Chapter 10
“So, I’m really happy as it looks like all is tracking as it should.” Dr. Winthrop smiled. “I know it’s been difficult but your kidney is doing well, now that infection is on the mend.”
Phew. “I gotta admit I’m a bit over all the fruits I’ve been eating.”
“Yes. The diet does produce a fairly significant amount of weight loss, doesn’t it?”
“I’ve lost twenty pounds already. My trainers are concerned I won’t be ready for next season.”
“We prefer to take a conservative approach rather than rush things and discover your body wasn’t ready.”
“I understand. Whatever makes me healthy, I guess.”
“And you’ve got some months ahead of you now. When is training camp?”
“Not until September.”
“Good. So we’re talking three months or so, which means we’ll have you close to your playing weight if we continue this course.”
“If? There’s no alternative, is there?”
“There’s always an alternative, but I believe this is our best chance of seeing you make a full recovery.”
Exactly what the team doc had said too. “Okay then. Consider me committed.”
Dr. Winthrop gave further instructions, and Kyle fought a grimace as his words struck home. He’d still be off any real kind of training for another two months, which was leaving his lead-in time to achieve his fitness goals by training camp pretty slim.
Still, none of this had taken God by surprise, so he should be glad for the extra time off.
Time he’d spent working on his property portfolio, on his financial investments, as well as watching Winnipeg finally gain their first Stanley Cup when they beat Detroit in five games.
The extra time had allowed him to prepare to attend Mitch Reilly’s wedding next weekend.
It had also allowed more time for him to pray, attend church, and read his Bible as he continued trying to give his future—and Gen—to God.
He entered the hospital elevator, thankful that unlike the last time when he’d been forced to use the wheelchair, this time he could walk.
His thoughts flew to next week. He was due to fly to Saint Paul and meet the other Northwest Ice guys for Mitch’s bachelor party on Wednesday.
Then Saturday was the big day. Mitch had apparently wanted the wedding to be in his hometown of Trinity Lakes, on the ranch his family owned.
But Britta’s family had requested it be held in Minnesota, and what the bride wanted, the bride got, or so Mitch had said.
Seemed Mitch was a softy as far as Britta was concerned.
He exited onto the main lobby area of the hospital, almost bumping into—
“Gen?”
She turned, eyes wide, and he saw how they were red-rimmed. Had she been crying? Wait—was that a cut on her cheek? How had that happened?
“Hey.”
She blinked. “Kyle. I… I didn’t think you’d be here.”
“I just had a checkup with Dr. Winthrop.”
A crease formed between her eyebrows. “Is everything okay?”
“Yeah. Thanks. Except it’s gonna be another eight weeks or so until I can strap on my skates again. Apparently it’s better to be safe than sorry.”
“Who knew?”
His lips curved. “How are you?”
“Oh. I’m okay. Tired. I’ve had some double shifts lately and I forgot how much it wears me out.”
“Double shifts? How long are they?”
She shrugged. “It can be anything from sixteen to twenty-four hours.”
“What? Don’t you sleep?” Maybe lack of sleep accounted for the red-rimmed eyes.
“We get what sleep we can in the doctors’ lounge, but yeah, it’s not ideal.”
He touched his cheek. “You’ve got a cut here.” The guy she was with—he hadn’t hurt her, had he? “Is, uh, everything okay?” That didn’t sound too much like he was fishing, did it?
She sighed. “A patient took a swing at me a week or so ago. It’s still healing.”
Heat rose. “Did you report him?”
“The police have him, poor man. He was just distraught at losing his wife. I feel sorry for him, actually.”
Her gift of compassion was still strong. “You’re amazing.”
Her lips pressed together, her gaze dropping as she shook her head.
“What is it? Did I say something wrong? If so, I’m sorry.”
She blinked rapidly, as if trying to clear tears.
“Gen.” He touched her arm.
She flinched.
His heart fell, and he immediately dropped his hand. So she really didn’t want anything more to do with him. Okay then. He guessed this was God saying no. He stepped away. “Sorry. I don’t want to bother you.”
Then she shook her head and whispered, “No, I’m sorry.”
Something tugged within that he should stay. Regardless of whatever else was going on, right now she looked like she needed a friend. Or at least a listening ear. He inched closer. “Gen? Are you okay? I’m happy to listen, if you need to talk. We could get a coffee.”
Her lips twisted. “A coffee with you? I didn’t think you did that.”
His heart eased. She couldn’t be feeling too bad if she could still tease. “Okay, well, how about I get a chai latte, and you get whatever you like. If you have time. And only if you want,” he added uncertainly. “No pressure.”
