Justice runs over to him and gives him some dopey jock handshake.
“Turner’s dad owns this place,” Ryder tells me with a grin like he’s at Disneyland. “He’s going to let us use the gym any time before or after hours.”
Suddenly I feel the pressure of the situation. It’s becoming more real by the minute. “What’s the catch?” I say to Ryder as we walk over to them. If Turner’s dad is anything like his son, it is the question to ask.
Turner heard my question and reaches out to pat me on the back like I’m about to head into the ring to fight Rocky. “My dad’s so psyched about this. It’s his favorite show. He wants to meet you and then you guys can do whatever you want for the next two hours.”
“And…” I struggle for a polite way to word my next question.
Turner’s head bobs. “All he wants is the gym name on your shirt if you make it.”
Are these people for real? Everyone seems to be buying into this possibility, so I better be damn sure I’m on board. My gut twists at the thought of letting everyone down. If I fail, the disappointment will be crushing for everyone. But, if I don’t even try, what will that do to my brothers? What will Ryder think of me? When we walk in the door to the empty gym, I take in the huge place with endless training possibilities and my nervousness turns to excitement. Yeah, I can do this.
As we are getting settled, Turner comes back with a man I assume is his dad.
“Roger,” he says, holding his hand out. “Great to meet you, Logan.”
I feel awkward meeting him this way when this whole thing was set up by kids, but still I shake his hand and give him a nod. “Yeah, you too. Sure about all this?”
“Like I told the boys, I’ll always support my fellow military.”
“Thank you. I appreciate that.”
“Well I’ve got some stuff to do in the office, so I’ll let you get to it. Let Turner know if you need anything.”
He begins to walk away, but I stop him when I say, “It’s a long shot, man.”
He turns with furrowed brows.
“Just thought you should know. I don’t know if Justice told you but I—”
“Hey, it’s cool. Just the thrill of the competition is enough for me. I did a brief stint myself. Kosovo. Before I got sent back.” He points to his right eye. “Looks like it works, but can’t see a thing.” He shakes his head. “Tumor.”
Before I can say I’m sorry, he turns a corner.
The boys and I start with a warm-up jog, and I’m surprised to see even Turner joins us. No matter what happens with this crazy pipedream of my brother’s, I will take this moment and enjoy the memory for years to come. Though it’s so completely different from my training in the Army, we are our own little unit—running, talking, laughing. But as I suspected, I outlast them all and they fall off one by one.
When I’m ready to hit the weights, I jog over to them sitting against a wall, staring at their phones. It was bound to happen at some point.
Turner is the first to pop up. “Ready to see the best part?”
I assume he means the weight room so I trail behind him. My brothers jump up and run past me to join Turner. We climb the stairs to the upper level and before we get to the top, I can already see some of the equipment. “Is this for real?” Ryder says and runs up the rest of the stairs.
I have to admit, the obstacle course is pretty impressive. It’s not nearly as elaborate as the show but at first glance, I can see this building more strength, balance, and agility.
When I reach the top step, Justice slaps me on the chest with an animation in his face he rarely shows. Not that he’s a somber kid, but kids his age just seem so subdued. “How freakin’ awesome is this, bro?”
I can only smile and nod because I really am speechless. Not just because of the equipment and the opportunity but more because of these boys. My heart warms from their excitement. After so much heartache, there is hope and possibility for us all. But once again the thought of disappointing them creeps in. I must have let it show on my face because Justice turns to me, closes the distance between us. Quietly he says, “Don’t worry about it, Logan. Just go for it. No matter what, Ryder’s going to keep worshipping you.” His smirk takes the pressure off this serious moment he created.
“Yeah, what about you, little punk?”
“Hell no!” He flips the bill of my ball cap so it flies off my head and then takes off to some hanging ropes. He leaps to one and swings with his mouth open and tongue hanging out.
I don’t react and bend over to pick up my cap when I hear a voice behind me.
“Nice ass.”
I spin and see Mollie standing there in workout clothes with her arms folded.
“Nice ass? Really?”
“Just thought I’d try it out and see how it feels. You know since I’ve got my perks card.”
I lift my brows, a little confused and surprised. Before I can even respond, Ryder comes running over.
“You made it!”
