Chapter 11
LAINEY
“Good morning, babe.” I speak into my phone, leaving Cole a cute message that he can wake up to. “I’m on my way to the arena. I hope you have a great day. Text or call later. I love you.”
I send the message and drop my phone into my purse as the taxi turns onto the arena’s street and again into the parking garage for employees, finally escaping the rain. He stops just in front of the gate, and I hop out after paying and tipping him.
A couple of players are walking toward the entrance as I make my way toward the skywalk.
Thankfully, none of the players are Jensen, which I know is asinine to be thankful for since I’m about to see him at his check-in in less than twenty minutes.
But every second I can manage to stay away from him is a blessing.
That boy is trying to ruin me and my relationship with his little flirts and longing looks.
Ugh, he drives me crazy, and I hate him for it.
I’m already fuming by the time I enter the building, and I force myself to take a few deep breaths to calm down before I come face-to-face with Jensen.
“Laineyyy.” Someone sings my name behind me as I step into the skywalk to the arena.
Turning around, I find Cam and the one person I was hoping not to see walking toward me. Jensen’s hair is wet and messy, like he just got out of the shower, and his head is tilted down as if he’s the one avoiding me. The audacity.
As if he can hear my thoughts, his chin lifts, and his brown eyes peer up beneath his brows, latching on to mine. “Good morning.”
Cam gestures between us, a shit-eating grin on his face. “How do you guys know each other again? Aside from that beautiful slap you gave him the other day.”
Dammit. I suddenly realize that the lie of not knowing him that I’ve been telling my bosses and the other staff isn’t going to work because the guys know that we know each other. Eventually, that is going to get back to them; it’s inevitable. Yet another annoying thing Jensen is adding to my life.
Jensen and I hold each other’s stare, and I’m at a loss for words. I don’t know what to say, and Jensen’s not saying anything at all, letting me decide the story.
“Or don’t tell me. I like a mystery to figure out.” Cam rubs his hands together manically.
“Cam,” Jensen mutters, dragging his hand down his face and groaning.
Oh, I’m not playing this game longer than I need to. Let’s just get this over with. “Jensen and I knew each other as kids. He and my brother were best friends and teammates for a long time.”
Jensen squints at me. “We were all best friends.”
“Until we weren’t,” I snap, still walking backward across the empty skywalk.
Cam snickers, enjoying this far more than he should. “Ooh, what happened?”
“He decided to be a dick and choose some dumb rivalry over our friendship,” I say with sass.
My back hits the door, but I don’t push it open. Instead, I stop so that we can finish this conversation here and now and not involve anyone else.
Jensen scoffs. “Bullshit. You’re the one who went off and started dating Cole fucking Wilder.”
Cam’s face falls, and a flash of concern glistens in his eyes. “You’re dating Wilder?”
I cross my arms defensively. “Yeah. And?”
“And you’d be better off dating a telephone pole.” He laughs.
Frustration bubbles up inside of me. “Why does everyone seem to have a problem with him?”
Jensen steps toward me, his jaw ticking and nostrils flaring. “Maybe because you’re way too fucking good for him and because he’ll never ever deserve you.”
I part my lips to tell him off, but Jensen storms away before I can, crashing through the door beside me.
Cam clears his throat, and I meet his stare. “Look, it’s none of my business, I know. But rumors or concerns you’ve heard about Wilder”—he pauses, his voice softening—“assume every one of them is true.”
He walks away without another word, and I suddenly feel like I want to curl up in a ball and cry. My emotions have been so out of whack since coming to this city, and today is no exception.
My eyes well up as I process his words, a gnawing sensation eating away at my stomach.
Could they actually be right about him? Do they just hate him and want to see him suffer by getting me to break up with him?
I hate that I’m even questioning Cole when I’ve never seen proof that he’s cheated on me. Sure, there was that girl on the phone in the background, but he was at a bar; that’s obviously going to happen in public.
Until I see it for myself, I can’t take their word for it. I can’t throw away this long relationship because of someone’s warning. It’s not fair to Cole, and it’s definitely not fair to me.
A few people enter the skywalk from the parking garage, and I immediately spin around and push through the door.
My mind is spinning as I make my way to the staff lounge and drop my personal belongings in my locker before heading to meet up with Helena for Jensen’s appointment.
