Page 84 of The Hellion and the Captain
“All done,” the doctor said. “Now, as for this little secret,” he straightened. “I maintain my patient’s confidentiality. But I do wish you the best of luck. You’re going to need it.”
Emmaline replaced her shirt, moving her arm a few times. It still hurt, but she didn’t need her arm to play football. She put her shirt back on, lifted her hair best she could with one arm, and replaced her cap on her head.
“Are you all right?” Rhys said, coming over and placing a hand on her good shoulder, looking her deeply in the eyes. “When you cried out?—”
“I’m fine, good as new,” she lied. “Now, I’m sure our time is up. Let’s get back out there.”
“Emmaline, you cannot play,” he said incredulously. “You’re injured. Doc?” he said, looking to Dr. Lewis, hoping that he would back him up.
“If you re-injure the shoulder, it will be painful and could extend the recovery time,” he said. “But I could bind it so that you can wear it close to your chest. However, running will jar it and cause pain.”
“I can handle pain, as long as I do not do any long-term damage.” She looked to Rhys. “How much time is left in the game?”
“About ten minutes.”
“Not long at all,” she said stubbornly.
The doctor looked uneasy. “I would prefer you didn’t play,” he said.
“Would you recommend the same to a man?” she challenged, and when he hesitated, she had her answer.
“No,” he finallysaid softly.
“If I do not play, we are a player short, are we not?” she asked Rhys.
“Well, yes, unless they sent Reeves out of the game. I didn’t see in time. But it doesn’t matter?—”
“I will play,” she said firmly. “My feet work just fine. That is…” she swallowed hard, “if you would all still play with me, now that you know the truth.”
There was a long pause through the room, and Emmaline realized with a sinking heart that she had asked too much. That these men were never going to agree to sharing the pitch with a woman.
“It’s fine,” she said, trying to brush away the new pain, pain that hurt her heart. “I?—”
But then Tommy stepped forward. “I would be honored,” he said. “We shared the pitch before, and you proved yourself. I would like to play with you as your true self.”
“Truly?” she asked, her voice almost breaking, but she refused to cry — not here, not now.
“Absolutely,” he agreed, before Felix followed Tommy.
“As would I.”
“Me too,” said Hardy, as one by one they all agreed.
“Thank you,” she said huskily. “There are only two problems — Reeves and my brothers.”
“Reeves is kicked out of the game,” Colin confirmed. “As for your brothers, we’ll get rid of them.”
“How?” she asked.
“If we all tell them there is no woman here, they will have no choice but to believe us,” he said confidently. “Give us a few minutes to move them away from here and then come out yourself. We have a game to win.”
Tommy looked at Emmaline. “Trust me, I have so many questions – but we’ll do this first.”
Emmaline could only nod, for she was afraid thatif she said anything, she might be so overcome that the tears threatening behind her eyes might spill out and down her cheeks.
She walked closer to the door so that she could hear the conversation as the other players and the physician left the bathhouse, only Rhys staying with her. He watched her closely, and while she knew he was filled with concern, she loved that he didn’t tell her what to do but instead allowed her to make this decision for herself.
“Will you help me put the hair pins back in?” she asked Rhys. “I cannot lift my arm well enough to do so.”
