by Anne Stone
She looked up at him. “You know room service sounds pretty good right about now.” He squeezed her hand and led her down the sidewalk towards his home.
Chapter Eight
Jennifer didn’t know what came over her, but she was bolder than she’d ever been in her entire life. She barely knew him, and she was going with him to his hotel room. She still didn’t feel well and, in the end, hadn’t wanted to disappoint him, so she showed up at the game. A chill hit her as she walked beside him. She knew he felt her body tremble when he drew her close.
As they walked along, she felt protected, cared for. She hadn’t really felt that way since her parents died. Yes, her grandparents had been there for her but this was different. As they walked through the revolving door of the hotel, a large photograph of the city skyline stood before her. She took one look at it and realized it was one her father had taken right before his death. She’d forgotten he’d sold it to the hotel. A feeling of sadness overcame her. She’d never really dated since her parents died, and as she made her way with Ryne towards the elevator bay, she wondered if her parents would approve of him. From what she knew, he seemed kind, protective, and gentle off the ice. She decided not to go there right now. She’d contemplate that another time.
“You feel okay?” he asked as he called for the elevator.
“I’m okay right now. I just wish I could get rid of this cold.” The elevator opened as she finished her thought. Ryne, being a gentleman, held the doors open as she entered. He reached for her hand and squeezed it as the elevator began to move.
When the doors opened, she started to step off and was hit with a sneezing fit. She sneezed several times. “Maybe this wasn’t such a bright idea. You can’t afford to get sick,” she choked out around another sneeze.
“Let me worry about that.” He smiled at her as he slipped his arm about her waist and led her to his room. He inserted the key card into the door, and she swayed. His hold on her tightened as he led her through the doorway. “It’s early yet, unless you’re hungry, how about you lie down and take a rest? Maybe you’ll feel better…”
“I didn’t come here to fall asleep on you.”
“I realize that, but I think that would be the best medicine for you. You rest while I take care of a few things. The bedroom’s right through that door. We’ll figure out dinner later.”
She quirked a smile at him and reached in, placing a soft kiss on his cheek. “Thank you.”
“You know, you didn’t need to come to the game today. I completely understood you were under the weather. We could have gotten together another day.” He pulled her into his arms hugging her. “I’m glad you came, though. I missed seeing you.” He led her to the doorway and opened the door to his bedroom. “Rest and I’ll see you shortly.” He dropped a kiss atop her head and eased her towards the bed where he drew down the covers. She sat on the side of the bed and curled onto her side. He covered her, placing one last kiss on her cheek and walked away. “Sweet dreams,” she heard as she drifted off to sleep.
Ryne grabbed a bottle of water and his laptop. He’d seen the look that overcame her when she walked through the revolving doors and was greeted by that photograph. He wasn’t mistaken when she’d tensed. The photographer’s name was proudly displayed beside it. Marcus Steele. Ryne hadn’t put two and two together until he saw her reaction.
He waited while his laptop booted up. He needed to learn more about her life before he met her. He knew her father was rather well known in the area but wasn’t fully aware of the impact he had on the community until he searched for Marcus Steele. The wealth of information available shocked him.
Her father was from a well-known family that resided in the Northeast. He’d relocated to the St. Louis area when he attended a local university. By happenstance, he’d picked up photography and had never looked back. He’d won several awards and had been featured in quite a few magazines for his landscape photography. He also was known for his sports photography where he’d had many of his action shots featured in the sporting magazines. Ryne understood why Johnston asked her to have a showing of her work. Jennifer had been mentioned in several articles for her knack for photography as well. She was described as a natural who followed in her father’s footsteps.
Ryne speculated why at the age of seventeen she’d given up what would have been a promising career. She’d been touted as the next big photographer in the area. As he researched her further, he noticed that all articles regarding her and photography stopped without another mention eight years earlier. He paused and thought back to their earlier conversation. Eight years. That’s when her parents had been killed and when she must have ended her career as a photographer. Why?
As he perused the examples of her work he found on the internet, he was captivated with her style. She’d had a showing at one of the local galleries. He’d come across the catalog of the pieces she displayed and had been amazed with her talent. In time he hoped to uncover why she walked away from such a promising career.
He closed his eyes and let his mind wander. With her talent and his connections, he knew they’d be able to raise quite a sum for Lakeview. As he sat there his muscles relaxed and his eyes drifted shut.
The next thing he knew, he felt a presence. He cracked open an eye and discovered her standing before him. A smile broke across his lips as he fully opened his eyes and reached out his hand. She tentatively grasped it and slid down beside him. “Did I wake you?”
“I was just resting my eyes.”
“Sure you were, right along with that snore.” She giggled.
Groaning, he forced himself to sit upright. “Are you in pain?” she asked.
He pulled his lips in, trying not to let her know how much pain he was actually in.
“What can I do for you? Do you need ice, a heating pad?” She started to rise but he squeezed her hand.
“I’m okay. It’s nothing new. Let me catch my breath for a second.” He felt her eyes as they scanned his face. Reaching her free hand upwards, she smoothed it along his forehead and then moved towards his cheek.
