Healing the Kicker Read online

  Healing The Kicker

  An Insta-love Romance

  Kori Hart

  Healing the Kicker Copyright © 2020 by Kori Hart. All Rights Reserved.

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author. The only exception is by a reviewer, who may quote short excerpts in a review.

  Cover designed by Kori Hart

  Editing by EmCat Designs

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Kori Hart

  Visit my website at www.korihart.com

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  Printed in the United States of America

  First Printing: February 2020

  Chapter 1

  Zoe

  I stood in front of the stadium for a good five minutes, taking deep breaths and convincing myself I could do this. My internship would open up so many doors for me and eventually, it’d make my dreams come true.

  Many already believed it was already happening for me. I was working for the Seaview Spartans. The football team was ranked one of the best and fans traveled from all over the world to watch them play. The eleven guys on the field were like magicians with how they could run so fast, throw so far and catch balls that seemed impossible.

  I still couldn’t believe, out of all the applicants, it was me that landed the opportunity to learn with their medical department and help heal these guys so they're always at the top of their game.

  The only problem was I had to convince myself to go inside and meet with the man in charge of my internship.

  “You got this, Zoe.” I told myself. I nodded my head and then walked toward the door tucked away for employees. They had given me a badge with my welcome packet the week before. I held it tightly in my hand and swiped it in front of the little box next to the door. My heart dropped when nothing happened. A second later, the door unlocked and the light on the box went green.

  Whew!

  I opened the door and made sure it shut behind me before I walked down the long hallway. They painted it white, and it seemed so stark compared to the rest of the place. I finally entered the belly of the stadium. This was the part the fans never saw. Under the bleachers was a whole network of offices and open places. Workers pushed carts back and forth, people with mops were cleaning up and the ground crew were moving a big hose around. I suspected they were going out to water the field.

  I kept walking until I got to the medical offices. It was near the locker rooms so I had to weave around large men that were coming and going. At one point, I bumped into someone and said “excuse me” before I hurried past a few others to get to where I needed to be.

  “Good morning, Zoe.”

  “Good morning, Dr. Booth. How are you doing?” I took my coat off and hung it on the rack near the door.

  “I’m doing well, thank you. How about yourself? Ready to get started?” He put some paperwork into a file and then placed it in the nearby filing cabinet before looking at me.

  The place looked like a typical doctor’s office and it was hard to picture it nestled next to the locker room where several large sweaty men got ready to play. It must have been soundproof as well because I didn’t hear any of the outside commotion once the door closed.

  “I am doing good and eager to learn.” I was chipper. Perhaps too chipper.

  “Follow me and I’ll introduce you to our first patient.”

  I nodded and suddenly felt myself get a little queasy. I expected to be reading over manuals and how-to guides on my first day. Dr. Booth was throwing me to the lions right off the bat. I hoped that he wouldn’t trust me to do things perfect. These men trusted the medical department to help them and while I was confident in my abilities, I was also aware of needing to learn in the field.

  “Come on, now. You look like you've seen a ghost. You’re just going to observe today so don’t worry, my dear.” The older man smiled at me and I let out a noticeable sigh of relief.

  Thank god!

  We headed to the locker room, and I mentally prepared myself to see things I didn’t need to see. I had to act like it was completely natural to see at least twenty guys walking around naked.

  Instead of going completely into the locker room, we turned in the front corridor and went into the examining room next door. It was large, had several exam tables, large tubs and different pieces of equipment. Some I’ve never seen before.

  “Before every game, the kicker needs to loosen up. He suffered a minor injury in college and it flares up from time to time. We want to help him prevent it from flaring up during the game. Afterwards, he’ll come in for an ice bath,” the doctor explained.

  I looked at a tub and shivered. I had helped set up many ice baths before and every time; I wonder how the athletes could do it.

  “You will watch me,” Dr. Booth said as he walked over to one of the massage tables. “You’re all caught up with your massage therapy course work, I hope.”

  I nodded. “I finished up last semester.”

  “Good. Be alert. I may call on you to tell me what to do next,” he warned.

  “Hey doc!” A happy voice said from across the room followed by a loud bang as the door slammed shut.

  I turned my head and everything stopped. I didn’t breathe, my heart didn’t beat. I took in the beautiful man walking towards us. As soon as he approached, I took a deep breath and my heart rate spiked.

  “Hey…” he said with a smirk on his face. Our eyes met, and I forgot every word in the English language.

  Rich

  I was not expecting to have an audience when I got my pre-game massage. Not that I was complaining but having to strip down to almost nothing could be a bit intimidating with a girl like that watching.

  Nevertheless, I greeted her and gave her my infamous smile. She seemed to fall for it and it made me smile. A beautiful girl like that, it probably took a lot to make her speechless.

  “I’m Rich.” I put my hand out to shake hers and she eventually took it.

  “Zoe. I’m Zoe,” she said, and I grinned even more.

