Jack, Leo, Tyler, and Declan stop by after the game. The guys are crowded around the far side of the room, leaning against the wall. All except Jack, who’s sitting in the chair next to me.
I’m showered and sitting up in bed while they fill me in on the game. They won. Our first W in weeks. I freaking hate that I wasn’t there.
My head and shoulder hurt, but the painkillers keep it to a dull ache. More than anything I’m worried about how long I’ll be sidelined. A couple of weeks if I’m lucky, if I’m not, maybe a month or more. It’s a huge blow to me and to the team. This is supposed to be our fucking year.
“Wait, your nurse is the girl from the game?” Leo asks, brows lifted. “The one you’ve been searching for at every home game? The one who has you turning down girls left and right?”
I chuckle at his assessment, and playfully glower at Jack. The only way Leo would know that is from our dear captain because Leo hasn’t been out much since Callum was born.
“With good reason. I met a ten. You don’t shake off a ten that easily.”
A knock sounds at the door and I perk up, excited for the guys to meet Bridget. She’s cute as hell in her scrubs.
Her eyes widen as big as a hockey puck as she notes the four guys in the room with me. She’s carrying a cafeteria tray in front of her. That long, curly hair is pulled back in a clip, and falls over one shoulder. My memory of her didn’t do her justice. If she’s a ten, then every other girl I’ve ever called a ten was really a six. I’m going to have to redo my entire scale. Zero to Bridget.
She covers her surprise quickly, smoothing out her expression and smiling stiffly. “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize you had visitors. I can come back.”
“No, come in. I was just telling them about you.” I wave her over.
Her brows lift and she hesitates before she steps farther into the room.
She sets the tray on the table next to my bed, then eyes the bags of takeout my teammates brought.
Leo takes a step forward and offers his hand to her. “You must be Bridget. I’m Leo.”
“Hi, Leo.” After a short hesitation, she takes his hand, then nods to the other guys. They’re all giving her these big, cheesy smiles, which is hella awkward. She doesn’t seem to notice. Or if she does, she’s hiding it well.
“I was just dropping off your dinner and checking to see if there was anything else you need before I take my first break, but it looks like your friends are taking good care of you.”
“Anything for Ash. He’s a great guy.” Declan gives her an approving nod.
“The best!” Tyler adds enthusiastically. “Everybody loves him. Most genuine guy you’ll meet.”
Jack chuckles and then covers it with a cough.
Dear god. How am I the single one when these guys are this bad at talking to girls? Do they really think they’re helping me out?
Bridget hesitates like she isn’t sure how to respond before she says, “Visiting hours end in twenty minutes. I can ask for special permission if you’d like someone to stay with you overnight, but you need to rest.”
And have them continue to talk me up to her like I’m their kid brother that can’t get a date? No way. “I’m good. They were just heading out anyway. Right guys?”
“Yep,” they all say at once and start shuffling around to leave.
“I am sorry to kick you guys out,” Bridget says, genuine sympathy in her voice. I like that she’s not afraid to tell my buddies to take a hike, but yet she still seems apologetic about it.
“We understand.” Jack places a reassuring hand on my good shoulder. “Text if you need anything. I’ll stop by in the morning.”
Each of the guys says their goodbyes and thanks Bridget on their way out. Leo gives me a thumbs-up as he disappears out the door.
When we’re finally alone, she motions for me to lie back. “How’s your pain?”
“With them around? Excruciating.”
She laughs lightly. “And now?”
“Same as before. Not too bad.”
“You can have more meds in thirty minutes.”
I melt back into the pillow, relaxing for the first time since I got here. “Does that mean you’ll be back in half an hour?”
“Yes, if someone else doesn’t beat me to it.”
I tilt my head to the side in question, and Bridget laughs quietly. “I’ll be shocked if the other nurses don’t fight over who gets to cover my break. Your presence has everyone losing their minds.”
“Everyone but you.”
Her stare holds mine as she adjusts the bed’s incline to relieve more pressure from my shoulder. “I was surprised to see you.”
“Excited?”
“Surprised.”
“I guess I’ll take it. Surprised is better than horrified.”
Our gazes lock and several beats pass while we silently smile at each other. Her turquoise eyes hold me hostage.
Bridget looks away first, checking the watch on her left wrist. “Do you need anything else?”
