Page 57 of Offside Attraction

Jordan walked out of his apartment, freshly showered, as the morning sun made sparkling rainbows over the snow. The plows had already been out, and the roads were clear. He thought about texting Rhonda, offering to help her retrieve her car, then thought better of it. She didn’t want him to save her. It went against everything he was, but he put the phone back in his pocket and got in his truck.

The drive to the hospital was a blur, the city waking up around him. Jordan gripped the steering wheel, his stomach already roiling. He was a mess, but he couldn't afford to be. He’d swallow it down and do his job, try not to worry about Steele or Claire or his youth hockey group. Or Rhonda.

As he pulled into the hospital parking lot, the building loomed ahead, its windows reflecting the pale blue sky. He parked and walked through the automatic doors, the scent of antiseptic mixed with coffee and the hum of fluorescent lights greeting him.

The morning shift was already in full swing. Nurses and doctors crossed through the halls, on their own individual flight paths. He spotted Gertie at the nurses' station, her eyes scanning a stack of charts. She looked up and grunted. "You’re early.”

“Can’t win ‘em all.”

Gertie reached into her pocket and held out two tickets. "For next Monday."

Jordan frowned. “I only needed one.”

“Well, your friend will have a tough time using her ticket since the table is only for hospital staff and guests.” Gertie gave him a look. “Unless you thought you could get Mallory to add her as his plus one?”

The furrow in his brow deepend. “So, this second ticket?—”

“Is for you.” Gertie held up a hand as he started to protest. “I swear, if you give me any shit, I’m going to put you on palliative care for the next two weeks.” She watched his face, then handed him a clipboard. “Get to work, Wheatfill.”

Chapter

Eighteen

Jordan

I have your ticket for next Monday night, the 27th. Six o’clock at the BMO Centre. Percheron Ballroom

Rhonda

Got it. Should I come pick up the ticket?

I’ll have it. Turns out the table is hospital staff only

Rhonda

So . . .

I have to be there

Rhonda

Don’t you have practice?

You know my practice schedule?

Rhonda

No, I just heard that your team was there. That you practice after the Snowballs because your rink is under renovation

Yeah. I had to rearrange some things

Rhonda

You didn’t need to do that . . .

Jordan shoved his phone into his pocket without reading the rest of that message. He wasn’t in the mood for her to tell him again how much his efforts were unwanted. Except when they weren’t. Except when they were exactly what she wanted, when they were on her timeline. Claire had said the exact same thing about Reviact, and he was sick to hell of it. Would it be so difficult to admit to needing help? To be grateful that someone cared enough to give it?

Yes.For them, it would be. He didn’t like comparing Rhonda to his sister, but they did seem to have that in common.

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