Total pages in book: 128
Estimated words: 124494 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 622(@200wpm)___ 498(@250wpm)___ 415(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 124494 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 622(@200wpm)___ 498(@250wpm)___ 415(@300wpm)
I suppose he’s right. Gaining the support of the team will be hard enough. But the rest of the hockey-watching world is a whole different beast.
CHAPTER 41
LEXI
Bright
We’ve got your back.
Madden
Seriously. If it weren’t for you, Grace and I probably would have unalived each other by now.
Palaniappa
We’re on your side. Shilps too, even though she can’t tell you right now.
Hendrix
The team is rallying for you.
Ryker
Miss you at practice, Coach.
Stiles
Can’t wait for this shit to be resolved so we can have you back on the ice.
Grace
Practice is a bag of balls without you. Thanks for having faith in me as a player. You’re more important to this team than you know.
Messages from the players have kept me afloat the past few days. Not being able to attend practices, see my players, do my job, is a horrible kind of torture. I worked so hard to get here, and now I’m in limbo. But Roman has been a rock through it all. And the outpouring of support from the team has been humbling. So has the support from the Badass Babe Brigade. Dred has been a constant, and the rest of the girls have been so good about daily check-ins. Well, except for Shilpa, but that I understand.
Today Roman is meeting with the Hockey Academy staff, and because I’m not at work, it means I’m very available for Callie and her hockey practices. I’m grateful no one seems to have clued in as to why I’ve been here the past few days. Still, it’s only a matter of time before the rest of the world finds out. I’m preparing for the worst, but I honestly have no idea what I’ll be up against.
I refocus on the rink. Callie is having an off practice. She’s let in three goals, which isn’t like her. She usually has more energy. Maybe she hasn’t been sleeping well either. I’m sure my stress is rubbing off on her.
After practice, she comes out of the locker room, dragging her bag behind her.
“You okay, kiddo?” I ruffle her hair.
“My tummy feels yucky,” she mumbles.
“Let me carry your bag. Maybe you’re hungry? Did you eat all your lunch?”
She shakes her head. “I didn’t feel like pizza today.”
Pizza is her favorite. She loves leftovers for lunch the next day. “Should we grab something from the snack bar on the way out? It might help.”
She shrugs. “Okay. Is Roman coming over?”
“He should be at our place around seven.”
“Do you think he’ll read me stories tonight? He always does different voices for the characters.”
“I’m sure he will.” We stop at the concession stand. “Do you feel like a hot dog?”
She wrinkles her nose. “Maybe just some pretzels.”
“Okay. And how about a ginger ale?”
I pay the teenager working the cash register and tuck the snacks into my purse until we’re in the car. Callie is quiet on the ride home, but she polishes off the pretzels and half the can of soda. As soon as we get on the elevator, she buries her face against my stomach. “I really don’t feel good, Lexi.”
I smooth her hair back. “Maybe you’re coming down with something.”
She’s been tired the past couple of days, falling asleep in the middle of a story. I chalked it up to all the stuff going on in our lives. But maybe it’s more than that. I bend and press my lips to her forehead. “You’re warm. Let’s get you into the condo, and we’ll take your temperature.”
I barely have her in the door before she throws up all over the wall. Exorcist style. And promptly bursts into tears. I get it. I want to do the same.
“Lexi, I feel really awful,” Callie moans.
“I know, honey.” I hustle her down the hall to the bathroom, and she unleashes the demons in her stomach while I hold her ponytail and rub her back.
“Lexi! What the heck happened in the hallway!” Fee shouts.
“Callie’s not well!” I call back as another round of heaving begins.
But there’s nothing left in Callie’s stomach, so she just keeps retching and crying.
“Oh wow. Someone has the flu.” Roman’s voice brings equal parts relief and anxiety.
I don’t know if he has the best or worst timing. I’m over here holding myself together with duct tape and a prayer.
“Lexi, angel?” He appears in the doorway. He’s wearing a suit, looking far too put together for this nightmare.
“Can you grab us a glass of water, please? She’s dry heaving.”
“Absolutely. I’ll be right back.” He returns seconds later with a glass of water. “Give your mouth a rinse, kiddo,” he instructs Callie.
She spits the water out, then does it again and follows with a small sip.
“Don’t guzzle it, even if you want to, okay? A little at a time.” He looks to me. “Do you want me to take over here or would you like me to tackle the hall?”