Risky Move: Tampa Suns Hockey

by Robyn M Ryan

  “And?” Tom prompted.

  “It’s a new city where I don’t know anyone. That’s the first time I’ve visited Toronto. I’m not like Lauren; she’ll talk to anyone and makes friends easily. Look how long it took for me and Amelie to truly click.”

  “So, you worry that you’ll feel isolated?”

  “Exactly—and the larger the crowd, the more anxious I get. If Lauren hadn’t graduated from Toronto, I wouldn’t have even applied. Now I wish I hadn’t.” Tom understands…I hope my parents realize that a large university isn’t a good match.

  “No one’s forcing you to go. That’s your decision, babe. Large universities aren’t for everyone. You’re comfortable at the Tampa college?”

  “Well, I do have a huge security net all around me.” Cassie laughed quietly. “I also want to explore the universities in Fort Myers. Does that make me immature?”

  Tom pulled her close to his side. “Immature? Not to me. Self-aware is a better description.” He tucked her under his arm, and she lay her head against his chest. “Now, if Mom and Dad dig in their heels and absolutely refuse to move, I’ll probably apply for a job in Toronto.”

  “That’s a giant game-changer. If we’re together, nothing else matters.”

  Tom hooked a finger under her chin and lifted her face. “You’re my forever…We’re together until you kick me to the curb.”

  “Not happening,” she whispered as his mouth claimed hers. The kiss chased away all thoughts except her love for the incredibly thoughtful, sensitive, romantic—and all hers—hot hockey doc.

  Cassie asked Tom if they could stop by Caryn and Andrew’s before he took her home. She wanted to thank Caryn for arranging their travel on her father’s private jet and the use of her townhome. When he pulled into the driveway, Cassie felt a sudden panic—she had not set foot in the house since the day Daniel almost drowned. Tom grasped her hand as soon as he turned off the car.

  “Cassie, I promise you’ll make Caryn very happy.”

  She trailed a half step behind him when he entered the front door. “Back from wonderful, snowy Toronto.”

  “Hi, Tom, I hate that the snowstorm ruined your weekend.” Caryn greeted him, then noticed Cassie behind him. “Oh my God, Cassie! Come here…I need to hug you.”

  “Hi, Caryn.” Even though she was petite like Lauren, Caryn’s fierce hug nearly knocked the breath out of Cassie. “Please thank your parents for making the trip so luxurious. And your townhome—Now I know why you call it your summer retreat.”

  “I’m sorry you had to cut your visit short—come in, let’s get something to drink and tell me all about your visit.”

  She grabbed Cassie’s hand and pulled her into the kitchen.

  “It’s too quiet,” Tom commented. “Where are my brother, niece, and nephew?”

  “On a short walk up the street.” Caryn laughed as she pulled glasses from the cupboards. “Beer? Wine? Iced tea? Water?”

  Tom glanced at Cassie as she scooted up on a counter chair. “I’d love a beer,” he said. “Cass, you’ve had a busy day. Ready to relax with a beer or wine?”

  “Whatever is easiest, Caryn. Whatever you’re drinking.”

  Cassie felt odd sitting at the island with Caryn serving her. She should be on the other side helping, not sitting like a guest. She sipped the beer Tom handed her and glanced around the rooms she thought of as home. Cassie felt the pull of the pool and chanced a brief look. Her heart pounded, even as she saw the black fencing enclosing the pool. She quickly shifted her eyes to the play area.

  “Where are the toys?”

  Caryn laughed. “I’ll show you their playroom. I tripped over one too many blocks and cars. Everything’s contained in the bedroom across from your room. I don’t know why we didn’t think of that sooner.”

  “Your room.” Does Caryn still think of it as my bedroom? I wish I could turn the clock back. Make everything like it was before I made the worst mistake of my life. She picked at the label on her bottle as Tom relayed his parents’ greetings to the family.

  “They may have this ‘thought’ about you and Andrew leaving the twins with them this summer—maybe for a week or so.”

