Page 43 of Puck Love

I sigh. If this is my introduction, I’m not sure I want to stick around for thechampionships.

Emmett and I walk somberlythrough the empty stadium and out into the crisp morning air of a beautiful Calgary day. I lean against the truck, suddenly bone-tired, and wonder if Van is okay. Is he awake? Is he in pain? He hit the ice so hard—I can’t see how he wouldn’t be. Eli comes out of the building along with several teammates, and it kills me to have to hang back and not rush over, but I wait until he says goodbye and practically spring at him as I hand him Van’s keys. “I wanna go to thehospital.”

“No.” He shakes his head. “It’ll be crawling with reporters by now. I’m guessing no one knows you’re stillhere.”

“But Van’shurt.”

Eli grins. “Yeah, and he’lllive.”

“We should bethere.”

“Why? So, we can sit around a waiting room all day, being asked for autographs?” He leans forward, looming over me the way Van might. “No. You and Emmett will go to Van’s. I’ll bring him home when he’sdone.”

“But—”

“Wow, you really don’t give up, do you? Listen, I don’t know how long this little thing has been going on, but I know you’re not Emmett’s speechtherapist.”

I frown in confusion. “He told youthat?”

“Yeah, and if he wanted to keep it from me, he wants to keep you around a little longer. Now, he’s gonna need someone to nurse him back to health, and judging by the look on your face, I’d say you’re not opposed to thatidea.”

I blush. “I. . .”

“It’s okay, sweetheart—he has that effect on everyone.” He winks and climbs into the car. I open the front door and scramble in beside him. Emmett is already in theback.

“He’s going to be okay,right?”

“He’ll be fine. The coach said he was asking to get back on the ice as they put him in the ambulance. They’ll run a few tests, and likely release him in a couple hours. We all take a hit at some point.” Eli turns on the engine and peels out of the parking space. “Em, you wanna call your mom and have her come home from that conference a little early? It’s probably best if you stay with her or me tonight so that Van can rest. He won’t be able to drive for a fewdays.”

“I can drive,” I say in amonotone.

“Yeah, that’s not the best plan. Accidents tend to draw acrowd.”

I glare at him. “Hey, screw you. I’m not that bad. I don't even know why you’re driving usnow.”

“Because Emmett is pretty particular about who he gets in the car with. Right, Em?” Eli says, looking in his rear-view mirror at the man inquestion.

“I’m on the phone, dickweed,” Emmett snaps. Eli chuckles, but I don’t have the heart to laugh, not when I’m so worried aboutVan.

Eli floors it through the same security gate I passed with Van just a few hours earlier, but this time everything feels different. I don’t know what to do. I should hop on the next flight back to Nashville, but the thought of leaving now twists my stomach and sends my heart hammering against my ribs. I don’t want to leave. I want to know that he’s okay. I want to be useful. I can’t abandon Van when he needs someone to take care of him the way he’s taken care ofme.

Emmett continues to talk to his mother from the backseat, and Eli is busy navigating through the downtown Calgary traffic. I ball my hands into fists, and tap my foot impatiently. I don’t know why I’m so on edge. Eli said Van would be fine, but I can’t help thinking of him lying in a hospital bed somewhere allalone.

“Turn the car around,” I sayimpulsively.

“No.” Eli shakes hishead.

“Turn the car around; he can’t be there by himself.He—”

“Stella, you walk in that hospital, and all of this blows up in your face. There will be paps and reporters banging down his front door wanting to get just a glimpse of the two of you together. You can’t be seen with him, or it’s all over, and I’m betting your people want you back pretty badly, or they wouldn’t be offering a reward for information on yourwhereabouts.”

“What?”

“All of Canada is trying to findyou.”

“Oh mygod.”

“You walk into that hospital, and you kiss the peace and quiet of Van’s cabin goodbye,” Eli says. I let my head fall back against the seatback with a sigh. “What the hell are you runningfrom?”