Page 42 of Forever Wild
He nods his head slowly.
“Who’s the guy?” he asks, going back to working out.
“Another online hopeful. His name is Thor. That has to be a good sign, right?”
“Sounds made-up. Are you sure he’s real and not some psycho catfishing and preying on young women?”
“He’s real.”
“How can you be so sure?”
I bite on the corner of my lip before admitting, “I looked him up on social media.”
“That could be fake too.”
“Oh no, I went deep. I found his parents and his sister. There was even a yearbook photo of him. Thor is short for Thorson. Also, I can handle myself.”
I stand to leave but then find I don’t really want to go. I’ve gotten used to spending time with him. And while he’s still not super chatty or warm, I enjoy his company.
“Are you going to work out all night?”
“Maybe,” he says.
“Don’t forget, rest is just as important for recovery.” I beam at him.
“Another tidbit from Bridget?” he guesses.
“You know it. She’s the best.”
He grunts his acknowledgment.
“Speaking of nurses and the like, I haven’t seen anyone around lately.”
“I was cleared to drive so I can go to the office to meet with my doctor now.”
“What about physical therapy? Is Brian still coming to the house?”
He hesitates for just long enough to make me suspicious when he says, “No. I’m doing PT on my own now.”
“What happened to Brian?”
“I asked him not to come back.”
“You ran off another person? Why?”
“He was hitting on you. I didn’t like it. It was unprofessional.”
Okay, yes, but firing him seems extreme.
“And you can do everything you need on your own?” I ask.
“I’m a big boy, Ev.”
“You didn’t answer the question.”
“I wouldn’t put my recovery in jeopardy like that. Not anymore. I need to be back on the ice and I need to be stronger than ever.” The conviction in his tone sends a chill down my spine.
I can feel the determination radiating off him. He would do anything for the better of the team, and the best thing for the team is him being back in top form.
