“Hey, man.” Pete stuck out his hand to Rhett. “Thanks again for the fundraising opportunity. Much respect.”
Rhett clasped Pete’s hand and squeezed. “The respect is all mine.”
Pete moved off to get ready for the workout and Rhett turned his attention to the sisters. He’d sensed a new closeness and calm between them ever since the night at the barn. They’d spent all day together at the emergency vet the next morning, and when the dog had pulled through, Stanzi had named him Buddy—her father’s nickname in Vietnam. Rhett had watched from the wings as Stanzi had helped the vet bathe him, her slender fingers going carefully over his filthy coat, one hand gently shading his eyes when she rinsed soap from his head.
Something funny had happened in his chest in that moment. He wasn’t sure what it was, but it had both scared the hell out of him and made him feel a safeness he hadn’t experienced in almost two decades.
“Hey.” Stanzi took his arm. “You go on ahead when we run. Don’t wait for me.”
“I won’t leave you,” Rhett said.
“I know you won’t.” She offered a soft smile.
She meant more than just the run. Rhett could see it, flooding those crystal clear eyes. He reached out and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. Her eyes widened and she looked around at the crowd. “I don’t care who saw me do that,” Rhett said.
Hobbs, Duke, Sean, James and Zoe, all waiting to run together, stared in their direction. They’d most definitely seen that, and were now whispering to each other. Rhett ignored them.
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah. They can all suck it.”
“No.” Stanzi giggled a little. “About running with me. You’re faster. Much longer gait.”
“I’ll wear body armor to slow me down.”
Stanzi shook her head. “Badass.”
Rhett ran back inside the gym and grabbed his twenty-pound vest. As soon as he had it fastened he raised his voice. “Three...two...one... GO!”
* * *
The most competitive streaked out ahead. Rhett, Constance and Sunny fell in behind them and everyone else came after. Energy was high but the nervous chatter petered off once they clomped across the street and hit the entrance to the park. The woods were a welcome, cool relief from the hot sun and humid air. Constance practiced good breathing as much as she focused on steady, even strides with good foot strike. As much as Sunny bitched about running, all her spinning had done her good. She was able to keep up for about a quarter of a mile before she fell back and waved them on.
Just as they passed the quarter-mile flag, staked on the side of the trail, Constance reached up and touched the little flower she’d pinned in her hair, just to the left of her ponytail. She’d relied on her father all her life for guidance and strength. Just before she left the graveyard this morning, she decided this might be one time she needed her mother instead, and she’d grabbed one of the flowers from the necklace to carry with her.
“Up around this corner,” Rhett said, his voice conversational and unfettered, despite the heavy vest he wore. “How you feeling?”
Constance smiled. “Good.” She glanced behind her, but Sunny offered a cheerful wave. There was a good chunk of space between her and Rhett and the next set of runners. Farther off, those that were scaling to half miles were already turning around.
Next thing she knew, Constance was at the top of the hill.
“C’mon, Stanzi.” Rhett motioned her to keep up. “You got this.”
Something deep inside her fluttered like a bird, dying to get out. “I’m right behind you.”
Constance grabbed Rhett’s hand and turned in the direction of Zoe and Hobbs and the others, who were just ahead. And then she took off, at top speed, headed back to the gym to jump on that pull-up bar and attack the rest of this workout.
* * *
By the time Rhett finished the indoor portion of the workout, he looked for Stanzi and spotted her, hands on her knees, gasping for air. Sunny was next to her, flat on her back. She’d cut all the reps in half and ran just the one mile.
Rhett estimated he had time to run his mile and make it back before Stanzi was ready to go on hers.
The second mile was slower than the first, but thanks to all the running he and Stanzi had done, it wasn’t as difficult as he’d anticipated. By the time he streaked back inside the gym to officially finish, Stanzi was right there, ready to go out. Rhett stripped off the weighted vest and fell in beside her. The loss of extra weight felt so glorious he wanted to cry.
“You don’t have to run this with me,” she gasped, her feet shuffling more than running, or even walking. “I got nothing left. You’re already done.”
“Shut up.” Rhett gave her a gentle shove.
She rewarded him with a weak smile.
By the time they made it to the turnaround spot in the woods the second time, Stanzi actually got her second wind and picked up her pace. Rhett ran beside her in silence all the way back to the gym.
Stanzi streaked into the bay and looked at the timer on the wall. Then she sank to the floor, next to her sister, who was still on her back. Her chest rose and fell in great gasps. Her hands covered her face. Zoe, Hobbs, Duke, Pete and a few others who were finished walked over and gave her high fives. Stanzi just stuck her hand in the air and let them slap her.
