Hands Off The Ice King novel Chapter 44

Chapter 44

Chapter 44

Hope’s POV

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I watched as Beth scolded Levi for skipping the practice game, and it looked like a mother trying to discipline her stubborn teenage son. Levi sat on the couch with one ankle resting over his knee, looking unbothered while Beth paced in front of him like she was two seconds away from losing her mind.

“You didn’t even post on your account that you’re okay,” Beth said, pinching the bridge of her nose tightly. “That would at least make the fans happy.”

“I forgot the password,” Levi answered with a careless shrug.

“I told you not to log out anymore! We just retrieved your password a few weeks ago!”

Levi sighed before running a hand through his hair. “Why would I need to update them anyway? I’m not a celebrity/Beth I’m an athlete.”

“It’s always so difficult with you,” Beth muttered with a tired sigh. “I thought that by forcing you to rest, things would finally become easy. I was a fool to think that, Levi.”

Levi only pursed his lips. “Are you done? I want to rest now.”

Beth scratched the back of her neck, and judging by the way her eye twitched, she was hanging on by a thread.

Honestly, I was close to snapping, too. But yelling at Levi never worked.

The more you pushed him, the more stubborn he became. It was like arguing with a brick wall that happened to be annoyingly handsome.

“If you really can’t post anything,” I carefully started, deciding to test my luck one last time, “then can you at least do the photoshoot with Apollo?”

Levi slowly turned toward me. He crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back slightly, an amused smirk pulling at his lips.

“You’re still on about that?” he asked. “When’s the deadline again? Tomorrow?”

I nodded quickly. “If you agree now, Beth can arrange it tomorrow or the day after. It would really help the team if you did this, Levi.”

His eyes narrowed slightly.

“Like I said before,” I continued, still pushing my luck, “I’ll go with you during the photoshoot to make sure nobody touches you unnecessarily.”

Levi continued to smirk like he found the situation amusing.

I stared at him hopefully anyway, trying to hold onto even the smallest possibility that he would finally give in. But as the seconds passed and his expression remained stubbornly calm, reality settled in.

This was Levi. The same Levi who refused to listen to anyone unless he personally decided something himself.

Getting him to rest had already been a miracle. Expecting him to agree to the photoshoot too was obviously too much.

“Don’t even bother, Hope,” Beth sighed, sounding exhausted. She turned back to Levi. “I’ll just have Aiden post something on the official page.”

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Chapter 44

“You could’ve done that beforehand,” Levi casually replied while drumming his fingers against the table.

Beth inhaled deeply before turning toward me with tired eyes.

“Anyway, Hope. Connor is going to that rookie game the day after tomorrow.”

The rookie game.

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It was basically an exhibition match featuring selected rookies entering the national league for the first time. Only a few players got chosen every season, which meant Connor being invited was a pretty big deal.

And considering I was the team’s physical therapist…

I already knew where this conversation was heading.

“Where’s it being held?” I asked.

“Los Angeles,” Beth answered. “Can you accompany him for us? We’ll send Aiden and security too, but we need you there to monitor his health.”

I forced myself to keep my expression neutral even though my stomach tightened unpleasantly.

Beth had absolutely no idea Connor and I used to date.

Only Levi knew.

And honestly, I preferred it that way.

Work was work.

Personal feelings had no place in it.

“Alright-”

“The day after tomorrow?”

Levi’s voice suddenly cut through the room.

I turned toward him. At some point, he had straightened from his relaxed position, his posture noticeably stiffer. That irritated expression returned to his face. His jaw flexed as he looked between Beth and me like we were somehow creating problems for him.

“Why would Hope go?” he asked.

Beth frowned. “Because she’s the team’s PT.”

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“Hmm.” Levi tilted his head slightly. “Which is exactly why she shouldn’t go for just one player.”

“Levi,” Beth said slowly, like she was speaking to a difficult child, “Connor is part of the team. You don’t have practice games that day. Your next one is on Sunday. That means Hope is free to laccompany the only active player. You’re smart enough to understand why she should go.”

Levi’s expression darkened slightly.

I decided not to entertain whatever weird mood he was suddenly in.

“Just send me the details later,” I told Beth instead.

Beth nodded. “I will. Now come on, let’s eat lunch. I’m starving.”

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Chapter 44

I smiled faintly and followed after her.

But after only a few steps, something prickled at the back of my neck. Like someone still had something to say.

And apparently, I was right.

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