“Yeah, sorry I’m late, Rebel.” She loops an arm around his neck and tilts her head to touch his.
“Did I miss something?” I ask both of them.
“Mollie and I have been snapchatting.”
“What the hell is snapchatting?” I snap my fingers a few times. “Is that some new-age rapping?”
They look at each other and laugh before walking past me to the equipment. “So lame,” Mollie says to Ryder. It’s like I’ve entered a parallel universe where everyone is happy and loves each other.
I decide to play my part and go along with this temporary scene of amicability, knowing once we get home, my brothers will go back to annoying each other and me.
We take some time to acquaint ourselves with the equipment and try out each area. When the boys grow bored, they head across the street to see if the McDonalds is open yet. Mollie and I take to the ropes.
“Race you to the top?” she says with a feisty gleam in her eyes.
I try to contain my smile, knowing she’ll see it as a chauvinistic gesture on my part. “You sure you’re up for it?”
“Whatever.” She practically snarls it at me.
“Hey, it’s not that you’re a woman… I’ve had training. I work out all the time.”
“I work out.”
“Okay,” I say, but even I hear the condescending tone in my voice.
She clicks her head to the side, like something just occurred to her. “But first…” Mollie keeps one hand on her rope but takes one step toward me. She leans over with soft lusty eyes, and I start to wonder if maybe my tone was fine. She reaches up and strokes my cheek, sending my heart into my throat and Logan junior ready to do some climbing of his own. I place my hand over hers and run my fingers down to her wrist and then lean toward her, ready to enjoy one of our newly established perks and get a feel of those plump lips. I’m just about to grab her waist and pull her in when she flips her hand under my arm and tickles my armpit.
I’m really not that ticklish but it does catch me off guard, and I let go of my rope. She immediately hops on hers and uses my body like a ladder to give her a boost. She literally steps on my shoulders on the way up, one of her flailing feet knocking my hat off once again. Who knew she was so cut-throat competitive?
Not only was I thrown off by her kick-ass move, but I am so surprised she had the guts to do it, I throw my head back and expel a burst of laughter before noticing she’s quickly making her way up to the bell. I steel my amusement and leap onto my rope. I work to catch her, but she’s a good body’s length ahead of me.
The rope is not a problem for me but I can’t take my eyes off her while I try to catch up. If she wasn’t so adorable, I would have surpassed her. But instead I make it to the top a half second behind her. We both ring our bells and slide down, panting and grinning at each other.
I run my fingers through my hair and look around for the cap I can’t seem to keep on my head.
“Now that was fun,” she tells me, snatching my hat out
of my hands the second I retrieve it.
“I think my hair must repel that hat. Maybe you should keep it.”
“It’s my prize for winning.”
Standing taller, she puts it on and holy shit does she look all kinds of adorable. I move in closer to her, reach down, and straighten the bill. She parts her lips when she sees me staring at them so I slip one arm around her waist. “What do I get?” I say softly, bending my head down close to hers.
One corner of her mouth quirks up, and I feel her rise up on her toes. “There’s no trophy for participation,” she whispers. Yet I feel her pushing her body closer to mine.
“Then I’m contesting your win.” I cup her chin and tilt it up. She may have gotten the jump on me, but I’m in charge now. I brush my lips across hers, and I can hear and feel the shot of air she pulls in just before I cover her mouth again, this time with considerably more pressure. Our tongues sweep gently across each other’s as one of her arms comes and hooks around my neck. The touch of her hand on my bare skin causes a heat flash up my neck. I pull back and look at her. I want to see in her eyes if she’s affected by this as much as I am. Soft and light, her gray eyes reflect exactly what I’m feeling in this moment. I slide my hand inside her hair to the back of her neck and pull her back to me so I can feel those sweet lips again when I hear a loud slam and the echoing voices of three obnoxious and untimely teens.
Mollie shrugs and takes a step back. “I’m still keeping the hat.”
I nod, hoping next time it will be one of my T-shirts instead. And nothing underneath. I may not have won that race, but I should get the Nobel prize for my ingenious perks plan. But even as I feel triumphant, watching the guys come over, I hope I don’t screw things up with Mollie. I don’t know what we did to deserve her but if I piss her off, I’m sure there will be hell to pay at my house.
