Page 77 of Tough Score

I raise an eyebrow. "A memento?"

She laughs, the sound warming me from the inside out. "Yeah, you know. To remember your time as my patient. Your journey back to the ice."

I turn the monitor over in my hands, remembering all the late-night conversations we had through it. All the times her voice comforted me when the pain was bad. "Is that why your monitor is still sitting on your nightstand?"

She whips her head over toward the bedroom. "Oh… I didn't even know I put it there. I must have set it there while I was unpacking and didn't think about what I was doing."

She did it subconsciously. She automatically thought to keep it close by her bedside. "Right. Thanks, Keeks. I'll keep it safe."

We stand there for a moment, the silence stretching between us. I can hear the faint ticking of a clock somewhere in the apartment, marking the passing seconds.

"Well," I finally say, "I should probably get going. Let you get back to settling in."

Keely nods, walking me to the door. "Thanks for stopping by Reeve. And for the monster-sized TV."

I twist the knob on the front door and step out. It's only sixty inches. The TV in my apartment would eat hers for breakfast. "It's not that big," I say.

"Don't sell yourself short, Aisa," she teases with a wink, leaning against the door.

As I step outside, the cool evening air hits my face. I turn back to her, taking in her silhouette framed by the warm light from inside. "There's nothing short about it. I'll see you around?"

She smiles softly. "Yeah, I'll see you around."

As I walk back to my car, the baby monitor feels heavy in my pocket. A memento, she called it.

I climb into my car and sit there for a moment, staring at the lit window of Keely's apartment. With a sigh, I start the engine and drive away.

It never gets easier leaving her behind.

The drive back to the apartment had my head reeling and the only thing that helps when I need to work through something, is to skate. I pull into the Hawkeyes parking lot instead.

It's late when I push through the doors of the stadium, the cleaning crew making their usual rounds.

I notice Coach Bex's light is still on in his office as I pass by, then I see a familiar face coming out of his office and slamming it as she exits.

Rowan.

She doesn't see me yet and she mumbles a string of curse words.

"Ms. Summers," I call out.

She looks up in shock to see me on the other side of the hallway.

"Reeve, I didn't think anyone else was here tonight."

"You okay? T-Rex swinging around those short little arms again?" I ask.

She chuckles and then shakes her head and rolls her eyes. "He's impossible. We'll never see eye to eye because he refuses to believe that I'm not looking for a hidden angle."

"Is he right?" I ask.

Her eyes search mine for a second. "Can I ask you something?"

"Is it off the record?" I tease, though I'd like everything to stay off the record.

"Oh, this is so far off the record it will never see the light of day as long as I have something to say about it. But I think you'll want to know, and since you were candid with me about Coach Bex a while back, I feel like I owe it to tell you."

I don't like the fact that her smile fades. Whatever this is, it doesn't sound good.