Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 101758 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 509(@200wpm)___ 407(@250wpm)___ 339(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 101758 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 509(@200wpm)___ 407(@250wpm)___ 339(@300wpm)
She lifts a brow and looks up at me. “Not yet. But you’re getting close to being able to do limited practice, with no contact. Your knee is still vulnerable, and hockey is violent, as you’ve pointed out to me several times.”
“That’s what makes it fun, sweetheart.”
She snorts and leads me over to the boxes. I’ve graduated up to one-legged box jumps. Even if it’s not far off the ground, it’s progress.
Thirty minutes and several different exercises later, she nods.
“Good job. We’re done for today.”
“I’m going to do upper body while you work,” I tell her, and she smiles at me. Fuck, that smile always smacks me right in the face.
“Sounds good.”
She grabs her water tumbler, the one I gave her when she started, and walks over to her desk and opens her laptop. Ivy pulls her legs up under her and immediately starts to type, those gorgeous hands flying over the keys.
“You’re not working out, you’re staring at me,” she says without even glancing my way, then takes a sip of her water.
“You’re so goddamn beautiful.”
She smirks. “You’re forgiven.”
I laugh and move over to jump on the pull-up bar and do ten reps before hopping down again. My phone, sitting on a bench nearby, lights up with a call.
“Hey, Kev,” I say into the phone as I run a towel over my sweaty head. “What’s up?”
“Just checking in,” my agent replies. “Making sure you’ll still be in Denver next week. I have a few photoshoots lined up, an interview with ESPN, and someone from PR for the team should be sending you an email with an agenda for you as well.”
“They did,” I confirm. “Of course I’m going to the children’s hospital, but I told them no cameras. I don’t need publicity to see kids with cancer.”
“Maybe no video, but just a picture for the website?”
I sigh and pull a hand down my face, and I notice that Ivy’s on her phone as well, standing at the windows, looking out at the pond that’s quickly freezing over.
This winter’s going to be a bitch.
“I got the sports drink company to film the commercial in Denver. They’ll want you dressed out in your gear and on the ice for it. Is that doable?”
“Yeah, I can skate.”
“Excellent. That’s good news, X.”
I nod, still watching as Ivy frowns. What’s up, Red?
“I’ll get reevaluated by the doctors while I’m there,” I tell Kevin.
“Do you think you could rejoin the team for the playoffs?”
“That’s my goal,” I confirm. “But we’ll see how the next few months go. I’m progressing well.”
“I’m so glad to hear it, man. Seriously. I’ll fly up to Denver when you’re there so I can be on hand for the brands that want to film.”
“I appreciate it. I’ll be in touch.”
I hang up and pocket my phone as I wander over to where Ivy’s still talking.
“Yeah, I’m sure I can do that. I’m so sorry to hear that. I hope Teddy makes a full recovery quickly. Okay, sounds good. Thanks, Sara. You too. Bye.”
She hangs up and lets out a sigh.
“You okay, baby?”
“Yeah.” She turns to me. “That was my boss at the clinic. One of our guys was in a really bad car accident, and he’s going to be out for a while . . .” They need me to help out at the hospital one day a week. If all of us take just one day, we can cover for him.”
“That doesn’t sound too bad.”
“No, it’s not. I can handle one day a week. It’s just . . .” She sighs and rubs her hands over her face, and I move in closer and brush my fingers down the braid she wears when we’re in the gym.
“What is it?”
“I got too comfortable not working at the hospital.” She cringes, as if merely uttering the words makes her feel guilty. “And I know that there are people there that need therapy too. Those who’ve just had a hip replacement or babies born with challenges. And everything in between.”
“But?”
“But I love sports physical therapy. What I do with you. I love it. I could take on four more clients, and do this full time, and be so damn happy. But there’s not a need for it in this area. Unless you’re home with an injury, and it’s my main goal in life that this is the one and only time you’ll need me for anything this serious.”
“Me, too, thanks.” I smile at her. “You’re damn good at your job, you know.”
“Oh, I know.” She laughs and swings her braid over her shoulder. “You looked like you were on a serious call too.”
“That was Kevin. My agent. Just going over some things that he has lined up for me when I’m down in Denver.”
She nods slowly. “You’ve mentioned that. When are you going?”
“We are going next week.”