Chapter 6
“I think you need to give yourself some more credit, Connor. You’re sticking to the rehab routine your physical therapist gave you. You just need to remember it’s a marathon, not a sprint. This groin injury has been bothering you for how long?”
Katie’s sitting with one leg crossed over the other, hands resting loosely on her knee, as we finish up today’s therapy session.
Her office is anything but cold and clinical, much like the woman herself.
The walls are painted a soft cream, warm against the soft morning light filtering in through the half-open blinds.
I shift, sinking farther into the dark gray couch beneath me, elbows resting on my knees. The cushions are too soft to sit on properly, especially considering how tall I am, like the room itself is designed to make people let their guard down whether they want to or not.
Across from me, Katie looks calm as ever in the armchair near her desk where a potted plant with big leaves sits near the window.
“Basically since last season.”
She gives me a small, but encouraging smile. “Exactly. Just because you’re not back to one hundred percent doesn’t mean you’re failing. If you push too hard you’ll just make it worse. And the team needs you just as much as you need them. Take your time. You’re doing the work. Trust the process.”
Trust the process.
My gaze drifts past her shoulder to the framed abstract prints hanging on the wall, all soft blues and pale greens. Everything in the room feels intentional, steady, balanced. The complete opposite of the noise in my head every time I step onto the ice wondering if my body’s going to keep up.
“I can try and do that. I think. Whatever you say, Doc.”
Katie rolls her eyes at me and then looks down at the watch she wears on her wrist. “That’s all the time we have today. When’s your next rehab session with your physical therapist?”
I take my phone out of the back pocket of my jeans and pull up my calendar app.
“Looks like I’m meeting him Friday at the hospital.”
Katie shoots me another smile. “Meeting with the kids again?”
“I am. Somehow Niko roped me into dressing up for Halloween for them. Well, actually Sophia brought up the idea and it’s impossible to say no to that girl.”
The team’s physical therapist sometimes volunteers at the hospital to meet with patients pro-bono. Since I have this visit scheduled with the kids, I asked if we could meet there instead of at the arena like we normally do, and he was happy to accommodate.
Katie laughs. “First Kristoff at Sophia’s birthday party, now what? Captain America?
“Thor, actually.”
She smiles. “You’re a jack of all trades.”
“Ha.” I shake my head because I’m definitely done talking about costumes. “But I’m going to visit them before my session because Doctor Alvarez kicked my ass last time. I wasn’t in the best of moods.”
We both stand, and Katie walks me to the door of her office.
“Are you ever?” she teases. She opens the door and looks at me, waiting for my response.
“Sometimes. If I’m hanging with Sophia. She doesn’t give me as much shit as you and the rest of my teammates and coaches.”
“It’s only because we care. I’ll see you in two weeks?”
“Sounds good.”
As I make my way down the hall, I remember who I crashed into just an hour ago before my therapy session.
What the hell was Avery doing here?
I knew something was wrong when I saw her at the barbecue. As always, Katie refused to tell me anything when I tried to get some information out of her. Unlike Niko, Katie has an excuse. Doctor-patient confidentiality and all that.
My therapy sessions with Katie center around the mental toll my injury has taken on me. This groin injury has fucked with my head more than any other injury I’ve had. It just won’t go away.
But Avery doesn’t play hockey anymore so she’s not seeing Katie for the same reason. I know it’s none of my business, but the fact that she took a job here in Green Bay, combined with her nearly fainting and now seeing Katie—it all has me worried.
I step out into the brisk October weather and slip my sunglasses down from the top of my head. It might be chilly, but at least the sun is shining. Shoving my hands in my pockets to protect them from the wind, I walk through the parking lot.
Opening the door to my truck, I feel my phone buzz in my pocket. I climb in and start the engine to get the heat going before pulling my phone out to see a text from Mack in our group chat.
Mack Attack
I just got off the phone with my parents and I’m already regretting agreeing to come home over the Olympic break.
Aidan Mackenzie, or “Mack” as all the guys on the team call him, is our youngest goalie from British Columbia.