“No, I guess not.” I don’t want her to go. The thought of lying here all night with nothing but my own thoughts sounds downright awful. But I also don’t want her to miss her break.
“I’ll be back at the top of the hour. Buzz if you need anything.”
The minutes tick by so slowly. My head hurts too much to focus on TV or scrolling on my phone, which means I’m basically staring at the wall waiting for Bridget to come back. I have so many things I want to ask her. I don’t know her at all, really, but I feel this connection to her somehow.
When she finally returns, she’s joined by Dr. Weston, so I don’t get a chance to talk to her alone. Bridget hits the lights as they leave, orders me to get some sleep with a sexy glare, and tells me she’ll be back in a couple of hours.
Sleep? Unlikely.
I replay tonight’s game from the beginning to the hit that took me out. The Vegas player who delivered the late hit received a game misconduct penalty and was ejected, but it hardly makes up for the fact I’m lying here in this hospital bed. Damn. I cannot believe one month into the season and I’m injured. The thought of sitting around for weeks, or longer, has me getting to my feet. I head out into the hallway, not sure where I’m going but needing to move around.
The hospital is quiet. All the lights are dimmed, and the only noises are the air conditioning vents humming as they pound out cool air (it’s freaking freezing in here) and the distant chime of an elevator. I pass by several empty rooms on my way down the hall. I don’t particularly like hospitals—then again, who does? But I’m pretty stoked that it’s given me a chance to see Bridget again.
Which is why it shouldn’t really surprise me when my steps lead me to the nurses’ station. Bridget sits behind the desk with another woman. A few other nurses work behind them. Each of them are quiet, busy doing their own thing. My girl has her head bowed over a book, wearing a pair of cute glasses. Sexy nurse meets sexy librarian. That’s a fantasy mash-up I never saw coming.
“Ash Kelly. Holy crap, you’re tall.” The woman I haven’t met notices me first and elbows Bridget.
She rubs her arm and glances up at me. “Mr. Kelly. What are you doing up? Did you need something?”
“You can just call me Ash.”
“Ash.” She pauses after saying my name like she isn’t sure how she feels about using it. “Is everything okay?”
“Fine. Just bored.”
A small smile lifts the corners of her pouty mouth. “You’re supposed to be sleeping.”
“Impossible.”
“Is your pain increasing?” She gets a cute little furrow between her brows.
“No. I meant sleep is impossible because I know you’re down here.”
The girl next to her giggles, but Bridget cocks her head to the side and gets this sexy annoyed look in her eyes. “Mr. Kelly.”
“Ash,” I remind her.
“Ash. You really need to try to rest. Your body has been through a lot tonight.”
Don’t I know it, but it’s just another reason that I don’t want to sit and stare at the walls.
“What are you reading?” I ask her, then finally give the other nurses enough attention to realize their gazes volley between me and Bridget.
“She’s studying,” the girl next to her says. She smiles at me. “I’m Hannah. Huge fan. Go Wildcats!”
Ah, an ally.
“Nice to meet you, Hannah.” Smiling, I rest my good arm on the desk and lean forward. “Busy night?”
“Yes,” Bridget says, returning her gaze to her textbook at the same time Hannah says, “No.”
I look at Hannah. “Did Bridget tell you we’re old friends?”
“We are not friends,” Bridget interjects quickly.
Ignoring her, I keep my attention on Hannah. “We met at a game. I gave her a puck during warmups and tried to get her number. I’ve been looking for her at every game since. Imagine my surprise when I end up here and she’s my nurse.”
The accusatory glare Hannah sends Bridget makes me chuckle. “You went to a Wildcat game? And met Ash Kelly?” Her voice climbs higher. “When?! And how could you not tell me something like that?”
“It was forever ago and it wasn’t a big deal.”
“Last month,” I clarify. “The home opener.”
Hannah tips her head to the side. “With Gabe?”
Bridget says nothing but gives her coworker the tiniest of nods.
“Is that the boyfriend?” My jaw clenches remembering the way that asshole talked to her. I’d forgotten about him in my excitement at seeing Bridget again.
“Ex-boyfriend.” Hannah’s big grin matches mine.
Giddiness I haven’t felt since I was a kid spreads through me. They broke up. Hell yeah. Best news I’ve had all day.
