“Dad’s right, Mom. Getting hit is unavoidable, but I’m sure it was just a dream. Remember it looks worse on TV than it usually is.”
“I know. I just want you to be safe. We barely got to see you over Christmas, and we’d like for you to be able to travel when the season ends and spend more time with us.”
“I will, Mom. I promise.” He didn’t tell her that the reason he’d cut his stay short over Christmas was that he’d been afraid to run into Clara. Nor had he told his parents that Clara now not only lived in the same city he did but worked for the Tornadoes. At least he had no reason to avoid going home now.
The locker room door opened, and Mason quickly ended the call after promising to call them again soon. He had just stowed the phone back in his bag when Blaine and Tucker rounded the corner.
“What ya doing there, Dixon?” Blaine asked with a teasing grin.
“You have a girlfriend you haven’t told us about?” Tucker added.
Mason shook his head and hoped the heat he felt creeping up his neck didn’t make it to his face. “Nah, just checking messages. No time for a woman right now. I don’t know how you two do it.”
“Best thing that’s ever happened to me,” Tucker said. He elbowed Blaine, “Wouldn’t you agree?”
“Absolutely. A good woman makes it all worth it.”
Mason could agree with them there. He’d felt that way when he and Clara were together. In fact, he’d thought they would marry - he’d even planned out how he would ask her - but before he ever got the chance, she’d broken up with him and without much of an explanation. If she could do that to him, then couldn’t any woman? Maybe he was just a bad judge of character.
He thought of the final words Clara had said to him. “Please be careful.” He wondered if her concern was merely for his injury or if she still felt for him as well. The look in her eyes made him think she might still have feelings, but their interactions this week certainly hadn’t supported that. He shook his head. Now was not the time to think about that.
“Yeah, well, maybe I’ll find one of those someday.”
Blaine smiled and clapped him on the shoulder. “You will. Don’t worry. God has a plan for you too, but right now, we better get on the field and warm up.”
Mason followed Blaine and Tucker out onto the field. He wished he had the faith in God that Blaine did, but ever since Clara had broken his heart, he just hadn’t been able to get back to church. Maybe that’s what God was waiting for though. Maybe He was waiting for Mason to come back to Him before He sent a partner. He’d go back then. As soon as the season ended and he had the time.
13
Clara
The view as they stepped out onto the field took Clara’s breath away. The field itself couldn’t be much larger than college fields, but the stands were packed which made it feel so much bigger.
“Pretty impressive, isn’t it?” Justin said from behind her.
Clara forced a smile and took a small step to her left. She liked Justin, as a boss, but he’d been acting as if he were going to ask her out since she’d started, and she wanted none of that. Not only was he probably ten years her senior, but he reeked of a recent divorce. She had no desire to be anybody’s rebound girl, even if her heart hadn’t still been attached to Mason.
“Yeah, it is.”
His eyes raked over her for a moment, and then he jerked his head to the right. “We set up over here.”
She followed him to a shaded area where a single table and several chairs were set up near a pop-up medical tent. They were a fairly new addition to the pro football arena to allow players privacy if they were injured on the field. Clara wasn’t sure how she felt about them. On one hand, she agreed that players deserved their privacy, but on the other hand, she also knew that sometimes players were pressured to get a shot and keep playing when their injury might be much more serious.
Several feet from the table and chairs, players were stretching and tossing balls back and forth to each other. Her eyes found Mason, and she couldn’t help but admire how good he looked in the tight pants. Though she’d seen him in uniform in high school - and he had looked good then - he had definitely filled out and put on some muscle since then.
He’d always had broad shoulders, but the pads made his waist look even trimmer. She could see his muscles flex as he ran to catch a ball, and she held her breath hoping that there would be no grimace of pain. Relief flooded her when he appeared to be okay.
Before she knew it, the game was beginning. Having always been a football fan, she found herself even more enthralled getting to see the game this close. She could hear the hum of conversations on the sidelines though she couldn’t hear the exact words, and the sound from the stands was so loud that it was almost deafening. She found herself cheering along whenever the Tornadoes gained yardage and sighing whenever they dropped balls or lost yards.
The game was going to be a close one. Both teams were evenly matched, and Clara found herself holding her breath every time Mason was thrown the ball. With just two minutes until halftime, she finally felt her body relax. There was only time for a few more plays and then he would be safe. At least during half time. And maybe she’d been wrong. He seemed to be okay; she couldn’t see any noticeable limping.
Blaine stepped back, and she watched as he scanned the field for an open receiver. His right arm cocked back, and the ball went up in the air. She watched as it spun in a perfect spiral and sailed over the heads of the players in the middle of the field toward Mason who was close to the end zone. It was slightly over his head, and he had to jump to reach it. His hands closed around the ball and he tucked in like normal, but as he was coming down, a player from the opposing team ran into him.
Clara held her breath as he hit the ground. She couldn’t tell if he had landed on his foot, but either way, it had looked to be a hard hit. The opposing player got up, but Mason stayed on the ground.
“No!” The word came out louder than she expected and Davis turned to look at her. She clapped her hand over her mouth to keep from shouting anything more and kept her eyes on the scene.
