by Lily Harlem
The crowd erupted as the puck hit the back of the net and the away team goalie slid forward with his stick clattering from his hand.
Nathan Walker, or The Flash, was quickly surrounded by his teammates. They slapped him on the back, bumped gloved knuckles with his, and knocked his helmet with their own.
“And it’s a magnificent goal by Nathan Walker. Holy moly, it doesn’t get any better than this. His winning streak is clearly not over yet.”
The coach at my side, and the team’s owner, were on their feet, air punching and grinning broadly.
I stood to show my support.
Thumping music filled the air. The Viper’s mascot—a big green alligator dressed in a Santa suit—was throwing sweets into the crowd. The away team, dressed in black, matched their colors with their mood.
Quickly play resumed. It made me dizzy watching the puck, so instead I concentrated on The Flash. He appeared to be the man of the game, and not just this one with the frequent references to his winning streak.
He was tall and broad in his gear, through his caged helmet dark stubble was evident, and the way he moved his big bulk around so gracefully was mesmerizing.
Suddenly he was heading my way, puck neatly tucked in the crook of his stick.
Out of nowhere another player, in black, barged into him. Their huge bodies slammed together, their skates clashed, and both sticks and the puck flew into the air.
Then The Flash was pressed up against the Plexi. The whole section shook and appeared to strain under his weight.
I gasped and stepped back, my legs hitting the chair behind me and my earpiece falling out. Adrenaline surged into my system. Was he going to come through the thing?
But as soon as he was there, he was gone. He’d slid downward and hit the ice, hard.
The officials were around him. The other player involved in the collision stood, retrieved his stick, and skated off adjusting his shoulder pads.
I rushed to the rink edge. He was down, not moving, with his helmet at an angle.
“Damn it.” He’d had one heck of a collision. If his head gear hadn’t protected his skull, there could be serious consequences.
The coach to my left urged me to the door in the Plexi so I could get to the ice.
“Here,” he said. “Hold on to me.”
“Thanks.” I’d never been a skater, but luckily my supine patient was only a few yards away.
I kneeled next to him, keen to see if there was obvious damage. The cold seeped onto my knees, and my breath plumed in front of me.
His eyes were closed. He remained unmoving.
“What’s up with him?” the coach asked.
Before I could answer, Nathan Walker opened his eyes and stared up at me. His irises were a stunning shade of blue, his pupils largeand luckily equaland his lashes long and dark.
His mouth stretched into a grin. “Have I died and gone to Heaven?”
“Keep still,” I said, concerned about his skull and neck.
“Keep still? I’ve got a few more points to score yet, sweetpea.”
“I’m not a sweetpea, I’m the rink medic, now stay there.”
“No can do.” He blinked several times, then opened his mouth wide and clicked his jaw. “The clock waits for no one.”
“I really think you should…”
He held his palm up and sat.
“You should listen to the doc.” The coach at my side wrung his hands together. “She knows best.”
“If we were losing, Coach, you’d have me up already. Just ’cause we’re points ahead, doesn’t mean we can slack.”
“We have Vadim on the bench.”
“I’m finishing this.” There was a note of steel in Nathan’s tone. It was clear he wouldn’t be dissuaded.
“Well, be careful until I can do a proper exam,” I said as I stood, gripping the coach’s arm. “And get that helmet replaced; it’s probably damaged after that hit.”
“Right you are, sweetpea.”
“And don’t call me…”
A fine spray of ice landed on my lower pant legs and shoes, and he was gone, halfway across the rink in a nanosecond.
“Come on,” the coach said, tugging me. “We don’t want to be in the middle of this lot in another five seconds.”
The officials were swarming, the teams resuming their positions.
I’d just made it off the ice when several players raced over the spot I’d previously been standing in. The puck was the center of a battle of sticks. The team’s captain, Rick ‘Ramrod’ Lewis, and Nathan Walker were taking on two opponents with grim determination.
