“Just let me cut it.”
“I’m gonna need it,” JP argued back.
Ben snorted. “No, you’re not.”
“Yes, I am,” JP said through gritted teeth.
Ben rolled his eyes. “We’ll get you another jersey if you can go back out. Now let me cut it.”
JP blew out an annoyed breath.
As soon as Ben removed his jersey and lifted his shoulder pad, I gasped. JP gave me a wary look. I rolled my lips together to keep quiet, but it didnotlook good. I could actually see a divot in his shoulder where it was separated.
“Yeah, so it’snotsupposed to look like that,” Ben said calmly.
“Just pop it back in,” JP said. He clenched his jaw. “I’m ready.”
“No way,” Ben scoffed. “You trying to get me fired?” He typed on his phone for a second before saying, “First thing’s first, we need to get some imaging done.”
JP’s mouth fell open. “No way. If you won’t pop it back in, get someone else back here to do it. Get Colt.” Standing quickly, JP tried to hide his flinch, but I saw the pain on his face. “I’ll go get whatever x-rays you wantafterthe game.”
Panic ricocheted through me, but Ben blurted out a laugh.
“No, you’re absolutelynotgoing back out,” Ben said with a snort,making my heart calm a little. “We’re winning 5-0. You’re going to the hospital, Coach’s orders. How long has it been hurting?”
“Hasn’t been,” he lied.
I gave JP a disappointed look. “You mentioned it on the cruise,” I whispered.
JP’s brow furrowed. He used his left hand to rake a hand over his head. “I did? When?”
“When was the cruise?” Ben asked me.
“July,” I answered.
Ben’s eyes bugged out. “You’ve been hurt since July?”
I continued staring at JP, trying to make him tell the truth.
“May,” he finally admitted, dropping his eyes to the floor. “Pain started after a weird hit back in the playoffs.”
“And…” I gave him a pointed look.
He gave me a double-take, probably surprised I knew more about it. “And Colt popped it back in for me in May.”
Ben swore under his breath. “You hockey players are a pain in my ass,” he grumbled to himself. “Well, let’s get some imaging done to see what we’re dealing with. Let’s hope you can avoid surgery.”
“Surgery?” JP’s face went slack. “No, I’m fine,” he argued. His eyebrows pulled together. “I’ll show you, I’ll pop it back in myself.”
“Donotdo that,” Ben ordered loudly, making JP pause. “You could cut off blood flow or fuck up nerves. Just let the surgeons handle it, all right?” he warned.
JP looked like he was about to argue, but I grabbed his left hand, making him look down at me.“It’s okay,”I mouthed.
“We’re going to the hospital. Tonight. Should probably get your dumb head checked out too,” Bun mumbled to himself before looking at me. “I can’t trust him. Can I trust you to make sure he gets to the hospital? We’re calling a ride for him right now.”
JP sat back down in his cubby and closed his eyes, looking like the picture definition of disappointed.
“Yeah, I'll make sure,” I said softly.
