Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 85342 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 427(@200wpm)___ 341(@250wpm)___ 284(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85342 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 427(@200wpm)___ 341(@250wpm)___ 284(@300wpm)
“Thanks, Chase,” he says, ducking out of my office. I walk into the examining room and make sure I have everything I need in case someone gets hurt. I take my phone from my pocket, seeing she hasn’t answered my text. I tap my finger on the screen for a couple of beats, and then I just press her name at the top and hit the phone button.
It rings four times before being sent to voice mail. The message is automated and instead of hanging up I actually leave a message. “Julia.” I say her name, looking down and then up. “It’s Chase, just calling to see how you are.” My heart speeds up nervously. “That’s all I guess.”
I chuckle. “This is the weirdest, saddest fucking voice mail I’ve left in my whole adult life. Call me, so I don’t have to leave another awkward message.” I press the red button to end it and I think of her listening to this and laughing at that last part. The need to see her fills me, and when I walk up to the box, my eyes roam the room to see if she’s there. There are people all over in the room since the box belongs to the Dallas organization, so usually the wives and kids come up here. Since tonight is a midweek game, the wives and kids don’t usually come. But if this was a Saturday game, it would be filled up.
I spot Tristan sitting down on one of the stools at the high-top table that faces the ice. I walk over, sitting down on the stool next to him. “Hey,” I greet, and he looks up from his phone.
“Hey,” he says, his voice low. He looks around, his leg shaking with nerves.
“If you think this is bad,” I say, looking around the room, making sure Julia isn’t here. “Wait until something happens on the ice and all you want to do is help, but you can’t do anything.”
He just stares at me with his mouth open. “Jesus Christ, Dr. Grant, it’s a good thing you aren’t a motivational speaker.”
I can’t help but laugh at him. “Just keeping it real, Tristan.” The door opens and my eyes fly toward it, seeing it’s just Nico and Manning who come in. Manning was a big part of the team when he was the captain. When he retired, Nico brought him in as the GM of the team.
“Gentlemen,” Manning says, coming to sit down. The guy is massive at six foot five and built. He sits down next to Tristan and they spend the night watching the game. The two of them talk about the plays that will happen or should happen.
When the third period is almost over, I get up and make my way back to the locker room. It’s been a quiet night over all, and I’ve only had to go down and check on things a couple of times. I sit down on the bench, taking out my phone, while I wait for the buzzer to tell me the game is over. My fingers move to the Instagram app, and when I open it, the first thing that pops up is Jillian’s name. The picture there is of Julia looking at Bianca with a huge smile on her face, their noses touching. The caption reads “Thick as Thieves.” I can’t help but smile at the picture and then instead of just double tapping it to like it, I zoom in on Julia’s face.
The buzzer sounds and I can hear people walking down the hallway toward the dressing room. I turn off the phone and get up, making my way into the hallway. I always stay until after the last person leaves, just in case they have ailments after the game.
When I get into the car and pull away from the arena, I see it’s just after ten thirty. My car heads in the direction of my condo, but at the last minute I drive by it. I don’t even give myself time to think about it before I’m parked in front of her apartment building. I get out of the car and stare at the building, I’ve picked her up before, so I know the building but I don’t know which apartment is hers.
I walk over to the front of the building, seeing the six doorbells for the tenants. I go down the list, trying to see if I can find her name but it’s not there. I walk again to the front of the building, making sure I’m in the right spot. I look down at my phone and then up again at the building. There are six balconies but not one light is on. The only light I see is the fairy lights on one of the railings that barely give out any light.