Rhett grabbed her hand and squeezed it. She squeezed back. He sank to a squat. “You did it,” he said. “I’m proud of you.”
Her eyes fluttered open. “Yeah?” she said between gasps. Her mouth turned up at the corners. “Thanks. I’m proud of you, too.”
Rhett didn’t know what to say to that, but it made his chest tight. He left her lying there so he could finish coaching the rest of the group, most of whom were not yet finished. He grabbed his phone and recorded some footage of people who were still working, utter fatigue overcoming their bodies and faces. People came back in from their second runs, drenched in sweat and cheeks on fire. Some sank against the walls and others directly to the floor. Somebody went outside to puke. When he came back inside, Rhett realized it was Callahan. He grinned. Callahan gave a rueful grin, shook his head and stood there gasping, hands on his knees. The music boomed and the ceiling fan whirred, mixing up the humid, natural air. It smelled like sweat and dirt and weak perfume.
By the time it was all over, Rhett called for everyone to gather around for a group photo. Rhett got one of the older kids, who hadn’t done the workout, to take the picture, so that he could be in it, next to Stanzi. He slipped an arm around her shoulders and hers slinked around his waist.
Once the picture was snapped, Stanzi grasped him by the biceps and stared up at him with a new kind of light in her eyes. Her hair had come loose of the barrette and ponytail, causing little flyaways to stick to the dried sweat on her cheeks, and her shirt was drenched in sweat.
He leaned down and pressed his forehead to hers. “Nice job, My Pretty Pony.”
She kissed him. “Thanks.”
thirty-six
By noon, most people had gone home. Constance had opened up her massage chair and given postworkout care to anyone who wanted a little relief before they left. She listened to all the exhausted chatter going on around her while she worked. Sean hung out and chatted with Sunny, and from the snippets Constance could overhear, Sunny was thanking him for helping with the arson investigation, which he’d taken the lead on. Zoe and Hobbs were last, both rising with satisfied, sleepy expressions.
“Marry me, Red,” Zoe said, stretching her arms high over her head.
“She’s all mine,” Hobbs argued, tossing his empty beer bottle into the recycling bin. He’d popped it open about two minutes after the workout and screamed, “Carbs!” at the top of his lungs before he’d chugged half of it down in one go.
“Move over.” Rhett ordered them both out of the way and plopped into the massage chai
r. He rested his face in the cradle with a satisfied grunt. His long, large body dwarfed the chair and Constance had to raise the face cradle to its highest level to accommodate his torso without making him hunch.
“Something tells me you get plenty of massages,” Hobbs muttered, but he gave a good-natured smile on his way out. “Later, people. Enjoy the rest of your day.”
“I’m going to head home, too,” Sunny said. “You people are crazy and I’m going to take the longest bath of my life, then sleep until dinnertime. Plus, Buddy is waiting for me. I’m not going to lie. I’m in love.”
“You better be talking about me.” Pete came up behind her, slid his arms around her waist and lifted her up.
“I totally meant the dog.” Sunny broke into giggles. “But only you would understand that. So—” she turned around in his arms and hugged him close “—that’s why I love you, too.”
“Glad you had fun, guys.” Rhett stuck up a hand without lifting his face from the massage chair.
Once they were all gone, Constance pressed her palms to Rhett’s back and leaned forward, giving him all her weight. She worked on him for about ten minutes before the sweet scents of his sweaty body, so close to hers, made her shiver inside. She slid her hands up under his shirt, gently caressing his back. He made a satisfied sound in the back of his throat. “Why don’t we go back to your place,” she said, “and do this right.”
Rhett sat up with a curious grin on his face. “My place?”
“Yeah. I’ve never seen it. You should take me to your place.”
“Oh, yeah? What’re we going to do there?” He climbed out of the chair and stretched.
Constance stepped in close and arched an eyebrow at him. “For starters, you’re going to let me see Humphrey. I want to know how he’s doing.”
“He’s awesome.” Rhett’s voice got quiet. “Made himself right at home.”
“Where’d you put his cage?”
“At the curb. For the trash.”
“Are you kidding?”
“No. We did it together.” Rhett swiped some residual sweat from his forehead. “Walked out to the curb with that ugly metal hunk of shit. Humphrey followed behind, no leash. I set the cage down and told Humphrey he never had to get in it again. He sat down and leaned against my leg. We stared at it awhile before he got up and went right back into my house. I am not shitting you.”
Constance felt her eyes well up.
Rhett smiled, like he saw right through her. “When I went back inside I found him balled up in my recliner. We fight over it every night.”
