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Closing her eyes, she did the same thing she'd done in the stairwell—deep breathing and calming affirmations. It helped the first time. Maybe it would work again.
Ten minutes later, her phone beeped with another text.
Eli:Wilkes? Where are you? Is everything okay?
Holly glanced down at the screen, then into the rearview mirror.
Waseverything okay?
Taking a deep breath, she tried to lift her arms again and was finally able to place them on the steering wheel with ease.
Choking back a sob of relief, she closed her eyes.
If she didn't find a way to manage her stress and fast, this was going to keep happening.
She reached for her phone and fired off a text message.
Holly:Sorry, got delayed. I'm leaving soon.
Holly started the car and pulled out of the parking lot, forcing herself to breathe slowly through her nose and out of her mouth.
Maybe it was time to learn how to meditate. Or she could try a yoga class and go to that spa Penn had raved about for regular massages and relaxation.
She flipped the radio on and cranked up the volume of the alternative rock station.
Time to put the incident out of her mind. It was over and done with, and those guys were long gone.
All she could do was move forward.
* * *
Twenty minutes later, Holly pulled into the parking lot of the practice facility. Eli stood in the middle of an eager group of fans, signing hockey cards and posing for selfies.
She pulled up next to the crowd and beeped the horn.
He flashed the fans a smile. "Sorry. I gotta go, guys. That's my ride."
Holly climbed from the driver's side as he walked over to the car. It had taken all of her energy to drive over here, and she was wiped. Plus, her vision was beginning to go wonky.
"Do you mind taking the wheel?" she asked.
"Sure." Two blurry Elis smiled at her.
Oh, fuck. She'd had double vision once before when she'd been up late job hunting online. Thankfully it hadn't happened while she was driving over here.
"You're bored with the sports car already?"
"No, I'm just tired." She hated lying, but having to explain everything to him filled her with anxiety.
"Yeah, sure. I can drive."
Holly sighed with relief as she rounded the front of the car and got into the passenger side. Now she could relax and try to get this to go away.
Eli slid behind the wheel, revved the engine for effect, and tore out of the parking lot.
"Show off," Holly muttered.
"Do you want to go to Castle's Cupcakes?" he asked, ignoring her comment. "They've got some pretty good lunch options."
