Page 59 of Heat It Up (Off the Ice)
“No. She’s working with Rafu for the week. Blond. Pretty. A runner.”
“Oh, Sofia. Yes, she’s here today. She’s busy, but I can tell her you are here. What is your name?”
I’m about to answer but change my mind. “That’s okay. I’ll come back at the end of her shift and talk to her then.” For a second I consider asking her not to mention to Sofia that I was here, but that might not be a good idea. It might come off as creepy. Besides, there has to be a logical explanation why Sofia hasn’t responded to my texts and call. Like she’s busy and has a life outside of me.
It’s not as if we have an exclusivity clause on our friendship. She could’ve been with Maija for all I know.
Since I have time, I head to the gym. My leg is tired and cranky, but that doesn’t stop me from pushing it hard. Afterward, I spend time in the sauna, willing the minutes to move a little faster, but at the same time knowing that will never happen. But it also means they can’t slow down, either. It just feels like they have.
Eventually my leg is no longer cranky, and I stumble from the sauna and head for the shower.
I’m almost there when a wave of dizziness hits. I place my hand against the tiled wall to steady myself.
Chapter Thirty-One
Sofia
I finish up with the last patient, a rugby player with a strained quadricep muscle. He climbs down from the table and I begin to tidy up the station as he walks away.
“Thank you, Sofia,” Rafu says. “You’re a great help.”
“I’m enjoying it.” It’s nice to be doing something other than cleaning toilets while I’m in Finland. “I know I haven’t been here long, but I was wondering if you could write me a letter of recommendation once the week is over.”
“Absolutely. It’s the least I can do.”
“Thanks. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
He nods and picks up the patient file. “Can you give this to Kirsti on your way out? Thank you.”
I take the file from him and head for the front desk. Kirsti’s busy talking to the ruby player, so I place it on her desk. If I hurry, I can catch the next bus to Vantaa and squeeze in an hour of studying before exhaustion drags me down.
Those plans come to a crashing end when I walk out of the clinic. Kyle is standing near the door, but he’s slightly pale and something looks off about him.
I nudge aside the hurt and rush to him. “Kyle, are you okay?”
He sways on his feet and I grab his arm to steady him. “It’s nothing. I pushed myself a little too hard at the gym, and then spent too long in the sauna to make up for it. I just need to drink something and I’ll be fine.”
A bunch of questions leap to mind but they have to wait. “C’mon.” With my hand on his arm, I lead him to the café in the sports center, and indicate for him to sit at the empty table in the corner. “I’ll be right back.”
I return a few minutes later with a sport drink and hand it to him. “Here you go.”
Kyle opens the bottle. “Thanks.” He gulps back at least half of it before making a face. “Christ, that’s awful.”
I shrug. “Sorry, I wasn’t sure what was good. So why were you outside the clinic instead of here, rehydrating yourself?”
“Because I didn’t want to risk missing you.”
I frown. “You’d risk passing out for a booty call?” I didn’t mean for the part about the booty call to come out. But now that it is hanging between us, time to deal with the truth of our relationship.
“Booty call? Why the hell would you think I was here for sex?”
“Then why are you here?”
The look he gives me is one you’d save for someone who is certifiable. “Because you never responded to my texts or voicemail message, and I wanted to make sure you were okay.”
If a ladybug were to stand next to me, it would tower me based on how small I now feel. “I’m sorry. I didn’t have time.” That was almost the truth.
“I wanted to tell you about a practicum with the Bears as an athletic trainer for this fall, if you’re interested.”
