“My afternoon client is a pain in my ass.”
Her eyes perked up. “Why? What has he done?” A swift, stern look told her that she needed to continue with her exercises if she wanted me to continue to talk.
“How do you know it’s a he?”
“Because,” she huffed, “I’m the only woman allowed to be a pain in the ass around here and I know no one would try to take that away from me.”
I laughed. “You aren’t a pain in the ass, trust me.”
“So what has he done? Uncooperative? Inappropriate?” she pressed eagerly.
“Sometimes. And yes.”
“Well, you should tell Dr.—Wait.” She paused as a thought struck her, “Is he cute?”
I groaned. Only Betty would be ok with sexual harassment as long as the guy was cute. In my case, it was harassment—a harassment of my senses, a harassment of my memories, and most unforgivably, a harassment of my heart.
“Well, that is most definitely yes.” She smiled. “I think you should date him.”
“What?!” I exclaimed, drawing a few eyes from around the gym. “You’re just saying that because you want Kyle all for yourself.”
She laughed as we walked into the pool room. I always finished her session with ten minutes on the treadmill in the HydroWorx.
“So, what’s the real problem then?” she asked once she was settled into her walking rhythm.
“I don’t want to date him, Betty. I’ve already done that.”
“Oh my! Well, doesn’t this add a layer of intrigue to the plot.”
“Don’t make me turn up the speed on that thing,” I warned. “I’m just frustrated that I have to deal with him. His antics are payback… for how it ended.”
“I assume you’ve tried to keep things professional—and I only assume because you still refuse to let me alone with Kyle in here.”
I laughed—one of those laughs of relief in the midst of stressful frustration; it was a brief respite in the conflagration that Chance had set on everything that I’d worked so hard for.
“Yes, I’m trying—with both of you.” The treadmill began to slow as her time in the pool was up. I reached for a towel and helped her from the water.
“Hmm…”
“What’s that for? I don’t like the sound of that.” The last time she hummed like she was thinking, I caught her sneaking over to the windows to watch Kyle swim. She would have probably jumped in with him if I hadn’t come back so quickly—I’d just gone to pee for goodness sake!
“Oh, nothing.”
“Yeah, ok.” I folded my arms. “I’m keeping my eye on you.” We walked back out into the gym. It looked like Kyle had already left for lunch—smart move on his part.
Lunch. My hour to prepare to for the afternoon ahead. The food not as critical as the focused calm.
“Alright, dear. Well, I’m ending my week with a massage, so I’ll see you on Wednesday.”
“Lucky you.” I wondered if complementary massages were included in the staff benefits here… Definitely something to look into. “Have a good night, Betty. I’ll see you on Wednesday.”
I watched her head towards the locker rooms before I turned and made my way to the cafeteria. From everything that I’d had last week, the food wasn’t too bad for being in a hospital-related environment. Although, I’d yet to try the jello.
“How’s my girlfriend?” My head whipped to the side, almost dropping the boxed chicken Caesar wrap that I’d been taking from the chilled display.
“Excuse me?” I looked at Kyle with complete confusion. Was he talking about me? There was no way. He’d definitely flirted with me and I hadn’t completely shut him down, but I hadn’t really encouraged him either. The last thing I needed was a boyfriend right now—new or old.
“Betty. My girlfriend,” he quickly clarified. His expression told me he realized what I’d thought.
I laughed probably a little too excessively in an attempt to mitigate the awkwardness, but it might have only made it worse. “She’s doing really well. Honestly, I think that she is really just working towards a date with you,” I teased as we both walked towards the check-out. He already had food in his hands so he must have left the line to come talk to me. That didn’t bode too well for me.
His face broke out into a smile. The guy was really hot. I mean, he could have passed for a physical trainer, not just a physical therapist.
I paid for my food and lime-flavored La Croix—my addiction that I’d only marginally spread onto Channing and Ally; Tammy insisted that drinking it was like your foot was falling asleep to dreams of passionfruit.
“Well, maybe when she’s done,” he said, swiping his credit card, “I’ll have to treat her to coffee.”
“She would love that.” I began to walk towards a table and Kyle followed me. Guess we were eating lunch together.
Calm down, Jessa. It’s a cafeteria. At work.
“So, your first week is over. So far so good?” He literally asked me how it was going every day last week. I kept telling myself it was because he was kind of like my mentor and wanted to make sure the new girl wasn’t overwhelmed; I knew that that was only part of the reason.
“Yeah, for the most part.” I gave a half-hearted smile. “I love the job and the place. And I’m excited to be getting more patients. I think Dr. Lev scheduled a few more with me next week.”
“Awesome! Yeah, with the ski season coming to a close soon, we tend to get a lot more people in with minor-ish injuries.”
We walked by a table where Monroe sat with one of the nurses and one of the radiology techs on staff. She gave us both a tight smile, probably only for Kyle’s benefit. She disliked me because I was the one working with Chance. Trust me, honey, I’d be glad to give him to you if I could. Not to mention, she was the one who ended up in the locker room with him every day at the end of our session so I don’t know what she could possibly be so unhappy about.
