The Game Changer : Indianapolis Eagles Series Book 8

by Samantha Lind

  “You’re good. He’s out with Steph getting a present for one of his friends’ birthday parties that’s tomorrow. So, tell me about this appointment that fucking sucked.”

  “Basically, what they’ve told me for the last few appointments. I’ve beat up my body, my brain, specifically, for way too long. The multiple concussions have done irreversible damage, and if I continue to play, a major hit to the head could be deadly. Dr. Price said that it’s ultimately my decision, but his professional medical advice is that I don’t return to play.”

  “I’m sorry, John. I know that isn’t what you wanted to hear, but you also need to take care of your body and do what’s right for you.”

  “I know. It doesn’t make it any easier. I know I’m lucky to have played as long as I have, but this fucking sucks. I thought I could play for a couple more seasons before I’d have to retire.”

  “Have you called your agent or one of the guys on the team to talk about things yet?”

  “No, not since my appointment today. Only a few people knew I was going in today.”

  “I think you should find someone to talk to.”

  “I’m not suicidal, Cin,” I scoff at her.

  “I didn’t say you were, but it still wouldn’t hurt for you to talk to someone. Be that a counselor, your coach, a friend, or a mentor. You’ve had a shit few months, and even shittier news dropped in your lap today. With decisions coming up, it would be easy for you to slip into a depressive state, and I don’t want that for you. Hockey has been your identity since you were five. That’s thirty years, John. That’s a lot of time, and for it to be pulled out from underneath your feet, no one would blame you for having a hard time with it.”

  “I’ll think about it,” I tell her, just to appease her for the time being.

  “I know what you’re doing,” she calls me out.

  “Okay, okay. I promise I’ll talk to someone, although I thought that was what I was doing with you right now.”

  “It is, but I think that it would be good for you to have someone local, as well. You know I’m here for you day and night, whenever you need me. And if you need me to jump on a flight today to come to be with you for a few days, all you’ve got to do is say the word, and I’d be there.”

  “I know,” I state. “So, how are Steph and Mason?” I ask, changing the subject to my sister-in-law and nephew.

  “They’re doing just fine. Mason has mastered riding his bike this week. He’s feeling like a big deal out there in the driveway,” she tells me, the joy evident in her voice.

  “Awesome, you’ll have to send me a video.”

  “Of course!” she exclaims. “I can’t believe I didn’t think to send you one already.”

  “It’s okay. I know he keeps the two of you busy.”

  “That he does. And speaking of keeping us busy, I went in for the egg transfer yesterday, we should find out next week if it worked.”

  “Congratulations. How are you feeling?” I ask, knowing that when she was pregnant with Mason, she had a pretty smooth pregnancy.

  “So far, so good. A little crampy, but that’s to be expected.”

  “How many eggs did you and Steph decide to transfer this time?” I know they were debating what to do this go around.

  “We went ahead and did two this time, that was all we had left that were viable and able to be transferred.”

  “I hope everything works out for you. I’m ready for another nephew or niece.”

  “We’re cautiously optimistic about adding to our family. Now I just need you to settle down and give me a niece or nephew or two.”

  “I don’t think that’s going to happen anytime soon, so don’t be holding your breath on that one.”

  “Oh, come on, if you retire, you’ll have lots of extra time on your hands to get out and date.”

  “Too soon, Cin, too soon.”

  “Sorry, that was a little bitchy of me to say,” she says with a laugh. “Must be early pregnancy hormones already kicking in.” She tries to joke to lighten up her words. They kind of cut deep, but she isn’t wrong. With retirement looming over my head, maybe it is time to settle down with someone and start a family of my own. “I should probably get going. Steph and Mason should be back anytime now, and then we’re headed out to dinner with some friends.”

  “Sounds good, give them my love, and have Mason FaceTime me sometime this weekend. I miss his chubby little face.”

  “Will do, love you.”

  “Love you, too.” I hit the end button on my phone, leaving it on my chest. I lay out on the couch, crossing my ankles and resting them on one end with my head on the pillow at the other end. I close my eyes and nod off for a short afternoon nap that turns into a much longer one than I thought I’d take. I jolt awake when my phone starts buzzing on my chest. I look at the screen and see a text message from Jill.

  Jill: How are you doing? Make it home okay earlier?

  John: I’m much better, I just woke up from a little afternoon nap. Thanks again for your help today.

  Jill: Anytime. I’m sorry again for the news that you received today.

  John: It was a tough pill to swallow, that’s for sure. But I’m sure it will all sink in after a few weeks. My sister wants me to find someone to talk to about everything.

  Jill: That’s probably smart. What you’re going through is life-changing. If you retire, will you move back home?

  Jill’s question hits me. I hadn’t even thought about what I’d do after retiring or where I’d live. I’ve called Indianapolis home for so long that I guess I just always assumed I’d live here. Although, the thought of moving back to St. Louis and being around my family all the time doesn’t sound half bad. I usually go home for a few weeks every summer, but with all my concussion issues this postseason, I stayed here for treatment and to just lay low until things hopefully get better.