Within seconds another point was scored. I missed it, as I was looking for my earpiece, but it had been Walker again. His name flashed on the screen, and the crowd behind me were chanting “The Flash, The Flash. No one gets past The Flash.”
How can he be practically comatose one second, then performing as one of the best in the league the next?
Much as I disapproved of his decision not to get checked out medically, I had to admire his skill. He was at the top of his profession and keen to stay there. I knew what that felt like. I’d been working on getting to the top of mine for the last decade and had no intention of letting it slide.
But still, after the game I’d perform a few basic reflex tests and look in his eyes to make sure everything was in order. And if I found anything I wasn’t happy with, he’d be headed for the scanner before he could say National Hockey League.
After a few more minutes of on-ice mayhem, the final buzzer went.
The mascot scooted out, waving his arms and working the home crowd into a frenzy of delight over their win.
The crowd’s roar was one long continuous bellow, almost drowning out the sound of Slade’s Merry Christmas Everybody blasting through the speakers. Flags waved, hooters honked. The Vipers’ coaches rushed onto the ice, joining in the celebrations.
I searched out Walker, identifiable by his name written in white on the back of his red jersey. He appeared to be the center of the congratulations, not surprisingly as he’d scored the most points.
He seemed okay, no harm done from his collision course with the rink perimeter.
As I studied him, he tugged off his helmet and looked my way.
For the second time in minutes, his stunning blue gaze settled on me.
Momentarily, I felt embarrassed to be studying him so closely, then reminded myself it was from a medical perspective, a professional surveillance, nothing to do with the fact he had features which were so sharp he could have been crafted from a block of the ice he skated on, or hair that although flattened to his head was thick, over-long, perfect for running fingers through…
He turned, slapped Phoenix on the back, then slid to the opposite side of the rink, holding his stick up in triumph as the crowd’s enthusiasm grew ever louder.
Tugging my scarf a little tighter, I decided to find somewhere warmer to wait for Nathan Walker and the coach.
“Doctor Delaney.” The team’s owner, Fergal Gunner, held out his hand. “I really appreciate you standing in for your brother.”
“My pleasure.” I smiled and shook his hand. “And congratulations on your win.”
“The Vipers are the best.” He nodded at the rink. “But they don’t come cheap, which is why I’m glad you’re here, for emergencies.”
“I should check out Nathan Walker, he had a nasty collision.”
He chuckled. “That was nothing more than breeze against the Plexi. I’ve seen him take a hit a rhino could deliver and barely notice.”
I frowned. “He might be tough, but he’s still made of flesh and bone. We all break the same.”
“The guy is super human.” He held his hand up to a few of the players who were calling him.
“That might be the general opinion, but I still need to examine him before he leaves the stadium. If you could tell him that.” If I didn’t, I wouldn’t sleep. Not crossing the t’s and dotting the i’s wasn’t my style. That was how mistakes h
appened, and in my game, mistakes could be fatal.
Fergal headed off, clearly elated and looking forward to celebrating. I was left alone so reached for my bag, which held some basic medical gear, and I headed away from the noise.
Once in the corridors at the back of the tunnel, I paused. I’d been given Ben’s office to use. Where was it?
I recalled the direction and made my way there. As I did so my cell rang. Scooping it from my pocket, I checked the screen.
It flashed the words Benny-Boy, and an image of Ben from last Christmas, a little tipsy and wearing an elf hat, appeared.
My heart skipped. I’d been hoping to hear from my brother. We spoke every day, and him being out of communication while he was on safari in South Africa with his new wife had been strange and a little disconcerting.
“Hey, you,” I answered, stepping into the office.
“Soph, can you hear me?” The line was crackling and his voice faint.
“Just.”
“How’s it going at the rink?”
“Fine, but what about you? What’s it like out there in the savannah? Have you seen lion, elephant—?” The line went dead. “Damn it.” I frowned and stared at the screen.
