Sidelined Love: A Hockey Romance (The Crestwood University Series Book 1)

The next week, I watch as the last customer for the evening finally leaves; the jingle of the bell over the door signaling the end of my shift.

I made it through this unscathed.

I let out a long sigh, feeling the stress from the day lessen somewhat as I start to close up Brewed Beginnings.

The quietness of the café at this time of night is soothing, a world away from what I experience in the morning. During my regular shift, the quiet in the mornings is just the calm before the storm, whereas now, this is almost zen-like. Well it would be if I wasn’t working. The only reason I’m here is because another coworker took off due to exams and I could use the extra shift. Thankfully, Jenna and a couple more people are also working this shift too.

I wipe down the front counter with a rag that’s seen better days, moving on autopilot as I think about the chess event that I’m putting on at Oak Terrace this weekend. I can’t believe the time has finally come, but to say I’m nervous is an understatement.

“Hey, Hailey, can you mop the floors as well?” Marc calls out from the back, breaking my concentration temporarily.

“Sure thing,” I reply without looking up, not in the mood for one of his trademark snarky exchanges. I go back to work, choosing to zone out instead of having to think about Marc for one more second. I wonder if Levi’s busy right now. I’ll call him on the way back to my apartment.

“Hailey? Are you listening?” Marc stands near me now, his arms crossed as if he’s been waiting for me to look at him for a while.

“Of course,” I lie, glancing up to meet his gaze.

“I’m transferring,” he says abruptly, “to a new Brewed Beginnings location that will be opening soon.”

“Transferring?” The word repeats in my head and I’m not sure how to feel. No more dealing with Marc’s attitude on the daily? That could be a win. But who would replace him? I can’t decide if I should be worried or throw a mini celebration right here, right now.

“I’m helping the new location launch because of the success of this location.” He shrugs, as if it’s no big deal. “Anyway, I thought you should know. I’ve already told everyone else.”

“Right,” I say, keeping my face neutral. What does this mean for me? For everyone currently working at Brewed Beginnings?

“Try not to look too happy about it,” Marc adds. “I’ll still be around temporarily until the transition is complete and we have another manager in place here.”

A memory from when Levi dropped me off at work one morning pops into my mind. When I was bitching about Marc, he said something along the lines of, “Something should be done about him.” Is this something Levi has a hand in? I can’t let Marc know that I suspect something, so I focus on his initial news.

“How could I?” I shoot back, the sarcasm rolling off my tongue. But inside, my mind is spinning. Marc is an ass, sure, but he’s the devil I know. Who knows what kind of fresh hell a new manager might bring?

“Good luck, I guess,” I offer halfheartedly as he grabs his jacket and heads for the door. What the hell do you say to the person who has tried to make your life a living hell since you arrived now that they’re leaving?© 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.

“Thanks. Have a good night… I guess?” And with that, he’s gone.

As the door closes behind Marc, silence once again falls over Brewed Beginnings. That is until I hear Jenna’s voice coming from the seating area, where she’s clearing the last few tables.

“Was that Marc leaving for the night? I can’t believe he’s leaving for good!” Jenna calls out.

“Yeah, he’s gone,” I say back.

Jenna laughs as she peeks out from the kitchen. “Do you think jumping for joy would be too much?”

That makes me chuckle. “It might be. After all, he isn’t gone yet. I don’t trust him not to pull a fast one on us.”

I toss the rag under the counter and walk to the back to grab the mop and bucket. As I begin to sweep it across the floor, I hesitate when the bell above the door chimes again. I glance up, expecting to see Marc returning or a customer ignoring the fact that we’re closed. Instead, I’m shocked to find Levi standing there, looking completely disheveled.

“What’s wrong?” I ask immediately, propping the mop against a wall before making my way toward him.

However he doesn’t say a word. He meets me halfway and pulls me into his chest, holding onto me as if I’m his only lifeline. I decide that this is what he needs at this moment, so I don’t try to get him to speak to me immediately. If this hug helps soothe him, then so be it.

