“You’re lucky Claire said you could, because your sweet-talking wouldn’t work on me. You forget, I’ve known you since we were babies.”
Growing up, our dads were best friends. Having played for the Mountain Lions together, they all retired and stayed in Denver. Naturally, all of their kids became friends.
Nick is one of my closest friends since I’m only a few months older than he is. I’m lucky that I get to watch him play. He is easily one of the best goalies in the league, and the Black Diamonds know it.
Even though our backup is good, we’ve been feeling the loss of Nick with close games and easy goals that have slipped by.
“If only I was your type.”
“No one you’re seeing right now?” I ask, handing him the weights. A weird look washes over his usually stoic features.
“Not right now, no.”
“You sure about that?”
“Drop it, Piper.”
“Alright.” I throw my hands up in defense. “Now, another set of ten then we’re moving on to another exercise.”
“Damn. You aren’t taking it easy on me.”
“Nope. You’ll thank me for it when you’re back on the ice.”
“Will I?” he asks, laughing as he finishes his last rep.
The assistant coach walks in at that moment, eyeing everyone in the room. A few more players have drifted in since I started working on Nick. He casts a cursory glance over me and Nick before heading straight to my boss, Claire.
“What do you think that’s about?” I ask, nodding at the two of them.
“Beats the hell out of me.”
When he turns toward us with a grimace on his face, I know it can’t be good.
“Are you the one in charge of Nick’s rehab?”
I nod, crossing my arms over my chest.
“And what is it that you’re doing with him?”
“What do you mean, what am I doing with him?”
There’s an edge to his tone that I don’t like.
“Coach Cooper, what are you accusing her of?” Claire asks. She’s an older woman with graying hair who’s been with the team longer than I’ve been alive. She knows what she’s doing and wouldn’t let just anyone help with rehab of the team.
Claire doesn’t mess around, and I love that she takes chances on younger women in the field. Especially in athletics, where it’s a male-dominated field.
“Does she know what she’s doing with Nick here?” He waves a hand in front of Nick like I’ve asked him to dress as Santa Claus instead of doing a new, fully-vetted type oftherapy to help his shoulder. “Is this so-called ‘therapy’ sanctioned by the team?”
The use of air quotes has ire burning through my veins. Typical of a man in a power position not thinking I know anything.
“I—”
“She wouldn’t be here if she didn’t,” Claire comes to my defense. It prevents me from saying something I know I shouldn’t. “It’s a safe and effective exercise to help get Nick back onto the ice faster than traditional therapies.”
“You’re not going to take my goalie out for the rest of the season, are you?” He addresses my boss instead of me like I don’t even exist.
I don’t even know why I bother sometimes. People take one look at me with my blonde hair and think there’s nothing in my head. That I’m a bimbo or a dumb blonde.