“Well, I think you’re doing a great job so far, especially with Betty.”
“Thanks.” I smiled, gratefully clinging to any encouragement I could get my hands on. I dove into my wrap, glancing at Kyle who looked like he wanted to say something else.
“You know, Jessa, Betty isn’t the only one that I’d like to take on a date sometime…”
And I was choking on my lettuce.
Stupid stuff was supposed to be good for your health, not try to kill you. Then again, that might have been preferable at this very moment.
Kyle wanted to take me on a date. There was no way that could happen.
Unattractively smacking my chest a few times, I gave him a weak smile that said I was going to be ok and that I definitely didn’t need the Heimlich or mouth-to-mouth.
“I’m sorry, Kyle,” I began with the lamest excuse in the book—but at least it was delivered with a show of confidence that I somehow always managed to pull off. “You seem like a really nice guy, but I just kind of moved back here and I’m going through a lot with the new job and all.”
And a vengeful ex who leaves me hot and bothered—and completely unable to think about anyone else.
“No, I understand.” He smiled back—one that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Totally understand. I mean, I wasn’t suggesting right now. Just, you know, if you feel like grabbing dinner, or even coffee sometime just as friends, that would be cool.”
Feeling like the worst person in the world, I nodded and took another bite of the wrap that had just tried to kill me. I didn’t know what to say.
“So, what else do you do, besides work here?”
My eyebrows went up. “Well, not a whole lot at the moment. Currently looking for a new place to live since they found mold in my old apartment building.”
“Oh, shit.”
“Yeah.” I sighed. “So, other than work, not too much. I’ve just been so focused on studying the past few months that I haven’t really made time for much else. I was working at this daycare part time until I started working here—so, yeah, basica
lly just working,” I paused to laugh, “nothing except work, go to the gym, go back to my friend’s apartment, and try to find a new place of my own.”
“A real party animal,” he joked and we both laughed.
Maybe dinner with him—at some point—might be ok.
“Yeah.” I rolled my eyes. “The pink hair is reminding me of my grand aspirations that one of these days I’ll start having some fun again.”
He laughed. “Well, in a heroic attempt to bring some fun into your life and hopefully not come off as needy since you just shot me down.” Ouch. “Do you happen to like country music?”
“Ahh… you know I moved here from Texas, right?” I giggled. “Pretty sure the reason that so many people open carry is to quickly get rid of any residents who don’t like country music.”
“Good point,” he said with a soft laugh, gathering up his trash into a ball. “So, I’m actually in a band. Country music. We are going to be playing at Peak’s Pub on Saturday night if you want to come. No pressure. Not a date. Just looking for as much support as we can get so that they invite us back, so feel free to bring friends.”
“Oh, that’s awesome!” Living in Texas had given me a healthy craving for good, live music at any event. “Yeah, I’ll definitely see if I can make it.”
“Great.” He beamed and stood, picking up both his trash and mine. “Alright, well, have a good afternoon and maybe I’ll see you on Saturday.”
I mean, I wanted to go to support him. He was a friend of sorts and he had been so helpful last week, showing me the ropes. I just didn’t want him to read something into why I was there. Chewing on my lip, I pulled out my phone and shot Ally and Tam a message in our group text asking about their plans on Saturday. Chicky-buffers.
The conversation made time pass too quickly.
Closing my eyes briefly, I pictured Temperance card before I made my way back downstairs. For the second time in just as many weeks, I stopped short in the main lobby of the building.
Chance. And Betty.
That woman was going to be sprinting in the pool on Monday.
“Betty!” I drew both of their attention. The innocent smile on her face was totally fake. Meanwhile, Chance’s gaze raked over me the same way it had every day this week; the same way it had every day in high school nine years ago. Ravenously.
“Jessa.” I ignored the shiver he sent through my body.
“Oh, Jessa! I didn’t expect to see you again today.” Yeah, I bet you didn’t Miss Betty.
“Can I help you with something?” I put my hand on her back, tempted to push her right out the door.
“Oh no, I just ran into this nice young man here while I was waiting for my ride. He was a few minutes early for his appointment, so we were having a little chat.”
“How nice of him.” I wasn’t sure what was worse—continuing to let him talk to her or pulling him away into our daily, designated alone-time. My torture hour. “I think it is time for his appointment now, though, so we should get started.”
“Of course. You two kids have fun.” I bit back a groan.
Was it bad to want to trip an old woman, recovering from hip replacement, on her way out the door?
“That was rude of you.” He smirked as we began to walk to the gym.
Glaring at him, I replied, “No, it wasn’t. Trust me.” Betty knew exactly what she was doing.
“She’s your patient?” he asked. I didn’t turn away in time to miss his perfectly arched eyebrow.
“You know I can’t answer that.”
“You just did.”
I huffed, spinning and pointing at the first machine where we would start with stretching.
“Hey, Chance.” Monroe came up behind him and put her hand on his shoulder, like she was claiming him or something. If she could see the look on his face, she would know that that was as far from the case as possible. “See you after your session?”
Her words dripped with desire.
