.

  Her space.

  Audrey Jane’s.

  Even with her nausea, she couldn’t help the little hop she did or the pep in her step as she sashayed out of the building. After locking up, she turned and ran right into a familiar face.

  “Audrey!” Elli gushed, hugging her tightly, “Aren’t you a breath of fresh air! I love that jacket.”

  Audrey smiled as she looked Elli over. She was wearing a t
hick black jacket so Audrey wasn’t able to see her baby belly, but it was easy to tell she was pregnant. Her face was rounding out, and she was glowing. “Hey! What are you doing?”

  “Walking to my car, I had an OBGYN appointment,” she said pointing to the building beside her future cupcakery. Glancing over at the building, Audrey watched as a lady with a baby stroller came out and then walked pass them. Could Audrey deal with watching pregnant women and moms walk by her cupcakery every day? It had the chance of depressing her but in a way it was good, because pregnant women love cupcakes.

  Hmm, it was a tough decision.

  “Cool, I was just with James; he was showing me this space.”

  “For what?” Elli asked, tucking her hands in her pockets.

  “I’m opening a cupcakery,” Audrey said proudly, “And I think this is my space.”

  “Shut up! That’s amazing! Congratulations, come here, give me another hug,” Elli gushed, hugging Audrey tightly. She was such a hugger, but Audrey loved it. “I am so proud of you!”

  “Thank you,” Audrey said as they parted, “I’m really excited.”

  “You should be! That is so great,” Elli said with a bright smile, “Well darlin’ I might need to be your first customer cause Harper is gonna need to order cupcakes for the boys’ baby shower.”

  “Boys?” Audrey asked, her brows coming together.

  “Yeah,” she said pointing to one side of her belly, “Evan Michael,” she said and then she pointed to the other side, “And Owen Marcus.”

  She glanced up at Audrey, and grinned as Audrey sputtered, “You’re having twin boys?”