“We’re just finishing up a run.”
Heath’s in jogging shorts and a T-shirt, so, of course, Jessa has to jump in and say, “We’re playing doubles, but Addison’s partner couldn’t make it. You want to join us?”
I shoot her a subtle look. One minute she’s accusing me of being in love with her brother, and the next she’s trying to set me up with Heath, the sexy Dalmatian owner. What gives?
“Oh, I don’t know.” He glances down at Daisy, probably unsure what he’d do with her.
As if answering his silent thoughts, the pup lies down, looking tuckered out from her run.
He looks up and gives me a smile. “If you don’t mind, maybe I’ll play for a bit?”
“Great!” Jessa chirps.
“I should warn you,” I say quietly after he makes his way onto the court. “I’m terrible, and there’s a real chance I’m going to peg you with my racket.”
His eyes crinkle at the edges as his smile deepens. “Consider me warned.”
Franklin ends up fetching an extra racket from their car, and Jessa joins her husband on his side of the court.
If I thought I was bad before, it’s nothing like now. I’m so nervous; I can’t hit the ball to save my life. Heath laughs good-naturedly, and I’m relieved that he’s not great either—better than me, obviously, since I’m about as bumbling as they come—but not great.
“Smile for Instagram,” Jessa says all of a sudden when we take a short intermission, phone up in the air.
Instantly obeying, Heath steps close to me and grins.
I casually pull Jessa to the side after she snaps the picture, taking advantage of Heath striking up a conversation with Franklin. “What are you doing?”
“Nothing,” she says, but this isn’t my first Jessa rodeo. I can tell by her tone she’s up to something. Before I can interrogate her, she graces me with a wide, too-innocent smile and then turns to the guys. “Ready to start again?”
About thirty minutes later, right when I’m thinking of calling it a night, I figure it out. Carter’s truck rumbles into the parking lot, and my stomach does that stupid flutter nonsense it likes to do whenever he’s near.
Carter steps out of the driver’s seat, racket in hand, looking ready to play.
Jessa waves like she’s expecting him and then sidles up next to me. “What did I tell you?”
I glance at Heath, who looks a little less pleased to see Carter than I am. “What?” I whisper.
“This is proof, just as I promised. All it took was one innocent little Instagram update with you and another guy, and here comes Carter.”
Before my brain can wrap around Jessa’s statement, my body agrees that Carter’s behavior is suspicious and sends a shiver down my spine—not the bad kind. The good kind. The too good kind.
“Looks like your partner’s here,” Heath says to me. “I guess I should probably get Daisy home…”
Daisy is sound asleep, stretched out in the grass outside the court. To keep in compliance with the city’s leash laws, Heath has tethered her lead to a bench, but it’s obvious the restraint is unnecessary.
“Thanks for playing,” I say. “I had fun.”
Honestly, I like Heath. He’s charming and handsome, and he seems like a great guy. But…I’m glad he’s leaving.
He gives me a disappointed smile. Maybe he was hoping I was going to ask him to stay?
Before he goes, he pauses and studies me. For a moment, I think he’s going to ask for my number, maybe even ask me out. Anxious, my chest tightens, and my palms begin to sweat. I would be an idiot to turn him down.
After a few more seconds, he gives me another friendly smile, calls goodbye to Franklin and Jessa, and reaches the entrance to the court at about the same time as Carter enters.
“Good to see you,” Heath says to Carter.
Carter replies in same, his expression enigmatic.
Heath then collects a very sleepy Daisy, and with one last wave, he’s heading down the path that leads to the parking lot on the opposite end of the park.
“Hey,” Carter says to me as soon as he joins the group.
“Hi,” I say back, feeling oddly guilty—like hanging out with Heath was wrong even though I know it wasn’t.
It’s a little weird between us nevertheless.
I haven’t had a chance to talk to Carter all day. After his meeting with Dad, I got the distinct impression he was avoiding me. But he’s here now, so maybe that was all in my head. I want to ask him how it went, what they talked about. They were in there for a long time.