We stand there for what feels like an eternity but is probably only a couple of minutes. I can hear someone’s soft footsteps coming closer to us, but they stop short, and I hear them walk away again.

Finally, Levi’s grip on me lessens just enough for me to pull back and look up at him. His blue eyes showcase a storm that is brewing, and I realize he’s been holding back tears. I let out a shaky breath and brace for what he’s about to tell me.

“It’s my dad,” he finally says, his voice hoarse. “He had a heart attack.”

“Is he okay? What can I do?” My questions tumble out one over the other. I’m not sure I’m even making sense.

“I—I don’t know yet. He’s at St. Mary’s. Mom couldn’t tell me much over the phone outside of him being alive.” He runs a hand through his hair and it’s obvious that he’s been pulling on the strands.

Without a second thought, I start walking toward the back and my eyes land on Jenna. “I’m coming with you,” I decide.

“But you need to close up…” Levi starts to protest, but it’s half-assed.

He needs me and I want to be there for him.

“Zac and I can take care of everything else,” Jenna says.

“Thank you so much and I’ll make it up to you both.” I don’t know if I’ve ever been more grateful.

Jenna waves me off. “Don’t worry about it, Hailey. Just go.”

I grab my bag and coat before hurrying back to Levi. We don’t say a word as we leave Brewed Beginnings, but his hand finds mine and grips it tightly until we reach his SUV.

“Do you need me to drive?” I ask, hoping to take something off his plate.

“No, I got it,” he says in a clipped tone, but I don’t take it personally.

The drive to St. Mary’s is a blur. For a guy who’s usually so in control on the ice, seeing him this vulnerable has me freaking out, but I’m trying to remain strong for him. As we pull into the hospital parking lot, my heart lands in my throat as I stare at the big building we’re about to walk into. We quickly get out of the car, and he grabs my hand as we walk through the sliding glass doors that welcome us into a completely different world.

I’m looking around, trying to take in my surroundings when I hear Levi mumble, “Mom.”

I turn to see where he’s looking and follow his gaze to where I find a woman dressed in a cream-colored Chanel suit with pearls around her neck. She looks more like she’s about to attend a meeting or a dinner party than sit in a hospital waiting room. Mrs. Jamison’s eyes are red-rimmed, betraying the calm façade she’s trying to maintain.

Levi squeezes my hand for a split second before we walk over to her. “Mom, this is Hailey.”

She gives me a small watery smile before she pulls her son in for a hug. Although I can’t hear anything, based on how her shoulders are shaking, I can see that she’s crying. I awkwardly hang back, not wanting to interrupt the moment between mother and son because it isn’t my place. They deserve it.

After a minute, Mrs. Jamison releases Levi, uses a tissue to wipe her tears from her eyes and turns to me, extending a perfectly manicured hand. “My name is Ella Jamison. Thank you for being here,” she says, her voice as controlled as her appearance.

“There’s no other place I could be right now,” I say as I shake her hand.

She nods but turns her focus back to Levi. “They said we should hear something soon.”

Levi passes a hand over his face and lets out a deep sigh. Instinctively, my hand finds his and holds onto him. It’s a small gesture of support, and I hope it reminds him that he’s not alone in all of this.

We all sit down and wait for who knows how long, but when a nurse approaches us, we jump up.

“Are you here for Mr. Jamison?” she asks, her voice gentle yet professional.

“Yes, we are,” Mrs. Jamison replies.

“I need you to come with me.”

Levi joins his mother and stands up, but I remain behind. Levi looks over at me and raises an eyebrow.

“You guys go, and I’ll stay. I’m not a part of the family, and you’re going to be talking about medical information that I shouldn’t be involved in. I’ll support you from here.”

Levi hesitates before nodding, though I can see he’s questioning my decision. “If you’re sure.”

I give him an encouraging smile. “Of course. Go. I’ll be here when you get back.”

With one more lingering look, Levi follows the nurse and his mother through a set of white doors. Sinking back into the hard plastic chair, I pull out my phone to tell Jade what is going on and to give myself something to do.

After all, I suspect this is going to be a long night.