  “Zoe is my intern for the season so you’ll be seeing her a lot this year. Mind your manners, Adams.” Dr. Booth gave me a stern look. It was resembling one a father would give the guy picking up his daughter to take to prom.

  “I always mind my manners,” I said with another one of my grins.

  Dr. Booth gave me another look. I wouldn't convince him.

  “So you’ll be doing my massage today?” I asked Zoe. She shook her head, and I gave a little pout.

  “She’s just observing today. Now, strip down and get on the table.” Dr. Booth wasn’t messing around.

  I stepped near the table and removed my shirt. I kept going until I was just in my boxer briefs, thanking God I didn’t wear my tighty-whities that day. After I quick glance at Zoe to see if she was looking (she wasn’t), I got onto the table and shifted around until I was comfortable on my stomach.

  “What kind of injury did you have in college?” she asked me, stepping closer to where I was.

  “I hurt my back,” I answered before putting my face in the little hole. “I went skiing for Spring Break.”

  “So it wasn’t because of football,” Zoe stated.

  I couldn’t tell if she was more amused or more annoyed. Maybe she was neither. She was harder to read than most girls I interacted with. Even though she might appear to be a tough nut to crack, I was sure I could break down those walls. I wanted to too. She was gorgeous and obviously into sports. She had to be smart to get the internship with the team. I wanted to know more about her. I wanted everything.

  The massage started and I couldn’t focus at all. All I could do was stare at Zoe’s shoes and wonder about her favorite things. What did she like to do for fun or where did she like to eat? Was she a world traveler or did she prefer to stay home? Did she have any pets? What were her dreams in life?

  The more I thought about her, the more I desired to know more. I had to know more.

  When the massage ended, I lifted my head and noticed it was just the doctor and me.

  “Where’s Zoe?” I asked curiously, moving to sit up.

  “I sent her on an errand,” Dr. Booth replied. He was studying me. I knew he was trying to figure out what my intentions from the single question I asked.

  I’d have to be careful around him but I was determined to learn more about her - one way or another.

  Chapter 2

  One Week Later

  Rich

  It was another Sunday and that meant another game. I walked into the exam room and smiled when I saw Zoe standing beside Dr. Booth. I hadn’t been able to get her off of my mind since we met the previous week. Every time I tried to find her, to talk or see how she was doing, she was not working that day or Dr. Booth had her busy with some other project.

  If I didn’t know any better, I would suspect that he was trying to keep us apart. Maybe I should ask if he really was her father because he sure was acting like it.

  “Good morning, everyone!” I said happily as I approached the pair.

  Zoe looked up from the clipboard she was holding and smiled at me.

  “Good morning, Richard,” she said cheerfully.

&nbsp
; I hadn’t noticed the last time I saw her how green her eyes were. I stood there mesmerized for a moment before Dr. Booth cleared his throat. My attention went to him.

  “Are you ready for your massage?” he asked. I nodded.

  I walked over to the table and stripped down to my underwear. I piled all of my clothes on top of my shoes and then got up on the table. I was ready for Dr. Booth to do his magic. I jumped a little when I felt an unfamiliar pair of hands on my back.

  “Did I hurt you?” Zoe asked.

  “No, sorry. I wasn’t expecting anyone to be ready for a few minutes.” It was a half lie. There was no way I could tell her I assumed it would be Dr. Booth doing the massage again.

  There were no complaints from me. If Zoe wanted to do it, I welcomed it. I just hoped one particular part of my body didn’t respond to her touch. I pictured my grandmother and how I needed to visit her soon. I forced the images of my nana into my mind as Zoe's hands moved down to my lower back.

  Some time passed and I don’t know if I fell asleep or went into a trance, but I snapped out of it when Zoe told me I could put my clothes on.

  “We’re done already?” I asked, lifting my head to look at her.

  “We are,” she responded with a chuckle. “I hope it was to your satisfaction.”

  “Yes, of course. I feel great. Thank you.” I sat up and was about to say something else when I remembered Dr. Booth. “You have a wonderful teacher.”

  The older man lifted an eyebrow, and I gave him a grin. It never hurt to butter up the senior staff members.

  Zoe gave me a smile before she walked away and put some equipment away. She got out a few things, and it looked like she was preparing for the next player to come in before the game. I looked for the doctor and noticed him stepping out of the room to put the clipboard away.

  I got dressed as fast as I could and rushed over to Zoe. This was my chance, and I was going to take it.

  “Hey,” I said as I positioned myself so I could see Dr. Booth return.

  “Hi,” Zoe greeted. She stood up and put a hand on her hip. It seemed like she was waiting for me to complain about the massage or talk about an ache I was having.

  I looked to the door and then back to her. I flashed a quick smile and then ran my fingers through my hair. “I was wondering what you were doing after the game.”

  Zoe looked a little surprised. “Probably going home.”

