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CHAPTER1
GINNY
A rushof cold air hit me as I took a step forward and onto the icy surface. The sharp steel blade of my dazzling white skates glided through the ice. All my students were gone for the night and I took this time to wind down from my day. Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays were my days teaching skating or coaching hockey. Being here in the arena gave me the outlet. I had to come to terms with the fact that my life wasn't turning out the way I expected. When I was eighteen, I thought a career as a doctor specializing in sports medicine would be amazing, since I’d married the local star hockey player. At that time, I saw myself being able to keep him from having to sit out because of injuries, and to make sure he was both healthy and content. Keeping him happy wouldn’t have anything to do with my profession.
With every lap I made around the rink, I went faster and faster, my muscles were screaming and I was so tempted to stop and just go home, but I knew that if I just pushed through the burning sensation, the workout I was about to get would make it all okay. Three more laps and I turned to stand at centre ice. I closed my eyes and exhaled slowly, the music I had skated to for all those years echoing in my mind. I started skating backwards, dreaming of the arena filled with people expecting me to do a breathtaking jump. Quickening my pace, I thrust my leg out behind me to drive my toe pick into the ice, springing me up off the ground. My rotations were perfect, legs twisted around each other tightly. I saw the ice approaching and feel my skate touch down on my alternate foot and move smoothly out of the jump. Every jump was like flying free, experiencing what birds knew even just for a split second. I craved the sound of applause, even wished for it, but I was by myself.
I concluded my solo performance and then stepped back to the centre of the ice, my arms raised in triumph. My breathing was fast, my pulse racing.Ginny, this is the feeling you’re clinging to, blood coursing through your veins. It makes you feel alive. Makes you remember a different time, a happy time, and Boone.I feel my face twist into a frown. When did I start thinking of Boone again? Almost eight years had passed without me having a thought of him. I attempted to skate faster, jump higher, and cover more of the ice in an effort to alter my thinking, yet his perfect face stayed in my head. As I moved on the ice, my skate got caught in the other and time seemed to slow down; the ice was coming towards me but instead of being vertical; I was horizontal. It was almost as if I had been transported to an alternate universe. I hit my knee on the ice before the rest of me followed. As I hit the frozen ground, a sharp pain cut through my leg. My lungs filled with the cold air, and I desperately tried to catch my breath. It had been a few years since I had a fall like this. I knew I'd be aching tomorrow.
“Ginny, Ginny, are you all right?” I heard a voice filled with panic from the ice level doorway. Turning, I noticed Leah Boone rushing down the stairs. My sister-in-law picked the strangest times to show up. Her eyes were enormous, her hands covering her face, and she must've thought I was dead.
“I’m fine Leah.” I wave at her as I sit on my knees, catching my breath and making sure I didn’t break anything.
“Ginny, you need to.” I cut her off.
“Leah, I’m fine.” Slowly standing, I and test my legs and I don’t think there’s any injury other than bruises.
“No, Ginny look.” She pointed up at the large screen in the middle of the rink. We kept the news on during practice so the parents didn’t get to board while their little Sally or Johnny were on the ice. Ultimately, it kept them preoccupied and gave me a reprieve from the coaching from the stands. Frowning, I looked up and there he was.
Garrison Boone was on the screen. Squinting, I tried to read the closed captions before they flipped to the next one. I didn’t need to know what he was saying. I could see it in his eyes. Something was wrong. His eyes were always more expressive than his facial features. My mind caught up to the closed captions.
As if the heavens opened, sound filled the arena. Leah must have patched the broadcast through the sound system.
“This is an unprecedented trade. The Harpsburg Rangers have traded two defence men and their first-round draft pick next year to acquire forward Garrison Boone. You know, Tom, this is likely to be the year for the Rangers, so I think it’s a brilliant move for them.” The announcers bickered back and forth on the merits of the trade and then they stopped talking. “We are going live to the press conference announcing the trade.” The screen flipped to a long table with four microphones on it and seven men walked across the stage and took a seat. In the middle, with his longer wavy brown hair, sat the man I had known my entire life, the man I gave up everything for, the man of my one time dreams.
