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“RICE.” Justin swung his legs over the edge of the table. “Rest. Ice. Compression. Elevation. Got it, doc.”
“And come see me again if it gets worse. An MRI might be in order to make sure you haven’t torn it.” I scribbled the diagnosis on his paperwork and looked at him through lowered lashes. “You should probably take a few days off skating.”
He started shaking his head before I even finished speaking. “No way. Big game this weekend. I can’t miss it.”
I’d expected that response. “You know what happens if you ignore an injury.” I said it as more of a threat than anything. Hockey players were notorious for skating through injuries. I once played a whole game with a broken nose because I couldn’t bear the idea of disappointing my teammates.
Justin slid from the table, the move bringing us face-to-face. And damn it all if I didn’t want to kiss him right then. It made no sense, except that I hadn’t gotten laid in almost six years and the raw masculinity mixed with Justin’s devil-may-care attitude made him far too attractive. I wasn’t about to break my dad’s rules. Not even for what I was sure would be a scorching hot kiss that might have the potential for more.
The disappointment wouldn’t be worth it. Before I could recover enough to step back, Zachary and Lennox slammed the door open and burst over the threshold.
“Geez, man, what’s taking so long?” Lennox smacked his helmet against his palm. “We need to run drills.” His long hair feathered around his face and he scraped it back with a frustrated huff.
Zachary scuffed his knuckles over his cheek after setting his helmet back on the crown of his head.
“Oh, you know.” Justin winked at me and stretched one arm past me to grab his gear. His breath whispered over my cheek, eliciting a rush of goosebumps. “Just falling in love with the doc.”
“Cut the shit.” Zachary scowled and knocked on the doorframe. “Stop hitting on Coach’s daughter. We all know she’s out of your league.”
The compliment combined with his sour tone twisted my stomach and caused a sour taste in the back of my throat. I stepped back and to the side, opening up the space between me and Justin.
He made a noise in the back of his throat that might have been disappointment, but he pulled on his gear and stomped over to Zachary and Lennox.
The reality of Zachary’s words punched straight to my heart. I wasn’t looking for a relationship, but having the possibility ripped away from me hurt more than I anticipated. I pushed all the hurt away and focused. “He needs to watch that leg. Maybe let him take it easy out there today.” I lifted my eyebrows and met all three men’s gazes head-on. I would not allow my burst of attraction for them to impede my work. I couldn’t risk losing what little ground I’d gained by taking on this position.
Besides, a relationship would interfere with my goals. I wasn’t about to give up my hopes and dreams for a quick and dirty tumble.
Lennox hooked Justin’s arm and hauled him toward the hallway. “We’ll take care of him.” His dark eyes blazed when he looked back at me over his shoulder. “Thanks for seeing him.”
“It’s what I’m here for.” I shrugged like it didn’t matter, even though it did. Very much. I needed these guys to trust me with their injuries. They didn’t have to find me attractive. That would hurt more than it helped in this situation. But they did need to respect me as a medical professional and someone who could help them.
The three of them filed out of my office and thumped down the hall, the sound of their hockey sticks rattling along the way. I shook my head to clear it of any lingering hormones and wiped down the exam table with an antiseptic towel before pulling fresh paper over the edge and tucking it in.
My phone buzzed from my pocket and I pulled it out far enough to check the screen. The sight of Abigail’s preschool number caused my heart to stampede and I answered with a breathless “Hello?”
“Miss Ashley, this is Mrs. Perkins. I’m calling to inform you that Abigail took a little spill at school today.” The woman’s calm voice did nothing to ease my panic.
“What happened? Is she okay?” I glanced around the room to make sure I wasn’t forgetting anything, then remembered all I’d brought in was my phone and keys.
Mrs. Perkins took a deep breath. “She seems fine, but we would like for her to see a doctor.”
“What happened?” I repeated.
“It seems she fell off the swing while out on the playground. She’s up and playing but has complained of a headache, and there is some swelling.”
Oh God. My hand trembled on the phone. Not Abigail. Not my baby. I couldn’t stand for anything to happen to her. Shemight have been unplanned and a complete shock, but I loved that girl with every bit of my heart. “I’ll be right there.”
“Thank you. We look forward to seeing you. I’ll make sure Abigail is ready to go when you arrive.”
I hung up the phone before I said something I’d regret. Abigail’s school was fantastic. We hadn’t had any problems all year. But I knew that if I kept listening to her talk then I’d go apeshit. It was better for both of us if I ended the call and used the drive over to calm down.
Sucking in a deep breath and closing my eyes while I let it out slowly, I lowered my shoulders. “She’s okay. It’s a minor bump. Outward swelling is good. It means the trauma hasn’t gone inward.” I imagined a lump and potential bruise on my baby girl’s face and all the breathing in the world couldn’t calm the storm spinning out of control. Stuffing my phone in my pocket, I rushed out of the office and hurried down the hallway.
Dad would be in his office for the first hour of practice. He always finished up business calls while the team warmed up. He’d join them on the ice later. I had to tell him that I was leaving early. Not my best moment on my first day, but it couldn’t be helped. Thankfully, I knew he wouldn’t mind. Dad might be a hard ass, but he would do anything for Abigail. I’d have to fight him to keep him from meeting me at the doctor’s office. Hell, he’d be more upset about the fall than me. Nothing bothered him more than his granddaughter’s tears.
My sneakers squeaked on the harsh concrete until I stopped outside Dad’s door. His voice filtered out as I raised my fist to knock. “Listen, I know it’s a rough start to the season, but this kid has promise.”
My ears perked up at his serious voice. The one Abigail called his fussy man tone.