  John: No clue to be honest with you. Retirement wasn’t on my radar, so I hadn’t really started to think about it. I love it here and have called Indy home for so long now that I’m not sure if I’d leave. The majority of my good friends are here, my current job is here. I don’t know, maybe I can get an office job with the Eagles or put my college degree to good use and help them with stats.

  Jill: I’m sure that you’ll find something amazing.

  John: Can I ask you a random and spontaneous question?

  Jill: Sure

  John: Do you have dinner plans tonight?

  Jill: Nope. Just some leftovers in my fridge that I don’t really want to eat. Why?

  John: Go to dinner with me?

  Jill: Why, John, are you asking me out on a date? {winky face}

  John: I guess I am.

  Jill: I’d love to.

  John: Give me twenty-five minutes, and I’ll pick you up, does that work for you?

  Jill: Sure! Do you need my address?

  John: Nope, I still have it from that event we were at together with Julia and Beckett.

  Jill: Then I guess I’ll see you in about a half-hour.

  I stand, thankful to not be seeing spots after standing up a little fast. I also didn’t have a dizzy spell I sometimes get after lying down. Going from horizontal to vertical is sometimes just as bad as the bright sun is.

  I hit up the bathroom, running a comb through my hair before I brush my teeth quickly. I can only imagine how rank my breath was since I never brushed after losing my stomach content in that trash can earlier. I stop in my bedroom and pull out a clean shirt, changing quickly, and then head out to my truck.

  It doesn’t take me long to make it across town to Jill’s condo building. I park and walk up to the secure door, pressing the buzzer for her unit.

  “Hello?” Her voice is loud, coming out of the speaker.

  “Hey, it’s me,” I tell her, feeling a little awkward now that I’m here. I don’t usually spring dates on women so last minute, but I enjoy Jill’s company, so I draw in a deep breath to calm my suddenly racing nerves as I step onto the elevator,
hitting the button for her fourth-floor unit.

  “I realized after I buzzed you up that I could have just come down, I was ready,” Jill greets me at her door.

  “It’s not a problem,” I tell her, holding out a hand for her to walk in front of me. I wait while she turns to lock her door, then follow her back to the elevator. “So, how was your afternoon?” I ask once we’ve both settled into my truck a few minutes later.

  “Pretty standard day. Had a full afternoon of patients, followed by paperwork.”

  “How long have you had your business?” I ask as I change lanes, driving us across town.

  “Almost two years. It was a leap of faith to open, one that without my parents’ help would have never happened. But one I’m so glad that I took. I hit the ground running and have not looked back since. Thankfully, it was well accepted by the medical community, as there was a need for a standalone ultrasound clinic. I’ve made lots of connections with so many doctors’ offices in that amount of time.”

  “You also work in some of their offices, sometimes, right?”

  “Yep. I had a few offices come to me that already owned their machines but had a hard time finding reliable techs to run them. So, they contract with my company to provide the tech. I have a staff of ten that all work within different offices. Some work out of one office full-time, and some rotate depending on the needs of the offices. We then, of course, have our own office. I’m usually at that location, along with one other technician.”

  “Sounds like a great system. I’m glad that it all worked out for you so well,” I tell Jill as I pull into the parking lot of a little Mexican restaurant. I got turned on to this place when I first came to the Eagles organization. It has become somewhat of a staple for many of the guys and their families.

  “I love this place!” Jill says as we park.

  “Oh good, because I just realized I never asked if this would be okay with you. Sorry about that.”

  “No need to apologize. I’m pretty easy going and would have been happy with pretty much anywhere you could have picked.”

  “Good to know for next time.” I wink at her as I get out of the truck. She’s out of it before I can get around to open her door for her, which irrationally irks me for some odd reason. I’ll have to ponder that later. I follow Jill up to the doors, reaching around her to open it so she can walk through. I’m a damn gentleman, thank you very much.

  “Thanks,” she murmurs as she brushes against me as she passes through the doorway. My dick perks up at our contact, and it takes a lot of willpower not to pull her against me so she can feel just what she’s stirred to life. This reaction around Jill isn’t new, she’s a beautiful woman, and I’d have to be a dead man not to find her attractive. But our relationship has always been in the friend zone, but something tells me that this little date could change that.

  The hostess leads us to a table right away, another perk of this place, they hardly ever have a wait. I walk just behind Jill, getting the perfect view of her ass, and it is looking mighty fine tonight in her tight jeans and curve-hugging top. Between her brushing up against me a moment ago, and this view, my body is humming with pent up frustration suddenly.

  “So, you said your sister wants you to talk with someone about what’s going on?” Jill asks once we’ve placed our order.

  I blow out a breath, then snag a chip and drag it through the bowl of salsa between the two of us before I muster up the will to answer her. “Yeah. She doesn’t want me to let it fester inside. She’s worried that I’ll get depressed or some shit over having to retire.”

  “I can see why she’d worry about that. Hockey’s been your life for how long, a few decades?”

