by Anne Stone
“I can stand on my own,” he claimed as he got to his knees.
“Sure you can.” She stood watching him, and when he didn’t have the power to stand, she slid her arm about his waist and helped him to the bed. “I’ll get you some water.” She ran from the room and retrieved a cold bottle of water and handed it to him. He already had the pills in his palm.
He threw back the pills and reached for the water. She couldn’t help but watch him as he swallowed. He’d relaxed a little since they’d gotten to his room, but she knew he was waiting for the relief the medicine would provide.
He needed to sleep off the pain, so she pulled back the covers and watched him lie down. “Now that you’re settled, I guess I’ll leave.”
“Please don’t go.” He held out his hand. “Join me. You look just as tired as I feel.” Listening to him describe his tiredness threw her for a moment, and that’s when she acknowledged to herself how tired she actually was. On top of the conversation they’d had at the Botanical Gardens, the news of her grandfather’s health scare had upset her more than she realized. The happiness that they’d experienced only moments before her grandmother’s call had been forgotten.
She latched onto his hand and climbed over his body. Curling up, she laid her head on his chest and placed her hand over his stomach. He pulled her close. “This feels just right,” he said as he closed his eyes and drifted off. His pain meds had taken effect almost instantly.
She knew he’d drifted off when she felt the change in his breathing and his arm loosened its hold on her. Her thoughts were all over the place. She was exhausted but sleep eluded her.
“Relax,” he murmured. “We’ll face it all tomorrow.”
She hadn’t realized he’d awakened until she heard his words. Yes, tomorrow is another day. She was safe and secure in his arms. He’d be there for her just as she was for him. She recalled the smile on his face and the look in his eyes when they’d decided to phone his parents. That was the last thing she remembered before falling to sleep. She’d been happy. Truly happy for the first time in more than eight years.
Chapter Fourteen
Ryne was a light sleeper even with having taken the pain killers. He woke with her in his arms; it was barely eleven o’clock. As he lay stroking his hand up and down her back, he replayed the events of the day. She’d been through more than he could ever imagine with the death of her parents and her decision to become a teacher. Then her participation in the fundraiser caused her to reevaluate her life. He’d been down that road before when he elected not to go straight to the NHL, instead heading off to UW. He hoped she’d be able to come to grips with everything and decide on a future that would make her happy.
His eyes focused on the pill bottle he’d thrown onto the end table. He hadn’t a clue why his hip had acted up. He’d been pretty much pain-free the last week or so. The painkillers had dulled the discomfort, but he knew he needed to keep a watchful eye on it and maybe revisit Stafford. The season was over for him, but the guys still worked out and kept in touch with the staff. He decided to give it a few days and then decide what to do.
He felt her stir beside him. As she opened her eyes, a smile broke out across her face, then she yawned and pulled away from him.
“Feel better?” he asked as she attempted to sit up. He tightened his hold, and she gave into the pressure, lying back beside him.
“I do. What about you?”
“Painkillers work wonders,” he winked. “I don’t know what happened today. I’d been feeling pretty much pain-free.”
“Too much walking and standing, I guess.”
“Yeah, maybe.” He tucked a stray hair behind her ear. “So, how about something to eat?”
“What time is it?”
“Just after eleven.’
“I should get going,” she said, pulling away and sitting up. “I’ve got a lot to do with it being the last week of school.” She stood.
“We never made that phone call,” he said as he ran his hand across his five o’clock shadow.
“No, we didn’t.”
“Maybe we can call them tomorrow tonight. How about I pick you up and we can visit your grandfather?”
“I first have to see if he comes home. But, yeah, that sounds like a good idea.” She eased herself down beside him. He reached up and caressed the side of her face.
“I wish you’d stay.” She shyly smiled. “I liked waking with you in my arms.” He felt her apprehension and leaned up. Looking her directly in the eyes, he added, “Jen, I think I’m falling for you. I’ve never felt this way about anyone before.” He discounted what he had with Whitney because he’d never had a connection with her like he had with Jen. She’d been all about fame and fortune, while Jen was the direct opposite. In his heart, he knew she was the one for him. By her wide-eyed expression, he guessed she was surprised by his admission. He’d learned a great deal from his relationship with Whitney. Jen was real and true to herself and her family and that meant more to him. He knew his parents and siblings would fall in love with her just as he had. He just needed to convince her that they had something special. Something real that he’d never experienced before.
Ryne didn’t want to scare her. Instead he kissed her forehead and said, “I know you’re tired. Go on home and I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“But Ryne…”
“Think about what I said and we can talk tomorrow, okay?” She leaned over and kissed him; then hurried from his room. He didn’t move from the bed.
He didn’t want to overwhelm her. She was grappling with so much. Between her career, her grandfather, and now him. He had time. Time to convince her they had something special. And he also had to make travel arrangements. The Black Gold party was soon, and he wanted to treat her to a first-class experience. He wanted her comfortable with his life inside and out of hockey. It could be complicated at times. Training, travel, and the possibility of being traded—all of these factors loomed in the back of his mind, especially after this year’s unexpected trade.