Kill me now.
“Good morning, Lainey,” Helena greets me as I round the hallway to meet her outside of the exam room.
“Good morning.” I smile at her, my heartbeat still faster than I’d like.
“You’re running point this morning. I’m simply observing, and I’m only there if you have any questions,” she informs me, and suddenly, my nerves start eating me alive.
I know I can do my job. I know I’m well trained, confident in my skills, but why does my first test drive have to be with Jensen as my patient?
“Okay, perfect.” I smile, my cheek twitching as I knock twice on the door and wait for him to respond.
“Come in,” he calls out to us.
“Hi, Jensen.” I greet him with a warm tone and smile, even though that’s the furthest thing from how I’m actually feeling. “How’re you doing this morning?”
Jensen leans back on the treatment table, resting his hands behind his head, an arrogant look on his face as he enjoys this little game. “Doing great. You?”
Oh, this asshole is going to get it.
I take a pump of sanitizer from the dispenser and rub my hands together while walking over to him, a menacing gleam in my stare. Two can play this game, Jensen.
“Lainey will be in charge today. I’m just here as a safety net,” Helena tells him as she sits down in the chair at the desk.
“Good. I might need some saving with this one,” he teases, leaning back completely on the table, his legs dangling over the edge.
“Yeah, yeah,” I say jokingly, playing up the professional tone. “I think you’ll be just fine.”
I decide to start with his good leg, working through the motions and checking for any inconsistencies, but it’s strong and healthy, which is impressive, given that it’s having to overcompensate for the other one.
Walking around the table, I grab his left leg and bend his knee to a ninety-degree angle, my hand on his knee feeling for movement that shouldn’t be happening. I can’t help but admire the array of slutty thigh tattoos on his quad.
Helena clears her throat behind me. “You’re a natural, Lainey. Great with the players. Great with the staff.”
“Thank you,” I say sweetly while flashing a mean smile down at Jensen, knowing she can’t see it behind me.
“We’re lucky to have you.” He smirks up at me.
I nearly jump out of my skin as his finger grazes the front of my thigh, leggings and my hatred being the only barrier between us.
When I stretch his bent knee closer to his chest, he fights back slightly, and I grind my teeth, knowing that he’s hiding this injury from everyone. They deserve to know, and he needs to get over his ego and own up to it.
“Is that feeling okay?” I ask him knowingly.
He pinches my leg, Helena’s view blocked by my body, but I don’t move a muscle.
“Feels great actually.”
I push his knee further, knowing damn well that it’s hurting him. “No clicking or soreness?”
“Nope.” He pops the P. “None. Well, maybe a little sore from weights, but nothing out of the ordinary.”
“Hmm, okay. I can help get that stretched out a little bit so you’re good for morning skate.”
He pinches my leg again, and I take the opportunity to dig my right-hand nails into his calf.
“Thank. You.”
“That’s what I’m here for,” I say sweetly and can practically feel Helena behind me beaming with pride, having no idea the secret conversation and interaction happening between the lines.
Pulling his calf forward, I straighten his leg out, feeling his knee click in the palm of my left hand.
He needs to keep off the damn ice if he doesn’t want this to get worse.
The clicking most definitely shouldn’t be happening, and I would bet money that it’s because his ACL is slightly torn.
He probably already has a partial tear, and being on it constantly is going to fully rip it apart.
Even if I don’t like him anymore, I don’t want to see him get hurt. Besides, it’s my job now to be sure that the players are healthy, and he’s making it really fucking hard to be unbiased toward his treatment.
“Lainey, clearly, you are a perfect fit.”
“What?” I ask quickly, my brows flying together.
“For this job,” she continues, and I exhale. “This was a formality. We are confident in your capabilities. If you don’t mind, I’m going to prepare for our staff meeting if you want to finish up here. Then we can touch base afterward and discuss any concerns. How does that sound?”
“Great.” I bite the word out and turn to her with a smile. “Thank you.”
She nods and exits the room, shutting the door behind her.
Pulling Jensen’s leg forward, I push his toes down, and he winces.
“Jesus, Lain, I get it.”
“Do you?” I snap, holding his foot and leg in place. “Because, clearly, you’re still acting like a child about it.”