When it became obvious that Mason wasn’t getting up, Justin headed out onto the field with the team doctor.
Clara wanted to rush out there as well, but as the newest trainer, that was not her place. Plus, it would announce her feelings for Mason to everyone in the stands, and after their interactions this week, she wasn’t sure he’d be okay with that. So instead, she held her breath and watched.
The seconds seemed to drag on forever. Did it always take this long? Had he lost consciousness? She hadn’t seen him hit his head but she supposed it was possible.
The players on the field circled around Mason and the doctors, blocking her view. Frustration coursed through her, and she clamped her teeth together to keep from yelling at them to move. Finally, the sea parted and a cheer rose up from the crowd. Mason was making his way over to the sidelines, but not by himself. His arms were slung over the shoulders of Justin and the doc, and only one foot was touching the ground as he made his way over. The other hung at an odd angle.
Before she could say anything to him, they disappeared into the medical tent that sat on the sidelines. Clara blew out another frustrated breath as she clenched and unclenched her fists at her side. Right now, she definitely hated those tents. She wanted to see what was happening, to know that he was okay.
The half ended and the tent stayed silent and impenetrable with no update on Mason. Reluctantly, she followed Davis back into the locker room area. Hopefully, an update on Mason would come soon. She didn’t think she’d be able to sit through the rest of the game if she didn’t know what had happened to him.
“I sure hope he’s okay,” Davis said as they re-stocked the supplies on the tables. The area where they were was eerily quiet as the rest of the players were meeting with the coaches first before seeing them again.
“Me too.” Clara hoped her voice didn’t give her feelings away, but at this point, sh
e cared less about that and more about finding out if he was okay.
The door opened, and she looked up, expecting to see the players coming in although it would signal a short meeting, but Justin’s face appeared instead. It was tight and pinched in a way she hadn’t ever seen it. That couldn’t mean good news. “Clara, can I see you for a moment?”
Clara looked over at Davis with wide eyes before making her way to Justin. Was she in trouble? She didn’t think she had done anything - she’d even told him her concerns - but she couldn’t imagine why he would want to talk to her unless she was.
When they were safely outside the room and away from other ears, Justin swallowed and looked down at his hands. He cleared his throat as if the words were hard for him to utter. “Mason needs to go to the hospital, and he needs someone from the team to go with him. I have to stay here and finish the game, and since you’re the newest hire and you suspected his injury beforehand, well that straw belongs to you.”
Clara wasn’t sure if he was chiding her or congratulating her for being right. She hadn’t wanted to be right; she’d just wanted Mason to be safe. Whatever the connotation behind the words though, they were music to her ears. Now, she would finally know that he was okay, and she’d get to spend some time with him away from prying eyes.
Careful to keep her face from showing her emotion, she nodded. “Yes, sir, I understand. Is there anything else I should know?”
“Don’t talk to the press and keep the cameras away from him. I think you were right and that he tore his Achilles, but if it isn’t that bad, we don’t want word of the injury getting out and them removing him from playing next game. If there is a next game.”
He spoke as he walked, leading her toward the exit. By the time he reached the end of his sentence, they were at what appeared to be a back-door entrance of the stadium. Justin pushed open the door, and Clara saw the ambulance, silent and idling.
“He’s inside. Go ahead and climb in back and remember, no press.”
“Got it, but I didn’t grab my bag. Can you make sure it gets taken care of?”
Justin nodded though his attention seemed to be elsewhere. “Sure, I’ll have Davis take care of it.”
Clara hoped he would, but she didn’t feel like pushing the issue. Mason was what mattered right now. She knocked on the back door of the ambulance, and it swung open. An EMT offered her a hand up, and she sat down in a makeshift chair near Mason’s head.
“Are you it, then?” the EMT asked.
“Yes, we can go now.” Clara kept her eyes on Mason whose eyes were closed. Was he resting? Unconscious?
The back door shut, and the ambulance rolled forward. The movement stirred Mason, and his eyes flicked open. “Clara?”
She smiled and nodded. “It’s me, Mace. I’m riding to the hospital with you.”
“Good. I’m glad it’s you. I love you, Clara.” His words were soft and fuzzy as if he was speaking through a dream or a haze of pain.
She blinked, waiting for him to say more, but his eyes merely closed again. I love you too, Mason, she thought, but she couldn’t bring herself to say the words out loud. Not yet.
14
Mason
Mason opened his eyes and blinked against the bright lights. Where was he? This was not his room. It was too white and too sterile. His own room was painted a soft blue and the walls were covered with framed pictures of famous players. These walls were pale and impersonal, and then he remembered. The injury. He tried to replay the scene in his mind, but all he could remember was jumping up for the catch and then landing all wrong.
He rolled his head to the side. Surely someone had come with him to the hospital. Maybe they would know more. A form was curled up in a chair, but it took him a moment to realize who it was. Clara? They had sent Clara to the hospital with him?
