Page 116 of Between the Blue
I spent the entire practice session entirely focused on work, because that’s why I was here after all.
The photoshoot I had with COBO this morning couldn’t be beaten, but even I had to admit, it was a really cool experience to be inside a different venue with the team. Something about it made everything feel real. Like I was a part of something so much bigger. I chose to focus on that, treating today like a professional opportunity rather than an obligation. It made the time go by faster.
Once practice came to a close, I decided I would head back to the hotel. I overheard some of the guys talking about hitting up a bar down the street, and even ended up getting an invite from Rhett when he realized I was there, but I politely declined.
I didn’t tell him this, but, frankly, I think I’ve had enough of hockey players for the day.
So, as the guys all head back to the locker room to get changed and have a final meeting with Coach Barrett before being set free for the night, I begin my walk down the street to the hotel.
I pull my room key out of my camera bag once I reach the elevator in the lobby. Seeing that I’m in room 814, I hit the button to take me to the eighth floor. Even though I knew it was going to be there, I’m happy to find my suitcase just inside the door when I walk into my room.
I lift it onto the king size bed, unzipping and digging through it until I find the pair of leggings and athletic tank top I packed. I’m beyond ready to be in some clothes that stretch. My skin itches and my body hurts after a long day of working andtraveling. I decide I’m going to go find something to eat and then will go for a long jog on the treadmill in the hotel gym.
Once I’ve finished changing, I place the clothes I changed out of into my suitcase and set my suitcase inside of the closet before I walk out of the door.
I end up finding a sandwich shop around the corner from the hotel and take my time eating while I sort through some social media notifications on the Storm’s accounts. After replying to and liking enough comments to make me go cross-eyed, and scrolling through so many tags of fangirl account edits of the guys (three-quarters of which were about Rhett) that they all started to look the same, I closed out of the apps and started to make my way back to the hotel.
It’s a Saturday night, so the hotel lobby is packed with people ready to head out on the town, which makes me happy as I make a beeline for what is sure to be an empty gym. Completely relaxed workout sessions have been few and far between for me in the months since I’ve moved to Austin, so there was no way I was about to miss this opportunity.
I push open the door to the gym and head straight to the row of treadmills just inside the entry. I step up on the first one, setting my cell phone and water bottle down onto it. I normally work out in silence, but considering how this gym is entirely vacant, the complete lack of background noise is a little too quiet for even me.
I decide to pull up my streaming app on my phone to watch an episode ofThe Vampire Diarieswhile I jog. I start the treadmill, hitting play on the show. As I raise my speed, I crank up the volume of the show up to full blast to hear it over the sound of the machine.
“Do you mind?”
I jolt, my foot going halfway off the treadmill and nearly causing me to lose my footing. I yank the emergency stop key,grabbing one of the handles and finding my balance. I clutch my chest, bracing myself to turn around. To face the voice that I identified from the first word. But I don’t get the chance. Because as soon as I raise my gaze, I see his reflection in the mirrored wall before me, sitting on a bench at the back of the dim room, nearly blending into the wall behind him with his dark clothes.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I mutter.
“I usually get enjoyment out of my jokes, so no,” Ben says, rising from the bench and walking in my direction. I think at first that he’s coming straight for me, but then he passes me, going for the rack of dumbbells at the front of the room.
“What are you doing here?” I blurt out. When Ben just gives me a deadpan look, I change my question. “Why didn’t you go out with the guys?”
He raises his brows, seeming surprised that I knew about the guys going out at all. “Game tomorrow.”
“And?”
“I never drink the night before a game. I need to focus.”
I tilt my head at him.
“Which you’re making impossible,” he says. “So, if you could…”
I wait for Ben to finish his sentence, but when he doesn’t, a chuckle bursts out of me. “You’re kidding, right?”
Of course, he doesn’t respond.
“You’re really asking me to leave?”
His eyes squint, zeroing in on me. “Why areyouhere?”
“I’m working out–”
“Why are youhereinstead of out with the guys?” Ben asks, cutting me off. “Clearly you were invited.”
“I…” I stammer, caught off guard. “Well, I mean– I…”
Ben takes a step closer. “C’mon, Cherry. Be honest.”