  Cassie swallowed a laugh when she caught the distressed look that crossed Caryn’s face. Andrew and the twins burst through the front door, capturing everyone’s full attention. Each gripped one of Andrew’s hands, calling excitedly to “Momma.”

  “Show Momma what you found.”

  As the twins hurried toward the kitchen, Andrew greeted Cassie and Tom with hugs and an empathetic smile. “Weather ruins another trip. Forties yesterday, snow warning tonight? Another extreme winter.”

  “How did you all manage?” Cassie asked.

  “We didn’t know any better,” Tom said. “We thought it was the same everywhere. Who knew?” He nodded to his brother. “Then, when Andrew and Caryn moved to Tampa…”

  “Caryn said, ‘You mean people actually live here?’” Andrew finished the thought. “Hope we never need to move elsewhere.” Andrew turned his attention to Tom. “You had a good visit with Mom and Dad?”

  “Yes. We need to talk, though.”

  Before Andrew could respond, excited voices echoed with little footsteps leaving the kitchen. “Ca! Ca! CaCa!”

  Cassie slipped from the chair, her throat constricting. “My munchkins,” she said, kneeling and holding her arms out as they walked and crawled toward her.

  Andrew motioned to the sunroom. “You have time to talk now, Tom?”

  He nodded, then squeezed Cassie’s shoulders as she gathered the children into a wobbly hug. When their eyes met, she nodded when he indicated the sunroom.

  The twins had Cassie flat on the floor within a few short minutes. She laughed with them, pretending to understand their twin-speak and looked at Caryn when Daniel began to pull on her hand. “CaCa, now.”

  “I think he wants to show you the new toys.”

  “I can’t believe all the new words. Do you mind if they show me the playroom?”

  “A few moments peace and quiet? Please, please, Cassie! If you and Tom don’t have plans, I thought I could invite Lauren and Dave for dinner.”

  Cassie read the hope in Caryn’s expression. “That’s a wonderful plan—all my favorite people and munchkins together.” She laughed as Daniel insistently continued to pull on her hand.

  “Go before he sprains your wrist, Cassie. I’ll call the Martins. I hope you enjoy the playroom!”

  Andrew and Tom compared their impressions about their father’s health. “We didn’t notice anything at Christmas that was different from our last visit, Tom, but that one was before the season began. Do you think it’s the pneumonia or that he’s that much weaker?”

  “Maybe a combination of the two. Mom told me that his pulmonologist said his function has definitely deteriorated, which aids in this never-ending cycle of fluid in his lungs. The only times he goes outside—when he has a doctor appointment.”

  “You think it’s time to force the issue?” Andrew asked.

  “If they won’t agree to move here, he really needs to move to an acute care facility.”

  “Will he need that level of care here?”

  Tom shrugged. “Hard to say. The healing power of warmth and sunshine may give him more good days than bad. You know he’d hate an acute care facility.”

  “Yeah, he would. We can offer privacy, a completely accessible apartment and house, and all the grandchildren they can tolerate.” Andrew smiled wryly. “You realize you’ll be moving to smaller quarters with less privacy.”

  “I’ll get my own space. I’ve always known you intended that apartment for Mom and Dad. Don’t even put that in your consideration. The one thing I do know—if they flat refuse to move, I’ll find a job in Toronto.”

  “Thanks, Tom. If necessary, I’ll use that as a threat to get them here. Between that and their grandchildren, how could they not move?”

  Cassie waited until Tom and Andrew confirmed a definite timeline fo
r their parents to move to Tampa before declining the Toronto opportunity. She hoped she’d left the door open should circumstances change. Her father supported her decision. He told her that he took pride, knowing that Cassie had considered the opportunity seriously, visited the campus, and made an educated choice.

  She asked Lauren to please join her on the more difficult call to her mother. Amanda’s voice indicated pleasure that Cassie had visited the campus—and had even met one of her aunt’s professors. Cassie could hear the disappointment in her tone after she explained why she declined the opportunity. She also speculated that Cassie had allowed her “relationship” with the “older physician” to influence her decision.

  “I hope you’re not sacrificing your future for a man.” That familiar anti-male tone grated on Cassie’s nerves like the sound of nails on a chalkboard. “I hope you don’t regret it.”

