Page 96 of Body Check

thirty-five

. . .

Jason

Amelia’s been keeping her distance. Last night, she went to the Bulldogs game—I watched it on TV with a few of the guys—but I thought she might come over after the game.

But she didn’t.

After that day in her office, when I nearly punched out my own teammate, she’s kept to herself. She hasn’t had lunch with Andrews and the other staffers. They had a two-night trip to DC and, sure, we texted, but there’s distance in her messages.

Is she over me? Or is she trying to protect her job?

I’m not offended by the fact that she puts her job first, even before me. She should. We’re dating; we don’t have anything official. If something happened between us, I want her to have a safety net.

Which is why I have to do this.

The guys are all at morning skate, so the medical offices are empty. Graham and Zac are on the ice, Derek is at his desk, and Amelia is arranging medical supplies in her small office.

I knock on her open door, and she flinches. When she looks at me, something shutters in her eyes before her face goes carefully blank.

“We can’t,” she says immediately.

“We can.” I limp my way into her office, and then hoist myself up onto the table.

“Jason.” Her voice comes out as a whisper.

“I love you.”

Her eyes widen, and she looks to the open door.

Cupping her cheek, I force her gaze back to me. “I love you. I want to be with you. And I don’t care who knows it.”

“But—”

“If you’re not in this, if you don’t want me, that’s fine. I can take it. But if there’s even a part of you that wants to be with me, I need you to do me a favor.”

Slowly, she blinks. “A favor?”

“Yeah. I need you to sign this.” I pick up the folder beside me. “Look this over and see if it’s something you can agree to.”

“What is it?”

Lifting my chin, I nod to the packet. “Read it over.”

She opens the folder, her eyes widening. “Jason, this is⁠—”

“I love you, and I want to be with you, Amelia. I’m in this, and I don’t want to hide anymore. I want everyone to know it.”

She reads the interpersonal relationship declaration form. My signature is already at the bottom.

“I was offered a job on the coaching staff,” I continue. “It involves traveling with the team and working with the guys. We wouldn’t be working together directly, per se, but we’d be coworkers.”

Swallowing, her eyes dart up to mine, wide as saucers.

“Coworkers and colleagues are allowed to be in relationships together. All we have to do is file with HR.”

“That simple?” she breathes.