Page 71 of Get Me to the Starting Line

Understanding flashes in her eyes as she looks from me to Levi and then onto the ice where Julien is still down.

“Leah,” Paige starts.

“Not now.” I use my sternest voice, the one that makes her jokingly call me Mom. But she’s not joking—she’s got concern in her big brown eyes and written all over her face.

They’ve taken Julien’s helmet off, and I see him move his head to the side, craning it back. And I just know he’s searching for me.I fight against the sea of people, struggling through the dragging current, and make it to the glass.

When he sees me, he relaxes a little before wincing in pain.

How do I get to him? It’s torture to stay and watch as they load him onto a stretcher. Oh god, that means it’s bad enough he can’t limp-skate off the ice. They’ve removed his goalie pads and somehow, he doesn’t look any smaller. I keep my eyes locked on his until he’s completely out of sight.

I’m about to fight my way back through the crowd that’s all trying to leave at once, but Paige is there, talking on the phone.

“Okay, thanks, babe,” she says before hanging up.

“Was that Adam? What did he say?” My voice is frantic, even to my ears.

“He said it looks like a hip dislocation. Julien was in an odd position after saving the shot and when the player crashed into him, he felt it pop. They’re taking him to the hospital.”

“Which one? Can you watch Levi?”

“Lee ... Julien told Adam to tell you not to come.”

My head fills with quiet. “He doesn’t want me there?”

“He probably doesn’t want you to see him in pain,” Paige says, her voice incredibly soft.

“Right. Well, if that’s the case, that’s stupid.”

A smile spreads across her face. “I agree.”

“Which hospital?”

“Vancouver Gen. I’ll take Levi, you go.” She hands me the keys to her Jeep. Since she works for the team and she’s engaged to oneof the coaches, she has access to the staff parking lot, which will be much easier to get to and get out of.

“You’re the best sister.” I hug her and kiss Levi, who’s beginning to crash on Paige’s shoulder.

Then I fight for my life to get through the crowd to the back entrance, showing Paige’s ID. We don’t look alike, but I’ll fight with anyone who doesn’t let me through.

Luckily, I’m not given any trouble and before I know it, I’m flying down the streets, headed to the hospital.

It’sbeenafewhours of watching Adam and Henry Whyatt pace the hallways of the hospital. I’m not a pacer. I’m a sit-in-your-anxiety-without-moving kind of person. Not even baking a pie would help keep my nerves in check at this point. Maybe a run?

Adam is still livid.

He tried to request a different doctor but his ex-best friend, Caleb, the one who screwed Paige and Adam over when they first met, was the orthopaedic surgeon on call.

It took Caleb and two ER doctors to get Julien’s hip back in place. On the ice they thought it was both hips, but thankfully, it was just the one. The other was only strained. We’re waiting on X-rays and an MRI to determine if he needs surgery.

Regardless, Julien is going to be out of the game for at leastthree months.

My mind spins in circles as Caleb comes into the private waiting room, brows furrowed at a chart.

“Dr. Sharpe,” Coach Whyatt says, drawing Caleb’s attention. He meets Adam’s leer, and if I didn’t already know Caleb doesn’t have a heart, I would’ve thought he flinched at the animosity he found there.

“The scans came in. I’m sorry, none of you are family—has anyone been contacted?”

I expect Whyatt to at least speak up, assuming he’s aware of Julien’s family situation since he’s been coaching him for years. Even Adam doesn’t look like he knows.

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