“I happen to be great at deciding what to eat for dinner. I’d be happy to help. Two birds, one stone.” He looks so proud of himself. “How’s tomorrow?”
I imagine that for a moment, what it would be like to go to dinner with Ash. He’d be charming and attentive, and I’d have fun for a few hours. But I’m not ready to get involved with anyone right now. Definitely not a hot hockey player who is a notorious serial dater. “I don’t think so.”
“Why not?” His voice climbs with lighthearted outrage and his eyes twinkle. “You can’t be too busy to eat.”
“Maybe I just don’t want to go out with you.”
“I did consider that, but then I remembered you checking me out earlier when I had my shirt off.”
“I was doing my job.”
“Ogling my body is the job, huh?”
My face heats with the accusation. He isn’t wrong, I was checking him out, but some of it was for professional reasons.
“I’m not going out with you.”
“Is it because of the jerk ex-boyfriend? Are you still in love with him?”
“No,” I say too quickly. The only emotions I feel when I think of Gabe are anger and shame. Anger that he turned out to be such an asshole and shame for not realizing it sooner.
“Good. He didn’t deserve you. I’m glad you broke up with him. You should date someone that treats you a hell of a lot better than he did that night. Even if it’s not me, though I think it should be me.”
I wish he’d forgotten about that night outside of the bar. “How do you know he didn’t break up with me?”
He scoffs. “Nobody is that stupid.”
I’m at a loss for words again and distract myself by checking the time. I need to get back to the desk and relieve Hannah.
“I should go check on my other patients, and you need sleep.”
He nods. “I am starting to get a little tired. Don’t know how much sleep my shoulder is going to let me get though.”
“Is the pain okay?”
“It’s better now that I’m lying down. What time do you get off?” he asks.
“Seven.”
“Will you come see me again before you leave?”
“Only if you promise to stay in bed and rest until then.”
He laughs. “If I do, will you have breakfast with me?”
“You just don’t give up.”
“Never.”
Against my better judgment, I find myself nodding. “Fine, but just coffee.”
“Really?” His obvious glee makes my stomach flip.
“I’ll stop by once I clock out, but I only have thirty minutes before I have to leave for classes.”
“I’ll be ready. Not how I pictured our first date, but I can work with cafeteria food.”
Even with excitement bubbling under my skin, I feel an instant twinge of regret. What the hell am I doing?
“It’s not a date. I’m just letting you buy me coffee to make up for being the worst patient ever.”
He laughs that deep, throaty chuckle again. “Fair enough.”
“Get some sleep.”
“Goodnight, Nurse Bridget.”
7
LET’S NOT GET CARRIED AWAY
ASH
“You didn’t even get her number?” Jack pulls into my driveway and kills the engine.
“I was working on it. We were gonna get coffee, where I’d convince her she should go out with me. But then the doctors sent me for a second X-ray this morning to double-check my shoulder and that took forever. When I got back, she’d already left.”
“Damn. That sucks.”
I nod in agreement. “But at least I know her name now and where to find her.”
My body aches as I climb out of his car. As the pain in my shoulder and head has lessened, the rest of the bumps and bruises from the game are starting to hurt. I can’t wait to get to the rink and have the trainers work their magic before we leave for Nashville.
No sooner than I’ve thought it, I realize that’s not going to happen. I’m not going to Nashville or any of the other upcoming road games.
Jack follows me into the house. It’s been less than twenty-four hours since I left to go to the rink before the game, but damn, it’s good to be home. I’m a homebody. Don’t get me wrong, I love to hang with friends and throw parties, but I prefer doing those things here.
Since my teammate Tyler and his wife Piper moved out, it’s been too quiet around here. It might be time to throw a party. Just as soon as I get out of this sling.