For two minutes I willed the cell to flash to life again, but it didn’t. So I tried calling Ben’s number. It went straight to voicemail. Cleary the signal he’d found wasn’t quite enough to reach Florida.
There was activity outside, the players clattering toward the locker room. Their voices were loud and booming and echoed around the walls. I hoped the coach I’d been sitting with would remind Nathan Walker he needed a check-up before he headed out of the stadium.
I spotted a full coffee pot and helped myself as I waited. I had no intention of walking into a locker room full of sweaty, naked, testosterone-fuelled hockey players.
Or maybe I should?
I hadn’t appreciated hockey players were actually quite hot before. If I had maybe I would have taken Ben up on his many offers to accompany him to games in the past. I might have enjoyed it. I smiled and sipped my drink, appreciative of the warm, dark flavor and the caffeine hit I knew was coming. Nathan Walker was particularly handsome, and his eyes were…
Stop it, Sophie. You haven’t got room in your life for distractions.
Chapter Two
I passed the time by flicking through some of Ben’s Sports Medicine journals. Outside, the activity continued; all manner of people coming and going, but mainly men judging by their deep tones. After half an hour and another coffee, I wandered outside with my bag.
“Hey, Doc.”
I turned at the sound of the coach’s voice.
“You coming upstairs for a celebratory drink?” He nodded at a set of stairs with the handrail wrapped in red tinsel. “It’s the last game, and it’ll be a great party with a win this close to Christmas.”
“Thank you, but no. I’ve got an early start in surgery.”
“On a Saturday?”
“Broken hearts wait for no one.”
“Oh, okay. Well, thanks for all you’ve done.”
“I haven’t finished yet. I need to give Nathan Walker a check over after his head trauma.”
He laughed. “Ah, he’s okay, nothing damaged that wasn’t already.”
I frowned. “I was very clear about his need for an exam.”
His grin dropped. “Er yeah, sure. You were.” He glanced around.
Two players ambled past, each tall and broad and dressed in jeans and t-shirts with the Viper logo on them. One I recognized as Rick Lewis, the captain. The other was olive-skinned and with glossy dark hair still damp from the shower. I had a vague memory that his usual position was in goal and his name was Raven.
“You seen Flash?” the coach asked.
“Yeah.” Rick smiled my way. “Are you looking for him?”
“Yes.”
“He’s in there,” Raven said gruffly and jerking his head at the locker room door.
“Okay. I’ll wait.” I folded my arms.
“You want me to go and get him?” Rick asked.
“I’m sure he’ll appear soon.” I glanced at my watch. “Hopefully.” If I could leave in the next thirty minutes, I’d be tucked up in bed by eleven. That would give me seven hours sleep before I had to start again.
“You sure you don’t want to join us upstairs in the bar?” the coach asked.
“I’m sure. Thanks, though.”
He shrugged. “Hopefully we’ll see you again.”
“Yes, and thank you for your help.” I couldn’t imagine I’d be standing in for Ben anytime soon. This was a big favor, but I knew he’d do the same for me.
As the coach and the two players headed up the stairs, my cell rang again.
“Ben?”
“Can you hear me this time?”
“Yes, much better. What did you do?” I asked.
He chuckled. “I’m standing at the top of a hill somewhere in Kruger National Park.”
“Well don’t get eaten by lions or anything stupid like that. I’m not taking over this hockey team for you, they don’t take their health very seriously.” There was a crackle on the line, so I stepped into Ben’s office once more. The crackle faded.
“Ah, they’re okay. They’re just tough.”
“That’s what they keep telling me.”
“What was the score?”
“I’m not sure, but The Vipers won.”
“Yes!”
“Must be nice having a job that’s also a hobby.”
“Yep, it’s sweet.” He paused. “So what are you doing now?”
“Waiting to check over Nathan Walker.”
“Why, what happened?”
“He got a bump to the head. I shouldn’t think it’s anything serious.”
