Page 34 of The Closed Off Captain

“What’s the score?” Gunner asks.

One of the physicians goes over to the wall and gets the game on, so we can see what’s happening. I watch as Aiden and Sebastian both close in on number sixty-seven. He manages to escape both of them...for now. “I’m pretty sure your teammates are after retribution,” I point out. I watch in silence as they get the puck on a breakaway and face Rico on two-to-one. He keeps the first shot out, but he’s off to the side and the next one gets in. I bite my tongue but don’t say anything. They continue to work on Gunner, and I start my update for Gunner’s injuries. I keep it at just an upper body injury. More will come in time; not right now. I hear the crowd beyond these walls go crazy, and I don’t have to even look at the tv to know LA has scored again. I don’t tell Gunner, but I’m sure he knows.

Just a few minutes later, he’s off the table and shrugging his jersey back on. I resist the urge to go help him and let the physicians help him instead. They put his arm in a sling and give him strict instructions to sit on the sidelines. He refuses painkillers, and then he’s ready to go. I fall into step next to him, without asking him. He’s so much taller than me in his skates. Neither of us say a word as we walk towards the hallway that will take him back to the game. We get close, and I stop. I don’t know why I do it, but I put my hand on his uninjured arm. “Gunner.” He looks down at me, and I suddenly don’t know what to say. I’m afraid if I say, “I’m sorry,” he’ll see it as pity. So I don’t. Instead, I say, “I’ll see you after the game. Be careful.”

He doesn’t say anything but simply walks away from me and back to the bench where his team sits. I don’t bother going back into the arena. There’s less than two minutes left, and we’re down by two. I’m pretty sure our guys can’t pull this off, especially without their entire line. With Gunner out and Scott in, they’re playing at a deficit. I walk to the room where the press conference will be held after the game instead and send out the official announcement from the Green Thunder Team. Gunner will be out for an undisclosed amount of time with an upper body injury.

It’s not long before the room starts to fill. I stand at the back and keep an eye out for my guys. Coach is the first one in. He doesnotlook happy. Sebastian comes in after that and then Rico. They both look like they’d rather be anywhere else but here. Sebastian sees me first and cuts right towards me. Neither of them has taken the time to change. “What’s the word on Gunner?” Sebastian asks in a low voice, and Rico closes in.

“Separated shoulder and testing to see if there’s further damage. They haven’t given him any kind of timeline for a return yet.” I keep my voice quiet, so nobody else can hear.

Sebastian mutters something low under his breath, and Rico leans against the wall with his arms across his chest. When Gunner comes through the doorway a moment later with his arm in a sling, it takes everything in my power not to go over to him. I don’t know why I’m acting like this. I watch as he scans the room and then makes his way towards us. But he doesn’t make it far. He’s called up to the front and moments later, he’s sitting at the table. He tries to give a relaxed front, but I can see past it to the pain he’s clearly in. I see it in the set of his shoulders and the tightness of his jaw. I can also see his frustration, and I wonder if everybody else does too. When he finishes, he leaves the room instead of coming back to stand with us.

Sebastian goes next and has to give an account for why they lost. This is the hard part of playing professional sports—the nonglamorous side. Sebastian is usually a favorite with the press, but he’s subdued tonight both because of the loss and because of Gunner. We’re all going to be tense until we hear the extent of his injury. If he’s out for the season...I can’t even go there.

“Make him take some pain pills, will you?” Rico asks quietly next to me.

I huff. “Like he’ll listen to me.” Gunner is one of the most stubborn people I know.

“He will.”

I meet Rico’s concerned gaze. “I’ll try.” He nods, accepting my words. I watch as he heads to the table next and has to let the press know why he let three goals past him tonight. I hate this part for them, but I know it’s all part of it. Sebastian waits quietly beside me. When Rico finishes, the three of us make our way out. They veer off to the locker room, and I head to the waiting area. Since the game’s in California, there are very few family or friends present. The room is mostly empty and quiet, reflecting the somber mood of the team. I’m not looking forward to the flight home for several reasons. One is that the team will be bears after this loss; they really wanted retribution after LA ended their season last year. And Gunner will be anything but pleasant to fly home with.

Since it was an earlier game, and we’re on California time, we’re able to fly out after the game—perks of flying private. As expected, the team is quiet and somber as we load up onto the buses and head to the airfield. Gunner was still with the medical staff, so I went on ahead. Once we get to the airfield, we load the plane and get settled. Gunner’s the last on the plane. I'm not sure if he’s going to sit with me, but nobody sat in the seat next to me. He stops in the aisle and pulls his phone out of hispocket before he slides into the seat. I can’t help but notice how gingerly he moves. I wonder what else is hurting besides just his shoulder. He fiddles with his sling, adjusting it as he tries to get comfortable in his seat. “Do you want sit here so nobody bumps your arm?” I ask.

“No, it’s fine.” That’s all he says, but it’s the first thing I’ve heard him say since he was injured. It soothes something inside me.

I don’t want to bug him, but I have to know. “Did you take pain meds? What’s the diagnosis?”

"Separated shoulder.”

