Page 31 of The Fall
“How are you feeling?”
“Good. Ready for Philly.”
Her gaze held mine a beat too long.
“Torey, I need you to be honest with me. Are you experiencing any memory loss beyond the immediate impact?”
The truth had hovered on the tip of my tongue, but admitting to losing an entire year? That would mean being benched, getting tests, seeing specialists. I’d be taken off the team. I’d be taken away from?—
“No.” I’d shrugged. “It was the hit. I think it rattled me a little harder than I thought.”
She kept staring at me. “This isn’t something to take lightly.”
Maybe not, but this version of me is happy, successful, loved. I’m not fucking losing this life. “I’m fine. Really. I feel great.”
“Walk me through the first period, then. Tell me everything you remember.”
The words tumbled out of me from I-have-no-idea-where. They were there, though, and they were right, and thathasto mean something.
“What’s our record against Colorado this season?” she’d asked, her tone conversational but her eyes alert.
“Two–one, us.”
Can I rebuild a life on muscle memory and gut instinct?
“Your neurological function appears intact,” she’d said finally. “But Torey,” she’d said. “If anything feels off, you call me. No heroics.”
“I’ll come straight to you.”
She’d studied me, searching for any crack in my armor. I’d held my breath. Be calm. Be normal. My future balanced on the quality of my bullshit.
“Earth to Kicks!”
The memory fades as my surroundings sharpen; Hayes is six inches in front of my face.
“You zoned out there, bud. Dreaming of Philly’s net already?” Hayes claps my shoulder hard enough to rock me.
I force a chuckle. “Yeah, picturing their goalie flopping like a fish when I snipe one top shelf.”
Hayes drops into the seat across from me and Blair. “Let’s be real. My D-zone clears are going to be the ones that go viral. I’m a frickin’ slingshot back there.”
Blair snorts. “Oh yeah, you’re a real catapult, Ems, eh? Last game, a puck you shot landed in some kid’s popcorn. You aiming for the snack bar now?”
“And here I thought you loved my wild sauce. Torey, back me up!”
I grin. “If we’re counting popcorn assists, you’re leading the league.”
Hayes barks out a laugh. “All right, all right, I’ll dial it down, but only ‘cause I don’t want to steal your thunder, Kicks. You’ve been tearing up the ice lately. What’s your secret? You sneaking extra reps?”
I shrug, glancing at Blair. His eyes flick to mine, quick and warm.
Hayes nods, leaning forward, elbows on knees. “Ohh, uh-huh. Special workouts, eh?” His smile is full-on, full-watt, full shit-eating.
Blair kicks at his ankle. Hayes laughs. They’re both loose, both happy, best friends hassling each other.
Excitement edges past my fear. I’ll be back on the ice where I belong, with Blair, the man I …
Love. The man I am, at the least, falling in love with, if not already in love with.
