Page 26 of The Hooker

The day the team is set to begin training again, there’s a knock on my door. I frown and head down the hall. Technically, it’s Jamie’s day to drive, but I figured we’d probably put a hold on carpooling until we fix everything. The knock came from my front door not the ranchslider he usually uses, anyway.

I open the door, and my eyes widen in surprise. It’s Jamie. Holding a clear plastic cup filled with ice and green liquid, and wearing a serious, drawn look on his face. “Hi, Jamie.”

“Hey, Daze.” He hands me the drink and I take it with numb fingers. He bought me matcha.

“What are you doing here?”

He shrugs his oversized shoulders. “My turn to drive. I can take you if you like, or I’ll see you at work later if you prefer I don’t.”

I hesitate and bite my lip. In the time I make my decision, Jamie nods and rakes a hand through his hair, messing up his curls, and steps away from the door. “You can drive me,” I say in a rush.

A tiny smile forms on his face. “Yeah?”

I nod and head back to the hallway to grab my bags and lock everything behind me.

“No Westley today?”

“Nah, dropped him off yesterday.” Jamie pouts as he gets in the car, and I can’t help the smile tugging at my lips. “You can see him in a few days.”

Jamie clears his throat and pulls out of my driveway. “I can?”

And I realise I’ve inadvertently told him he’s welcome back to my house. Even if it’s just to carpool, saying he’ll see my dog again means he’ll seemeagain. “Yeah, he misses you.”

A proper smile spreads across his face and we settle in for the drive. We talk about everything except our disagreement, instead deciding to focus on discussing family and spoiling the TV show for each other.

When we reach the training area, he parks the car and shoots me a tight smile. He doesn’t hold out his hand like he usually would and reaches for the door, and I can’t take it.

I reach across the centre console and tap his shoulder before he can get out of the car. Jamie turns back to me, and I hold out my fisted hand. He tilts his head, and to answer his unspoken question, I shake my fist.

He bumps his fist against mine gently, a baffled but pleased look on his face, and I open my hand, holding my palm out to him, facing up. Jamie taps it quietly and before he can remove his hand, I close my fingers around his and squeeze. I press a fleeting kiss to his thumb.

“I’m not ready to talk about it yet, but when I am, you’ll be the first person to know,” I say softly.

He squeezes my fingers and nods, gets out of the car, but ducks his head back down. “I’ll be here when you’re ready to talk. No matter the outcome.”

I smile at him and grab my stuff from the car and head to the medic room for my first appointment.

Suli is waiting on my bench when I enter the room. He was put on my roster when Jamie was removed. He’s quieter than Jamie and has issues with his shoulder and back, being one of the locks for the team. He’s older and has been in the game professionally for years, but I don’t know much about him. He keeps to himself and so far prefers it when I keep quiet during our sessions instead of chatting like so many of the others prefer.

So it takes me completely off-guard when he starts a conversation. About Jamie, no less. “I’m the one that told him to talk to management.”

I pause with my hands digging into his shoulder, but continue sweeping them forward after the surprise. “Oh?”

“Didn’t want anything bad to happen to either of you, so when you got together in South Africa, I told him to get management involved.”

I glance around the room to make sure no one’s listening, but we’re the only ones here. “You know about that?”

“We roomed together.”

“Right.”

Suli looks over his shoulder at me. “Don’t be mad at him. I’m the one that bugged him to do it until he did.”

“But he signed it without talking to me. What if they decided to fire me?” No one’s said anything to me since Jamie was taken off my roster, so I’m assuming I still have a job for a little longer.

“You know that’s not what would have happened. He told them about his feelings, not yours. Besides, they wouldn’t fire you without proof of misconduct, which is why I told him to sign the form.” He watches me unwaveringly. “Before there was.”

I grimace and dig my thumbs into muscle again when Suli turns back. “I know. I just wanted a conversation about it first.”

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