My husband.
I had avoided all the news about him for the last eight years. It was easy. He was in a different city, so he was only close by occasionally and I had been able to leave town those days. I didn’t get to the cabin as much as I liked, but I was sure to go when Boone was in town. Sports stations were never on my television and I threw away the sports section of the paper before I even opened it. But there he was, his chiselled jaw, the scar above his eyebrow from where he was hit with a stick, the one under his chin from a slap shot that missed its mark. I knew every scar intimately. I had dressed them, taken out stitches for him and loved him back to the game after he broke his leg sliding into the boards his second season in the pros.
Agents talked, owners and GMs talked over each other, coaches talked about how excited they were for the future of their team.
“Garrison, how do you feel about this trade?” A reporter asked, and I held my breath as I waited for his reply.
“I’m excited. In all honesty I asked for it back at the beginning of the season, but I wanted to make sure I was able to go to the Rangers, so I waited until the team could make it happen.” He was matter of fact and I needed to know more. I needed to know why he wanted to back come here. One of those reporters better dig in a little deeper.
“What was the pull to Harpsburg?” One yelled out.Yes, gold star for you, Mr. Reporter. I thought to myself.
Garrison looked right into the camera, “Coming back to Harpsburg has always been on the top of my discussions when I move to a new team, so it’s not a surprise to anyone in the know. Like every player, I want to be on a team with a shot for the cup, but more importantly, I need to be in the same zip code as my wife.” The blood drained from my face. The world spun, and I heard Leah gasp. For one brief moment, the reporter and everyone else in the room went silent. It was like they were stunned. Then the room erupted with questions. When did you get married? Who’s your wife? Why haven’t we seen her? The reporters didn’t give him a second to answer, so he stood and walked out, being followed by the others from the table, who looked just as confused as the reporters.
CHAPTER2
BOONE
It had beena long day already. I flew into Harpsburg last night and stayed in a hotel waiting for this press conference. Maybe I should have called Virginia last night to warn her? Would she have taken my call? Is her number even the same? Questions filled my head as I stared out at the sea of reporters hollering questions, writing on their note pads or holding reorders. I didn’t want to answer questions about my personal life, even though I was the one that brought it up. Standing, I walked out of the banquet room in the hotel and up to my room.
“A wife?” My agent, Sam, asked. He was a short man, who thought he knew everything about hockey and hadn’t even stepped on the ice, not even as a kid. Just a guy who could talk a good game and could get me anything I wanted in my contracts.
“Drop it, Sam.” I said as I walked on to the elevator. Crossing my arms over my chest, I stared straight ahead of me.
Sam turned to look at me. “You’re going to have to tell me.” Looking down at him, I glanced at the other people in the small moving box.
“Elevator etiquette Sam, quit talking.” I grumbled as the elevator stopped and the doors opened. The family stepped off, and the doors closed again and we started moving. Finally, we arrived on the top floor and the doors opened. Walking directly into the room they had put me in, I found my cell phone. Maybe she had called? Would she even know? She wasn’t one to watch sports and keep up with the happenings, especially where I was concerned. I bet she hadn’t even known what team I was playing for anymore. There were no notifications on my phone from her, there were notifications from almost everyone else I knew, but not Virginia.
“Wife?” Sam said from behind me. I knew there wouldn’t be anymore putting him off.
“Get out Sam. I am not talking about her until I talk to her.” I walked the man to the elevator and pushed him in when the doors opened. “You can head home. I don’t need you here anymore.” Letting my room door slam closed behind, the hotel suite was silent and I moved to the sofa and plopped down on it.
My phone ringing and vibrating in my hand drew my attention from staring out the window. “Hey Dad,” I said.