While recuperating he’d also made a decision— one that would affect her if they made a go of their relationship. He decided while he was in Greenwich, he was going to have an honest conversation with Adam. He needed him to know that his goal in life was to play for the Storm. Ryne knew this meeting was unheard of, especially with two years remaining on his contract, but he needed Adam to understand that’s where he expected to land with his next contract. It was his dream. He would play for Calgary and if he were lucky enough, would end his career with his hometown team.
Ryne hoped he had many years remaining to play, but with his nagging injury, he wasn’t sure his hip would hold out. He prayed nightly that he’d overcome it, but in reality, he wasn’t assured that he’d be able to, especially after encountering the pain he had that evening. He wanted, no needed, to remain optimistic, but he was also a realist and knew that his career could end sooner rather than later.
The next day dawned with a gorgeous sunrise. He’d had difficulties sleeping and decided to rise and start the day fresh with a new, improved outlook. The night before, he’d felt sorry for himself and wallowed in his uncertainty. With a new day upon him, he was in need of a fresh start and chose to greet Jen before her day began.
Ryne grabbed two coffees and headed off to Lakeview. She began her day early, and judging by the time, he’d never catch her at home. He pulled into Lakeview’s parking lot just after six and waited. Like clockwork she pulled in just before six thirty. He caught her surprised look as she reached for her things. He helped her from the car.
“What are you doing here, might I add, this early? I certainly thought you’d sleep in, especially after taking a painkiller.”
He extended her coffee cup and leaned in, softly kissing her cheek. “Good morning to you, too, sunshine.” He smiled and reached for her bag. “I couldn’t sleep and thought I’d start your day off right.”
“And how am I starting my day off right?” she teasingly asked.
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He scanned the parking lot to make sure they were still alone, cupped her jaw, and softly kissed her lips. She leaned into him, placing her hand against his chest. “That was nice, thank you.” She turned and closed her car door. “Follow me.” He flung her bag over his shoulder and side by side they walked towards the building.
As they neared the entrance, his hand brushed against hers. He slowed his pace, caught her fingers in his, and smiled at her. He followed her down the hallway towards her classroom. When she went to unlock her classroom door, he noticed a slight tremor in her hand. She had difficulty inserting her key in the lock, became frustrated, and dropped her keys.
They both leaned down to retrieve them. He grabbed them and as they went to stand, they bumped heads. “Ouch,” she called and rubbed her forehead.
“Sorry about that.” He chose the correct key and unlocked her door.
“School doesn’t start until eight, so we have a little time.” He set her coffee cup and book bag down and turned. He took one look at her, knowing he made the right decision. She was a breath of fresh air on his day. She grabbed her cup of coffee and took a long sip. “You never answered me; what brings you here today?”
“Why, you, of course.”
“Me?” She laughed. “Why would you come out this early to see me? I thought we were getting together this evening.”
“We are but I needed to see you. Start my day off right.”
“Okay, whatever.” She laughed, reaching into her bag.
“How’s your grandfather?”
“I spoke with Grams early.”
“Shouldn’t she be sleeping?”
“Grams?” She scrunched her face. “Never. You think I get up early, she wakes at dawn, every single day.” He eased down on the corner of her desk as she prepared for the day. “My grandfather called her early and was feeling much better, so hopefully he can come home sometime today.”
“What about us taking them dinner? I’m sure your grandmother’s exhausted. It would be the right thing for us to do. Text me later in the day and I’ll arrange something.”
“You’d do that for them?”
He nodded.
“You don’t know them. You haven’t even met my grandfather.”
“So? I want to. They’re your family and I want to get to know them.”
Ryne watched her flit about her classroom. “Friday’s your last school day.”
“Yep.”
“Then when are you finished here with grades and all?”
“Next week, why?”
He reached out and drew her near. A strand of hair fell in her face. He slid it behind her ear, stroking her face in the process. “I want to make plans for our trip. The event in Greenwich is next Saturday, and then we’d go on to Calgary. Will that work for you?”
A shy smile broke out on her face.
“We can fly up on Thursday, if that works for you. I need to meet with my agent. I hope to schedule that for Friday morning.” Her eyes glimmered as she listened to his plans. “Your paternal grandparents live there, right?” She nodded and rested her hand against his chest. “Let’s have dinner with them Friday evening. I can’t wait to meet them. Can you arrange that?”
“Sure. You really want to meet them?”
“Of course I do. I want to know your entire family.” He watched the happiness drain from her face as she drew in her lower lip. Ryne feared he touched a nerve and knew immediately what he said wrong. “Honey, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.”
“I’m just a little sentimental these days. It’s the end of the school year, and I need to make a few decisions about my future. My parents have been on my mind a lot lately. I just wish they were still alive because I know they’d love you.” She pulled away and returned to her desk. “On that note, you better head on out. The bell rings in twenty minutes and I have a weekly meeting I need to get to.”
