Page 75 of The Rebound Plan

It’s my turn.

And when I leave the spa mid-afternoon, the sign on the building next door calls to me. I don’t have an appointment, but I’ve had a week to pick up the phone and make some calls.

I haven’t.

There’s no time like the present to rip off the bandaid and start putting myself first.

CHAPTER 28

RUSS

The last thing I expected to be doing two days before the start of training camp is signing energy drinks at a small independent sporting goods store in Ancaster, but the store owner contacted the team and Mabel in PR asked me to swing by and do a bit of fan service before we get into the pre-season.

Four cases of BioPunk later, my hand needs some physical therapy, but the fans who showed up seemed delighted—and the store owner is happy, which is great. It’s not often that I get tagged for this kind of community outreach.

I’m thinking about grabbing a coffee and heading to the gym when I step outside and almost collide with Shannon, coming out of the door right beside the store entrance.

She gasps my name as I catch her by the upper arms, safely keeping her upright. I glance up at the sign above her head.

Buckley Family Law.

My attention jerks back to her face. I take in her red-rimmed eyes and nervous pinched mouth.

“Are you okay?” My grip tightens on her arms.

She exhales. “I’m fine. It’s….” She screws up her face, her lovely eyes swimming in fresh, unshed tears. “Complicated.”

“All right.” I rub my hands lightly up to her shoulders, then release her.

“What are you doing here?” She gestures at the store behind me.

“Signing bottles of BioPunk.”

She laughs in surprise. “Really?”

“Really.”

“That’s…unexpected. And funny.”

“Yeah.” I grin, and her mouth turns up at the corners just a little bit. Shaky, but that’s a smile. That’s better. “Viral TikTok, apparently.”

“Good for drink sales, good for the game.”

“That’s what Mabel said.”

Now her eyes spark with something that looks more like joy. “I love Mabel.”

“Hey, I was going to get a coffee across the street. Do you want to join me? I’ll even show you the TikTok that went viral.”

“Oh, I’ve already seen it. Emery sent it to me yesterday.”

I chuckle under my breath. “Of course she did.”

Shannon exhales and wipes the corner of her eye. “She’s very much a friend collector, isn’t she?”

“Yeah.”

She looks at me carefully. “Is she going to be visiting this fall?”

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