Know Me, Keep Me

by Barbara Gee

  “Is that what happened with you? A veteran player helped you?”

  “Yeah, and I thank God for that guy every time I remember how close I came to letting the manipulation of others direct my choices for the future.”

  “If I remember right, you signed your first contract at twenty,” Jolene said thoughtfully. “That’s so young. It’s understandable that you struggled for a while.”

  “I suppose.”

  She looked up at him, a warm smile curving her lips. “Somehow I have a strong feeling you’ve been that voice of wisdom to more than a few young rookies yourself, in the years since then.”

  He blew out a breath. “I try, that’s for sure. Lots of us do. The sad thing is that some just don’t listen. They want so badly to keep that super-human status, but it’s grueling, and eventually the stress gets the best of them. Their game suffers, their fame fades, and then they’re lost. Most can’t recover from that.”

  “So what’s the moral of the story, Boone?” Jolene asked, turning to face him. “Be yourself no matter what? Don’t let your head swell up so much you can’t get it through the door? Save your money because a rainy day is always in the forecast?”

  He looked at her for a long time, not answering. Jolene had been trying hard to ignore the man’s insane attractiveness, but now she couldn’t help but notice the clearness of his thick lashed, jade green eyes, the sheen of his longish dark hair, the straight nose that belied his profession. She’d seen him on TV countless times, not only playing in games but doing interviews too, some of them short intermission interviews with him sweating and breathing hard with a helmet crease across his forehead, others when he was impeccably dressed in a tailored designer suit. She’d known he was an attractive man, but seeing him close-up and in person put his TV image to shame. He was more than he appeared in only two dimensions. Way, way, way more.

  He pushed away from the rail and stood there facing her, hands on his narrow hips, his firm, masculine lips curled into a wary smile. “Sure, those clichés all apply, but I would add one more caution.”

  “And that would be?” Jolene prompted.

  His eyes narrowed. “Don’t let your new physical therapist become your shrink within twenty minutes of meeting her.”

  She raised her chin and frowned. “I’m far from being a shrink, Boone.”

  “Not even a minor in psychology?” he asked skeptically.

  She couldn’t help but laugh. “No minor at all. I was totally focused on my Biology major so I could get into a good PT program.”

  “Well you’ve got some impressive conversational skills then, because believe it or not, I’m not normally much for talking about personal things. Especially with someone I’ve known less than half an hour.”

  Jolene laughed. “I didn’t intentionally set out to get personal.”

  “You’re not a sports reporter in disguise are you?”

  “Nope. But I’m afraid I am a talker. I work with people all day every day, and it seems too impersonal if I just put them through the paces with no conversation. So if I’m rambling on and you’re bored out of your skull, feel free to tell me to shut up.”

  He chuckled. “Noted. Anything else I should know?”

  “Um, I tend to be a rather curious person, which means I ask a lot of questions.”

  He raised a brow. “I would’ve never guessed.”

  Jolene couldn’t help but laugh again. “Okay, so you’ve already witnessed that. But keep in mind, just because I ask, doesn’t mean you have to answer. You can always tell me it’s none of my business.”

  “I’ll give the old ‘no comment’ reply.”

  “That works.”

  He lifted a hand and rubbed his knuckles back and forth along his jaw. “I’m going to have to keep my guard up,” he said. “You’ve already shown you’re pretty good at getting me to talk. If I’m not careful, I’ll reveal all my secrets without even realizing it.” His voice was light, but his eyes held a shadow that hadn’t been there a moment ago.

  Deciding it was time to change the subject, Jolene pointed to a door. “Let’s head on out there. The equestrian building is next on the tour. Then I’ll take you to your cabin.”

  ***

  Boone seemed fascinated by the horses and the arena, although he admitted he’d never ridden a horse in his life.

  “I hadn’t either until a year ago. In fact, I had a completely irrational fear of horses. Libby actually had to shame me into giving riding a try. Now I love it.”