But maybe I don’t want to know.
“You ran into Heath again, I see.” His tone is too nonchalant—sort of like he’s accusing me of planning this.
“More like he ran into us,” I tell him. “He stopped by to say hello, and Jessa asked him to play.”
Carter eyes his sister. “That was nice of you.”
Jessa gives him a one-shouldered shrug. “I thought you were busy tonight?”
He stares at her for several seconds—there’s some serious silent sibling discussion going on here—and then shakes his head. “I was working on a project, but I finished up for the night, and I thought I’d swing by.” He looks back at me, giving me a smile. “I didn’t mean to scare off your date.”
A second passes, and then a few more.
Oh my goodness. Jessa’s right—Carter is jealous.
When has Carter Dalton been jealous of anyone? Not ever that I can remember.
“He wasn’t my date,” I inform him, keeping my expression neutral.
Carter gives me a wry smile and jerks his head toward the net. “Are we going to play?”
Oh, we’re playing all right. I’m just not quite sure I understand the game.
13
It’s been the longest week ever.
First, Cocoa is officially mine—I filed the paperwork, paid the adoption fee, and have taken him to his first puppy appointment at his new vet. He’s destroyed one potted fern, an old flip-flop, and eaten the trim by my back door. We’re still learning how to coexist.
Second, Jessa insisted I check a few more items off the list, and they were both epic failures. (I can’t sew, and setting up an easel in the park by the baseball fields isn’t a great way to get attention when your painting skills are on par with a kindergartener’s.)
And third, Carter has barely spoken three words to me after our impromptu tennis match on Monday evening. I’ve only seen him at work, and he’s avoided me like I have leprosy. I’m almost tempted to wear my trusty heels to the shop and fawn all over Isaac just to see if I can get a rise out of him, but that seems a little messed up.
Now it’s Friday night, and I don’t honestly know if he’ll show up to class.
As I walk through the lobby, kids soaking wet from the indoor pool run in front of me, leaving puddles of water in their wake.
“Slow down!” the attendant at the front desk hollers. “And dry off before you leave the locker rooms!”
The main doors open behind me, and I pause for a moment, waiting to see if it’s Carter. To my disappointment, it’s one of the little old ladies.
She smiles when she sees me and points to the aluminum foil-covered dish in her other hand. “Your friend is going to be here, right? I baked him cookies, just like I said I would.”
Of course she did. Because even she’s using the list on Carter.
I glance at the door. “I haven’t heard.”
“Well, no mind,” she says with a shrug. “I’m sure Gio will be happy to have them if he doesn’t make it.”
Nodding, I turn to walk with her to class. And wouldn’t you know it, I step right in a wet spot and my foot goes sliding.
For half a heartbeat, I think I can catch my balance. But no.
With my arms spinning, I go crashing to the ground, rump first. Pain radiates from my tailbone, jarring me. It’s so intense, I almost can’t breathe.
“Addison!” a man says from behind me, and suddenly,
I’m hoisted off the ground and pulled into a strong pair of arms.
I blink at Gio, surprised to find myself so up close and personal with his chest. I stand here for several moments, wobbling in my heels.
Gio grins at me, looking as handsome as ever. “I didn’t think you’d fall for me this soon.”
Cheesy.
Wow.
But that doesn’t matter because I hurt—to the point that if I were anywhere else, with anyone else, they’d definitely hear about it.
“Are you okay?” Gio’s face creases with concern when I don’t answer right away.
It’s at this moment, while I’m fully wrapped in Gio’s arms, that Carter decides to waltz through the main doors. Our eyes lock, and he comes to a dead stop just inside the entry.
“Carter!” Mrs. I-Baked-You-Cookies exclaims, abandoning Gio and me as she trots over to greet him.
Carter pulls his eyes away from me and gives her his full attention. A smile spreads across his face that can’t help but charm the grandma.
“Hey, Stella,” he says, remembering her name.
