Frozen in Ice

Chapter 31

Jamie's POV

Luke was out working so it was just me and Alex. We had both already eaten and moved to the couch and curled up together watching the Blackhawks play the Wild.

"I'm worried about Luke," I said.

"So am I. He is overworking himself," Alex said.

I had been thinking the same thing. I knew that Luke had been working like this long before we knew him but it didn't stop me worrying.

"I was thinking exactly the same thing. He seems to have so much going on in his life," I added.

We stopped talking about it for a few minutes and I pulled him closer to me and we both turned our attention back to the TV and the hockey game. He rested his head on my shoulder and we sat there in silence.

"Do you think that he ever stops?" Alex asked.

I knew he was talking about Luke and I stopped to think about it for a minute.

"I don't think so. I don't think he knows what else to do," I said softly.

He nodded and we stopped talking again. We didn't really get a lot of time together because we both had jobs that required a lot of time. He worked as a personal trainer and I work as a lawyer and they both could have strange hours. It was just nice to curl up together.

I could feel Alex drifting off to sleep beside me and I suggested that we headed up to bed. Luke wasn't going to back for a while so there was no point waiting up for him.

We turned the TV off and moved around as we both moved through our routines to get ready for bed. Alex had moved out of his apartment a while ago and both our stuffs were littered around our room.

Alex was already stretched out on the bed and I slid in beside him.

"Do you think that we should talk to Luke?" he asked.

"I don't know, maybe watched him for a few more days and see how he is going. If he is still so tired then I think that we have to say something," I said.

"You should like the perfect captain," he mused.

"I just hope that we are right."

"It will be alright. I didn't realise that we had adopted a kid."

"It feels like it though."

"It does. I like Luke," I said.

We drifted off to sleep and neither of us woke when Luke came home late at night. I didn't wake until my alarm went off the next morning. I found him in the kitchen next morning when I stumbled out of bed.

He had a couple of books already spread on the table and was pouring over them while eating toast.

"Morning," he said without looking up.

"Morning," I said.

We didn't talk much as I had to get to work and he had to get to school. We had training tonight and we were going to all go out for food afterwards so I had more time to watch Luke. I was worried about him and I didn't really know what to do.

My day was relatively boring and I was looking forward to being out on the ice with the team. I had to come from work because our meeting ran long and I didn't have time to go home. Half the team was already in the locker room and I was happy to strip my suit off.

Luke was already out on the ice when I got there and he was working with Connor. He had a smile on his face as they were shooting. Once everyone was out of the locker room I called everyone together and we started to work together.

I made sure training was interesting and fun so it was good fun. I watched Luke when I could and he didn't seem to be too tired. It was hard to know though. He always looked happy when he was on the ice.

Training seemed to fly by and it took while to get everyone organised to be able to go out and get food. I was one of the first one changed and I took a seat in my stall and watched everyone else muck around.

I looked over at Luke and he was also changed in sitting in his stall but he was texting someone. I assumed that it was Brynn because he had a slight smile on his face as he texted. Eventually I had to step in because nothing was getting done and at that rate we were never going to get out of here.

We headed to our usual place that we go and settled all at the table. We didn't have set seats and we moved around and it helped that we all knew each other so well.

I got sucked into a conversation with Connor and Austin about our last game and the teams that we were playing in the next couple of games. We had managed to string together quite a few good games this year and Luke was a good addition to the team.

I turned to look at him and he was easily talking to Alex and Matt at the other end of the table.

"Luke is good for the team," Connor said, noticing where I was looking.

"He is, he fits in well as well," I added.

Austin nodded and we continued to talk about the team. Most of us has been here for a while and playing on the same team so a new team member was strange. We worked well together but Luke fitted in well and he was fun.

We didn't hang around for that long because it was already late and a lot of us had early morning the next day. Luke looked like he was half asleep as well and I knew that we had to leave. Alex was ready to leave as well so I said good night to everyone and we headed out.

"You look tired," I said to Luke as we headed out.

"It's been a long couple of days and I've been working after training a bit more," he said.

I didn't push him anymore in the hope that he would stop pushing him a bit more over the next couple of days but I still watch. I didn't want to see him burn himself out.

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The Wise One