I take a breath and process. I don’t ask him how long he’s going to be out. We’ll get to all that in time. I’m hoping for now he’ll be able to sleep on the flight. I can’t stand the thought of him being in pain. It doesn’t take long to get up into the air. Soon after that, the smell of food permeates the air; but it makes my stomach turn. When the food comes our way, I lean over and take my food, before taking a box for Gunner as well. I pull each of our trays down, and put a box of food on each tray.

“I’m not an invalid,” he growls at me.

“Good to know.” When he’s set, I lean back against my seat and open my box.

Chapter 17

Chloe

I quickly scan the box, taking note of the chicken in some kind of gravy, salad with a creamy dressing, green beans, and potatoes. Likely everything in the box has dairy in it in some form. I would try the beans, but I’m sure they have butter in them. I simply close the box and put it on my tray table with plans to offer it to Gunner when he finishes his. I try to check on him out of the corner of my eye. He doesn’t take kindly to being coddled; I know that about him. He never has. Thankfully, it’s not his dominant arm that has the injury, so he’s able to eat just fine. I put my headphones in and start drafting the press release for Gunner’s injuries as well as for the team’s loss tonight. I do a quick check on our socials, seeing what people are saying after the game. It’s always painful, but I do it so the coaching staff and players don’t have to.

I'm hard at work when Gunner hands me something. I turn to him and take the box he’s handing me with a question in my eye. “Food you can eat.” I open it and see grilled chicken, rice, and corn. “None of it has wheat or dairy.”

“Thank you.” I feel his kindness deep in my soul. Even though he’s injured, he’s taking care of me.Not taking care of me, I correct my traitorous heart. I don’t know how he planned it out ahead of time, because it’s not like they can just reorder a meal in the air. I realize suddenly that I’m starving, and it takes me only a few minutes to eat everything in the box. Gunnertakes my box and hands it to Rachel, our stewardess. “Thanks, Rachel.” I resist the urge to ask Gunner how he’s feeling and get back to work. The guys have started to recover somewhat from the loss of the game. I can hear a few of them playing a game now, probably cards at the card table about halfway back. I’ve played with them a few times over the years. Some of them are vicious, though, especially when they play for money. Dylan’s particularly ruthless; I never play with him anymore.

I work on my phone, adding some photos and video highlights of tonight’s game. I also respond to two requests for interviews with Gunner, regarding his injury. And then because I haven’t done it in at least a day or two, I check Jenny Prenderson’s socials. The woman is a complete psycho; no shock there. She’s just continued on with her nonsense, not caring that Gunner is supposedly engaged. I read the comments below her latest post as several people tell her that Gunner’s engaged now. She doesn’t respond to them. I wonder what it’s going to take to get her to back off. Hopefully Gunner’s engagement pictures will help. Of course, other than him actually marrying and having his own baby, I’m not sure a woman like this will stop. A weird feeling settles over me thinking about Gunner marrying and having a baby, mostly because I’m the woman closest to fulfilling that role right now.It’s all just pretend,I remind myself before my mind gets carried away. There’s a weight against my arm after a little bit. Gunner’s leaning back in his seat, asleep. I breathe a sigh of relief. Normally, the guys don’t sleep on a flight like this. It takes at least five or six hours for them to come down from a game, so a six hour flight isn’t enough time for them to relax and actually sleep. They’ll wait until they’re home in their own beds for that luxury. But Gunner’s pain pills are probably knocking him out. I continue working on my laptop, knowing I won’t sleep either until I get home. Gunner eventually shifts, so that his head is nearly on my shoulder. It can’t possibly becomfortable, but he’s too heavy for me to try to move. I work as best I can with my left arm unable to move. Aiden stops beside us in the aisle. “Want me to move him?”

I glance at Gunner, who’s out cold. “No, he’s fine. I mean unless you think we should move him, so he can be more comfortable.”

Aiden smirks. “Pretty sure that’s the most comfortable he’s ever been. Holler if you need me to pull him off you.”

He disappears, but his words stay with me. I don’t think Gunner’s friends know how he feels about me. Oh, Gunner is nice and respectful to me; I’ve never once had a problem with him in that regard. He’s really good at making sure his teammates are as well. But personally, the guy’s never looked my way. And believe me, I would know. After he turned me down, he’s done his very best to interact with me as little as possible over the last four years. I get it; I really do. I used to hope he would; now I’m resigned to the fact that I think I will always crush on this man. He’s too amazing a guy not too, but that’s all it will ever be.

The time passes somewhat quickly, and we prepare to land. I’m thankful to be home at a pretty good time, all things considered. It’s just past two in the morning, which is pretty early for an away game. Gunner wakes up, and I can tell he’s groggy and in pain. He doesn’t say much and lets everybody on board pass before he stands up. I follow him off the plane and search for his bag and mine. I snag mine and go for his, but he gets to it first. Before I can tell him not to lift it, Rico swings it out of his hand. “I got it.”

Gunner frowns but doesn’t say anything. We walk over to the parking lot where all our cars are parked. I wonder if Gunner’s figured out yet that he isn’t going to be able to drive home, not with heavy painkillers in his system. I’m hoping he’ll just let me take him home in my car without putting up a fight. He startswalking toward his truck. “Coftman, you’re with me,” I tell him, hitting the issue head on. He turns to me, but before he can say anything, I tell him why. “You can’t drive with those painkillers in your system.”

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