  Cassie looked at Lauren, who spoke up. “Amanda, I’ve known Tom since I was a sophomore. He’s an incredible person, a talented neurologist, and he treats Cassie like she’s a princess.” Both Cassie and Lauren heard Amanda’s groan. “Not in a bad way, Amanda, the best possible manner. He respects her, makes her laugh, and understands her better than any of us. You couldn’t hope for a better man in Cassie’s life.”

  “Cassie, you’re just about to celebrate your twenty-first birthday. Don’t rush into a lifetime commitment.”

  “I’m not rushing. You’d like him if you met him. Just like Dave.”

  “Why don’t you visit us this spring?” Lauren suggested. “We could celebrate Cassie’s twenty-first birthday—a family celebration.”

  “Do you expect your father there, too?”

  “Amanda, just plan a visit, if you can, around Cassie's birthday,” Lauren interrupted.

  “Nothing would make me happier than to celebrate with our entire family…you know, like when I was young.” Cassie’s voice was wistful.

  Both heard Amanda’s snort. “You’re still a dreamer. Is your grandmother included?”

  “Of course, I’d love to see her,” Cassie replied.

  Lauren said, “Then you can meet Dr. Tom Chadwick.” After the call ended, Lauren collapsed next to Cassie. laughing. “I almost said she could meet your hot hockey doc.”

  “That would have gone over like a bucket of ice water.”

  “Cassie, it’s your twenty-first birthday. I promise you’ll enjoy a celebration that you’ll never forget. Leave the planning to me.”

  67

  Time moved at a rapid clip as if the brisk March winds sought to push life forward. When Cassie didn’t have classes, she helped Tom look for an apartment or condo to rent. She knew he had no pressure to find another place. In fact, he had numerous offers of places to stay. Andrew and Caryn had said he could live there indefinitely; Dave mentioned to Tom that they had several guest rooms available. Kelly and John Peterson offered the apartment at their home, Kelly half-joking that he could reverse the CamKarma that remained in that space.

  “Have any of these ‘spoken’ to you?” Tom asked after a Saturday looking at apartments.

  “I don’t know, Tom. I’m easy to please.” Cassie flashed a smile at him. “Have you seen anything you like?”

  “Not really. We can keep looking…maybe we should rethink our decision not to move into any of the condos, villas, or apartments where the younger players live.” Tom looked at her, inviting a response.

  “Maybe. But not on the same floor.” Cassie clutched his arm. “Remember, you have an open invitation from Lauren and Dave.”

  “Let’s go a little further away from the hospital and campus next time. We’ll figure it out.”

  Andrew placed a file folder on the coffee table when he joined Tom in the living area. “Good news—the team arranged for the company that handles player relocation to work with us on Mom and Dad’s move.”

  “That’s a relief. They’re not planning to bring that much, right?”

  Andrew shrugged with a wry smile. “You may find yourself with an apartment full of furniture.”

  “Don’t think we’ve seen anything large enough. Wait until we get the manifest from the moving company—then we can figure out what to do with any extra furniture.”

  Andrew nodded, then handed the file folder to his brother. “Take a look at these. Some options you may not have considered.”

  Tom flipped through the contents and shook his head. “This is way out of our price range, Andrew. Not sure I could afford it even if I switched to private practice.”

  “Do me a favor?”

  Tom raised his eyebrows in a silent question.

  “Please go with Cassie and look at these properties. Pick out your top choices, then let’s talk.”

  “Andrew, we can…” Tom stopped when his brother held up his hand.

  “Okay, we’ll talk first. Once Mom and Dad move here, it puts a huge responsibility on Caryn with the twins and our parents—especially during the season. We’ll arrange the live-in help, but I know Caryn will stress about something happening when she’s here alone.”

  Tom nodded but didn’t speak.

  “If you’re at work or living in town, you’re thirty-to-forty-five minutes away—on a good day. We’ve had you as our personal physician for years. I can never repay you for everything you did from the night I was injured to the day I was cleared to get back on the ice.”

