When I stretch his bent knee closer to his chest, he fights back slightly, and I grind my teeth, knowing that he’s hiding this injury from everyone. They deserve to know, and he needs to get over his ego and own up to it.
“Is that feeling okay?” I ask him knowingly.
He pinches my leg, Helena’s view blocked by my body, but I don’t move a muscle.
“Feels great actually.”
I push his knee further, knowing damn well that it’s hurting him. “No clicking or soreness?”
“Nope.” He pops theP. “None. Well, maybe a little sore from weights, but nothing out of the ordinary.”
“Hmm, okay. I can help get that stretched out a little bit so you’re good for morning skate.”
He pinches my leg again, and I take the opportunity to dig my right-hand nails into his calf.
“Thank. You.”
“That’s what I’m here for,” I say sweetly and can practically feel Helena behind me beaming with pride, having no idea the secret conversation and interaction happening between the lines.
Pulling his calf forward, I straighten his leg out, feeling his knee click in the palm of my left hand. He needs to keep off the damn ice if he doesn’t want this to get worse. The clicking most definitely shouldn’t be happening, and I would bet money that it’s because his ACL is slightly torn. He probably already has a partial tear, and being on it constantly is going to fully rip it apart.
Even if I don’t like him anymore, I don’t want to see him get hurt. Besides, it’s my job now to be sure that the players are healthy, and he’s making it really fucking hard to be unbiased toward his treatment.
“Lainey, clearly, you are a perfect fit.”
“What?” I ask quickly, my brows flying together.
“For this job,” she continues, and I exhale. “This was a formality. We are confident in your capabilities. If you don’t mind, I’m going to prepare for our staff meeting if you want to finish up here. Then we can touch base afterward and discuss any concerns. How does that sound?”
“Great.” I bite the word out and turn to her with a smile. “Thank you.”
She nods and exits the room, shutting the door behind her.
Pulling Jensen’s leg forward, I push his toes down, and he winces.
“Jesus, Lain, Igetit.”
“Do you?” I snap, holding his foot and leg in place. “Because,clearly, you’re still acting like a child about it.”
“A child?” he scoffs. “Good one.”
My words are soft but panicked. “You’re only going to make it worse for yourself, and if anyone finds out I’ve been covering for you, I’m going to lose my job.”
He sits up onto his elbows. “I won’t let that happen.”
“You’re not the one in charge. You don’t have a say.” I groan, dropping his leg dramatically onto the table.
His eyes slam shut, and he grunts. “First off,oww. Secondly, I have more say than you probably think. And there’s no way in hell I would let you take any ounce of blame for this. You know me better than that.”
“Do I?” I sneer. “The Jensen I knew wouldn’t have been such a devil on the ice to my boyfriend.”
He rolls his eyes. “This again? The fucking prick deserved it. He’s lucky he left the ice on his own two feet and not on a stretcher.” He sits up taller. Reaching out, I flatten my hand on his chest to push him back down, but he catches my wrist. “And I’d do it again.”
“Why?” My voice breaks, and it makes me want to scream.
His voice is chock-full of desperation, anguish in every syllable. “Youreallydon’t know?”
“Know what?” I cry out, desperate to hear the truth.
