Chapter 57: Bryn

The nice guy next to and I make small talk while we wait for the game to start. We discuss the normal things like work and school. He mentions he’s a writer and I tell him I’m with Sawyer and work for the team. By the time the game finally starts, we’re old friends. I watch out for Sawyer to come sliding onto the ice and as soon as I see him, his eyes lock onto mine. He winks at me and smirks before pulling his helmet on.

I see him greet his friend on the other team and I catch them both smiling and laughing when they move into position. It’s nice seeing Sawyer look easy going for a game. He seems looser and more relaxed, but once the puck is done, he moves with the same precision as always. He’s a beast on the ice and he needs to be today because already I can see the other team won’t be taking it easy on them.

The whole game has me on the edge of my seat as I watch the guys get slammed by the other team over and over. None of their hits are serious, thank god, but it has me worried. One bad hit and someone will get seriously injured and I don’t want it to be Sawyer. He can’t afford to get hurt again and it would kill me to see him go through recovery.

Two of the main guys end up having to be replaced because of hard hits and one player get’s sent to the box on our side. We’re heading toward the last few minutes and I can see a few of our guys are feeling the pressure. The score is close but the other team’s goalie is tough to get past. It’s going to take a wish and a prayer for us to win this. At least it would have if Number 10, Davis, hadn’t rushed toward one of the other team members and nearly threw him across the ice. The player goes down hard and I know who it is when Sawyer pulls hit helmet off and crowds Davis.

Davis takes off his helmet too, and they get into each other’s faces. I can only make out some of what they're saying, but my eyes move over to where Maddox is laying on the ice. He hasn’t gotten up yet and everyone is so focused on the fight that starting to not him. I can’t believe their medics haven’t shown up yet. It’s taking too long! I decide to handle this myself.

“Excuse me.” I say to several people as I make my way toward our side entrance.

I step onto the ice and move slowly and carefully until I reach Maddox and I lower myself next to him.

“Maddox? Can you hear me?” I ask, leaning over him to see if he’s conscious.

His eyes are focused on the ceiling until I come into view and then they move to meet mine. “Hey Bryn. Fancy seeing you here.” He laughs, but then grunts in pain.

I cringe. “Where does it hurt?”

He lets out a weak laugh. “This is hockey. Everything hurts, sweetheart.”

“Okay, but what had you grunting in pain?” I ask.

“It’s my ribs on this side.” He lifts his arm and points to his left side.

I should wait for the medics, but when I glance behind me, a fallout brawl is going on and the guys are being pulled apart. Several of them are bleeding, which explains where all the medics went.

“They should be helping you.” I hiss before I look back down at Maddox.

“I’m not a big deal with these guys. Just a spare.” He says with no bitterness in his voice.

“You’re a great player. Don’t sell yourself short. Now let me get a look at your ribs.” I reach for the hem of his jersey and carefully move it up.

I pull away everything until I can see his bare torso. He’s as fit and muscular as the rest of the guys, but I can see a bruise forming on his left rib.

“Does it hurt if you try to sit up?” I ask him.

He pulls his arm back a little so he can lift himself onto his elbows. There are a few sounds of discomfort and pain before he drops back down.

“Yeah. Do you think one of them is broken?” He asks.

“I’m not a doctor, but I think you should get an X-ray done. I’ll see if we can get a medic to call for an ambulance.” I move to stand, but he covers my hand that had been resting on his chest.

“No ambulance. My insurance isn’t so good.”

My heart breaks at the thought of him being in pain longer because of his insurance, but mine isn’t any better.

“I’ll call an Uber.” I pull out my phone and quickly arrange for a ride.

“B!” I turn my head and see Sawyer skating over to us. “Maddox man, you okay?”

“Uh, just a bruised rib, I think.” Maddox says, trying to play off the pain he’s in.

“We need to get an X-ray done on him. I called an Uber to come get us.” I tell Sawyer.

He nods. “Okay, let’s get him up.”

The two of us help Maddox onto his skates again…well not so much me because these guys tower over me and weigh three times as much. I’m mostly there to support their efforts. We get Maddox to the benches where his Coach and medics should be.

“I’ll grab our stuff and then we can go together. Are you okay?” Sawyer asks me.

I smile at him. “I’m fine. Go ahead.”

Sawyer hesitates but eventually turns and jogs off.

“How bad does it hurt in this position?” I ask Maddox.

He groans and blows out a breath. “It isn’t pleasant.”

“I should check your head as well. You fell pretty hard.” I gently grab his helmet and slowly lift it off.

His hair is disheveled, and a few strands fall over his forehead. That urge to run my fingers through it hits again, but I clear my throat and ignore that urge…again. Instead, I focus on searching for any blood from a wound. Nothing. That means next I’ll have to feel for any swelling or lumps. My fingers hover just above his head and I try to remind myself that this is for medical reasons and not because I have this weird urge to run my fingers through his golden hair.

Okay…I can do this.

I slide my fingers through his hair and feel around his scalp. He groans suddenly and I stop. “Did I hurt you?”

He laughs softly. “Far from it.”

“Oh.” I’m not sure what to say and I don’t want to ask him what he means by that.

So I continue checking his head.

“I think my head is fine.” He says, sounding like he’s in pain.

I let my hands fall from his hair and I look down at him. His eyes are already locked on me and I see something dangerous in them. Very dangerous because it isn’t innocent, but it is also riddled with guilt.

“Thanks Bryn.” He says softly just before his face scrunches up in pain and he sways.

I reach out and wrap my arms around his neck so that his head rests against me and I can hold him up. He can’t fall off this bench and hit his head again. I’m careful not to hold him too tight, but his hands move to my hips and he holds me like a lifeline. I feel something flutter and turn in my stomach where his head is laying. It’s an odd sensation, and it only feels stronger when he makes a humming sound.

What the heck? Is that…

“Wow. That’s crazy.” He mumbles.

His hands move slowly from my hips and under my jacket so that one hand is on either side of my belly. “I can feel it.”

“Feel what?” I whisper.

His head lifts, and he looks up at me. “The baby. It’s moving.”

What? Is that what I was feeling? And how did he know about the baby? We had told no one officially yet and I’ve only now started to show, but I’m still able to hide it with baggy clothes.

“You can?” I ask him softly and he smiles.

His eyes look unfocused but sweet and even though I might not be a doctor, I can guess he has a concussion. I reach for his head and run my fingers along his scalp again. Letting go of my nerves about touching him, I’m able to focus on my sense of touch. Just at the back of his head is a bump.

“I think you might have a concussion.” I tell him.

“Does that mean you’ll take care of me?” He asks, attempting to be cute.

I smile. “Yeah it does. Right Sawyer?”

Maddox’s head lulls to where Sawyer is standing, watching.

I kind of hoped Maddox seeing Sawyer would encourage him to drop his hands from my belly, but it doesn’t. Sawyer looks between us and laughs with a shake of his head.

“How did I know you were going to steal my girl, Maddox?” He says teasingly.

“Because what’s yours is mine, Becket.” Maddox cranes playfully.

Sawyer laughs and helps Maddox to his feet. “Sure is buddy. Come on, let’s get you checked out.”

They walk off while I blink at their backs in confusion.