“I get why Coach wants you on staff. Why don’t you want to come?”
She shrugged. “Because I like being able to control my own schedule. I’m busy enough as it is.”
“Fair play.”
The crutches had returned like an unwelcome relative you wanted to avoid at all costs but had to tolerate, and she passed them over while gathering up her things. I got off the bed waiting for her next instruction, because I knew something was coming.
“Coach wants you to start travelling with the team, and I think you’re good to go. The therapists will be there, and we can keep our schedule going during your home times.”
I rubbed my chest, right where my heart felt like it was being squeezed. “Sounds good.”
“The next away stretch starts in a couple of days, right?”
I nodded.
“Okay, I’ll let Coach know you’ll be on the road, and let’s get one more session in tomorrow. Same time?”
“Great.”
We walked out of the gym together and I opened the door for her to walk around to her car, which was parked at the front of the house.
“See you tomorrow. Rest for a bit, then get some walking in this afternoon. “
“Yes, boss.”
She chuckled as she waved goodbye and walked off. I headed back into the main house, through the long corridor connecting the two spaces. Freddie had framed all my jerseys from significant games – my first goal scored, every cup win, milestone games – and they lined the walls on either side. I’d been playing in the NHL for thirteen years, and hockey for fifteen before that. It had been my entire life.
I’d lived it, breathed it.
Until my accident, I thought I’d be playing forever, never giving a second thought to what I’d do after hockey. What it would look like. Or when that time would come. I was working my ass off to get back on the ice as soon as possible, but if I was really honest with myself, the accident had scared me more than I cared to admit. And while my knee was feeling good, if it went again, it would take longer to heal. I wasn’t twenty anymore.
Life after hockey was becoming a reality.
I hopped through to the main doors to find unexpected guests in my kitchen. One cute, one less so. Cooper was sitting at the table feeding Samson a bottle.
“Hey, man, what are you doing here?”
I sat down opposite him, lifting my leg up to rest on the chair next to me.
“Fred kicked us out.”
An accidental snot bubble came out of my nose from my snort. “That didn’t take long.”
“Everyone’s left and we finally have the place to ourselves. She wanted some peace and quiet to sleep.”
“How’s it going?”
“I’ll tell you in a week once we don’t have two sets of grandparents doing everything for us.” He shuffled Sam up so he could finish the bottle. “How are you, anyway? How’s the knee?”
“Okay, actually. The new therapist that Coach has me working with is pretty good. Have you ever had acupuncture?”
“No, but Fred keeps trying to make me have it. She has it every month. I don’t know what it does, but she always comes back super chilled. I pretty much get whatever I want on acupuncture day.” His devious leer did the rest of the talking.
“Oh my God, I’m in love. Who was that?” Huck announced loudly, his arms stretched out wide as he walked in, joining us at the table.
“Who?”
“That insanely hot female in your driveway?” He leaned back in the chair, putting his feet on the table.