  “I don’t think now would be a very good time for me to learn,” Boone said, unconsciously bringing a hand up to the back of his head.

  Jolene watched, noticing where he pressed with his fingers and storing that information away for later. “How can you have a name like Boone and not be from horse country?”

  He grunted. “I was actually born in Texas. We moved to Chicago when I was three.”

  “Did you know anyone else named Boone when you were a kid?”

  “Not a single one. Still don’t.”

  “It’s a fantastic hockey name.”

  “There is that,” Boone agreed drily.

  Jolene led him out of the building and around the back of the lodge, then they cut through the admin wing to the parking lot out front. Boone pointed to the SUV he’d rented.

  “All my stuff is in there.”

  Jolene walked to the vehicle with him. “You’ll have the use of a golf cart while you’re here. They work best for getting around the campus. We can have someone return this rental for you, if you like. There’s always someone running to Grand Forks and Fargo.”

  “That would be great.”

  “Let’s drive out to the maintenance building, that’s where the golf cart garage is. I’ll get one assigned to you, and we can leave this SUV in the lot there. I’ll make sure it gets returned tomorrow.”

  Before long they had his bags and backpack loaded into a cart, and Jolene drove it to the staff housing area. Boone was glad to find that the cabins were spaced far enough apart to give some privacy, and his cabin was at the very end of the row, making it even better. He hadn’t come to the Full Heart Ranch to socialize, although he had to admit he’d done plenty of that with Jolene in the past hour. Surprisingly, it had been enjoyable. The girl had somehow weaseled her way past his normally prickly shell, and he still wasn’t quite sure how she’d done it so effortlessly. He really did need to be more careful, or she would indeed get more out of him than he intended anyone to know.

  CHAPTER 4

  Jolene showed him around the little cabin assigned to him, which was quaint and rustic and very comfortable. There was a queen sized bed and a small kitchenette, although Jolene assured him he wouldn’t need the kitchen much because the cafeteria was open from 7AM to 11PM and the food was healthy and delicious.

  “There are more food choices during the weeks when retreats are running, naturally, but even in the down weeks you’ll find plenty to like.”

  He chuckled. “I’ll try to be careful and not put on the extra ten pounds that messes with my dexterity.”

  “I’ll just work you out harder,” Jolene replied with a grin.

  “How many staff do you have here?”

  “We currently have nineteen paid staff, and a pretty steady rotation of volunteers. Like you.” Jolene smiled. “Keeps things interesting. But you’re our first famous volunteer. Hopefully our staff who are hockey fans won’t go too crazy when they meet you. I’m a little worried about a few of them, though.”

  “You’re a fan, and you didn’t go crazy,” Boone pointed out.

  Jolene looked up at him, her expression a little sheepish. “Um, I kinda did inside. I just didn’t want to freak you out.”

  She watched as one dark brow slid slowly upward. “Oh yeah?”

  “Couldn’t help it,” she said with a shrug. “I really am a huge fan, and you’ve been my favorite player since you signed with the Wild. It’s still hard for me to believe I’m standing here with Boone Kendall
, but I’m trying to separate the hockey player from the man, so I don’t start bowing down or something and totally embarrass myself.”

  He raised a brow, his lips quirking into a crooked smile. “So the man isn’t quite as awe inspiring as the hockey player?”

  Jolene grimaced. “He’s pretty close, to be honest. I might start bowing yet.”

  This time he was the one to laugh. “Remember, I’ve learned not to fall for flattery.”

  She felt her cheeks getting warm. “I shouldn’t have blurted that out. I’m not trying to come on to you, honest.”

  “I asked a leading question. My apologies.” His eyes narrowed slightly. “But to tell you the truth, I find it refreshing that you speak your mind. I don’t get much of that.”

  Jolene leaned back against the door as he unzipped one of his bags. “I never thought about how hard it must be for you,” she said honestly. “I really do hope your time here offers you a respite. This ranch is great in so many ways.”

  “It seems like a good place,” he agreed.