He felt the immediate change in her. He didn’t want her sad, so he made his way to her side and pulled her securely into his arms. “Have a good day. Text me so I know what time to pick you up.” He hugged her tightly and walked out the door. He wanted to be there for her and support her in her decision. He thought about reaching out to her grandparents, but thought better of it. He didn’t know them and in the excitement from the night before, he wasn’t even sure her grandmother remembered he’d been there.
Ryne hurried from the premises somehow avoiding the other teachers. For a day in late May, the morning temperature was still cool, so he decided to take an early morning stroll around the neighborhood. He wanted to test out his hip and see if yesterday’s pain was an anomaly.
He took his time as he walked along sipping his coffee and formulating a plan. First, they’d fly into the city. He didn’t want to assume anything, so he decided to reserve two rooms at the hotel where the party was being held. That way, they could stay up as late as they wanted and wouldn’t have to worry about driving somewhere. As he ticked away on his mental list, he pulled out his cell phone. It was almost nine o’clock in Greenwich and surely Adam should be in the office.
“Black Gold Management.”
“Hey Sandy, is Adam in? It’s Ryne.”
“Hey there Ryne, no he’s not. He’s in a meeting. Shall I have him call you?”
“That would be great. Just a heads up, tell him I’d like to meet with him next Friday.”
“Anything special?”
“I just want to touch base.”
“I’ll let him know. It’ll be good to see you.”
“Same here. It’s been a while.”
Ryne hardly ever made it back to Black Gold’s home office. He normally conducted his business via the phone, or Adam would meet him on the road. The last time he’d seen Adam had been the evening of his trade. They’d spoken often, but time hadn’t permitted a face to face. Adam also managed Tony and Ashley Regada. They were famous tennis players that encountered tragedy unlike no other. Ashley had lost her first husband, Morgan Cameron, in a car accident and at the same time suffered a miscarriage. Tony had been Morgan’s best friend and life-long competitor on the tennis court.
While working through their grief, Tony and Ashley discovered a love like no other and had been together ever since. She was now a mother. Adam had decided to celebrate their one of- a-kind victories— they were both Grand Slam winners, winning all four of the major tennis tournaments in the calendar year. They’d held off on the celebration because she had wanted to step away from the limelight and focus on her pregnancy, especially after suffering multiple miscarriages. Now that she’d successfully delivered her little bundle of joy, the couple and the company decided on the party and also to celebrate the anniversary of Black Gold’s founding.
Ashley’s father had founded Black Gold Management right after Ashley joined the pro circuit. Organizing her schedule had become more than he or her mother could handle. In addition to managing Ryne and his brothers, Adam also represented a few ice skaters and baseball players. It wasn’t a large agency but it was powerful, and Ryne was thankful every day that Adam had reached out to him when he was first drafted. He was a good friend and confidant and Ryne believed he had his best interests at heart. He hoped he wouldn’t be offended with their meeting, but he needed him to know he was serious with his quest to play for the Storm.
By the time Ryne had finished his call with Sandy, he’d arrived back at his car. His hip was feeling pretty good, and he chalked up his previous day’s pain to being on his feet too much. He’d take it easy the rest of the week and hope for the best.
He planted himself on a bench underneath a tall oak tree. With his planned trip back east, he phoned his best friend, Jim Hollister. Ryne had met Jim in a finance class at the UW, and they’d been friends since. Jim owned his own business, and they rarely saw one another in person. He dialed and his friend immediately answered.
“Ryne, buddy, is that you?”
“Who do you think it is?”
“I’d have to say it
’s been a while. I heard about the hip. How is it?”
“I have my good and bad days. I’m just thankful the season’s over and I can heal properly and not try and force my way back on the ice. Say, I’m coming into town next week, and I was wondering if you’d be available for dinner say Thursday night. I’m bringing my girlfriend too.”
“Girlfriend, huh. When did this start?”
“Oh, my first night here. She almost ran me over, but I’ll save that story for another day.” He could tell Jim was checking his schedule.
“I think that’ll work. Let me check with Holly, and I’ll get back to you.”
They talked for a few more minutes. Ryne was glad he’d reached out to his friend. Since meeting Jen, he’d realized that life was definitely too short and decided to touch base with his friends and family on a more regular basis. Jen had taught him that lesson if nothing else.
Chapter Fifteen
Jen checked her phone during her mid-morning break. Her grandmother had left a message, and surprisingly, her grandfather was being released from the hospital that morning. Relieved with the news, she texted Ryne. I’ll let you know about dinner.
Having a longer lunch break, she phoned her grandmother, discovering that they’d just arrived home. “Grams, don’t worry about dinner. I’ll bring it by.”
“Oh, honey, you don’t have to do that.”
“We want to.”
“We? Who’s we?” she inquired in her meddlesome voice.
“Well, Ryne and I.”
“You mean you and that charming young man I met last night?” She snickered.
“One and the same. I want Grandfather to meet him too.”
“Okay, dear. We’ll see you and your dear man later then.”
Jen immediately phoned Ryne, who answered on the first ring. “How’s your day since I last saw you?”
“Pretty good, actually better than pretty good. I spoke with Grams and Grandfather came home a little bit ago. She’s okay with us bringing dinner by.”
