Page 66 of Deking at Love
“I’ll get you the airfare.”Sam had room on his credit card, didn’t he?
“You don’t need to do that, bro.”
“Yeah, I do.”
“Sam, sometimes I think you take on way more than you need to.In any case, I want you to know how much I appreciate everything you’re doing for me and Dad.”
They hung up, leaving Sam in a crisp spring breeze staring at the inside of his truck.He could always sell it if he needed more cash.He sagged against the door, welcoming the support.
How did I get here?I was finally where I belonged.This was supposed to be my year.The most important games had happened without him, and he’d lost the chance to prove himself.To show everyone he could play under pressure.To show everyone he was a gamer.He’d had no control over the narrative because he hadn’t been able to “play through it,” like he might have done with a different injury.His only choice had been to rehab and wait.And time had run out.
He locked up the truck and headed back to the arena for today’s PT session.When he entered the lobby, Attila the Bun was nowhere in sight, and he arrowed straight for Angie’s table.
She looked up, concern in her bright blue eyes.“Hey,” she said softly.“Rough day?”
“Cleaning out a locker at the end of a crap season is never a good time,” he bit, immediately regretting his harsh tone.
She didn’t flinch, going through her motions with practiced precision, which only served to chafe at him.
“I know something that might make you feel better,” she offered.It wasn’t a sexy come-on, and he shot her a puzzled look.She hesitated a tick, then went on.“Dora let me know Mr.Claws got adopted.Isn’t that great?He found his forever home.”
So swift he nearly lost his breath, Sam’s heart compressed.He wouldn’t get a chance to have the little guy climb him again.What had he expected, though?When your priority was chasing the game, you didn’t have time for distractions like pets.
“Yeah, that’s awesome.”His monotone probably didn’t fool her, but mercifully, she didn’t challenge him.
His brain became a whirlpool endlessly spinning the same bits of debris it couldn’t eject.When he was settled on his back, he asked her again to come to the dinner with him.“It’s the last event of the year,” he posed, “and every player’s significant other will be there.I really want you there too.”
“Sam, you know we can’t.”
He propped himself up on his elbows.“Why not?The season’s officially over, and I’m probably not going to be with the team anymore, so what does it matter?”The words were bitter in his mouth.But whatdidit matter?They’d been out together in public a bunch, and no one had called them on it.Denver was a big city, and he wasn’t famous.
She bent over his ankle, her ponytail tickling his skin.“Just because we haven’t been outed doesn’t mean it’s a good idea.”
“Do you let your hair fall acrossotherguys’ body parts when you’re working on them?”
She brought herself upright.“Excuse me?”
He pointed.“Your hair.It’s all over my ankle.Do you do that witheveryguy you treat?”
Her eyes went puck-wide.“Not that I’m aware.Sam, I don’t think—”
“Fuck it.”He lay back down with a huff.“And fuck going with me tonight.I wouldn’t want toinconvenienceyou.”He knew he was being a sarcastic dick, but somehow he couldn’t stop himself.
“Do you want to talk about what’s bothering you later, after you’re done with the dinner?”
“No, I don’t want to talk,” he snapped.
Silence stretched between them, and for the first time as far back as he could remember, he wanted this time with Angie to be over.He practically vibrated with a need to escape.
Angie stole covert glances at her crabby patient.Knowing it was locker clean-out day, she’d been prepared for some kind of fallout, but she hadn’t anticipated Sam coming to PT spoiling for a fight.She got it, she really did.He was agitated, pissed about circumstances she couldn’t comprehend because she didn’t understand the whole picture, and she was a convenient target smack in the center of his vision, a big fat bull’s-eye painted on her chest.It wasn’t fair, but her emotions leaned toward sympathy, not anger, and frustration that she couldn’t help him.
Was she selfish for turning him down for dinner tonight?She was motivated by self-preservation, that constant sword hanging over her head that was the fear of losing her job.Part of her hoped the Blizzard didn’t renew his contract because then they really couldn’t be accused of fraternizing within the same organization.That was selfish too.And if he got his wish and stayed with the team?A different part of her cringed.How would this ever work?
Guess you should have thought of that before you fell for him again, dummy.
“I want to try something new today,” she said.
He grunted his agreement, and she ran him through an exercise that confirmed his improvement lately had been exponential, and it was real.He’d recovered almost all his mobility.She’d cut back his sessions to twice a week, and soon he wouldn’t need her at all.Her heart was happy for him, but the recovery was too little too late.