  “I have some ideas about how we can get some of your workouts done outside the gym, if you want, because I think spending time outdoors would be good for you, both physically and mentally. And I have to say, spending time with the veterans will do your heart good. We do wonderful things for wonderful people here, and you’re going to be a big part that over the next couple months. I think you’ll find you get as much as you give.”

  He nodded slowly, his eyes shadowed again. “I’m glad I came. Just remember, Jolene, I’m flawed and I screw up like anyone else, and I don’t always handle things the best way. Not because I don’t want to, but because I don’t always know what the best way is.”

  She looked at him curiously. “What are you getting at, Boone?”

  One shoulder rose and fell. “Nothing in particular. I just don’t want you to be shocked when you realize I’m not always as good at regular life as I am at hockey. And don’t take it personally if I clam up sometimes. I’m not as open and forthright as you seem to be.”

  “Open and forthright isn’t always the best way. I embarrass myself on a regular basis,” Jolene told him ruefully. “But I’m glad we’ve had a little time to get to know each other. I’m looking forward to working with you, Boone. At the risk of sounding arrogant, I’m sure I can help you.”

  “I hope you’re right, but it seems to me the only thing that’s gonna help is time. In another month or so the headaches should be gone—I just need to stay in shape in the meantime.”

  “We’ll see about that,” Jolene said enigmatically. She tilted her head. “You have a headache now, don’t you?”

  He grunted. “I usually do.”

  “Does the pain level jump around throughout the day, or stay pretty constant?”

  “It often stays at whatever level I wake up with. It does jump around sometimes, for no known reason. The good news is I’m not dizzy anymore, and the pain level hasn’t been above an 8 for two weeks.”

  “That’s good. Have you noticed whether the pain level has any correlation with your stress level?”

  He shrugged. “My stress level stays pretty constant, so it’s hard to tell.”

  “Sit down at the table for a second,” Jolene said. “Please,” she added.

  After a moment’s hesitation Boone complied.

  “Now lean over and put your arms on the table, and rest your face on them.”

  He complied and Jolene moved to stand behind him, running her hands slowly from the bottom of his spine to the base of his skull, feeling the muscles beneath her sensitive fingertips and trying valiantly to concentrate only on the muscle structure. Not the warmth of his skin through his shirt, or how good he felt under her hands.

  She repeated the bottom to top stroke, with more pressure. She liked to combine things like massage and simple manipulation with the more traditional physical therapy regimen. She suspected that stress was playing a bigger part in Boone’s PCS than his trainers thought, and she pressed on the knots she felt by his blades and along the tops of his shoulders.

  She pushed harder, picturing the muscles she was kneading and seeing them relaxing in her mind’s eye. When the knots finally gave way to her insistent fingers, she moved to his neck, working her way up until she was at the spot on his skull where he had pressed his fingers earlier. He was completely silent as she worked, but she felt him relaxing ever so gradually under her touch, and heard his breathing become slow and steady.

  When the act of sliding her fingers through his thick, soft hair to massage his head threatened to become more sensual than therapeutic, Jolene quickly finished and stepped back.

  “Better?” she asked hopefully.

  Boone sat up slowly, his eyes looking a little bleary. Much longer and he might have gone to sleep. He rolled his shoulders, then swiveled his head back and forth a few times.

  “Wow. Much better.” He rolled his shoulders one more time. “There’s magic in those hands, Jolene Tolley.”

  “So I’ve been told,” she said with a grin. “Now how about we go grab some dinner. I heard there’s roasted pork loin tonight. Then you can come back here and relax all by yourself for the rest of the evening, if you want to. Or if you feel like socializing, it’s always pretty easy to find people playing cards or watching movies, or just hanging out.”

  Jolene swallowed hard when he stood and stretched, his magnificent muscles rippling all over the place under his thin shirt. She stepped away and hoped he hadn’t noticed her ogling him.

