I do as she says, contemplating the best way to break the ice with her. So far, her stilted, short answers to any questions I’ve posed have made it clear she doesn’t want anything to do with me. So obviously, asking her questions isn’t going to work.
I’m silent as she maneuvers my leg, trying not to focus too much on the feel of her soft hands against me or the smell of her shampoo…I had thought before it was flowery, but I think it might actually be strawberries, and the scent is fucking delicious.
“Any pain when I do this?” she asks with one hand on my calf, the other on my thigh as she rotates my knee.
“Not really,” I say, because I don’t want to call any attention to my knee. What happens here today will go in my chart, and that will be considered when decisions are made at the end of camp.
“How about this?” she asks, rotating the opposite way.
“Nope.”
The hand on my calf slides down, grasping the bottom of my foot firmly. With the other hand still holding on to my thigh, she pushes hard into my foot. “This cause any pain?”
“Nope,” I say quickly, and then add, “I think it’s nothing more than my muscles getting back in shape. But figured some ice can’t hurt, right?”
Vale slowly lowers my leg and gives me a small smile. “Well, doesn’t appear anything’s loose or torn, but if it’s worrying you, we can make an appointment with Dr. Godson.”
He was the team’s orthopedic doctor, and I sure as shit wasn’t doing that. Talk about an unnecessary red flag.
“I think it’s just lack of conditioning. Got lazy this summer,” I tell her firmly. “Just get me some ice and I’m sure it will be fine.”
“Well, let’s go sit you in an ice bath,” she says as she turns back to wash her hands again at the sink.
“No fucking way,” I growl. “Those things are torture and my balls will go into hibernation until next summer. Just an ice pack will do.”
Vale chuckles without turning around to look at me. “Okay. Just an ice bag. I’ll be right back.”
She turns and heads through the door to the treatment room. I take a moment to admire her gracefulness. It’s something she always had…more of an innate security about her body, causing all of her motions to seem effortless. I remember one time we were at a party in Sydney, and some of the girls were dancing on the tops of the tables. Of course, Vale had to do the same thing, and I remember being entranced with the way her body undulated as I stared up at her. All the other girls looked awkward and forced, but Vale was fluid and so damned sexy, she had every guy in the room panting after her.
Back then, it made me proud to have such a hot, gorgeous, and sexy girl, but if she did something like that today, it would drive me insane to have other men watch her that way. I guess when you grow up and mature, certain things become more important.
“Here you go,” she says as she comes back. “Scoot back on the table and stretch your leg out. Keep this on for twenty minutes, then you can go.”
She places a towel over my knee, then lays the bag of ice on top.
“Thanks,” I say quietly.
“It’s my job,” she quips, and then walks back over to the box of supplies she had been unloading.
“Well, you’re very good at it,” I say quietly. I watch as her head drops a little, but she remains quiet.
“Vale?” I murmur.
Her neck twists so she can look at me over her shoulder. Eyes guarded, fingers clutching hard at the small box in her hand.
“I’m sorry your dad’s going through this shit. And you too…I’m sorry you have this stress on you.”
Right there, in her eyes, the tension just drains, and for the first time since we’ve reconnected, she looks at me with no filter, and I can guess her feelings.
I see gratitude clear as day.
“Thank you,” she says with a smile. “That means a lot.”
“If there’s anything I can do, for either of you, I hope you’ll ask me.”
I know that may be pushing it, and fuck, I’m not sure why I offered, but it’s out there now. I expect she may draw inward again, but her smile goes a little wider.
“I appreciate the offer, Hawke. I think we’re okay, but I don’t know…maybe visit Dad every once in a while. He doesn’t know anyone here and I’m so busy all the time.”
“Already had decided on doing that,” I assure her. “I’m glad we reconnected. It was long overdue.”
“Yeah, it was,” she affirms. Not in a derogatory or chastising way, but merely agreeing with me on a fact of life. She then turns back to unpacking the boxes, and because I don’t want to push her any further, I watch the clock on the wall tick down the minutes until I can take the ice pack off.
I accomplished what I intended to do here—let Vale Campbell know that I won’t be a stress upon her at this time, and that we can have a friendly working relationship like adults.
Chapter 6
Vale
Tuna salad.
Bottle of water.