“Please tell me what I can do for you. I know you must be in tremendous pain after taking that hit earlier.” She carefully ran her hand across his shoulder and along his chest. “I want to help you. Let me.”
“I’ll be fine, I promise. I’ll meet with the trainers tomorrow, and they’ll see to my aches and pains. It’s you I’m worried about. How’s that cold?”
Sniffling she raised her eyes to his. “About the same. I probably should have stayed home, but I couldn’t go another day without seeing you. Ryne, I missed you while you were gone. Really missed you.”
“Same goes here,” he said pulling her close. He glanced at his laptop. Thankfully it had gone to sleep since the last thing he remembered was looking at the catalog of her gallery showing. He needed to uncover a little more about her past before he raised the subject again. He didn’t want to cause her any undue upset. She’d been through a lot with her parents’ death. He wanted to get to know her inside out, and the more he could to minimize her anguish, he would. Since Ed was a friend of hers, he’d speak with him and maybe get the answers he was searching for.
She curled herself into his side. They were getting more and more comfortable with one another. He felt her breathing slow. “Going to sleep on me?” he asked nudging her side.
“Nope just warming myself and getting comfortable.” With that her stomach growled.
“Hungry?”
“I guess you heard that.” She snickered into his side.
Nodding he said, “Sure did.” He tried not to jolt her as he reached for the room service menu that sat on the table in front of him. “I already know what I want.” Handing her the menu he added, “The food’s pretty good. I’ve tried practically everything. I’m having the grilled chicken and a salad. Choose whatever you want.”
“Soup’s about all I can handle.”
“I can’t vouch for that since I normally get a meal of so
me sorts.” She decided on a cup of tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich.
While they waited for their order, he brought up the fundraiser. “Has Johnston set a date yet?”
“Not that I know of, but I did inform him of your concern about it being around training camp and the start of the season. He said he was going to speak with Ed and set a date.”
“Good. At least Ed will know what will work for everyone.” She looked at him funny. “It’s not about just me. I want everyone involved from the Generals and whoever else from the other local teams we can recruit to participate. Anything I put my name on is a success, and this will be a success, too.”
Their food arrived in short order. “How’s that tomato soup?”
“Since I can’t taste a thing, I have to say it’s great.” She raised her sandwich to her mouth. “Mmm, this grilled cheese is the best,” she claimed as she chewed and smiled at him.
“Not that you would know,” he returned as he took a bite of his chicken.
By the time they finished their meal, it was getting late and Jen could barely keep her eyes open. “Come on, let’s get you home.” He stood reaching for her hand.
Pulling her from the couch, he grabbed their coats and led her from the room. When they reached the lobby, he requested his car be brought around. He held her close as they waited for the valet. “I’m sorry you’re not feeling well. Next time, we’re going out on the town. No more tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches for you, my lady.”
She looked up at him and smiled. “Thanks for understanding. I just don’t think I could have gone out tonight.”
“Hey,” he said placing his finger underneath her chin raising it so he could look her squarely in the eyes. He winked at her adding, “Don’t worry. We have plenty of time to have a redo.”
“Yes, we will have a redo. Sooner rather than later.” She leaned over and kissed his cheek.
Chapter Nine
A week had passed since they last saw one another. Ryne was still feeling the after affects from the hit that knocked him out. The morning after their quasi date he caught a cab for the short distance to the dome. He’d barely been able to move when he woke, and phoned Stafford after catching his bearings.
The phone had scarcely rung on his end when Stafford answered. “I guess you’re feeling it right about now.”
Groaning Ryne told him his status. “Yeah, you could say I’m definitely feeling that hit. In fact, I plan on calling my good friend that sent me to the ice to thank him for the welcoming.”
“I’m headed over to the dome,” Stafford said. “Think you can meet me in, say, an hour?”
“Yeah, I’ll be there.” He disconnected the call and threw his arm over his eyes. Just that small movement caused him pain. He hoped it wasn’t something serious. He’d encountered numerous injuries over the years, but for some reason he was really feeling this one.
He eased off the bed and made his way to the shower. Even standing under the hot spray did nothing to allay his pain. In fact, as he dressed, he had to sit down to catch his breath. He was worried. He didn’t need a season-ending injury.
His eye caught something lying on the floor. It was small and he wasn’t quite sure what it was. He had a devil of a time leaning over to discover that it was an earring. Smiling to himself he realized Jen must have lost it the night before. He wanted to call her but elected to wait until he met with Stafford to see what fate would be dealing him. Running his hand through his hair, he already knew that his fate had been sealed. He was almost sure he’d injured his hip again. It had been a nagging injury off and on for years, but this time he knew it was more serious than in the past. The night before he’d ignored the throbbing, thinking it would go away, but deep down he knew better.
He phoned the front desk and requested a cab. He’d never be able to walk the few short blocks to the dome. Limping through the lobby, he made his way to the waiting taxi. He didn’t know where he got the strength, but somehow, he was able to make it to the trainer’s room. Stafford took one look at him and was by Ryne’s side in a heartbeat, “What’d you do now?”
