Page 97 of Replay

How could I be this exhausted? I closed my eyes for a moment and then…nothing.

When I woke up again, it was darker, so later in the day. My head was clearer, so that was good, and I was thirsty again. This time it was a man’s voice I heard, asking if I was awake.

“Yeah,” I croaked.

“Drink?”

“Please.”

Allen, my agent. He was an older guy, in his forties, with perfectly styled hair and an immaculate suit. He held out the cup and I took a long drink.

“Your mother went down to the cafeteria to get something to eat.”

I nodded and let go of the straw.

He set it back down. “What the fuck, Josh?”

I blinked at him. “What?”

He dropped into the chair. “What were you doing in that game?”

I looked down and plucked at the fold in the sheet around my waist. My eyes continued on to my leg, and I flinched.

He sighed. “Sorry, I know that the knee must be bothering you. But honestly, what were you even doing that this happened? That’s not how Josh Middleton plays.”

I shook my head. What could I tell him? “I just…wanted to go out with a win if it was my last game in Toronto.”

“You know trades are a part of life in hockey, right?”

I did. I’d been traded to Toronto. But I didn’t want to leave, not this time.

“Were you trying to fuck up the trade?”

I looked at him. “No, I didn’t do this”—I waved toward the contraption on my leg—“on purpose. Am I going to play again?”

I held my breath while I waited for his answer.

“The odds are good. But you’re going to have to work harder than you ever have in rehab to get there.”

I couldn’t have fucked things up any worse. Being traded was bad enough, but traded and not playing? Unless maybe I could rehab here…

“The trade is off. Management is pissed. They’re deciding now whether they’ll try to replace you or start selling.”

I opened my mouth but nothing came out. I hadn’t just fucked things up for me, but for the whole team. “I’m sorry.”

“You should be. You were in a great place, Josh, even with the trade. Despite the slow start, you were playing well. Seattle would have been a good fit with you.”

But not for Katie. “So what now?”

“Now you rehab like your life depends on it. You don’t breathe a word about a trade. And if the team finds another winger, you hope he’s not as good as you, or more expensive, or older because the next trade might not be as good.”

I swallowed. “Are you going to fire me?”

He shook his head. “I was tempted. But the optics aren’t good if I do. Plus, for some stupid reason, I like you. And I think you can come back from this.” He grinned, an expression that made me think of a shark. “You do that, and negotiations become fun. I like a challenge.”

Something relaxed inside. Allen wasn’t giving up on me. He thought I had a chance.

Mom came in the room, smiling at Allen. She liked him, because she thought he was taking good care of my career. I wasn’t sure Allen liked her, but he never said anything. I was kind of shocked he’d said he liked me. He and I had a business relationship, so I knew at the end of the day it came down to money.

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