Page 6 of Breakaway to You

He turned to the rest of the team. “I want to see all of you tomorrow morning at ten for practice. If I learned anything by watching you tonight, it’s that you’re sloppy and selfish. A grueling practice should help fix that.” He walked out of the locker room, clearly frustrated and disappointed.

Once Coach was gone, Holden came up to me, slapping me on the back. “Nice going tonight,” he teased, his grey eyes filled with amusement.

I shook my head at him with a smile. “Shut up, Prescott.” I pulled my jersey over my head.

He only laughed at me as he started to take off his pads.

Holden and I hadn’t been particularly close when we’d played on the Coyotes last season, but now with both of us being new on the Wolves, we had stuck together.

He was eight years younger than me and headed into his prime. I envied him for that, but he was a good kid, and he had what it took to make himself a household name.

“Thanks for passing the puck to me,” I told him. “Sorry I wasn’t expecting it. That’s on me.”

“Don’t worry about it,” he assured me, fingering combing his damp brown hair. “It was just our first preseason game. We’ll get better.” He paused and looked around the room. “They’ll figure out soon that you can still skate circles around them.”

I was grateful for his confidence in me because right now I wasn’t sure I had any.

I quickly showered and got changed so I could meet with Piper, knowing that she would be waiting for me.

She looked up from her phone when I entered the room, setting it down on the counter. “How are you feeling after the game?” she asked.

Why did everyone assume I was in pain after the game? Yeah, I’d probably feel that hit tomorrow, but it wasn’t anything I couldn’t handle. Some rest and some over the counter pain relievers would do the trick.

“I can barely walk,” I deadpanned as I walked over and sat down on one of the treatment tables.

“Funny,” she replied with no trace of humor. “It’s my job to find out how you are doing. Remember?”

“I know how to take care of myself. Been doing it for thirty-two years. Remember how everyone says I’ve been alive for so long? I’m more than capable of knowing what I need.” My tone was abrupt, but I couldn’t find it in me to care. I was so sick of everyone insinuating my impending doom.

“Why are you fighting me on this?” she asked, clearly exasperated with me, her green eyes ablaze. “Don’t you want to keep playing hockey?”

“Of course I want to keep playing hockey,” I said, throwing my arms out to the sides. “You and everyone else are telling me I can’t. That I’m some fragile creature who’s going to break any second out on the ice.”

She crossed her arms. “That’s not what we’re saying.” She was talking to me like I was a child. Funny that I was too old to play hockey but young enough for her to talk down to me.

“Really?” I challenged. “Because it sure sounds like it.”

I was beyond grumpy tonight, and I pushed away the feelings of guilt about it. I was usually the fun, easy-going guy, but the last month I had been anything but. I was just so angry, and tonight wasn’t helping matters. In truth, I hadn’t felt like myself since moving here.

“We’re trying to help you,” she reiterated. “If you would just let me do my job, you might be able to see that I know what I’m talking about.”

Whatever. I’d go through the motions, literally, and prove to everyone that I still had what it took, that I still belonged here.

“Fine.” My voice was low, but I could still hear the frustration in it.

“Now, lay back and we’ll start working on your knees first,” she ordered.

I reluctantly obeyed her. She lifted my leg, so that it was bent and began feeling around my knee. I tried not to stare at her while she worked, but my eyes wanted to drink her in. She wore fitted maroon scrubs, and her hair was in its usual ponytail.

She and I hadn’t made any improvements with our interactions, but that didn’t seem to matter when it came to my attraction to her. I struggled not to stare at her, and I’d thought about asking one of her assistants to do my physical therapy sessions instead. The only reason I hadn’t said anything yet was because I could tell she was really good at her job. As much as I didn’t want to own up to it, I did feel better after our sessions.

“Piper,” an annoyingly familiar voice interrupted.

I glanced over at the doorway, hoping I wouldn’t see who I knew it was.

Piper’s hands froze on my knee, her eyelids blinking rapidly. “What are you doing here?”

Whatwashe doing here?

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