“Addison?” Gio asks, and I realize I haven’t answered his question.
“Oh, yeah.” I pull away from him slowly, trying to breathe through the pain radiating from my…you know. “I’m fine.”
These heels are going to have to go though. I put a steadying hand on his arm and step out of the right shoe and then the left, gritting my teeth when I have to bend over to pick them up.
“Can I help you to class?” Gio asks like the perfect gentleman.
“Hmm?” I watch Carter from the corner of my eye. “No, I’m fine. I’ll be there in a minute.”
Gio doesn’t look convinced. “You sure?”
I force a smile. “Totally sure. Go ahead and start.”
He takes a few steps back, looking like he’s debating whether he should scoop me into his arms and carry me into the kitchen. On an average, pain-free day that might not be so bad. But today…no.
Finally, he turns and continues to the back.
Ignoring Carter, I slowly walk to the water fountain across the lobby. I’m moving turtle speed, but I hope I at least look normal. As soon as I reach the fountain, I lean a shoulder against the wall and dig into my purse.
There’s got to be aspirin in here somewhere. I find a nearly empty container of mints, a wadded-up straw wrapper, enough pennies to buy half a tank of gas, and a spark plug.
“What are you doing?” Carter asks when he and Cookie Lady finish their conversation.
“Looking for painkillers.”
He frowns as he takes a bite of the perfectly golden peanut butter cookie in his hand. “Why?”
I scowl. “I slipped on some water before you got here and fell on my butt.”
Carter takes another bite and chews thoughtfully. “Really? Because it looked like you ‘stumbled into’ Gio’s arms to me.”
I freeze, shocked by his wording. Slowly, I look up at him. “What?”
“Nothing.”
“Come on,” I growl and begin shoving the contents of my purse at Carter. “I’ve got to have something.”
I end up finding a nearly full bottle of children’s chewable ibuprofen, left over from months ago when I babysat my second cousin. Muttering my thanks, I pop the top and take several.
“Aren’t those children’s?” Carter asks, juggling my wallet, checkbook, makeup bag, three pens, and the container of mints along with his plate of cookies.
“Shut up.”
“Please tell me you can take a pill.”
“This is all I have,” I say, exasperated. Ugh, these are gross.
I almost gag as I finish the last one and then lean over to take a drink from the water fountain to wash them down, trying not to imagine all the germ-infested children who have come before me.
After I stash the bottle back in my purse, Carter hands me my things, one by one.
“Okay.” I sling my purse over my shoulder and take a deep breath. “Let’s go.”
“Don’t you want those?” Carter asks, pointing to my discarded heels.
Not really.
“Please don’t mock me, but I don’t think I can bend over to pick them up right at the moment.”
His eyebrows go up, and he leans down to retrieve them for me. There’s something about Carter standing there next to me, holding my heels, that feels like we’re more than we are.
He follows me as I hobble to class. We’re late now, and Gio gives me a concerned smile as we make our way to the counter.
“After the olive oil is hot,” he continues, going on with his lesson, “you’re going to—”
Gio’s instructions are cut off by my yelp. I hover over my stool, embarrassed and in copious quantities of pain.
“Addison, are you sure you’re okay?” Gio asks.
“Fine,” I say, so mortified I could cry.
“You fell right on your tailbone, sweetie,” Cookie Lady says, going into full grandma mode. “Do you think you might have fractured it?”
My elderly classmates all make concerned noises, but Carter lets out a highly inappropriate snort. He holds up his hands in surrender when I glare at him, but it’s obvious he’s getting a little too much enjoyment out of the situation.
A gentleman with gray hair and a jaunty tie says, “Last year my second cousin’s boss’s wife broke her tailbone…”
Just let me die.
“Come on,” Carter says, grabbing my purse and offering me his arm.
“What? Where are we going?”
“I’m going to take you to the ER.”
I glare at him and lower my voice so only he can hear me. “I am not going to the emergency room because I fell on my butt.”
He snorts again, barely able to hold the full laugh back. “You are. Let’s go.”