Constance giggled through her tears. “I hope you let him win.”
Rhett’s hand went to her hair, where he carefully removed her ponytail holder. “No need. He wins all on his own, fair and square. He may look small, but he’s tougher than all of us.”
“Of course he is.” Constance tipped on her toes and gave Rhett a gentle kiss on the lips. “He’s a dangerous breed. You better watch out.”
Rhett laughed softly and kissed her back. “I’m not scared,” he said. “Not with you around.”
“Hey, guess what?” Constance leaned back and smiled. “I finally found your nickname.”
“What?” Rhett’s face spread into a big smile. “No way. What is it?”
“How would you feel—” Constance danced her fingertips around his waist, to the bare skin at his lower back “—if I called you—” she pulled him roughly against her “—sweetie?”
“Hmm,” he mused. “I like where you’re going. But I’m not sure it fits. We’d be living a lie.”
Constance giggled. “Pumpkin?” she joked.
“Meh.”
She tried a British accent. “Darling?”
Rhett grunted disapproval.
“Baby?” She winked. “Can I call you baby?”
“You’re getting warmer.” Rhett leaned down, his voice softening.
“How about...querido? Or—” Constance leaned in and whispered against his ear “—amorcito?”
He made a groaning sound and squeezed her so tight he lifted her off her feet. “I like it, munequita,” he whispered back. “I knew you wouldn’t let me down.”
“No,” she said, and slid her arms around his neck. “Never.”
* * *
acknowledgments
One of my earliest memories is of sitting on the cold concrete stoop of my Alaskan home, just outside the back door, with a stack of books by my side. Our military quarters had a community yard that contained a large dandelion patch, a rusted-out swing set, trees that flanked the sand dunes and a long expanse of grass where my father taught me how to play football.
My mother let me take as many books as I wanted to sit on that porch, under a sunny sky, and read to my heart’s content while the world bustled around me. I was only four or five years old.
That’s why my first acknowledgment belongs to my mother.
I’m not saying that books wouldn’t have existed in my life without her, or that I wouldn’t have been an avid reader. But because of Mom I saw books as a treat, a respite, an escape, a discovery and a privilege. Mom is the one who showed me that books are magic.
The fact that I now have a book of my own to share with the world is a personal triumph that I can’t even describe, and I’m honored to be able to thank those who helped me realize this dream.
To my amazing, talented, brilliant literary agent, Sara Megibow, who believed in me from the start and who never, ever gave up—your endless cache of patience, optimism, knowledge and passion amazes me and I’m so fortunate to have you on my side for this journey. Thank you.
To my editor, Margot Mallinson, and to the entire team at Harlequin, thank you for taking a chance on me. You always seem to know what I’m trying to say, even if I don’t nail it the first time. Thank you for shining a light and reading between the lines. You made this book stronger with your eagle eyes.
Chris Boswell, who’s been reading and critiquing my stories since we were starry-eyed contest winners who met at Pikes Peak Writers Conference, thank you for your unwavering belief in my success, story after story, year after year. Sometimes I think you believed in my stories more than I did. You’ve most certainly earned your “coffee in a cup,” my friend.
Thank you to Jennifer Sovine, the hero of my massage world. I can’t believe my luck in getting such a smart, talented lady as my instructor. When I start getting frustrated or too ahead of myself, I still hear your patient voice in the back of my mind: “Slow down, Elysia. Breathe.” Thank you for your “yes/no” story. Your way of teaching via storytelling went straight to my heart.
To Laurie Landers and Operation Paws for Homes, whose tireless, selfless work rescuing dogs has inspired me for years, thank you for giving me such a lovely, warm heart in which to model the heroines of this book. Without people like you, the world would truly be a sad place.
To all military service members, both active and veteran, thank you for your service. To all the wounded warriors who have entrusted themselves in my care, I am honored to have worked with you. My intention in this book is a respectful reflection of my service to you. To my favorite veteran, responsible for my determination and inability to quit: I couldn’t have come this far without you. Thanks, Dad.
To my sons, Brody and Brayden, who’ve always cheered me on: it means the world that you are proud of me. To my daughter, Magdalena, who reads everything I write and inspires me daily with her unwavering strength—you enrich my life, and in turn, make my stories more colorful, more real and more magical.
And finally, to my husband, Mike: thank you for always being my foundation of love, support and encouragement. I’ll never forget your words, the day you read the first chapter of my first novel: “Wow. Are you prepared for success? Because this is really good.”
Thanks for being my best friend. We did it!
&nb
sp; ISBN-13: 9781488062476
Rescue You
Copyright © 2020 by Elysia Whisler
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.
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