“But you called me down here anyway,” he said. “What’s up?”
I abandoned my kit bag and wheeled over on my chair. I promised myself I wouldn’t ambush him, in case that made him clam up even more. So I gave him the higher ground, and said, “You tell me, Bouchard.”
“You sent me a text saying you needed to talk urgently, but somehow I’m the one who has to do the talking?” He scoffed, narrowing his eyes at me. “Something about that doesn’t feel right.”
“You have some nerve coming in here and talking to me about what does or doesn’t feel right.”
“And you have about twenty-seven minutes to get to your point,” he shot back. “If you have one.”
“Your arm.”
“I have two of them, thanks for noticing.” But that easy smile faltered, and I knew we were getting somewhere.
“It’s not recent, like you told me. And after what I saw on the ice last night, it’s definitely not nothing.” I folded my arms over my chest and waited.
“Oh, that.” His laugh had a nervous edge to it, and he raked his fingers through his crop of dark waves to hide it. “It’s kind of embarrassing. What you saw was the result of my shoddy tape work.”
I got up slowly. “Why didn’t you let me tape it for you like last time?”
There was nowhere for him to go with the exam table behind him, but it still felt like he’d mentally backed away from me. A one-shouldered shrug, and then, “You had your hands full with the other guys.”
“Right,” I nodded, holding his gaze. “So, an act of courtesy then.”
That smile came back and he looked relieved for a second. “Exactly. I’m nothing if not— Aaaghh!” Theo crumpled over, hugging his shoulder. Because that’s where I’d just landed a well-timed blow. “Are you crazy?”
“No, but you are if you think you can keep hiding that injury.”
He straightened, remnants of pain still etched into the grimace on his face. Finally, he dropped his arm and attempted to roll the affected joint.
“It’s not that bad.” This time, he didn’t even bother to sound convincing.
“Theo…” I stepped closer, forcing him to look at me. “I’m the only way you get to keep playing. Anyone gets wind of this, and you’ll be warming the bench indefinitely. So it’s a really good idea for you to be honest with me right now.”
I saw through the act, however hard he tried to play this off as nothing. But I also wanted it to come from him. That was the only way it would work… the suggestion I was about to make. Maybe I was the crazy one in this unlikely alliance after all.
He pushed off the table and started pacing, sticking close to the door as if he were planning a quick getaway. A caged animal. Something tipped in my chest, seeing him this way. My years in this job had brought me face to face with the pressure these athletes faced, and I couldn’t help feeling sorry for him. Watching the war waging behind his eyes.
“Honestly,” he started, that same fake levity back in his tone, “I’ll be fine if you keep taping me up before practices and games. I can keep playing.”
“Until your arm falls off?”
He turned to me, exasperated. He would’ve thrown out his arms if he was able to. “I’m the best defense we’ve got, and we’re headed into the playoffs with the best chance at the cup this team has had in years. What do you want me to do?”
“Stop being an idiot, for starters.” My response knocked the wind out of his half-assed reasoning, and he just stared at me. “But you’re right.”
His eyebrows shot up. “I am?”
“About me taping your shoulder to keep you in the game, yes,” I said. He punched the air and was halfway through a stupid victory dance, when I continued. “You’re not right in thinking that’s all it’s gonna take.”
Predictably, his excitement deflated as fast as it had spiked. “C’est poche.”
“T’est poche,” I deadpanned, and the look on his face was priceless. Equal parts delighted, shocked, and horrified. All at the same time.
“You know some French?”
“I know you’re screwed if you don’t do as I say from this point on.” I took hold of his arm—the left—and guided him back to the exam table. Telling him he sucked in his mother tongue made him a lot more pliant, and Theo obeyed without protest.
“Okay, okay, you win,” he said, sitting back down. “So, what’s it gonna take for me to get to finals?”