To my surprise, he growled, “We’ll see,” and walked towards the machine. Monroe smirked at me like she’d won something.
She could have him, I repeated to myself, ignoring the pangs of jealousy and anger that stabbed in my stomach during the entirety of their brief conversation.
“Jealous, J-bird?” I couldn’t tell if he saw it—or if he just wanted to see it. He also had gone back to my nickname on day two; I knew his abiding by my request wouldn’t last long.
“Of course not,” I answered sweetly. “Quads, hamstrings, and then I’ll help you with your ankles.”
He complied, waiting until I crouched down to help him stretch before continuing, “Because you know I’d much rather have your mouth wrapped around me than hers.”
He sucked in a breath as I pushed his right ankle just slightly passed the point of comfortable.
“You ok, there, Chance?” I asked as though I wasn’t watching reruns of that scenario in my mind.”
“Perfect,” he gritted. “Remember the first time on the lift?” I bit my tongue. Looked like I hadn’t pressed hard enough. “So cold, but your mouth was so fucking hot and so wet.” Oh, I remembered. The thrill of being out in the open. Not that anyone on the slopes below could really see, but there was always a chance… The way he’d lost control, shouting into the silence on the mountain as he came all over my mouth.
“That was nothing compared to your—“
“Ok!” I exclaimed, standing and completely interrupting him. “Let’s move on to something else.” Both in action and conversation.
Looked like my first defense of painful pressure was no longer effective.
I should be glad that even just a few days of these stretches was making such a difference on his muscles. Instead, I hated myself for being good at my job.
I heard him laugh as he stood up behind me. I didn’t wait for him before I moved to the other corner of the gym. I needed to take control of this situation quickly before not even my newly-purchased panties could save me from my desire that was quickly drenching them.
“Running away?”
“Of course not. Just trying to stay focused.” I pointed to the next machine that would start to strengthen his leg muscles, adding a slight amount of weight to it.
“Glad to hear I’m distracting you.”
“That’s not what I meant.” But it was true nonetheless. I ignored the tingling that vibrated through my entire body, every cell searching through its internal memory of the night he was talking about. “So, it’s been a week. Can you tell me now what happened to you?”
Now we would see who was running.
His entire expression darkened. “I fell attempting the Quad when I was practicing for the X Games. I broke my knee. Now I’m here.”
“Where were you?”
“In Canada.”
“No. I meant when you left here—when you disappeared. Where did you go?”
His scowl grew. I was getting deeper into SnowmassHole territory. If I wasn’t careful, he was going to freeze me with that ice-blue stare of his.
“No more questions.” It wasn’t a request.
And neither was mine.
“No more memories,” I shot right back.
The rest of the hour was spent in civility—a glass house amid the bombardment of memory-filled bricks even the silent tension between us launched at me.
I wanted this man. Just as much, if not more, than I had eight years ago.
And like back then, he was just as much of a danger to my heart.
If not more…
Nine years ago
“KING.” THE HARSHNESS OF MY tone caught his attention—currently divided between the two blonde snowboarders—seniors from the Hope’s Creek high school. They couldn’t snowboard; but they were still out here—in the middle of the night—with their shitty-ass rental boards because this is where we were.
And these were the Winter Games.
“What?” Emmett ‘King’ Jameson scowled at me.
I would be annoyed, too
. But, I didn’t give a shit what he wanted right now. What I wanted was almost within my reach—if I could bring myself to take it.
“I’m challenging you.” His eyebrows raised. “Last run of the night is you and me.”
He broke out into a grin. “Seriously?”
He’d been taunting me for weeks that he was going to challenge me again. He never did though because he wasn’t good enough to beat me—and he knew it. King was smart; he was methodical. He’d designed and carved his own board last month and swore that he could beat me with it. He’d lost the challenge—and I’d ended up with his snowboard as my reward. If he had been a better rider, it would have been a different story; the board had definitely given him an advantage in the competition—just not enough of one.
But, the first rule of the Winter Games was that you couldn’t decline a challenge—doing so meant that you were banned from competing again. Experts never challenged beginners—there was no glory in winning an easy fight. No, the Games were about taking down someone who was better than you, working your way to the top—working your way to me.
I was undefeated. I was Pride.
And Jessa knew it. She knew what losing would cost me. But she thought I wouldn’t be able to see what losing would gain me; she thought she wasn’t worth my pride.
“I’ll gladly take the crown back from you, Pride. I am the King, after all.” He scoffed and all I wanted was to wipe that shit-eating grin in the fucking snow knowing that I would see it again soon.
He’d played no role in my decision. He didn’t even know the reason I was challenging him in the first place. And he was one of my best friends. Yet, I still wanted to rip his fucking face apart knowing that he was going to take my title from me.
I took my seat at the bottom of the slope, sipping some Fireball that one of the girls had brought.
Where the hell was she?
We were twenty minutes into tonight’s Games and Jessa still wasn’t here. I scanned the crowd of about twenty-five again, searching for her blue hair or her purple snowpants. She was such a fucking odd-ball with her pastel hair, bright clothes, and mystical foolishness.
The Winter Games Page 79