Page 107 of The Roommate Remodel

Vale puts a hand on my shoulder. “Not so fast. You’re going to give yourself a splitting headache.”

I settle back on my elbows, squeezing my eyes shut. “I already have a splitting headache.” I dig a palm into my eye as the pain slowly throbs against my eyeballs. “This is worse than getting slammed into the boards.”

Lucian joins Vale next to my bed, and when my vision clears, Leo and Tate come into focus.

“What, am I dying or something?” I ask.

Vale shakes his head. “Felipe couldn’t get that lucky.”

“At least tell me the jerk got a penalty,” I say.

Tate smiles. “Even better. He got kicked out of the game.”

“And we won,” Lucian adds. “Thanks to you.”

I lie back on my pillow, relieved.

Tate sits on the edge of my bed. “The league is going to review the hit and will take disciplinary action against him. I think they’ll suspend him for the rest of the season.”

Tate knows the rules of the game better than almost anyone. If he believes the league can suspend Felipe, then there’s a good chance he’ll get kicked out.

“His plan backfired,” Vale says. “Which means he won’t bother you anymore. At least, not if he wants to play again.”

Which means I don’t have to worry about Felipe threatening me or Jaz.

“What did the doc say? Can I leave right now?” I swing my legs over the bed and suddenly get dizzy.

Vale puts a hand on my chest. “Easy, partner. Doc said you’ll make a full recovery, and that you might return to practice as soon as next week. Not that we’ll be doing much hockey since next week is the fundraiser.”

“Have you talked to Jaz?” I ask, suddenly wishing I could seeher beautiful face and hold her in my arms. Then I remember what happened. The secret she kept from me. The way Alex threw it in my face.

Vale looks at Leo and Tate. “She stopped by to see you.”

“She was here?” I sit up a little straighter.

Vale rubs the back of his neck. “Stayed until the nurses kicked her out last night.”

At least she doesn’t hate me so much she wouldn’t visit. I was irate about Alex’s secret, and I took it out on Jaz. Regret twists inside my chest.

“Has she been back?” I ask.

“She didn’t know if you would want to see her,” Vale says, looking uncomfortable. “She was pretty broken up last night. She knows how you feel about girls crying.”

As much as I hate to see anyone cry, with Jaz, it’s different.

Leo turns his phone around for me to see. It’s footage a fan caught when Felipe crashed into me. “That hit you took was one of the worst I’ve seen. He drilled you head-on.”

I cringe to watch my body crumple on the ice.

“Guys,” Lucian warns. “He might not be ready for that.”

I shake my head, ignoring the pain in my head. “It’s okay. I’d do it again for the team.”

Lucian points at me. “Not while I’m captain. We need you on this team, Brax.” Then he turns to Leo. “Don’t we?”

If there’s anyone on this team I’ve butted heads with, it’s Leo. He might be full of himself, but he’s also a brilliant player.

Leo swipes his hand across his jaw. “Okay. Fine. You make us all better players.” Then he mumbles, “Even me.”

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