Chapter 10
Chapter Ten
BLAKELY
Hands full of two sandwiches, drinks, and potato salad, I push through the door leading to the ice baths in the training room where Halsey is icing his foot.
To say I want to crawl into a hole and never be seen again is an understatement.
I can’t believe I injured our star player.
Not only injured him but took him out of the game.
I saw how swollen his ankle was the moment he took his sock off.
Yeah, it’s not good. The trainer immediately started doing range of motion exercises with him, and with the pain searing through his face, I knew I had to get out of there, so I ran out to the deli next to the stadium for some food.
It’s the least I can do since dinner burned, and we won’t be having sloppy joes anytime soon.
It’s a shame because he was trying hard to brown those onions.
Well . . . they browned.
“Hungry?” I ask as he looks up at me.
“Starving,” he says.
I pull up a chair next to him and hand him a turkey and provolone sandwich. “I hope you like turkey. I wasn’t sure and it seemed like a safe option.”
“Love turkey. Thank you.”
“There’s a pickle wrapped up in there as well.”
“I can smell it,” he says as he finds the pickle and takes a huge bite.
I scan for his foot in the ice bath that’s swirling around, but I can’t see anything. “How’s the ankle?”
“Can’t feel a goddamn thing.” He lifts his sandwich to his mouth.
“I guess that’s good,” I say as I unravel my sandwich as well. “What are they saying about play time?” I know it’s probably the last thing he wants to talk about, but I need to know. I need to know if he can play or if he’s done for the season. How much did I mess up the Agitators season?
He wipes his mouth with a napkin he plucks off my leg. “Grace thinks I’ll be good to go in two weeks and when she says good to go, she means heavily taped up and stabilized with everything I do, even walking around when I’m not on the ice.”
“Wait . . . two weeks, that’s it?”
He nods. “She said it’s rolled, but not that bad.
There will be a plan to follow consistently when I’m home and I’ll have to come in here every day, but other than that, she thinks I’ll be good to go in two weeks, which isn’t ideal, but that’s only six games.
I think the boys can hold out for that.”
“Okay . . .” I look down at my sandwich, my tears forming again. This time, they don’t fall as Halsey places his hand on my leg and pulls my attention back to his eyes.
“Hey, like I said, it’s all good. Okay? We apologized and we’re moving forward, right?”
I nod and sniff back my tears. “Right.”
“And if you’re up for it, I’m going to need some help.”
“Help?” I perk up. “I can do that. What do you need help with? I’m your girl, anything you need.”
There’s a soft smile to his lips but nothing that reaches his rare, full-capacity smile. “Well, I injured my driving foot, so I won’t be able to drive back and forth to the arena. I could hire a car service—”
“No, I can drive you. I can drive you anywhere you need. I planned on emailing my manager today and letting her know the circumstances that I might need to work from home for a little bit and just come in on game days. I’m sure she won’t mind, especially if she knows I’m helping you out.”
“If she says no, it’s no big deal.”
“No, it’s fine. I’ll make it work. What else will you need?”
“Just some help around the apartment. I have to do a lot of exercises and ice and elevation.”
“Got it. I can help with that. Will you need help showering? I can wash with my eyes closed.”
He chuckles. “I think I can handle that.”
“Yeah, probably don’t want a stranger rubbing you down with their eyes closed.”
He pauses for a moment and says, “I don’t think you’re a stranger at this point.”
“I guess not. I did straddle your mattress tonight, which . . . oh God, I have to get that back into place.”
“I texted Posey and Silas. They’re working on it, don’t worry.”
“They are? Oh God, did you tell them what happened? Do they hate me?”
“They don’t hate you and they know accidents happen. They were actually impressed with your ability to lift the mattress on your own. Posey and I struggled when we moved it to your room before you moved in.”
“I struggled a lot,” I say, handing him a fork for the potato salad and popping the lid. Together, we each scoop a forkful. “I almost knocked Sherman over, and you can imagine the heart attack that ensued.”
His brows lift. “Almost knocked over Sherman. Not sure I’d have forgiven you for that.”
“If I did, you wouldn’t have ever seen my face ever again.”
“Well, I’m glad you didn’t . . . for multiple reasons.” He directs his attention at the potato salad and for a moment, my body heats from that response.
For multiple reasons . . .
Is he implying he would be sad if he didn’t see my face again?
Doubtful.
“By the way, what was with the cat picture you put next to him?”
“Oh, that’s Horace. He’s my childhood cat. After I almost knocked Sherman over, I was horrified, and I think he was just as scared and shaken, so I thought Horace might keep him company. Honestly, it was all done in a panic and I meant to take the picture down before you got home but forgot.”
