Page 97 of The Recovery Coach
She cooked dinner, expecting Connor to be home.Her texts throughout the day went unanswered.Phones off at the rink.He was doing everything in his power to get on the ice as soon as possible.
Olivia admired the dedication to his sport.It showed in every aspect of his life.He stayed true to his meal plan and training schedule the vast majority of the time.It made nights like the previous one special.He loved to play, but getting him to let loose had been a struggle since he’d gotten injured.He wouldn’t have tossed his routine aside for anyone else.
Checking her phone again, Olivia served herself a plate of food.She sat in Connor’s spot and flipped on the Freeze game.Which she watched alone.
Valentine had a two-goal game.Cheering for him all by herself felt ridiculous, but she did it anyway.The Freeze went into the third period up a goal, and they maintained the lead until there were thirty-two seconds left on the clock.
“Fucking fuck fuck,” Olivia said aloud.
She threw her hands in the air.When the puck dropped again, she leaned forward in her seat and watched the timer count down with her fingers splayed out over her forehead and her butthole clenched tight enough to make a diamond.
Connor got home two minutes into overtime.Her eyes remained glued to the TV.
“Hey!”he greeted her.
“You aren’t watching the game?”
“Nah, not today.”
She didn’t hear his answer because on the screen one of Houston’s players bodied Valentine when he didn’t have the puck.
“What the fuck was that?”Olivia yelled.
The referee’s arm flew into the air.
“Yeah, that’s right, it’s a fucking penalty,” Olivia muttered under her breath.
Then the ref announced the penalty.On Seattle.
“Motherfucker!How was that a penalty onSeattle?”
She looked to Connor for answers.
“Did you see that?What the fuck was that?”
The replay provided no clarity.The announcers were as confused as Olivia.
Connor shrugged.“Sometimes the call goes your way, sometimes it doesn’t.”
He didn’t sit to watch the rest of the game with her.Instead, he disappeared down the hallway.
She registered his response as weird, but she was outraged, and the play resumed.When Houston scored on the power play, ending the game with a minute left in OT, Olivia groaned.
For a few minutes she sat in stunned silence while the broadcasters explained the breakdown that cost the Freeze a vital point in the standings.
When Connor sauntered into the living room, Olivia gave him her full attention.He was dressed in dark jeans and a button-down with his sleeves rolled up.He’d styled his hair.
“I thought you were working,” she said.
“I was.”
Olivia frowned.“Oh.”
He stood behind the couch and watched the announcers recap one of Valentine’s goals.“Gorgeous,” he said.
He kissed the top of her head and headed for the door.
“Where are you going?”