  “Oh, yeah, I meant to mention this earlier,” she said quickly. “If you want to have anyone come stay with you while you’re here, that’s fine. For the whole time or just part of the time, whatever. Lots of volunteers have their spouse or significant other come along. All we ask is that the guest volunteers for a few hours a day, just to kind of cover their food and stuff. It’s easy to find things that need to be done and it’s not like it’s hard labor or anything.”

  He cocked a brow, his very, very nice lips curving into a speculative smile. “You’re a big fan, Jolene, so you tell me. Do I have a significant other to invite?”

  She folded her arms and tried not to blush. “I only follow your game, Boone. Not your personal life.”

  He nodded approvingly. “You’re the best kind of fan, then. And no, I won’t be inviting anyone to join me.”

  Jolene wasn’t sure whether she should be relieved to hear that, or concerned. Hockey prowess aside, this was a man she suspected could steal her heart with very little effort, should he be so inclined. Not that he would ever want to, but still. His effect on her after this very short time was unusual, and a pretty big, scary deal.

  Like it or not, she suspected she was in for a very confusing, frustrating, and exhilarating couple of months. She could only pray she was up to it.

  CHAPTER 5

  When they entered the cafeteria to get some dinner, Jolene was relieved to see both Maddy and Libby there with their husbands. The two couples usually didn’t eat dinner there, so she figured they’d shown up to welcome Boone. Which was just as well, as she’d had enough one on one time with him for now. She needed to get some distance so she could regroup.

  Libby waved them over to their table, and the two men stood to shake Boone’s hand, wide smiles on their hockey-loving faces.

  “Great to have you here, Boone,” Tuck said after introductions had been made. “When Maddy told me you’d inquired about volunteering with us, I told her to do whatever it took to get you here. The timing is perfect, with our rink just getting finished up.”

  “I’m excited about it,” Boone assured him. “I hope to be an asset.”

  Libby’s husband, Ryan, nodded agreement with his brother-in-law. “We’re lucky to have you, but it’s too bad about your injury. Our biggest resident Wild fan was devastated when it happened.”

  “I still am,” Jolene said unapologetically. “But if he has to be sidelined, I’m glad he came here.”

  “Let’s gra
b some food,” Libby suggested. “We can get to know each other better while we eat.”

  ***

  Two hours later Boone had consumed a considerable amount of food, which was as delicious as Jolene had promised, and he felt like he’d made some pretty good new friends. He also knew why Libby and Maddy had shown no interest in him. The women were obviously totally in love with their husbands, and happiness radiated off the four of them and onto those around them.

  Boone found he liked being in their glow. Of all the people he usually spent time with, only Jax and his wife, Sarah, had the same kind of rapport. Several of the other guys seemed fairly happy in their marriages, but their wives tended to be a little needy and high strung, which drove Boone crazy if he was with them for more than fifteen minutes. As a result he’d gotten good at coming up with excuses to leave gatherings early.

  He didn’t need to think up excuses with this group, however. In fact, he couldn’t remember enjoying a meal more. They talked hockey, FBI investigations, and ranching for most of the meal, then they started filling Boone in on what to expect the next week when a whole new group of guests would arrive at the center.

  It was obvious that the four founders of the center had the utmost faith in Jolene, who was at the very heart of their mission. Not that Boone was surprised, as he already had a pretty good idea of her capabilities due to his trainers’ interaction with her. Still, it was impressive to hear her expound on the day to day activities she directed. As she described a typical day, he grew determined not to take up any more of her time than absolutely necessary to fulfill his obligations to the team. He suspected she already worked a considerable number of hours per day, and he didn’t want to add too much to her workload.

  When Tuck stepped away from the table to take a phone call, Boone decided to call it a night as well. As much as he was enjoying the company, traveling and not sleeping well the past few weeks had taken a toll. He knew if he didn’t get to bed soon he’d pay for it in the morning. Before he could say anything, though, Jolene gave him a knowing look and told the others it was time to let him get back to his cabin to relax.