He’s an absolute stud and is probably going to be one of the best goalies in the league within the next year or two.
His rookie contract is one of the highest I can remember, and yet he still refuses to buy his own place back home in Kelowna.
Which means when he visits his parents, he has to stay with them.
As I’m typing out a text to give him shit, our rookie winger, Kyle Jefferson, beats me to the punch.
Jefferson
Well, Aidan… you probably should own your own place by now at the age of twenty-four. Tell Barb and Jacob I said hello by the way.
Mack Attack
Don’t fucking call me by my government name. And I just don’t see the point in having my own place if I’m only there for like three months out of the year.
Jefferson
*Please see above text from you*
I laugh. These two are always giving each other shit back and forth. They are the goofiest motherfuckers I’ve ever met, constantly pranking each other and everyone else on the team. They’re a bunch of knuckleheads. Which is only proven further when I see the next text pop up in our chat.
Mack Attack
Smart-ass. Did you perhaps get a package in the mail yet today, Kyle?
Jefferson
What the fuck did you do?
Mack sends his most favorite GIF, the one of the cute little blonde girl with pigtails shrugging, like she has no idea what he’s talking about.
Knowing this conversation is about to get out of control, I put my phone on Do Not Disturb so the notifications don’t pop up when I’m driving. I tap Niko’s name on my phone and then take off toward my favorite lunch spot.
“Hey, man, what’s up?” Niko’s voice is loud, and I hear Sophia and Sadie belting out “Let It Go” at the top of their lungs. Their voices begin to fade as I imagine Niko stepping away from the madness.
Chuckling, I ask, “Another Frozen concert happening?”
Niko laughs. “Dude, they happen morning, noon, and night. You’ve missed a lot. Please come take your favorite girl and have some concerts at your place.”
I turn my truck onto Chestnut Avenue, looking for a parking spot.
“As much as I’d love to, I was hoping you might want to meet me for lunch at Pies & Pints. Just got done at the rink with Katie.”
Sophia calls for her dad, and I hear him cover the phone and tell her he’ll be right there.
“Sorry, man. We have plans to go to the aquarium. Want to meet us there?”
I do love the aquarium. But if I don’t get some food in me soon, I’m going to be unbearable to be around.
“Maybe I’ll meet you guys after. I need to eat first and I’m already here. Text me when you’re heading there?”
“Sounds good, man. Hope to see you later.”
We end the call and I find a parking spot just down the street from my favorite pizza place. Usually I’m not a fan of being downtown where people might recognize me, but the pizza here is so good, I have to make an exception when I’m needing a fix.
Once I make it inside, I let the hostess know I’ll just grab a spot at the bar.
It’s not overly busy here considering it’s not quite noon.
Not only does this place have the best food, but the atmosphere is great, too.
It’s a modern-style restaurant and bar, with a separate dining area away from the bar where TVs line the walls, displaying any and all sports that may be on.
Local Green Bay memorabilia hang on the walls as well, making this a local favorite.
Most of the wooden booths are empty in the dining area of the restaurant as I walk past. There’s a few gentlemen occupying one of the tall tables, but other than that I’m able to find a spot easily along the right side of the hand-carved wooden bar.
While the bartender finishes with a customer across the bar from me, I tap on my phone and immediately click on the social media app I rarely use. The only time I use it is when I’m checking up on my sister in Minnesota or my grandparents in Florida.
Okay, so maybe there’s been a time or two I’ve found myself creeping on Avery and her douchebag husband.
Ex-husband? I mean, he has to be. She’s been in Green Bay for at least four months now and I’ve yet to see him.
Not that I would. He’s a professional hockey player like me so his schedule is just as busy.
Maybe they are still together and doing long distance?
But she wasn’t wearing a ring at the barbecue.
I have so many questions, I find myself typing her name in the search bar, her profile the first one to pop up since I’ve visited it before.
Holy shit.
It’s been a while since I’ve gone to her page because I can’t stand the sight of them together. But she deleted every single picture he was in.
