Page 45 of Cheap Shot
“Not everyone has their entire career riding on whether their injury heals as quickly as possible.”
“We’ll work on mobility exercises this week, and if you're feeling up to it, some light strength training,” I say, voice cool and sharp as I make a mental note of some questions for Parker. “You’ll follow my plan exactly, or you won’t skate. Period.”
He leans forward, elbows resting on his knees, his eyes locked with mine. “What if I don’t want to follow your plan?”
I raise a brow. “Then you can enjoy the view from the press box while the rest of your team fights for the Cup.”
His jaw tenses, but he says nothing. Just watches me like he’s looking for cracks in my armor, but he won’t find any. I let him slip past my guard during treatment at the therapy center, but it won’t happen again. I won’t let it, for both our sakes.
“Meet you in the training room to go over your treatment plan, Hendrix. Don’t keep me waiting.”
Before I can leave, his voice follows me. “I won’t. Not this time.”
ChapterEleven
Cole
Iwatch Michele as she leaves without looking back, and I hate it bothers me. It shouldn’t bother me. She’s just a girl I flirted with for one day, right? Wrong. She’s the girl I haven’t been able to stop obsessing over for weeks. And now she’s my new physiotherapist. When Remy told me to behave, I had no idea it was going to be impossible, especially with Michele being here.
The minute the click of the door closing behind her echoes through the locker room, I’m on my feet. “Fuck!” I shout, grabbing my pads and throwing them into my locker.
My fist clench and unclench as I try to make sense of what the fuck just happened. Jaw tight, heart hammering like I just got checked into the boards. Hard. And the wind knocked right out of me.
Michele.Of all the people in this goddamn city,shehad to be my physiotherapist? I guess the team really is working on protecting their investment if I have a private physio, not that I’m complaining. Just the thought of her touching someone else makes my blood boil in my veins. I drag a hand down my face and lean forward on my knees, shoulder aching from the assessment, but not as much as the tightness in my chest. Not as much as the fact that I saw the flinch she tried to hide when I called her a mistake. That was a low blow and completely unfair of me to say, but hell if I know how else to protect myself from her and the damage she could do to both my heart and career.
Is Stacey really your friend?
What the actual fuck was I thinking? Out of all the things I could’ve said to the girl I haven’t been able to stop thinking about, I chose that? It was a stupid question for sure, but I needed to know if Michele was the real deal. I don’t doubt that she is an amazing physiotherapist. She has to be to have gotten a position here, but she also works for the team. It wouldn’t be the first time that a team wanted to do some recon on an incoming player. They shelled out a pretty large amount of money to buy me out of my contract with Boise and to pay me my insanely large salary for the next two years. It makes sense that they’d confirm anything they’d heard themselves. Logically, I know this, but it still fucking stings.
I was so sure she was just a spy for the team, and what happened between us that day was nothing more than Michele doing her job, but then she hit me withWhich one?Like she had no idea who Cooper was. Was she genuinely confused, or was it just another part of her act? If it was just another part of her act, get that woman an Academy Award. But that means that if Michele didn’t know… maybe she really wasn’t faking the flirting, and now I’ve fucked things up before they’ve even started.
I let out a bitter laugh, stand, and grab my shirt from my bag before shoving it over my head, wincing when it tugs at my shoulder. I knew before I even walked into this locker room I wasn’t ready to get back on the ice, not even close, but I’ve mastered the art of being okay because I have to.
“Penny for your thoughts?” My head pops up as I come face to face with the head athletic trainer, Parker.
“No,” I growl, turning around and grabbing my bag off the floor in front of my locker. I need something to take the edge off, something to help me shove Michele back into the compartment of my mind that’s off limits.
“Cole.” Parker sighs, dropping onto the bench beside me. “We aren’t your enemy here.”
“Could’ve fooled me. I already got a clean bill of health, and now you and Trainer Barbie are keeping me off the ice for no reason.”
The minute the words leave my mouth, I want to take them back. I’ve never disrespected a woman in my life until now. But there is something about the way she waltzed out of here—cool, composed, all business—and somehow still the one person who ever made me feel like more than just a name on the back of a jersey. Like I wasreal.That might be because she knew nothing about me besides my first name, but beggars can’t be choosers.
“I’m going to let that comment slide because I understand how frustrating this might be, but you will not disrespect Michele like that again.”
I don’t need to look at Parker to know he means business. I could tell by the way those two interacted earlier that she means something to him. Hopefully, as nothing more than a friend, not that I have a say in who she spends time with. I just really don’t want to get kicked off the team before I even have the chance to play.
I reach up and run my hand through my hair, trying to think of just the right thing to say to smooth things over. “That wasn’t my intention.”
“I know, which is why I gave you this one warning. I suggest you take it to heart.”
Great, first day in the locker room and already on someone’s shit list. Instead of responding, I just nod.
Parker slaps me on the back before pushing to his feet. “Glad we had this chat. Remember, Michele is waiting for you in the training room. If I were you, I wouldn’t keep her waiting.”
I rest my elbows on my knees, staring at the floor, trying to breathe through the storm rising under my ribs. I need to get my shit together and figure out a way to coexist with Michele. Judging by Parker’s reaction, she isn’t going anywhere, and neither am I, especially if I ever want a shot at the Cup.
* * *
