Chapter 6 #2
Max opened his arms. “There he is.”
Leo laughed and stepped forward, pulling Max into one of those half-hugs hockey guys did when they didn’t want to seem too emotional.
“Been a while,” Leo said.
“You got huge,” Max said, stepping back to look him over. “What the hell were they feeding you at Westfall?”
Leo grinned. “Hunter, good to see you, bro.”
I pulled him in for a hug and clapped him on the back. “Good to see you. Welcome to the Blaze.”
Max patted his shoulder. “Welcome to hell, Baby Karlsson.”
I laughed. “How are your parents handling it?”
Leo shook his head. “Mom cried.”
“Obviously.”
“He keeps calling your dad,” Leo said to me. “Like three times a day.”
“That sounds about right,” I confirmed. Dad and Nils were like brothers.
“And Mom keeps saying now she just needs Theo in Dallas, and she’ll have all of us together.”
Max leaned against the table. “Theo went to Nashville?”
“Yeah. For now.” Leo shrugged. “At least I have Liv here.”
“How is Liv doing?” I asked.
Leo’s mouth twitched. “She’s acting like she owns the Blaze offices already.”
“Liv is working for the Blaze?” Max asked.
“Small office job,” Leo confirmed. “She says it’s admin for now, but she wants PR. She has a plan.”
“Of course she has a plan,” I said. “Liv always has a plan.”
Max looked around. “Is she here today? I haven’t seen her without braces.”
“She got her braces off like six years ago, and yeah, she’s upstairs somewhere,” Leo said. “She told me not to embarrass her.”
Leo laughed and glanced down at his clipboard. “I’m already lost, so I’m off to a strong start.”
“You’re doing fine,” a female voice said from behind us.
My body knew her voice before my brain had time to prepare.
Catherine.
I turned, and there she was in navy scrubs with her hair pulled back, a laptop balanced on a rolling cart beside her and a pen clipped to her pocket. She wasn’t dressed up. She wasn’t trying to look hot. Which made it worse.
Max smiled first. “Cousin.”
Catherine’s eyes flicked to him, and her face warmed. “Max.”
“You look official,” Max said.
“I’m not official. I’m assisting.”
“Still Dr. Davis to the rescue.”
She rolled her eyes. “I’m shadowing Dr. Patel and helping with intake notes. That’s it.”
“That’s not it,” Leo said. “You’re the only person who knew where I was supposed to go.”
“Because your schedule is on the laptop,” she said, turning it slightly. “Not because I have magical powers.”
“Could’ve fooled me.” Leo shrugged.
Catherine smiled at him, and I looked at the damn floor because watching her smile at Leo was safe and still somehow irritating, which didn’t make sense. But reason had clearly left the building sometime around the pool house shower.
Catherine turned to me. “Hunter.”
“Catherine,” I said.
Her name came out lower than I meant it to.
“Um, she’s CC. Why are you calling her Catherine like that?” Max called me out.
“My name is Catherine,” she replied.
“No, I know, but Hunter was all like Catherine.” Max mimicked me, trying to make his voice extra deep. I was going to whack him upside the head.
Then she looked back at the laptop. “Leo, they’re going to start with medical history, height, weight, blood pressure, and then Dr. Patel will come in for the physical.
After that, they’ll send you down for baseline concussion testing.
” I was grateful she refocused everyone, but I didn’t need to be called out on why my voice had gone hoarse and my body was having an odd chemical reaction.
Things like this didn’t happen to me. I’d dated actresses and models.
Of course, they were one-night stands, but I was never flustered.
I knew what I was doing in the bedroom. I’d had many satisfied partners.
Leo made a face. “Fun day.” He pulled me from my warring thoughts.
“Very glamorous,” Catherine said.
Dr. Patel stepped out from one of the exam areas and called Leo’s name. Catherine turned professional immediately, clicking something on the laptop.
“Okay,” she said. “You’re up.”
Leo handed her his clipboard. “Am I supposed to be nervous?”
“Only if you lied on your forms.”
“Everyone does,” he replied.
Max clapped Leo on the shoulder. “Go get checked, Baby Karlsson.”
Leo pointed at him as he walked backward. “Remember, I’m your wing. Don’t mess with me.”
Max went still. “Low blow.”
Catherine laughed softly as Leo went toward Dr. Patel. I watched her type something into the laptop, her attention already back on work. And I was standing there trying to act like the sight of her in scrubs wasn’t messing with my head.
Max leaned closer, keeping his voice low. “You good?”
“Fine.”
“You got quiet.”
“I’m watching the process.”
“Sure.”
I shot him a look. “Don’t start.”
“I didn’t say anything.”
“You were about to.”
He held up a hand. “I’m being respectful.”
“That’ll be a first.”
Catherine glanced over. “Are you two fighting already?”
“No,” Max said.
“Yes,” I said at the same time.
Her smile widened just a little. “Good to know the team chemistry is strong.”
Max tapped the table. “See? She gets it.”
Catherine focused back on the laptop, but one of the younger players hovering near the next station took that as his opening. He was one of the rookies. Luca, a D-man. Big grin. Bigger ego. The kind of kid who thought making the show meant every woman in the building wanted to hear his best line.
He moved closer to Catherine’s cart. “You’re Catherine, right?”
She looked up from the screen. “Yes.”
“I’m Luca Hill.”
“I know.” She checked the list. “You’re scheduled after Karlsson for intake.”
He looked way too pleased that she knew his name. “Guess I’m in good hands.”
“They’re Dr. Patel’s hands,” she said, polite but firm. “I’m assisting with notes.”
Max coughed like he was covering a laugh.
Luca didn’t take the hint. “Still. Nice to have someone friendly around here.”
Catherine’s expression stayed professional. “Everyone here is friendly.”
Luca leaned one hip against the table. “You been around hockey long?”
My fingers curled at my side. Max noticed.
Catherine clicked something on the laptop. “Long enough.”
“Family thing?” Luca asked.
Before she could answer, I opened my mouth.
“Her father is Coach Davis,” I said. The words came out calm, but the room shifted anyway.
Luca straightened. “Oh. Damn. Sorry, I didn’t know.”
Catherine’s eyes flicked to me. Not happy.
“That’s okay,” she said, her voice even. “But you should probably finish your forms before Dr. Patel calls you.”
“Yeah. For sure.” Luca grabbed his clipboard and moved back toward the other rookies.
Max was quiet for half a second. Then he said, “Subtle.”
I ignored him.
Catherine closed the laptop halfway and looked at me. “I could’ve handled him.”
“I know.” But I was being a jealous ass, which made no sense.
“Do you?” I hated that question. Mostly because I deserved it.
I lowered my voice. “Yeah. I know.”
Her expression softened a fraction, which somehow made me feel worse.