“As you can see from tonight,” I say, “she’s already got me in peak shape.”
“Bit early to peak,” Chayton says, and his gaze shifts between Sawyer and me. “Let’s hope there’s more hill to climb.”
“It’s a long season,” Sawyer says. “I had no idea you all played so many matches.”
“Not much of a hockey fan, huh?” Chayton says, his tone amused.
“Never watched a game before I met Logan,” Sawyer admits.
“And now she can’t get enough,” I add.
“Of watching hockey,” she adds with a self-conscious laugh. “I can’t get enough of the sport.”
“Right,” Chayton says. “I mean, clearly.”
“I should go,” Sawyer says. “You two had plans.”
“Come out with us,” I say.
Chayton coughs.
“I can’t,” she says. “Dad and Alex called a meeting for management and all the behind the scenes people to debrief how tonight went. Tamiko’s my ride.” She gestures down the hallway, but Tamiko’s already gone.
“Tomorrow’s a rest day, but I’ll see you on the team plane the day after,” I say as she starts to walk backward.
“Oh, I don’t—I’m not—I stay here.”
“What?” I don’t look at Chayton, but I can feel how hard he’s following my interaction with Sawyer. “No. No. My trainer comes with me.”
“That’s not the deal I made. I have a whole physio clinic here. People depend on me. I have clients who are not you.”
“Get rid of them then,” I say. “You don’t need the money. You said so yourself.”
“You did not just suggest that I quit my job to service your needs.”
There’s so much warning in her tone that, somehow, it registers that I’m on thin ice. “You don’t need the money.”
“You have to be kidding.”
I set my jaw.
“Ilikemy job. The fact that I like my job is the only reason I’m even working with you right now. I can’t believe we’re even having this conversation.”
“No one told me you weren’t traveling with the team.”
“Consider yourself told now,” she says.
“That’s not good enough. My contract—”
“Good luck. I’ll see you when you get back.” She turns on her heel and heads down the hallway at a brisk pace. If Chayton wasn’t standing behind me, I’d be fucking chasing her.
“Jesus.” Chayton’s tone is shocked. “Never thought I’d see the day where a woman got under your skin. But she’s right in there, isn’t she? Already nestled pretty deep. I wonder if it’s warm inthere, right next to your heart. I always figured it’d be a bit chilly—like the ice.”
“They didn’t tell me they hired apart-timetrainer.”
“You’re not doing extra training when you’re on the road. Who the fuck are you kidding?”
“She’s my physiotherapist.”