“A child?” he scoffs. “Good one.”
My words are soft but panicked. “You’re only going to make it worse for yourself, and if anyone finds out I’ve been covering for you, I’m going to lose my job.”
He sits up onto his elbows. “I won’t let that happen.”
“You’re not the one in charge. You don’t have a say.” I groan, dropping his leg dramatically onto the table.
His eyes slam shut, and he grunts. “First off, oww. Secondly, I have more say than you probably think. And there’s no way in hell I would let you take any ounce of blame for this. You know me better than that.”
“Do I?” I sneer. “The Jensen I knew wouldn’t have been such a devil on the ice to my boyfriend.”
He rolls his eyes. “This again? The fucking prick deserved it. He’s lucky he left the ice on his own two feet and not on a stretcher.” He sits up taller. Reaching out, I flatten my hand on his chest to push him back down, but he catches my wrist. “And I’d do it again.”
“Why?” My voice breaks, and it makes me want to scream.
His voice is chock-full of desperation, anguish in every syllable. “You really don’t know?”
“Know what?” I cry out, desperate to hear the truth.
But he stays silent for a moment, watching me carefully, like he’s scared I’m going to disintegrate.
Those dilated brown eyes bounce between mine, wetness welling up on his lower lashes.
His thumb strokes the back of my hand, and I pull it away from him.
“I’m never going to apologize for what I did to him. If anything, I’m mad at myself for not finishing the job.”
“Jensen,” I exhale, taken aback at the rage and fire forming in his stare. “Does every conversation with us have to be like this? Can’t we just be cordial and professional? Like adults.” I step back, brushing my shirt out as a weight the size of the world seems to settle on my shoulders.
“I can be professional if that’s what you want. I’ll be on my best behavior for you, Lain, because there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you.” He swings his legs off the table and stands up, towering over me. “Remember that.”
My phone buzzes in my pocket as he steps through the threshold of the door and down the hallway, leaving me to my tortuous thoughts. I check my phone, finding a text from Luca.
Luca: Hey, we play you guys tomorrow night. We’re getting a drink after, and I might end up crashing at your place. Is that cool?
While I’m excited to see my brother, I’m not entirely thrilled to go out. Me, nighttime, and alcohol mixed together doesn’t usually end well. I typically end up getting paranoid and having an anxiety attack, especially if I’m out in public with a bunch of people I don’t know.
But it’ll probably be different if I’m with Luca. I’ll feel safe with him.
Yeah, no problem. And sounds good. Do you fly back the next morning then?
Luca: Yeah. Eight a.m. And sweeeeet! We are going to have a good time! Leave prude Lainey at home. We’re celebrating the gang being back together.
Oh no.
The gang?
Luca’s text bubbles appear and disappear over and over before his next message comes through.
Luca: Well, you know my birthday’s coming up, and the only thing I want is for the three of us to have a nice night. No fighting. No grudges. Just like old times.
You’ve got to be kidding me.
Luca sends another message right away.
Luca: You already said yes. No take-backs!
I’m going to kill you.
Luca: AFTER our nice night out. Come onnnn. It won’t be that bad.
You don’t know that, and besides, Cole would be pissed if he found out I went out with Jensen.
Luca: He’ll get over it.
Clearly, Luca doesn’t know Cole very well. A new text comes through, and a shiver runs down my spine. It’s like he knew we were talking about him.
Cole: Morning.
My heart sinks as he fails to meet the expectations I had for his response to my sweet voice note. God, he used to be so affectionate and loving, but the longer I’m away, the faster that side of him is fading. If that’s the response he’s going to send, why even reply at all?
I miss you.
Cole’s text bubbles appear, and it feels like a decade passes by before they disappear, making a crack tear through my heart.
I’ve done so much for him. I’ve loved him unconditionally these last few years. He knew how hard this transition was going to be, and he’s been making a fuck-all level of effort.
This may be petty and immature of me, but I kind of don’t care. Luca’s right. I’m going out with my brother and one of my oldest friends. What’s so wrong with that?
If Cole has a problem with me, then we can address it. I’m loyal as hell, and if he doesn’t trust me six years in, then maybe he never will.
I text Luca.
I’m in.