from her head so she could concentrate on his recommendations.
“Yeah, I think I will go and tell Brodie the news. Will you be okay being alone for a while, or should I go get Flash to stay with you?”
“Go, Pip, I’m good—not like I can go anywhere just yet. I’m sorry for my outburst before, just feelin’ a bit sorry for myself. I’ll wait right here for you to come back, but if you would prefer someone else to help me shower, I’m good with that too,” Rook replied. “I don’t want to make you uncomfortable, Pip. Just do what you need to do.”
Rook had appeared almost reluctant to pull his hand from Pippa’s arm so she could leave him, and Pippa felt the loss of the warmth from his touch the moment he did. She didn’t want to leave either. His hand on her arm had been enough to warm her insides and curl her toes—but she did have to go.
As Pippa raced up the stairs towards the coach’s box high in the top of the stand, she wondered why Rook had said he didn’t want her to feel uncomfortable. He was the one acting so uptight and tense around her—why should he care how she felt?
And what was with the endearments? One minute he was complaining about being near her and the next he was calling her ‘baby’ and stroking her arm in comfort. Being all caring and sharing, talking about babies and things.
“Aaargh, men! ” she groaned as she climbed the stairs, deftly sidestepping the fans as she went hurtling by.
Now sure is not the time to worry about my problems with Rook , she policed her thoughts. Now is the time to try and break the news to Brodie about his impending fatherhood without him going ballistic. What was that saying about not shooting the messenger? Pippa sure hoped Brodie James was aware of it as she stopped in front of the door marked with the sign that read ‘Home Team Coach’ . Taking a deep breath to steady her nerves, Pippa knocked on the door between her and Brodie.
It was JT’s voice that shouted out for her to enter, and she crept inside.
“Pip, what the hell are you doing up here?” JT asked. He seemed annoyed at her intrusion as he turned his focus back to the game, almost dismissing her presence at once.
“Um, yeah. Ah, I’ve got some important news for Brodie,” she stammered nervously.
“Look, Phillipa, I’m a bit busy right now—can’t it wait? The boys are just managing to hang on to this lead and I need to concentrate on the game,” Brodie grumbled, never taking his eyes from the view through the glass window of the coaches’ box.
“I know that, Brodie! But I think you will want me to tell you about the phone call I just took from Mandy Thomson.”
At the sound of his wife’s name JT stood up and whirled around to face Pippa. His stance was frightening, and it took all Pippa’s efforts not to shrink back from his glare. “What the fuck is going on, Pip? What’s happened to Mandy?”
“No, n-n-not Mandy, JT… Caitlin…it’s Caitlin. Mandy has taken Caitlin to the hospital—the baby is coming early. They didn’t want me to tell you till after the game, but I thought you needed to know now, Brodie… I’m sorry for disturbing everyone.”
“Shit…shit…shit! Pip, I need to get to Caitlin.” Brodie dragged JT out of the way so he could speak directly to her.
“What exactly did Mandy tell you? And thanks for coming straight away. I really would have been pissed if you had waited. What’s with that woman of mine, anyway, wanting you to wait?” Brodie, agitated but still in control, stood patiently while Pippa repeated Mandy’s telephone conversation and the plan—already put into action—for Riley to look after all the youngsters. Pippa did not even try to answer Brodie’s last question, though she didn’t think he was at all interested in her view of Caitlin’s reasoning.
Brodie made hurried arrangements so he could join his wife at the hospital. He left JT to look after the team. There were only ten minutes of the game to go
“Yeah, I think I will go and tell Brodie the news. Will you be okay being alone for a while, or should I go get Flash to stay with you?”
“Go, Pip, I’m good—not like I can go anywhere just yet. I’m sorry for my outburst before, just feelin’ a bit sorry for myself. I’ll wait right here for you to come back, but if you would prefer someone else to help me shower, I’m good with that too,” Rook replied. “I don’t want to make you uncomfortable, Pip. Just do what you need to do.”
Rook had appeared almost reluctant to pull his hand from Pippa’s arm so she could leave him, and Pippa felt the loss of the warmth from his touch the moment he did. She didn’t want to leave either. His hand on her arm had been enough to warm her insides and curl her toes—but she did have to go.
As Pippa raced up the stairs towards the coach’s box high in the top of the stand, she wondered why Rook had said he didn’t want her to feel uncomfortable. He was the one acting so uptight and tense around her—why should he care how she felt?
And what was with the endearments? One minute he was complaining about being near her and the next he was calling her ‘baby’ and stroking her arm in comfort. Being all caring and sharing, talking about babies and things.
“Aaargh, men! ” she groaned as she climbed the stairs, deftly sidestepping the fans as she went hurtling by.
Now sure is not the time to worry about my problems with Rook , she policed her thoughts. Now is the time to try and break the news to Brodie about his impending fatherhood without him going ballistic. What was that saying about not shooting the messenger? Pippa sure hoped Brodie James was aware of it as she stopped in front of the door marked with the sign that read ‘Home Team Coach’ . Taking a deep breath to steady her nerves, Pippa knocked on the door between her and Brodie.
It was JT’s voice that shouted out for her to enter, and she crept inside.
“Pip, what the hell are you doing up here?” JT asked. He seemed annoyed at her intrusion as he turned his focus back to the game, almost dismissing her presence at once.
“Um, yeah. Ah, I’ve got some important news for Brodie,” she stammered nervously.
“Look, Phillipa, I’m a bit busy right now—can’t it wait? The boys are just managing to hang on to this lead and I need to concentrate on the game,” Brodie grumbled, never taking his eyes from the view through the glass window of the coaches’ box.
“I know that, Brodie! But I think you will want me to tell you about the phone call I just took from Mandy Thomson.”
At the sound of his wife’s name JT stood up and whirled around to face Pippa. His stance was frightening, and it took all Pippa’s efforts not to shrink back from his glare. “What the fuck is going on, Pip? What’s happened to Mandy?”
“No, n-n-not Mandy, JT… Caitlin…it’s Caitlin. Mandy has taken Caitlin to the hospital—the baby is coming early. They didn’t want me to tell you till after the game, but I thought you needed to know now, Brodie… I’m sorry for disturbing everyone.”
“Shit…shit…shit! Pip, I need to get to Caitlin.” Brodie dragged JT out of the way so he could speak directly to her.
“What exactly did Mandy tell you? And thanks for coming straight away. I really would have been pissed if you had waited. What’s with that woman of mine, anyway, wanting you to wait?” Brodie, agitated but still in control, stood patiently while Pippa repeated Mandy’s telephone conversation and the plan—already put into action—for Riley to look after all the youngsters. Pippa did not even try to answer Brodie’s last question, though she didn’t think he was at all interested in her view of Caitlin’s reasoning.
Brodie made hurried arrangements so he could join his wife at the hospital. He left JT to look after the team. There were only ten minutes of the game to go
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