Page 21 of False Start
“Hey, look at me.” I place my hand under her chin and tilt her head back to look at her.
“You scared me a little when you got tackled to the ice.” Her voice shakes just a little, giving her away.
“I’m sorry.”
She laughs at that. “You’re the one that got injured and you’re apologizing to me? That doesn’t seem right,” she teases with a smile, and it makes me happy to see this side of her again.
“I don’t like scaring you.”
She rolls her eyes as she steps away from me. “It comes with the job. I’m always going to be a little scared any time one of you is hurt. But it’s different with you.”
Before I can respond, her brothers walk in the room, checking in on me. “Hey, how are you feeling?” Brayden asks.
“It’s nothing serious, just a little head bump.”
“Honestly, I was ready to pummel that guy for the late hit.”
Brayden is always one of the guys you can rely on on the ice. He will go to bat for any of us, but I’m glad he didn’t get himself in trouble for me.
I turn to face them as Kailyn walks over and gives me a glass of water and two ibuprofen. “Take this now to help prevent a headache. If you start to feel any pain, though, you can take more, but make sure you tell someone, like I said.”
I take the glass of water, our fingers brushing as a burst of electricity zips up my arm, sending goosebumps over my skin. It’s such a familiar feeling when she’s near, but it’s also so foreign. I know she feels it too, because I see her look down and a blush starts to creep up her cheeks. She pulls away and turns around, walking back over to her desk.
I drink the water, downing the two pills just as she instructed.
“So you don’t need to be monitored? I was gonna offer my apartment,”Brayden teases.
“You trying to ask me out, Bray? I’m flattered, really.” I smile right back at him.
“Shut up, idiot, you’re not right for me anyway.” He smiles back.
“No, he doesn’t need to be monitored. He’s got a thick skull, he’ll be just fine,” Kailyn adds, and we all start laughing, falling back into an old, comfortable dynamic.
Just like it used to be.
Chapter 9
Kailyn
Game nights can be so much fun, but they can also be chaotic, stressful, and throw us for a loop.
Tonight was my first official game with the Blaze.
I wasn’t nervous about doing my job, since I’ve done this so many times before, but I definitely found myself distracted more than once. Every time Jake took to the ice, I couldn’t help but watch him. He looked so good out there in his element. I couldn’t take my eyes off him as he weaved his way through the New York players and commanded the ice like he owned it. He’s always been a great player, and when I was gone, I kept up with his stats, which only proves my point. He’s one of the top twenty-five defensemen in the league, and it shows in every move he makes.
I only had a couple minor scrapes and bumps to handle, nothing too serious. That was until I watched Jake fall to the ice after that nasty hit. As soon as I saw him go down, panic raced up my spine. I’m thankful that the hit wasn’t anything more serious, though, because up until I took alook at him myself, I was a ball of nerves. His helmet saved him from a more serious injury.
I know I can remain professional and calm in any situation thrown at me, but it doesn’t mean I’m not going to be screaming and worrying about him on the inside.
I walk into the locker room to help the guys gather their things, give the team an update, and hear them all hollering at the top of their lungs at their first shutout of the season.
“All right.” The room settles as Coach addresses them, waiting to hear what he has to say. “Listen, tonight was the first game of the season. We still have plenty more where this came from. But if you play every game like you did tonight, there’s no stopping how far you can go.”
Whoops and cheers come from the guys, and the smiles on their faces fill me with a sense of joy and pride. It’s clear that even with the new members, this team is a family, and while I wasn’t on the ice, I was still a part of this journey. It makes me proud to be here, even with the uphill battle I have to face.
“You gave it your all on the ice tonight. You played with passion and heart, you were in sync, and you dominated New York.” Coach pulls a puck from his pocket and turns to Connor, who gets up and takes it from his hands. “I’m now going to have your captain choose who the player of the game is tonight.”
“Thanks, Coach,” he nods appreciatively. “Tonight, I wish I could choose all of you, because it was a team effort that got us the first ‘W’ of many more to come. But tonight’s game puck is going to someone who really just commanded the ice and showed up when we needed him. Unfortunately, he was knocked down on the final play, but he’s an integral piece to this team’s success and a true champion when the newbies needed someone to be there for them.”He turns around and smiles at the door leading to the locker room, making them all turn to see Jake, who’s leaning on the wall, smiling at his teammates.