Gio watches, looking helpless. “Do you want me to come with—”
“No!”
He looks so startled by my vehement refusal that I immediately feel awful.
“I’m sure I’m fine,” I assure him. “Honestly.”
Looking less than sure of that, he nods. “I’ll see you tomorrow? I’ll call in the morning, and we can work out the details?”
I stare at him blankly for all of five seconds before it hits me. We have a date.
“Right!” I’m an idiot. “Yes, right. Tomorrow. Call me.”
“Do you want us to get you some ice before you go, Addison?” Cookie Lady asks.
“Nah, that’s okay.”
We’re halfway out of the room when Carter leans close. “What’s the problem? Are you too embarrassed to ice your—”
“Do not finish that sentence.” If I weren’t concentrating on breathing through each step, I would smack him.
He chuckles under his breath and tightens his grip on me, giving me permission to lean on him.
“Ow. Ow. Ow,” I whine like a baby as soon as we’re in the hall and alone. “Oh my gosh, it hurts so bad.”
“Do you want me to call your dad?” he asks when we step through the main doors.
I shake my head furiously. “I don’t want you to call anyone. I’m going home to lie on the couch, and you’re going to forget this happened.”
“I don’t know, Addison. You’re either a major wimp, or you’re in a lot of pain—”
“I’m going home to lie on the couch.”
“Fine.” Carter shakes his head. “At least let me help you to your car.”
“I’m never wearing those stupid heels again,” I mutter. “Ever. I’m going to burn them.”
“Ah, don’t say that.” His tone is light, like he’s trying to cheer me up. “Sure, they’re probably miserable, but they make your legs look wicked hot.”
It’s a good thing I’m leaning against him because if I weren’t, I’d fall again—and I’ve already broken my butt and my pride; I don’t need to add an ankle or wrist to the tally of injuries.
“Funny,” I say once I catch my breath.
He looks ove
r, somehow frowning and smiling at the same time. “Not a joke.”
For one second, my body forgets I’m in pain, and I get all weak-kneed and warm. I stare at Carter. He stares right back.
Then he reaches into my purse for my keys, unlocks the door with the key fob, and opens it for me.
“Thanks,” I say, turning my attention to my car.
“Easy now,” he says as I lower myself into my seat.
The moment my rump makes contact with the soft upholstery, pain spreads, fast and hot, and I cry out, arching my back like a gymnast doing a back handspring…but slightly less graceful.
“Okay.” Carter pulls me up and opens the back door. “I’m taking you to the hospital.”
“I’ll call my doctor in the morning.”
“Tomorrow is Saturday.”
“I’ll call my doctor on Monday.”
He motions to the backseat. “Can you crawl in without hurting yourself?”
“I don’t want to go to the ER,” I whine.
“Look at the bright side. Maybe you’ll meet a hot doctor—check another item off your list.”
“What?” I demand, instantly thinking of the idea I crossed out in my office with Jessa—rent a room to a med student.
Carter shakes his head. “Never mind.”
It takes entirely too long, but I manage to sprawl out in the backseat, lying flat on my back with my knees bent, taking some of the pressure off my tailbone. “You know, I think it’s feeling a lot better,” I lie. “You should probably take me home.”
“You sure?” Carter asks, sliding into the driver’s seat.
“Yep. Totally sure.”
We arrive at the hospital ten minutes later.
* * *
“I really don’t think this is necessary,” I say as Carter assists/drags me into the ER.
“You’re walking like an old lady,” he says. “Don’t tell me you’re okay.”
When we reach the front desk, we find a bored-looking, twenty-something woman talking on the phone with her back to us. We stand here, waiting, as she tells the person on the other line about the horrible date she had the night before.
After several minutes, Carter reaches the end of his patience and walks right up to the window and knocks on the counter. The woman lets out an audible sigh and swivels in her chair, looking particularly disgruntled. It only takes her a moment, however, to realize how incredibly handsome Carter is.
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