Page 6 of Rebound
It occurs to me that we’re probably never going to see each other again. He’s going back to Philadelphia and I’m going back to Boston to do…I have no idea what.
I started sharing my journey on social media when I won my second medal in hockey. I’ve gained millions of followers, though lately my social media accounts have been stagnant. I haven’t been posting consistently since I tore my ACL a couple of years ago and chose to retire after recovery instead of going back to play.
Roman pulls the bike to a stop in front of the resort but doesn’t pull into the parking lot. Once we’re standing on solid ground, I remove the helmet and hand it to him.
“Why are you being so nice to me?”
He frowns, taking the helmet out of my hand. “I’m always nice.”
I laugh. “You’re never nice. I’ve seen your interviews and watched you play. Have you ever wondered if that’s one of the reasons you get traded a lot?”
“Nah. I get traded a lot because the coaches don’t know what to do with someone as talented as me.” The smile he flashes me is blinding. I wouldn’t put it past him to be that conceited. Although, in his case, he’s not lying about his talent.
I start to walk away when something occurs to me, and I turn back. Everything he said to me is right, except for one thing.
“I’m not Lavinia Callahan anymore.”
Roman raises his eyebrows. “Did you change your name, Blossom?”
“No, I mean, the way you say my name, it’s like I’m a concept. That Lavinia Callahan doesn’t exist anymore.”
Hockey is the only thing I’m good at, and without it, I’m not sure who I am. My entire plan since the moment my dad handed my brother and I our first skates was to be a hockey player. I worked hard and achieved that goal. But the downside of being a professional athlete is your body goes through hell and you’re prone to injuries which can lead to hanging up your skates.
“So, can I have your medals?”
I won those Olympic medals through blood, sweat, and tears. “Ha! In your dreams, Maddox.”
“When did you become this sad version of yourself, Blossom?”
That’s a good question, one I’m not sure even I know the answer to. It’s hard to be positive when life throws you a curveball and you have to adapt or fail. “I’m not allowed to feel sorry for myself?”
Roman sets the helmet down on the bike and walks over to me. Putting his hands on my shoulders, he turns me so I’mfacing him directly. I’m ensnared by his eyes, and I can’t look away.
How does he do it, I wonder?
“Do you know what happens to the people who feel sorry for themselves?”
I shake my head.
“Nothing, Blossom. Because they spend their whole lives feeling sorry for themselves and all the shit that didn’t go their way. They never try to change anything, so they are stuck. Is that who you want to be?”
I analyze him carefully and I’m startled to realize that when I look back on this day years from now, I’m only going to remember Roman, and nothing else.
“I never pegged you as someone who gives good pep talks.”
He sighs dramatically. “Like I said, I have many talents. They haven’t been properly utilized.”
“Of course, it’s everyone else’s fault.”
He grins, his mouth stretching wide and oh, wow. My breath snatches in my chest as my eyes drop down to his lips. They look soft, and I can’t help wondering what they’ll feel like against mine. How does Roman kiss? Is he soft and gentle or determined to leave his mark behind?
All those feelings I suppressed as a teenager are coming back up again, and today is the worst day for them to resurface. I clear my throat, taking a step back. His hands fall from my shoulders.
“I should go in,” I say, even as my feet stay rooted.
The smile drops from Roman’s face, and he frowns, his eyes shifting to the ground.
“You know what I’m thinking?”
