Page 6 of Lighting the Lamp
“Can you at least look at me while I chew your ass out?”
I chuckle darkly, opening one of my eyes, but I don’t say a word. Parker is usually the least intimidating person on the bench during games. He isn’t much taller than Alise, coming barely to the center of my chest. His usual unruly hair is tucked neatly beneath a team beanie, and his eyes are laser-focused on my face, scanning for any type of injury or hint that something is wrong.
“You talk to Cooper?” My jaw tightens as I force the words from my mouth.
“Why would I need to talk to Cooper, Beau?” He gives me a look that says he’s not playing. “Is there something wrong that the team needs to know about?”
“So, youhavebeen talking to my overprotective big brother.” I sigh and sit up straighter, pulling the headphones off my ears. “Look, I’m going to tell you the same thing I told him and everyone else who has asked. I’m just tired. It’s been a long week.”
“And your heart rate during the second period?” he asks, voice low, not wanting to alert anyone sitting around us.
Fuck, I forgot about the damn heart rate monitor Parker started having us wear during games. There’s no way I can lie my way out of this one.
“Or how about your recovery between shifts? I know you were wheezing like you’d run a marathon uphill.”
I stare out the window, refusing to meet his eyes. “I said I’m fine.”
“Beau.” His tone sharpens, cutting clean through my defenses. “You’re not fine. And pretending you are doesn’t help anyone. Not you and definitely not the team.”
His words hit harder than I want to admit. I rub my thumb over my bottom lip, suddenly hyperaware of every breath. Remembering how much effort it took to finish the third period without doubling over.
“If I say something now,” I mutter, “they’ll bench me. For what? A guess? A feeling? I don’t even know what’s wrong. What if it’s nothing?”
“And what if it’s not nothing? What if there is something wrong? It’s better for all involved if we get ahead of these issues before something serious happens.”
I finally turn and look at him, giving Parker my full attention for the first time since starting this conversation. Surprisingly, he doesn’t look angry or like he’s planning on making sure I’mplaced on the injured reserve immediately. He has the same worried look on his face as Cooper did earlier in the locker room, like he wants me to at least try to help myself. Sometimes I forget that the health of every player on this team is on Parker’s shoulders, and some of us are too pigheaded to take his advice. Sometimes, Parker has to sit by and watch over too many of us who wait too long to get the help we need.
“I’m not trying to screw you over, but I need you to be honest with me. You’ve got three guys down the row who noticed something was off tonight. You think the coaching staff didn’t?”
I press the heels of my hands into my eyes. “You gonna report it?”
“I’m giving you the chance to report it, or I will.”
That stings more than I expected, but I know he’s right. The Timberwolves’ coaching staff has been in the game for years, so there’s no way I’ve fooled them. Instead of getting away with it, they’re giving me a chance to tell them on my own. To man up and do the right thing for myself and the team, but goddamn it, that shit is hard.
I exhale through my nose, slow and shaky. “Can we wait a little longer just to be sure?”
Parker studies me like he wants to say something else, but I chime in before he can deny my request.
“I’ll come in tomorrow and let you run whatever tests you want, okay? Just…” I hesitate, the words sticking like they know they’re going to cost me. “Can we keep it between us? For now?”
I just need to make it home and have a minute to think. It will be easier to process everything tomorrow. I scrub my hand down my face, already feeling the weight of tomorrow before it even starts.
“Beau—”
“If it’s nothing, there’s no point in getting Coach involved. We both know Langley isn’t ready to take my place in the net.He’s still too green. Let me get checked out by you and the team doc.”
He leans back in his seat, folding his arms, like he’s trying to gauge just how much rope I deserve right now. “And if it’s not nothing?”
“I’ll go straight to Coach myself, I promise.”
“You sure about that?” he asks, tone calm but cutting. “Because a guy who’s sure doesn’t look like he’s ready to lie to every person who cares about him.”
That lands square in the middle of my chest. I deserve that, but I nod anyway. “I’m sure.”
Parker exhales through his nose and glances down the aisle toward where Cooper’s sitting, weighing the risk of going along with this crazy plan. He isn’t only risking my brother’s wrath, but also his job. Coach has zero tolerance for any bullshit with his players’ health. He might not be our favorite person after the shit he pulled with Cole and Michele, but until the end of the season, he’s still our coach.
“Fine. Come in tomorrow morning, and if the team doc clears you, we can move on. But if anything flags, I’m taking it straight to Coach. Understood?”
