Page 36 of Breakaway

“She’s Jase’s ex-girlfriend.”

Delise’s eyebrows flew higher. “Wow.”

“I know. Don’t say it. What the hell’s he doing with me, right? I told you, he’s just being nice to me.”

“I wasn’t going to say that. Geez Remi, give yourself some credit. You’re gorgeous too.”

Remi tipped her head to one side and smiled at her friend. “I love you. I wonder what she’s doing here.”

Delise gave a crooked smile. “Cheering on her ex? Wonder if she still has feelings for him.”

“He dumped her. Could be.” She watched Brianne talk to a group of other women, all of them tall, gorgeous, exquisitely groomed and expensively dressed. She sighed. “Let’s go back in.”

The drama continued to the third period, when the Wolves scored a goal, making it two-one, then they blew one chance after another to tie it up. Remi sat on the edge of her seat the entire period, cheering the team on, earning amused glances from Delise.

And then, along the boards in the corner near the Rangers’ net, Jase was scuffling for the puck with another player. First he got it, then the other player stole it, then Jase, and he whirled around toskate around the net and try to get the puck in. So close! The crowd screamed, Remi clutched her hands together—and another Ranger body checked Jase, knocking him to the ice. Hard.

Another Ranger took the puck and raced out of their end with it, leaving Jase laying on the ice, still.

“Mother of pearl.” Remi pressed her hands to her mouth, staring at Jase’s motionless body. Then he moved and hunched up onto his hands and knees and Remi’s stomach lurched when she saw the blood all over the ice beneath him.

The whistle blew and play stopped while the Wolves all came back to surround Jase. A man in khaki pants, T-shirt and runners came out onto the ice, slipping and sliding his way over to Jase, who by that time was on his feet and skating slowly toward the bench, holding his face.

Remi couldn’t breathe, her heart thudded so hard in her chest. The arena faded into a blur and a distant buzz of sound as she watched Jase leave, blood pouring from his face. Another player brought his stick and his helmet, which had been knocked off him.

She looked wide-eyed at Delise. “Oh my damn. I hope he’s okay.”

A small crease marked between Delise’s brows and she set a hand on Remi’s arm and squeezed. “He was walking and talking. He’ll be fine. It’s not like they carried him out on a stretcher.”

“Oh god.” He was gone now and she had no idea what had happened to him or if he was okay.

The rest of the game was a blur. The Wolves didn’t manage to score another goal, ending the game with a loss, but the exciting fun had gone for Remi. When the buzzer ended the game, she and Delise made their way out of the arena, buffeted by the large Wolves’ crowd.

“Okay,” Delise said. “Where should we go for dinner?”

“Oh.” Remi took a breath of the crisp late afternoon air, standing on Grand Avenue. “I don’t care.”

Delise looked at her sideways and one corner of her mouth deepened. “You okay?”

“Of course! Why?”

“You seem kind of distracted.”

“I’m fine. Just wondering how Jase is.”

“Uh-huh.”

“What does that mean?”

“I thought there was nothing between you.”

“There isn’t.”

“You seem awfully upset about him being hurt. Which is just one more reason why dating a hockey player is a bad idea.”

Remi tightened her lips. She knew it was a bad idea. Delise didn’t have to keep telling her that.

Delise sighed. “Why don’t you just call him?”

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