“You tell me. I haven’t been in this much pain since…” he gutted out through clenched teeth. “Since, I don’t know!” He lay there as Stafford examined him, knowing all along what his conclusion would be.
“I’m going to send you for X-rays and an MRI. When did it start hurting? And why didn’t you call me sooner?”
He racked his hand across his face not liking the news Stafford had delivered. “Last night.”
“Last night?”
“When I went back to my room, I started stiffening up but didn’t think anything of it. I thought after a good night’s sleep it would disappear. When I woke up this morning, I could hardly move and called you right away.”
Ryne feared by the look on Stafford’s face he’d be out the remainder of the season. His previous injuries were openly disclosed to the team when he’d been traded. Yes, he’d recovered quickly but he was older now, and he had awkwardly landed on his side. His hip had been the farthest thing from his mind after having blacked out. He’d worried more about a concussion.
Ryne lay on the table and listened as Stafford made the arrangements. He also heard him phone the team orthopedic surgeon, and knew he’d definitely reached the end of his season. With less than three weeks remaining, even if his injury wasn’t too bad, he still wouldn’t make it back in time even for the playoffs. He took a long deep breath, easing it out slowly from his lungs. Yep, my season’s over.
His tests were scheduled later that morning. Stafford drove him to the hospital and waited. All the while Ryne knew what the outcome would be.
It almost felt like the end of the world. His thoughts immediately went to Jen. If he were out for the season, he’d have plenty of time to begin planning the fundraiser. He’d at least have something productive to keep his mind off his injury while he recuperated.
“I’m afraid you’re going to be out for the season.” Ryne heard the words that he knew had been coming since he first woke that morning. “You’ve injured this hip before.”
“I have.”
“You need to stay off that leg. This is a pretty severe injury this time, especially with its recurrence. I’m putting you on crutches for the next couple of weeks, but ultimately you need to take it easy. Then, we’ll work on muscle strengthening exercises.”
He lay there listening to the doctor. He’d been through this before, although his season hadn’t been put on hold. He’d returned to the ice pretty quickly then, but this time was different. The blow he’d taken had been one of the hardest of his career. Still, he was thankful he hadn’t received a concussion.
Stafford shook his head as Ryne hobbled out on the crutches. “Couldn’t you have wheeled me to the car?”
“You need your practice, that’s for sure,” Stafford claimed as he opened the car door. Ryne stumbled into the car, calling out in pain. “See, what did I tell you?” He pointed to the crutches that Ryne held out to him. “Will you be okay at the hotel all by yourself?”
“It’s not like I haven’t been on crutches before, but yeah I’ll be fine.”
By the time he returned to his room, Ryne was exhausted. He fell into bed and didn’t wake until the next day. He spent the next several days undergoing treatment only to return to his hotel room completely worn out where sleep claimed him.
He’d thought of Jen often but hadn’t found the strength to phone her. He didn’t want her to know the extent of his injury. The team had kept it pretty quiet and on game nights scratched him from the lineup of available players. They’d kept him out of the media eyes, and he was more than agreeable to their tactics.
Jacob was doing his best to keep his injury from the public. The players knew he was done for the season, but they didn’t want to add any fuel for possible further injury when he returned. Hockey players were a breed unlike any other. If they knew of a nagging injury, many would wreak havoc trying to caus
e reinjury. Ryne didn’t want or need any further damage to that hip.
He hobbled through the doors to his room and rested against the doorframe. He was tired and wasn’t bouncing back as quickly as he once did. He made his way to the couch. Throwing his crutches beside him, he noticed Jen’s earring sitting on the table. He’d forgotten about it. Running his hands across his face, he reached for his phone. He missed her and, in all honesty, needed to see her. The Generals were on the road. He had his daily therapy but other than that had nothing on his calendar.
It was almost five o’clock and he hoped she’d answer. He knew the school day ended around three o’clock. Her phone rang several times. Just as he was ready to leave a message, she answered. She was out breath as though she’d run to the phone. “Hello.”
“Jen, hey it’s me, Ryne.”
“Oh, hi there. Shouldn’t you be on a plane right about now?” He needed to be honest and tell her about his injury. She followed the team too closely not to realize they’d been protecting him.
“About that. Are you busy tonight? I found something of yours, and I want to return it. If you haven’t eaten yet, what do you say about coming over for dinner?”
“No, I haven’t eaten. It’s still a little early for me.” She paused as though she were pondering his question. “Umm, are you sure?”
“I wouldn’t have asked if I didn’t want you to join me. How about seven? Is that too late?”
“Ah no, that’s just fine.”
“See you then.” He stared at his phone when he ended the conversation. He wasn’t sure how he would address his injury with her, but he’d find a way. He hadn’t intended to nap until he heard a pounding on his door and was jolted awake.
“Ryne, are you in there?”
He had a difficult time getting up, so he called out that he’d be right there. He reached for his crutches and lost his balance falling to the floor. He knew she heard him yell out in pain.
