Page 31 of Dump and Chase

We drove back and I helped her put all the groceries away. We then set out for Rob’s dealership. He greeted us at the door and shook Tangi’s hand. I let him take care of things, and he showed her various cars that he assured her would be in her budget. Two test drives later, she’d picked out a sporty silver sedan and Rob filled out the paperwork.

“Why don’t we get the car ready and drop it off to you this evening,” Rob said to her.

“Oh, that’s nice,” she said, signing off on everything.

“And if you need anything, just call me,” he said, handing Tangi a business card.

I took her out for a late lunch, and I could see she was starting to fade. She’d gotten up early for her flight, and with the two-hour difference, it was nearly her dinnertime.

“I’ll take you back to the condo so you can call it an early night. The practice rink for the Ravens is probably a half-hour drive. I also left you all the condo info on the kitchen counter if you need it. And I’m always a call or text away.”

“Thanks,” she said.

I dropped her off out front and asked her if she wanted me to come up.

“I think I could use a nap before Rob drops off my car,” she said. “But thank you anyway.”

“Let’s keep in regular contact, okay?”

“Yes, we probably should.”

I made sure she was safely inside before I drove away. I then had a call to make, and it wasn’t going to be an easy one.

ChapterSixteen

Tangi

Iwas up at 5 a.m. Crap. I couldn’t keep doing this to myself. Sure, I’d gone to bed at eight thirty after spending more than an hour with Rob as he showed me all the features of my new car. The GPS was going to come in handy. I’d have to make myself stay up until at least ten tonight.

Allan, the head athletic therapist for the Ravens, had asked me to come in early, but even so, I wasn’t expected in for another three hours. So I took a long shower, made myself some coffee, and stood out on the balcony. I could do this every morning. While Vancouver was rarely quiet, it seemed to be at its quietest this early in the morning. I could hear some birds singing as I watched the ocean waves in the distance.

I was going to need to get some outdoor furniture for the balcony. So while I ate breakfast, I pulled out my laptop and ordered some patio furniture. I then made myself a lunch and filled the new water bottle I’d gotten at the grocery store. I mapped out my route to the Ravens practice rink and left early. I wanted to make sure I was there before 8 a.m.

As I so unfondly remembered, Vancouver traffic was heavy. Still, I got to the Ravens practice rink with fifteen minutes to spare. The front door wasn’t locked, but a security guard was there and asked me who I was.

“I’m Tangi Kildare, the new Ravens physiotherapist.”

The guard wasn’t much taller than my five foot six, but he definitely thought he was. He puffed out his chest and shook his head.

“Sorry, you don’t have a badge. You’ll have to wait here,” he said, pointing to the empty lobby.

I waited until eight fifteen, when Allan Tisdale walked through the doors. He seemed a bit harried and when he saw me, he looked at his watch.

“Shoot. I’m late. Sorry about that.” He turned to the security guard. “Cliff, she’s with me. She’ll have her badge next week, but we’ll get her something temporary in the meantime.”

“No problem,” Cliff said, finally flashing me a smile. “Nice to meet you,” he said.

“Come with me,” Allan said. “I’ll show you around.”

His tour didn’t consist of much. The practice arena was pretty easy to navigate, with two locker rooms, an office area, and the front desk. I imagined when the Ravens weren’t commandeering it, the facility was used for a rec league or maybe some junior hockey leagues.

“We have your office here that you’ll be sharing with Jim Chalmers, our assistant athletic therapist. You met him during your interview. At Graham Place, you’ll also be sharing your office with Jim and the Kodiaks physio. You will need to consult with their PT on players as they move from the Kodiaks to the Ravens and vice versa.”

He took me to the small gym area that would be a tight fit for fifty guys, but that number would be pared down as training camp played out. I took a look around and got an idea of what equipment was available.

“Obviously, Graham Place has more to offer.”

I nodded, taking it all in.

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