My heart begins to pick up pace in my chest, my thumb scrolling erratically just to make sure what I’m seeing is real.
He’s gone from her social media.
This time, I type in Bryan’s name in the search bar.
Unfortunately, I know too much about him.
He plays center for St. Louis and he’s a dirty player.
He’s known around the league for his cheap shots and flopping.
I never really understood how he ended up with Avery.
He’s not horrible looking, I guess, and female fans are constantly flooding his comments.
But still, the moment I learned he and Avery were engaged, I spiraled so hard I had to cut her out of my life.
Every time I saw her post about them, I was ready to burn down the world.
Avery has no idea the effect it had on me. I mean, why would she? I’m the asshole who broke her heart in high school. Only someone pathetic would be pining after their high school sweetheart ten years later.
Questions flood my brain. What happened between them? Is that why she’s here in Green Bay, because they’re no longer together? Did he hurt her?
I’ll fucking kill him.
The bartender steals my attention when he moves in front of me.
“Hey, Connor. Just you today?”
I put my phone face down on the bar and look up to find the regular bartender that’s always in here, Johnny, waiting for me to answer.
“Yep, just me. Can I have my usual with a water, please?”
Johnny smiles and knocks his knuckles on the bar. “You got it.” He takes a step away but pauses and sticks his finger in the air like he just remembered something. Backstepping, he places both hands on the edge of the bar and shakes his head, amusement plain as day on his face.
“You know how I always give you shit for putting pineapple on your pizza?”
Not this again.
I keep my mouth shut and give him my signature glare.
Johnny chuckles and continues. “Well, someone else just ordered the same exact pizza as you. And she’s pretty fucking cute, too.”
There’s no way it’s her.
“She’s sitting directly across from you. When I go to put your order in, you should try to get her attention. I bet two people who share the love of pineapple on pizza might hit it off. And you could use a friend.”
I ignore the jab and mentally urge him to get the fuck out of my way to see if it’s her.
Finally, after what feels like an eternity, Johnny walks back toward the kitchen and my heart thumps in my chest at the sight. Sitting in a barstool, her short black hair tucked behind her ears, a glass in hand, is Avery.
She hasn’t noticed me yet, her eyes locked on one of the TV screens hanging above the bar and I take this rare moment to look at her unabashedly. Those beautiful green eyes track whatever’s happening on the screen, her brow furrowing when something happens she must not like.
It doesn’t matter how much time goes by, I can still read her. Every look, every shift in her expression…I know exactly what she’s feeling, like my body never forgot her language.
I exhale quietly.
Maybe that’s what’s bothering me so much.
Because there is something different now, like when I saw her at the barbecue.
Something I can’t translate. I don’t know what led her to take a job in Green Bay, or what she’s carrying that’s heavy enough to have her walking out of Katie’s office.
I’d give anything to understand the pieces of her that I lost—no, that I pushed away.
It’s killing me, sitting here across from her like a stranger, not knowing the parts of her that matter most.
As if my thoughts call out to her, her attention moves down from the TV to me. Her eyes narrow, and I watch as her lips twist, a clear sign that she is most definitely not happy to see me here.
I should leave her alone. I should walk out of here and give her the space she so clearly wants from me.
Pushing my stool away from the bar, I plan to do just that. My body moves toward the exit and I have every intention of telling the hostess I’ll take my food to go and wait outside.
But when I get to the corner of the bar, my mind starts screaming at me.
What if this is my last chance to talk to Avery alone?
She’s been doing a pretty good job of avoiding me since she got here, but maybe she just doesn’t know what to do.
I sure as hell don’t. Maybe I’ll try talking to her one more time, and if she asks me to leave or clearly doesn’t want me here, I’ll respect her wishes and back off completely.
But I can’t walk out of here without giving it one more try.
I turn right, then right again, not stopping until I’m pulling out the stool next to Avery’s. I take a seat and rest my elbow on the bar. Taking a deep breath, I shoot my shot.
“Funny seeing you here.”