  “Andrew, you don’t need to repay anything. We’re family,” Tom said.

  “Correct. And we accepted your help. All we’re asking is to allow us to help you find a home in our neighborhood. We’ll continue relying on your help—soon more than ever. Will you please take Cassie and look at homes in this neighborhood?” Andrew locked gazes with Tom. “We can work something out about the finances if that helps you consider this. Just remember, we’ve got more money than we, our children, their children, yadda yadda yadda can ever hope to spend.”

  “You drive a hard bargain,” Tom said.

  Tom saw the smirk forming on his brother’s face. “I’d prefer not to put the money in some irrevocable trust for you—let’s keep this simple.” Andrew slapped Tom’s knee as he stood. “You want to ride to the game with us?”

  “Sounds good. Maybe once Mom and Dad are settled, Caryn can enjoy attending your games again.” Tom paused a beat. “You guys could always ask Cassie to babysit.”

  “I’m pretty sure I torpedoed any chance of her agreeing to babysit again.” Andrew turned to walk away.

  “Hey, Andrew?” Tom waited until his brother met his gaze. “You ever consider that by not asking her, Cassie may think you don’t trust her with the twins? Just saying.”

  Cassie felt awkward, expressing an opinion on a prospective home that Andrew and Caryn wished to buy for Tom. Even though he says it’s for both of us, I can’t assume that we’ll get married and raise a family in the home. We’ve talked about forever, but nothing about marriage. It’s too soon to expect that kind of commitment, right? I can dream about the house, picket fence, three or four children, and a dog and a cat…but that’s all it is right now—a dream. Tom might run if he knew about my fantasy. Couldn’t blame him—and he hasn’t met my parents yet. My mom as Tom’s mother-in-law? Nightmare in Tampa.

  Cassie told Tom she’d enjoy living in any of the homes—who wouldn’t?— however, he wanted specific feedback on each house or condo they visited. She tried to give pros and cons on each property until they all began to look alike.

  “I’m not sure about a condo—when the twins visit, I don’t want to worry about them stomping on the floor or thin walls.”

  Tom looked at her with a wink. “The twins won’t be the only ones generating noise complaints.”

  Cassie swatted his chest and pretended to look through the properties for sale. She handed one to Tom. “Did we see this one? I don’t remember.”

  “I don’t think so. Looks like a smaller footprint, but larger front and back yards.” She saw the teasing glint in his cinnamon brown eyes. “Nice size poo
l; perfect for laps…and skinny dipping.”

  “If there’s a privacy fence.”

  “Understood. Let’s take a look.” He looked at the community map and located the lot—it was about a block away from Dave and Lauren’s home. Tom texted the agent as they walked in that direction. He slipped the phone into his pocket and pulled Cassie against his side. “Last house today—promise.”

  Tom glanced at Cassie’s expression and knew this house checked all the right boxes. Not small by any sense of the word—except in this community—the home featured an open concept floor plan. Cassie commented on the two large islands in the kitchen. One contained a cooktop and plenty of counter space while the second island comfortably accommodated eight people.

  “I like this better than a breakfast nook,” she mentioned. “Look, you can see the entire living area from the kitchen.”

  “Makes it easier to keep track of rug rats.”

  “You’re calling my love bugs ‘rug rats’ now?” Cassie accused.

  “No, I’m saying ‘rug rats’ in general. I might like three or four running around.” Tom waited for Caryn’s reaction.

  “You ‘might?’ Is that a decision you plan to make on your own?” Cassie cut her hazel eyes toward him.

  “Of course not. But if my wife wants six kids, we’re looking at the wrong house.” Tom watched as Cassie took her time before replying.

  “Your wife, you say? Shouldn’t she be the one looking at these homes with you?”

  “Hypothetical wife.” Tom suppressed a chuckle. “I told you that you’re my forever…and to me that means the entire package: life partner, children, maybe a dog or two. Or even a couple cats. Fair warning. If your vision of forever is different, let’s talk.”

  He watched Cassie think about his statements. Too much too soon? She may not want that or want to consider it right now. Maybe walk it back?