For a moment he wondered why, but he decided he didn’t care. He was actually glad it was Clara. Not only did he trust her, but he knew she would tell it to him straight. Besides, she looked beautiful there in the chair with her strawberry blonde hair spilling over her face.
As if sensing his gaze on her, she opened her eyes and blinked at him. “Oh, you’re awake.” She rubbed her eyes and yawned before stretching to a standing position.
“How long have I been out?” He had no concept of time. The room had no windows, and the bright lights made it feel like noon when he knew it had to be much later.
“A few hours. You were dazed when they brought you in, and then I think they gave you something for the pain.” She touched the side of his bed as if wanting to touch his arm but afraid of what he might say or do. “Do you feel any pain?”
He closed his eyes and tried to assess his pain, but everything still felt a little hazy. “I’m not feeling much of anything right now.” His eyes flicked to hers. “How bad is it though?”
When her teeth bit down on her bottom lip, and her eyes slid to the side, he knew it was bad.
“Am I out for the rest of the season?” This couldn’t be happening. They had a chance at the Championship game again, and he wouldn’t be able to play?
“I think so.” Sadness creased her features even as concern filled her eyes.
“Did I at least hold on to the ball?”
She chuckled and shook her head. “Yeah, you did. I don’t know if the team managed to score off it because I was a little busy being concerned about you, but you held onto the ball.”
“You were concerned about me?” He didn’t know why, but the words sent a thrill through his chest. If she was concerned, did that mean she still cared about him?
Her head tilted to the side, and tiny wrinkles furrowed her brow. Had he said something confusing?
“Of course, I was concerned about you. It’s kind of my job.”
Right. Her job. That was probably the only reason she was here as well. They’d probably made her come being lowest on the seniority pole.
“You don’t remember anything after the catch?”
Why was she looking at him like that? Had he made a giant fool of himself somehow? “Not really. I vaguely remember hitting the ground, pain, and then waking up here.”
“Oh.” Was she disappointed? She sounded disappointed, but he had no idea why she would be.
“Did I do something? Say something that I should know about?”
She opened her mouth to speak and then sighed. “No, I’m sure it’s nothing.”
He was absolutely sure it was something, but as she didn’t seem to want to talk about it, he decided not to push. It would probably come back to him sooner or later, and he could deal with the embarrassment then.
“So, how bad is it?” he asked, changing the topic. Her face had already told him it was bad, but he needed to hear just how bad.
“The doctor hasn’t been in yet, but I’m fairly certain it’s torn, Mason. Your Achilles.”
Torn. That was very bad news. He’d done enough research when he was looking up Achilles Tendonitis to know that his season was over and most of his summer would be spent in rehab. “Do you know my options?”
“It depends on how bad it is, but from what I understand there are two options. One is non-surgical but it might take a little longer and there are some increased chances of re-rupturing it. The other option is surgery. It’s quicker but more painful and not without risk.”
“Surgery it is then,” Mason said as soon as she’d finished.
“But, Mason, there are risks with surgery too, and you’ll still be out four to six months minimum.”
Four to six months was not the news he wanted to hear. That would run right into summer training time. If he missed that, would they even play him next season? If he was lucky, he could catch the last few weeks or month of training camp, and maybe he’d get really lucky and heal faster. Or his recovery would go so smoothly that he’d be back at peak performance and they’d have to start him. “It’s the best option to be able to play again. I’m already going to miss a lot of summer training camp. If I miss a
ll of it, I may not get to play in the next season.”
“Would that be so bad?” Her voice was so soft that he wasn’t even sure he had heard her.
“I can’t not play, Clara. It’s all I’ve ever wanted.”
She nodded, but he wasn’t sure she understood. She had come from money. Her father had owned the biggest business in their hometown, and Clara had never wanted for anything. He, on the other hand, had grown up without much. He’d known hunger and frustration and how hard his parents had worked. He needed the money now, not only to feel secure, but to help his parents out. They had sacrificed so much for him.
The door opened, and a man in scrubs and a white coat appeared. “Ah, you’re awake. That’s good. How’s the pain?” He sanitized his hands and then sat at the stool nearest the computer in the room.
Mason put on his best poker face. “Not bad right now, but I’m assuming it will get worse when the pain medication wears off.”
The doctor nodded. “It will be sore for sure, but depending on the route we take, we’ll get you some medication to help with any pain.”
Mason struggled to sit up and make himself seem assertive. It was rather hard to do in a hospital gown, especially when his legs still felt a little like Jell-O. “I want surgery. As soon as possible.”
The doctor blinked at him, and then looked over at Clara who shrugged. “We haven’t even performed the MRI yet. We have to do that before I can discuss options.”
His hand clenched the thin sheet covering him. “I’m a professional athlete, doc. I need to be able to play. Is surgery my best option?”
The doctor turned on the stool and stared evenly at Mason before nodding. “Depending on the tear and what the MRI shows, then yes, possibly.”
Mason lifted his chin and stared evenly at the doctor. “Then let’s get the MRI and see what it shows.”
“I’ll get it scheduled.” He tapped for a few minutes on the keyboard, pushed back from the stool, and then left the room.
Touchdown on Love Page 6