Page 60 of You Had Me at Hockey

“You will this weekend! I hope.”

Hmm. I forgot that I offered to help Josh move on Sunday. But when I check with Kaylee about her plans, she’ll need to leave for the train station around noon, so I’ll be free after that to help.

Then I tell her about my meeting with Harper and how I got upset and how Josh talked me around.

“He sounds like a keeper.”

I freeze. “Oh. Um.” Yikes. “That’s not…we’re not…Jesus, Kaylee! I’m not going tomarryhim.”

She laughs. “I’m not saying that!”

“Okay, let’s talk about plans for the weekend. Josh got us tickets for the game Saturday night.”

“Oh, that’s great! I got tickets toMoulin Rouge.”

“Fantastic! I want to see that. I’ll make dinner reservations.”

We blab on for about an hour then end the call. “I can’t wait to see you!” I tell her.

“Same!”

Okay. I feel a hell of a lot better than I did earlier, now that I’ve talked to my bestie and my…Josh.

Kaylee’s comment about Josh being a keeper threw me. Because I’ve never really had a long-term relationship and I’m not sure I know how. I’m still not sure anyone would want to have a long-term relationship with me. That’s not what this is about. I like Josh and we have fun together, and yes, maybe we’re learning some things from each other. Like, wow, I’m learning how to ride the flagpole!

This makes me laugh out loud.

Shaking my head, I boot up my computer to get to work.

Chapter 16

Josh

The four of us arrive at Langmore Children’s Hospital just after lunch on Tuesday. We’re greeted by a nurse who asks which floor we want to go to, four or five. I know we’re pairing off, so I glance at JBo and shrug. “Four?”

He nods, and we all step into an elevator. JBo and I get off with the nurse, and Murph and Axe stay in to go to five.

I keep rubbing my clammy hands on my jeans. Just the smell of this place brings back memories, and the way the elevators are so big…big enough for beds…freaks me out. I’m trying to take slow, deep breaths, reminding myself that I survived that night in the ER with Sara. I don’t want the other guys to know I’m flipping out.

I swallow a few times as we walk onto the floor. There are a lot of colorful decorations and pictures, but it’s still a fucking hospital.

The nurse takes us into the first room, which is a double room shared by two boys. JBo walks toward one bed, and I move to the other, forcing a smile.

The boy’s face lights up, his eyes popping wide, his mouth becoming an O. He’s wearing a Bears ball cap. “Josh Heller!”

“Yeah.” My lips feel stiff. “That’s me. What’s your name?”

“Carter. I can’t believe you’re here!”

Whoa. I did not expect this.

Carter picks up a shirt lying on his bed…a small Bears jersey. And Jesus Christ, it has my name and number on it. He holds it up, shaking it as if to get my attention.

I can’t help but smile. “Hey. That’s my jersey. How’d you get that so fast? I only got traded here, like, a month ago.”

“I know! My parents got it for me right away, because I love your whole family and when I found out you were traded here I couldn’t believe how lucky we were!”

My heart is thudding in my chest. I glance at the nurse, who’s still hovering in the doorway, and she’s smiling.

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