Page 108 of The Goalie in Room 1

Thad

How did therapy go?

The relief came first. Quick and humiliating.

Then the anger followed because four words shouldn’t have been enough to make me feel anything.

Me

Fine.

I hit send and flipped the phone over.

Phoenix stared at the back of it. “Compelling conversation.”

“He asked. I answered.”

“You lied.”

“My knee’s fine.”

“We weren’t talking about your knee.”

The phone vibrated again.

Thad

Good. I’ll be late tonight.

Of course he would.

I waited for something else to appear. A question about where I was. A reason he’d be late. Any indication that his day had room for more than checking the box beside my physical therapy.

Nothing came.

I typed out, I’m at Halo House, then erased it. If he wanted to know where I was, he could ask.

Phoenix watched me put the phone away. “You’re making him prove something without telling him there’s a test.”

“If I have to tell him to notice I’m gone, I already have my answer.”

Phoenix’s mouth tightened, but he let the silence stand.

Good. I was done spilling my guts anyway.

I reached for my coffee and changed the subject before he could prove me wrong.

By Wednesday, the swelling was back down. Matteo checked the knee before allowing me to ditch the second crutch, then warned me that one good morning didn’t mean I could spend the afternoon screwing around with Maxie.

I promised nothing.

Eli was already working when I reached the main room. No screaming. No airborne equipment. He stood between a set of parallel bars with his crutch resting against the wall, shifting his weight from one leg to the other while his therapist watched his hips.

He spotted me and nearly lost his balance.

“Eyes forward,” she said.

“I was looking⁠—”