Chapter 17
TYLER
Icould watch Rain skate for hours. I came from the locker room while she was working with Brick, so I settled in one of the chairs to watch. She hadn’t known I was there.
She was good.
I could tell Brick loved this drill with her, and the others were surprised at her skill. They all took note. Many on the team had been resistant and closed off to the work she wanted to do with us, but whatever mojo she was working was working.
I needed to go. Get out of here.
I’d thought I just wanted to escape in her, use her for a short time, but more and more, I felt an awareness inside of me. It went deeper than I wanted. I needed to steer clear.
My phone buzzed, and I tensed. Looking down reluctantly, I saw my sister’s name.
“Ski?” I answered. My voice was rough. Fuck. She didn’t need to deal with my shit on top of her shit. “What’s up? Are you okay?”
She’d been crying again. I could tell when she spoke. “She’s awake.”
“Zoey is?” Suddenly nothing else mattered.
Ski began crying again, but I swear I could hear her smile. “Yes. She’s awake. Get here as soon as you can.” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “Love you. My baby’s going to be okay.”
“Yeah,” I breathed. A weight that I hadn’t known was on my shoulders lifted. “I’m coming.”
“Hurry,” she rasped, and before I could tease her, she ended the call.
I felt dazed. This was huge. And yet I couldn’t move. I didn’t know how long I’d been standing there, but I was still looking down at my phone when I heard a side door open.
I lifted my head. Rain was just coming off the ice, and she looked wrecked—maybe worse than me, except under her sweat and messed hair, there was a glow to her, a spark in her eyes I’d never seen before.
For some reason, before she could say anything, I blurted out, “Zoey’s awake.”
Her eyes went wide. “She’s—that’s great!” She closed the door and traipsed over on her skates. “That happened today?”
“Come with me.” I said the words before I knew I was going to say them.
We both froze, but I meant it. I wanted her there, and…I couldn’t bring myself to take it back.
“What?” she asked.
“Come with me,” I said again. I didn’t know how to explain it or what to say about why it suddenly felt so right to have her with me, so I said nothing. I waited and watched her.
Uncertainty appeared before it slid away to reveal something else. Warmth? Longing? Then fear. She swallowed, edging back a step.
She was going to say no, so I took a step toward her and repeated my request, softening. “Come with me.”
Her gaze held mine, and whatever she saw there closed her mouth. “O-okay.”
Relief washed over me. “Do you need to shower? I mean, don’t on account of me, but if you want to… Do you need clothes? I keep some extra on hand.”
“I…” She looked down at herself, flushing. Her hands splayed over her thighs and she laughed a little. “Yeah. Maybe. I usually keep a bag in my car, but…” She shivered. Her forehead wrinkled, determined now. “Give me a little time. Or my hotel isn’t far—”
“You’re still at a hotel?”
“Yeah. I mean, I’m not moving here. I’m just here for the job.”
“Yeah, but won’t that be the entire season? You could do a nine-month lease somewhere. Your job is to help us get to the playoffs, right? That’ll take the whole season.”
“Well, yeah, but I mean, it’s fine. I think the team has some deal with the hotel.” She looked away, pondering something. “Uh, if you tell me what hospital, I can meet you there.”
I shook my head. “I’ll give you a ride to your hotel. I can wait in the lobby while you change, shower. Whatever you need. I’d—I’d rather…” I didn’t know what to say now because the truth was, I wanted to be in her presence. I didn’t want to go to the hospital by myself.
I’d never had this feeling, this desire to be around another human being except with Skylar.
I was a mess. That’s the only thing that made sense.
The trade. My niece’s overdose. The coma. Her waking up. I was just wrecked. But whatever was going to help me right now, I was going with it.
“I’ll give you a ride there and back. It’s no problem. We have time.”
“Okay then. Let me grab my bag.” She gave me a small grin, smoothing her hands over thighs again before disappearing down the hallway.
What the hell am I doing?