Page 10 of What Are the Chances
She hesitated with her hand hovering above my shoulder. After a pause she murmured, “Screw it.”
Her fingers sunk into a sore spot, causing me to wince sharply through my parted lips.
“Jesus, Riley.”
“Sorry.”
“No you’re not.”
She didn’t correct me.
She was silent while she moved her hands across my shoulders, pressing and prodding as she searched for the root of the pain. My thick puffer was like a safety net between her touch. I should take it off. I’ll bet she couldn’t feel things properly with that in the way, but neither of us made the obvious suggestion.
Riley stepped back, removing her hand. “This has to be giving you grief.”
“It is,” I admitted.
Sitting on the edge of the desk, she picked up the tablet and gripped it so tightly her knuckles turned white.
“Have you considered taking time off?”
I almost laughed at the suggestion. Clearly she didn’t remember me as well as I’d thought.
She exhaled. “Of course not.”
Okay.Clearly she did.
“At least let me suggest some extra exercises so you can strengthen that area.”
I opened my mouth to argue before quickly closing it. Riley had been top of her class in freshman year. I didn’t doubt that’d changed now. She knew what she was talking about. I’d do the exercises. I’d do anything to get through the rest of the season without missing games.
Our trainer had checked out my shoulder after the hit, but not wanting to risk being benched, I’d downplayed my symptoms. Since then I’d resorted to shitty YouTube videos for shoulder stretches.
Riley cleared her throat. “I guess that’s it for today.”
As I stood, I arched an eyebrow. “Today?”
Riley shifted uncomfortably. “Grace didn’t mention this is a semester long thing?”
“Nope.”
Grace hadn’t mentioned a thing actually. While Riley had been assessing Tripp, I’d grilled Grace whether Levi knew Riley was the student PT he’d volunteered me to work with. She’d confirmed she never gave Levi a name, so I guess I couldn’t be angry at him.
Didn’t mean I had to like it though.
Part of me wanted to bail but I didn’t want to seem like the weak one. Riley had said this didn’t bother her. I needed to pretend it didn’t bother me either. I didn’t want it to appear as though I was pining over her. She’d moved on. So had I. It’d been three years. Feelings faded over three years, right?
She chewed her lip, drawing my gaze to them. “Is that going to be a problem?”
“Nope,” I repeated.
“Okay. Well, thanks for coming in today. I guess I’ll see you soon.”
Four words I had never expected Riley Dover to say to me again.
I’ll see you soon.
CHAPTER SEVEN