“But you won’t sleep unless you check for retinal detachment, CSF leakage, and have given him a post head-trauma lecture.”
“You know me so well.” I picked up a framed photograph of Lisa, Ben’s wife. She had long dark hair, always wore red lipstick, which suited her, and in this picture she was standing on a beach in a pale yellow dress, smiling at the camera.
“You okay, Soph?”
“Yes, I’m just going to miss you this Christmas.”
He was quiet, then, “I know, I’m sorry, shitty timing, huh.”
“There was never going to be a good Christmas for you not to be here.” Since we’d lost our parents five years ago, Ben and I had always been together at holidays.
“Promise me you’ll take up Amanda and Richard on their offer to spend the day with them.”
“I might. But most likely I’ll work. Makes sense for the person who has no one to spend the big day with to be on the ward.”
“Aw, come on, Soph, the rest will do you good. And you worked Thanksgiving and every other holiday this year.”
“I’ll see. Listen, I should see if I can finish up here with Nathan Walker, then get myself home to bed.”
“Okay, but Nathan Walker…”
“What?”
“Watch him.” He laughed.
“What does that mean?”
“He’s got an eye for the ladies, and I’d bet you’re just his type.”
“That might be the case, but you know full well I’m not easily caught, and I’m—”
“Too busy for love, yeah, I know, so you keep telling me, but I’m starting to wonder if you’re just trying to convince yourself of that.”
I didn’t reply. Ben had a point. It was over a year since I last went on a date.
“Let your hair down,” he said. “Relax, have a few drinks and smile because you’re having fun not because you’ve healed someone.”
“Ben, stop.”
“I’m not being flippant, Soph, I want you to have what I have.”
“Not everyone is as lucky as you. You’ve found your soul mate.”
“Everyone has a soul mate out there.”
“And mine is Nathan Walker?” I laughed to lighten the mood.
“No,” he said quickly. “Yours isn’t Nathan ‘The Flash’ Walker, that’s what I’m saying.”
“Well, you don’t have to worry, hockey players are not on my radar.” Which wasn’t strictly true. At the age of thirty-four, I’d discovered today there was something sexy about the guys who shot around on the ice, shoulder barging each other and scoring points to the roar of a crowd.
The line made a hissing noise.
“What’s that? A snake?” I asked.
“No…losing signal. I should…go.”
“Okay, well, thanks for ringing, give my love to Lisa.”
“I’ll call again when I can, and don’t you dare work on Christmas Day or I’ll…” Ben’s voice faded, and the line went dead.
I sighed and slipped my cell into the back pocket of my jeans. I’d be glad when he was home. Even though we didn’t see each other as much as we’d like to because of our schedules, it was nice to know he was in the same country as me. Africa seemed so far away.
Peering into the corridor, I frowned. Had I missed Nathan leaving the locker room? My concentration hadn’t been where it should have been while I’d been chatting.
The area appeared deserted, the noisy chatter of earlier long gone. After reaching back into the office for my bag, I headed toward the locker room. I wasn’t hopeful of finding the game’s star player. Chances were I’d have to go up to the bar and find him. Dragging him away from his colleagues in the middle of celebrating wasn’t likely to be easy.
I swung the heavy door open a fraction and stilled. The scent of soap and cologne mixed with the tang of fresh male sweat filtered up my nose. All was silent. There wasn’t anyone left in there.
I clicked my tongue against the roof of my mouth. My chance of seven hours of sleep was rapidly slipping away.
Pushing the door open wider, I stepped in. I’d check the locker room was empty, otherwise I’d be doubling back on myself.
“Anyone in here?” I called.
No answer.
“Damn it.” I shook my head and wandered farther in.
The semi-lit room was smaller than I’d thought it would be. One wall was lined with oak lockers, two others had deep wooden benches beneath rows of hooks. A large shiny table stood in the middle of the room and was scattered with water bottles, gloves, and several hockey magazines. Not all of the overhead lights were on, and shadows spread over the floor.