  “Yeah,” I snag another chip, scooping up lots of salsa on it. “I started playing when I was five. It’s been my life for thirty years. I don’t really know what I’ll do if I don’t have hockey anymore.”

  “I’m sure when you were younger—not that I’m saying you’re old, by the way—” She smirks, looking at me over the rim of her margarita glass. I watch as her tongue peeks out and licks a line of the salt off the rim before her lips wrap around the straw, and my fucking dick twitches again. “Back to what I was saying. I’m sure when you were younger, you had a contingency plan in place in case you didn’t make the pros or didn’t play for very long. What did that look like? What did you study in college?”

  “I was like almost every other jock. I studied communications and broadcasting. Such a fucking cliché.” I laugh and shake my head at my younger self.

  “So, I take it that it doesn’t really interest you now?” she asks, grabbing a chip of her own and scooping up some of the queso we also have between us.

  “Not really. I’ve never been comfortable in front of a camera. It’s why I don’t like interviews.”

  “What does interest you? Besides hockey?” she asks, raising a brow at me in a challenge.

  “Are you secretly a mind reader?” I ask on a chuckle. “I like how you call me on my bull before I even have a chance to say anything.”

  “Nope, but it was an easy guess that you’d say hockey. I mean, it is what you breathe, eat, and sleep twenty-four seven and have for the last thirty years.”

  “You’ve got me there,” I tell her as the server approaches with our plates.

  “Careful, the plates are hot. Can I get either of you anything else for now?” the waitress asks after setting the plates in front of us.

  “Everything looks good to me,” I answer, looking at Jill for her to also respond.

  “I’m good, as well, thanks,” she says as she picks up her fork and dives in. One thing that I like about Jill is she’s not afraid to eat around me. We’ve been around each other a handful of times because her best friend is married to one of my best friends and teammate, and it seems like most of those events revolve around food. So many women I’ve dated over the years will order the smallest thing on the menu or a small salad and then sit there picking at it. I want a real woman. Not one that thinks she needs to be a twig.

  A silence falls between us as the two of us enjoy our food for the first few bites. “Have you thought about going back to school to learn something else? Maybe find a new career path?”

  “I hadn’t thought of that, but it’s always an idea.”

  “What are you passionate about?”

  I shoot her a look that says it all. “Well, since hockey is out of the question, I love to be outdoors. Hiking or biking. I love to fish and be out on the water, as well.”

  “Okay, so that’s a start. Maybe you could do something with those interests. Or start a charity of some sort for a cause that is important to you. I know you donated money to help support the women’s shelter awhile back, do you have any other causes that you’d be interested in supporting?”

  “I did donate to them and planned on making it a yearly contribution. I’ve kicked around the idea of a foundation but never had the time to dedicate to it.”

  “I think you might have a little bit more time on your hands in the near future.”

  “You got me there.”

  “Does coaching interest you at all?” she questions between bites.

  “Eh, it’s never been my strong suit. Probably goes hand in hand with that aversion to being in front of the camera. I’ve helped out with kids’ summer camps throughout the years, and those are always fun, but it’s usually filled with little kids who don’t really know what they’re doing, so anything we taught them was new and fun. It wasn’t about the nitty-gritty of the game, more the basics, starting with how to stand on a pair of skates,” I tell her as a laugh escapes my lips. I remember back to one of the first camps I ever helped with as a young rookie. “I remember this one little girl at a camp. She arrived decked out in head to toe bright pink gear. She thought she was hot stuff, but her blades hit the ice, and she was flat on her back the next second. It took two of us an entire hour of convincing her to leave the bench and try again. By the end of the week, she was doing
pretty good, but man, those first few days, were pretty sketchy.”

  “Sounds like a fun memory,” Jill states as she pushes her plate away. “Damn, that was amazing, and now I’m so stuffed.”

  “I’ve never had a bad meal at this place,” I tell her as I push my own plate away.

  Chapter Four

  Jill

  “So, I have a question for you,” I ask once our plates have been cleared from the table.

  “What’s that?”

  “I’ve got an event to go to next weekend. Would you be interested in being my date for it?” I watch his face for any adverse feelings to my proposition.

  “What kind of event are we talking about? Family wedding? A work event? Charity event?”

  “Sorry,” I giggle at his questioning. “I wouldn’t spring a family wedding on you like that. It’s a fundraiser for a community youth activity center,” I tell him.

  “I’m sure I can clear my schedule and accompany you.” He grins at me. “How formal is this event?”

  “Nothing black tie like. Just summer business casual,” I tell him. “I just planned on wearing a summer dress, if that helps at all.” I don’t miss the flash in his eyes as they quickly drop down my body and come back up to meet my eyes. Most of my body is hidden by the table, so it was swift and almost something I could have missed if I wasn’t watching his eyes so closely. I can feel something developing between the two of us, even in this short dinner. What that is, I have no idea, no clue if it is something that will go anywhere past a mutual attraction, but it’s something I’m definitely willing to explore.