“How are things going with your lady?” Shawn asked two days later when they were on the plane to Toronto. When Adam and Dougie had gotten home, they’d talked about what had happened. Dougie was happy about how things seemed to be going. Nevertheless, there was still Ben, the man she was engaged to.
“You know that she was at the game?” When Shawn nodded, Adam inhaled sharply. A couple of the guys surrounding them were listening. Of course they’d heard about Rylee and the situation. “Well, we kissed for a second time. I saw a genuine smile and this is what I want to bring back more than anything else. I think she kinda lost herself.”
“Did she say that she’ll come to more games?” Shawn folded his arms, keeping an eye on Adam.
“Well, she said that she had certain duties to fulfill and her fiancé said that it might be better for her to go to the games instead of him. So I guess, we’ll be seeing more of her.”
“If he hands the hockey duty over to her, I think she’ll be at more events.”
“What do you mean?” Curious to know, Adam leaned over a little bit, but it wasn’t Shawn who answered him, it was Patrice.
“That guy is in a lot of committees and stuff, so she’ll most likely attend other events. Just talk to the people in charge and you’ll find out on which lists Ben Lowell is. Chances are high that she’ll be there instead of him.” Patrice said with a grin. “I’ve dealt with him before. He’s not a fan of hockey players, but he’s involved in a lot of stuff. So, he’ll most likely send Rylee and stay away.”
“That would be great. I can’t stand the guy.” Adam shuddered and took a deep breath.
“Of course you can’t. He’s got the woman at his side that you’d rather see next to yourself.” Shawn said with a laugh.
Adam couldn’t help but smile. He was right, of course, but there was something else. Adam couldn’t quite put his finger on it, but there was something about Ben Lowell that made him want to punch the guy in the face, and it didn’t have anything to do with the fact that he was engaged to Rylee.
Patrice and Shawn were probably right and she would go to more events that had to do with the Bruins organization. It wouldn’t hurt anybody, if he asked around.

“He heard a voice, and it seemed so familiar to him that he went towards it, and when he approached, Rapunzel knew him and fell on his neck and wept. Two of her tears wetted his eyes and they grew clear again, and he could see with them as before. He led her to his kingdom where he was joyfully received, and they lived for a long time afterwards, happy and contented.”
Rylee finished reading the story of Rapunzel to the children on the cancer unit at the hospital. She’d come here a couple of times since coming to Boston, reading to the children, playing cards with them, or whatever else they desired. There wasn’t much she could do for them, but this at least put a smile on their lips for the moment.
“Thank you, Rylee!” One of the girls said.
“Will you come back next week?” a boy asked.
“I’ll try my best, okay?” She ruffled the little kid’s hair, before she got up from the floor, where she’d been sitting on a blanket with the kids gathered around her. “But I’m pretty sure I’ll be able to get here. And if not on Thursday, I’ll come a day earlier or later. Is that okay with you?”
“Yes!” Some of the kids said in unison, making Rylee smile.
When she looked up, her eyes widened in shock. Adam was standing in the door watching her. Dougie was right by his side, giving her a warm smile. Rylee diverted her attention to the kids and said goodbye to them before she approached the two guys. They were wearing their jerseys.
One of the boys spotted them and said. “Look, Adam is here.”
“And Dougie, too!”
“We’ve got some of the other guys with us as well,” Adam addressed the kids in the room, and with that some of the other players filed into the room, leaving Rylee faced with the two again. She’d known that some of the Bruins players would be here, but she hadn’t expected them to be there already, and not so many of them.
“How long have you been standing there?” she asked both of them.
“Pretty much from the start of Rapunzel,” Dougie said with a smile. She’d read them a couple of stories. “You’re really great with kids.”
“Thank you,” she blushed slightly. She loved reading stories to the kids and they seemed to love it as well. She changed her voice according to the characters, spoke louder or more quiet when it was appropriate.
“I didn’t expect you guys this early. I thought I’d be gone before you got here.” Rylee brushed her hair behind her ear. She looked a lot more like herself in this environment. Her hair fell loose around her shoulders, she wore jeans and a shirt with a black cardigan, but still heels.
“Shawn thought that we should go earlier, spend some more time with the kids.” Adam looked her up and down, before he looked at the kids in the room again. “Only a couple of us were scheduled to go, but somehow nearly everyone had time, so we thought we’d surprise them.”
“It’s always a good feeling to see the smiles on their faces.” Dougie crossed his arms over his chest, when one of the kids called out to him to play with him. Not all of the kids were so fit that they could walk around, but it was their first stop. They’d go on to the ones who had to stay in bed in a bit.
Adam and Rylee were standing by the door by themselves, watching the others, but Adam son turned his head towards Rylee. She was aware that he was looking at her, but took some time to collect her thoughts before she turned to him.
“What is it?”
Adam sighed: “How about some coffee?”
“Okay,” she nodded and walked with him to the cafeteria. On their way they stayed quiet. Nobody said a word until they had their coffees and were seated at a table. “This is kind of awkward.”
They hadn’t spent a lot of time talking since seeing each other again. They’d rather ended up kissing. What did you talk about with someone you used to be so in love with, who broke your heart?
“It’s not awkward. You’re making it awkward, if you stiffen up so much when you’re around me. Just relax.” Adam nudged her elbow before he took a sip of his coffee. “Anyway, what are your plans for the next couple of weeks?”
His behavior put a little smile on her lips. “I’ll go to a couple of games, but I don’t know which right now. I’ll go to dinner with Abby tomorrow, and in the time I don’t have to be anywhere, I’ll paint and spend some time in my room.”
“How about we go to dinner as well?” Adam leaned forward on the table. Realizing her hesitation, he added: “We can have dinner at my apartment. Dougie will be there as well and we can ask Greg and Abby to come along as well.”
“That’s a nice idea.”
“You get along with Abby really well, don’t you?”
“Yeah.” She blushed slightly, remembering what she’d told Abby about Adam. “She’s great to talk to.” When Rylee glanced at the clock, she sat up straight. “Oh no, I forgot about the time!” She quickly got up and gathered her things. “I have an appointment. Thanks for the coffee, Adam.”
“Wait a second.” Adam got his phone out. “How about you give me your number and I’ll call you about our get-together?”
“Okay.” She took his phone, typed in her number and handed it back to him. “I’ll probably see you at the game.”
“I’m pretty sure you’ll see me,” he said with a grin, earning a little smile in return before she left.