“I bet Sherman liked it.”
“It seemed like his little branches fluffed up, so I think he did.”
“Might need to keep the picture there.”
“I’m not opposed to the friendship if you aren’t.”
He chews on some potato salad and says, “Two inanimate objects forming the bond of a lifetime.”
“Not sure anyone else would let me carry on such an asinine farce.”
He cutely shrugs. “It’s not harming anyone. Have at it. As long as they don’t start dining together or anything like that.”
“Damn, and here I was about to put out a bowl of milk for Horace while Sherman drank up his water.”
“Not sure I’d have recovered after walking in on that.”
“I’d have perished over the cuteness overload.”
He smirks and takes another dip into the potato salad, easing my anxiety. If I were to hurt anyone and take them out for six games, it’s best that it was Halsey, because I’m not sure any other player would be as nice as he is being.
Penny: Heard Halsey hurt himself.
I watch over Grace and Halsey as they talk together while she wraps his ankle.
Blakely: Yeah, thanks to me. I don’t want to get into it, but if you think I’m feeling guilty, times that by one thousand.
Penny: Oof, I’m sorry. Is he okay?
Blakely: Out for two weeks, so if they end up losing their momentum, I’ll have no other choice than to take the new job. There will be no way I can show my face around this arena again.
Penny: Stop. I’m sure the boys will keep winning. It will be fine. Silas and OC can pick it up and I think Rivers might be coming back soon.
Blakely: No, he’s still out for a bit. I asked. I think they’re bringing someone up to help out. All because of a stupid air mattress.
Penny: What about an air mattress?
Blakely: He was sleeping on one. Gave me his real bed. I found out and switched beds. He was mad because he wanted to be a good host and give me the nice bed. It was a huge thing, but now there is no air mattress and just one bed.
Penny: One bed . . . that sounds like fun.
Blakely: Oh, I’ll be sleeping on the couch. That’s where I belong after all.
Penny: Maybe you can share the bed.
Blakely: LOL! Okay.
Penny: What? You’re both adults. And I’ve sat on that couch, it’s not great. It’s not like you’re going to accidentally slip your hand down his pants. You said he isn’t your type.
Blakely: Uh, I’m not sharing a bed with Halsey. Have you lost your mind?
Penny: No, but think about it, he didn’t want you sleeping on an air mattress, do you really think he’s going to want you sleeping on the couch? Wasn’t arguing about sleeping arrangements what got you into this mess in the first place?
Blakely: Penny . . . we’re not sharing a bed. That is insane.
Penny: Okay, good luck telling him that.
Blakely: There is no way he’ll offer to share his bed. He has to keep his leg elevated anyway. I’m sure he doesn’t want a propped-up leg with a stranger in his bed. There’s sharing an apartment, and then there is sharing nighttime space. That’s going too far.
Penny: Just a suggestion.
Blakely: Well thank you, but it’s not going to happen. Oh, and it looks like he’s done so I’m going to drive him back to his place. I’ll let you know when I’m coming in tomorrow. My schedule will be wonky now because I’ll be helping him out.
Penny: Sounds good. Happy sleeping . . . on the couch.
“You good?” I ask as Halsey crutches through the door, only using one of the crutches.
Grace wants him to use his ankle and keep it moving so it doesn’t swell up even more so he’s using one crutch for assistance.
The grimace on his face the whole way down the hallway of his apartment building just brought on that massive amount of guilt all over again.
“Yup, good.” He enters the apartment and goes straight to the couch where he sits on the arm and lets out a deep breath. “Fuck, I forgot how painful this is and I don’t say that to make you feel bad.”
“I know. You’re allowed to gripe, I promise, I’m good now. I’ve transitioned to mending mode.” I glance around the apartment. “It seems like the boys took care of the meat in the pan and cleaned up. That was nice of them.”
“Yeah, they’re good guys.” Halsey yawns. “Shit, I’m tired.”
“Right, okay. Let’s get you to bed. I’m sure they put the sheets and covers back on your mattress. Do you want me to check?”
“Nah, just grab a sheet from the closet for me. I’ll park it out here on the couch and you can take the bed.”
How did I know he was going to say that?
Maybe because the whole reason we’re in this situation is because he was mad about me sleeping on an air mattress. Penny is right, he’s not going to let me sleep on the couch, but I can’t possibly get any sleep knowing that he’s out here with a hurt foot.
“Halsey, I don’t want you sleeping on the couch.”