  “Would you be interested in catching a bite to eat?” I was feeling hopeful and my face probably showed as much.

  “Sure.” Her reply came without too much thought and I took that as a good thing.

  “Meet me outside the locker room?” I asked. I was feeling anxious that the doctor would return any second and bust me for talking personal business with his intern. She was technically on the clock.

  Nodding her head, Zoe smiled again. “I’ll be waiting,” she replied, bending over to pick up another piece of equipment. “It can’t be anything fancy though cause I’m not going home to change.”

  “Oh no. That’s fine,” I said with a chuckle.

  “Adams.” The stern voice told me I had failed to keep my eye on the door.

  “Sorry, Dr. Booth.” I smiled at Zoe and then gave a wave to the old man before I jogged to the door that led back to the locker room.

  Zoe

  I couldn’t stop smiling as Rich ran back to the locker room, even with Dr. Booth giving me a displeased look. I recognized it. My father would give me the same one whenever I talked about boys from the neighborhood.

  I wasn’t a little girl anymore, and I was allowed to have dinner with whoever I wanted. The only issue was the fact I was technically Rich’s medical provider. There was some crossing of the doctor/patient line. The letters MD wouldn't be behind my name. I was trying to be a rehab specialist of sort. A physical therapist.

  I made a mental note to review my contract I signed for the internship as I went back to work. There were a few other players that needed attention before the game started.

  Several Hours Later

  There was a lot of waiting around on game day. Most of the medical staff were along the sidelines, ready to jump in whenever a player got injured. They expected me to wait, make sure everything was calibrated, cleaned and otherwise ready to go in case of an emergency.

  Now and then, the walkie talkie in the corner would bleep. I would listen for any instructions but none came. I suppose no news was good news.

  I don’t enjoy thinking about the players getting hurt, but it’s inevitable playing a contact sport. Some positions got it worse than others.

  I looked up at the door when I heard voices. The medical staff were discussing different things, and some went to different parts of the room to make sure pieces of equipment were ready to go.

  The game was over and I hurried to get the last two buckets of ice poured into the last tub. Everything was ready for the guys.

  Dr. Booth walked around, examined all that I had done. I watched as he picked up a few things and then ran his hands along a piece of equipment. He must have been satisfied because he returned to another doctor. They began talking and then players came through the door.

  They assigned me to the first aid station. Basically, I got to tape up small cuts, work on turf rash and other minor ailments.

  I didn’t say much as I worked on putting a small piece of tape over a player's eye. He received a small laceration and didn’t need stitches. I was trying to listen for Rich while being attentive to the man sitting in front of me. At least he was in good spirits. The Spartans won the game.

  It wasn’t for at least another hour before I could leave. There were a few late stragglers who wanted an ice bath and another member of the medical team got him some fresh ice.

  I checked the time when I headed out and hoped it wasn’t too late to meet Rich.

  Chapter 3

  Zoe

  I stood near the locker room and watched a few guys come out. They gave me polite nods or brief smiles before they carried on their way. I knew some of them were part of the after-game press conference and others were simply looking to go home.

  After waiting for ten minutes, I was tempted to ask one of the players if Rich was still there. Maybe he left because he got tired of waiting for me. I would hope he’d pop his head in and see if I was working. It’s not like I could do the same. I mean technically I could but I’m sure someone would complain I went into the locker room after a game.

  I pulled out my phone to check for any messages. I knew none would be from Rich; he didn’t have my number. I needed to pass the time and I could kill two birds with one stone.

  After another ten minutes, I heard “you’re still here.” I looked up and saw Dr. Booth walking towards me. I put a smile on my face and nodded.

  “I’m waiting for a friend and it’s pretty cold outside, so I decided to hang out where it’s warm till they arrive.” I hated lying. There was some truth to what I was saying but for the most part, if I was Pinocchio my nose would be growing.

  Over the doctor’s shoulder, I saw Rich step out of the locker room. He saw the two of us and immediately went back inside. I looked to the older man’s face and gave him another smile.

  “Hopefully you don't have to wait for your friend too much longer,” he replied.

  “I don’t think so. They’re on their way,” I said with another smile. “I hope you have a good night.”

  “You too, Zoe. I’ll see you in a few days.” He gave me a nod and then walked away, heading to the exit and disappearing.

  I took a deep breath and looked back to the locker room door.

  “Is he gone?” Rich asked in a whisper. I could barely hear what he said, so I walked closer, nodding my head.

  “Why does this feel like high school all over again? I’m having to sneak around so your dad won’t catch me,” he asked with a laugh.

  I giggled. “Well, I was a good girl in high school so I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  Rich gave me a surprised look and then shoved his hands in his pockets. He asked if I was ready to go and I nodded my head. We walked down the hall to the exit.

  “Thanks for waiting for me. I didn’t realize it would take so long. A reporter stopped me and…”