She shrugged, her lack of response fueling disappointment, like a snowball of dismay fast gathering pace and size.
“Okay. No worries. I guess I’ll see you around. Unless you see me first and hide.”
Her mouth parted, but he didn’t want to stay for more rejection. God bless her, but he’d done all he could and she still wanted nothing to do with him. Definitely sounded like a heavenly no, then. His throat tightened, and he moved to the exit.
“Kyle?”
He paused, heart thudding. Then slowly turned.
“I… I do have a few minutes. If you want.”
He suddenly wanted this more than anything. His eyes found hers, locked. “I really want.”
She held his gaze, and the noise and bustle around them diminished.
And he was reminded of all the times they’d shared, all the times they’d stared at each other, of that moment that had possessed a similar fraught tension before he leaned forward for the first time and brushed her lips—
“Kyle?”
He blinked. Whoa. The hospital lobby was not the place to be indulging in reliving certain memories. “Ah, do you like the café here or is there someplace nearby you can recommend?”
“Um, someplace nearby is easier.” She offered another twist of lips. “I’ll be less likely to be interrupted that way.”
“Fair enough. Well, lead the way.”
He caught a few raised brows and smiles and smirks from passing staff as they exited, and he gathered this wasn’t usual for her.
Hey, it wasn’t usual for him, either. But this felt like he was walking in an answered prayer, a second chance, and he wouldn’t let embarrassment persuade her to cut this short.
Not when this might one day lead to his second shot at love.
* * *
Nerves rippled through her as she sat opposite Kyle.
The coffee shop’s ambience was all west coast cool, with white walls offset by rustic exposed bricks, all decorated with hanging plants and bric-a-brac like one might find in a granny’s closet.
Well, what she imagined a granny’s closet to be like. She’d never known her grandmother.
She sipped her green tea nervously, her gaze darting up to meet Kyle’s like a nervous butterfly before instantly veering away. Why was she here? This was so awkward.
Except she knew why. It was because she’d made that promise to herself. To not live in regrets. And ever since she’d let him walk away before, she’d regretted it. Both ten years ago, and seven weeks ago.
She peeked up, met his gaze again.
He smiled. “Gen, it’s okay. You don’t need to be worried.”
Oh, but she felt like she did. She didn’t want to live in regrets, but was choosing to spend time with him only going to lead to more?
Geraldine’s death had left her with a lot of new ones. Had she spoken to Goran unprofessionally? That was what he’d accused her of, according to Dr. Singh. That, and not being a team player.
“Which we all know is sour grapes, but you need to tread carefully. He’s got connections to the board and is the kind of person to hold a grudge. So we’ll consider this a warning, even though you know I’m only saying that because admin is making me.”
So yes. While it was nice to have Dr. Singh’s support, she couldn’t help but feel wary. About her workplace. And about whatever… this was with Kyle.
“Come on. I thought you said we could be friends,” Kyle teased.
“I don’t recall actually saying that,” she countered.
“Well, if you didn’t, you should have. You do want to be friends again, don’t you?” His eyes had lost all tease, fixed on her intensely.
Her throat was tight. She could only bob her head.
He exhaled. “Finally.” He reached across and grasped her hands.
“Um, what are you doing?” Holding hands wasn’t what “friends” did, was it?
He gently squeezed, then let go. “Sorry. I forgot you had someone else.”
Someone else? Oh, that’s right. Guilt ramped up inside.
“Put it down to excitement or something,” he continued. “I’m just so relieved to finally be talking to you again.”
“I am too,” she said shyly. Even if it still felt foolish, like she was one step away from plunging headfirst off a cliff. Blame that evil angel perched on her shoulder.
“I’ve been praying for this moment,” he admitted.
“Praying?”
He nodded. “I’m a Christian.”
“What?” She slid her hands back, put them in her lap. “Since when?”
“Since last year sometime. I can’t remember when.”
He sipped his chai latte, clearly waiting for her to ask. But she didn’t want to. That felt like opening up to a conversation that was too big. And this already felt hard enough.
“I just knew that something was missing, and I needed more purpose in my life.”
Wait. Wasn’t she here because he’d missed her? That was the impression she’d received, anyway. She frowned. She’d been replaced by God?
“You don’t think you do enough good things with your charity work?”
He eyed her. “What do you know about my charity work?”
Okay, admit that since bumping into him she’d Googled him? That she wouldn’t do. She shrugged. “That’s what pro athletes do, right? ‘Give back’,” she rolled her eyes.
A frown appeared in his eyes. “I try to, yes. But I didn’t think you’d mock me about it.”