“We got some extra juices and stuff if you guys want some,” Ryder says, setting down a couple of bags.
“I want to hit the weights before we go,” Justice says.
Turner leaves to help his dad clean mats while the rest of us head downstairs to use some of the machines.
While Ryder follows Mollie around, I take the opportunity to give Justice some tips on weights and see if I can get him to talk about his exit routine on the field. No doubt the shiner he got was because of it. “Quarterback’s gotta stay lean,” I say, moving the pin up for him. “But you could afford a little bulk.”
“Whatever, hulk.”
“Are we going to do this? I’m just trying to help.”
“Maybe I don’t need your help.”
“Guess not. As long as you can keep outrunning them…oh, and I don’t mean the other team’s defense.”
“You suck.”
“Guess me and Mase didn’t knock you around enough when you were little, huh?”
He gets up in a huff and stalks to a different machine. “Look ninja warrior, just let me do my thing.”
I follow him and stand right in between him and the mirror. “There’s no avoiding getting hit. You can’t run from pain all your life. Hell, you should know that just being in this family.”
He pushes up, working his traps but his eyes are averted to the side. “No shit.”
I kneel down, knowing I’m doing a crap job convincing him and totally aware of my hypocrisy. “I won’t harp on this, but if you don’t get it together, coach is gonna cut you.” I stick my face in his field of vision. “Do whatever you have to do, but get over this. And if you want me to help, I’m here.”
His eyes finally shift to look directly into mine. He releases the bar and his shoulders sag. When he opens his mouth, Ryder yells from the far corner. “Lo! Hurry. Mollie looks sick!”
Without a thought, I jump from my machine and race over. Ry has his hand on Mollie’s back as she sits on a workout bench, hands on her knees, leaning over. As soon as I kneel down next to her, she starts shaking her head. “Just…give me a sec,” she says breathlessly.
I glance up at Ryder who looks terrified and I can’t blame him. Having a scare like this after losing his mother must be frightening. Though my heart now feels like it’s beating double-time, I keep my voice calm. “What can I do?”
I feel Justice come up and stand behind me but he doesn’t say anything.
Mollie’s breathing worries me but the fact that I can’t see her face almost makes me panic. Overdoing it at the gym is fairly common but with her health issues, this could be something more. I gently place my hand on the side of her head, but I won’t do anything without her approval. “Can you look at me, Mollie? I need to see your face.”
She lifts it only slightly so I try to smooth back some of her hair. Her hands move to her stomach before she lifts her head all the way. She looks at me, frustration in her eyes, skin turning pale like she might pass out or vomit. “I’m sorry, guys…”
“It’s okay. Just tell us what you need.” Almost as if she told me with words, I see it in her eyes.
Over my shoulder I say, “Justice, run and get Mollie’s bag from over there.” He’s gone before I finish so I turn back to her. I smooth my hands down the sides of her head and tuck the hair behind her ears. “It’s going to be okay…right?” I ask with a tilt of my head.
Mollie nods and puts on her brave face just as Justice arrives with her bag. I pull it open and rummage through it. First, I grab what I assume is a travel medical bag and hold it up but she shakes her head. Then I see a small bottle of apple juice and I know that’s what she needs. I open it and hold it to her lips. She sips, keeping her gaze hooked with mine.
We stay that way, the four of us, for a few minutes, until finally Mollie stops me. “I’m good now.” She looks at each one of us with a tight smile and then says, “Three heroes are more than one girl deserves.”
“Not you, Mollie,” Ryder says. His face is awash with relief and he reveals a small grin. “Besides, you’re like family now. Right, Logan?”
I nod, looking at Mollie, hoping I’ve masked my fears. “That’s right, bud.” It’s so clear to me now how attached we’ve all become and the implications are terrifying given our family history.
“Mollie…” Justice shoves one hand into his pocket and plays with his phone in the other. “I never really told you how sorry I am for what I said.” He looks her in the eyes only long enough to catch a forgiving smile and then looks at me as if he needs to be let off the hook.
“It’s okay, Justice. Really.” She touches his wrist but pulls away quickly as if she’s totally aware how uncomfortable he is.
“Why don’t you two go tell Turner we’re leaving,” I say, putting an end to all the awkwardness.
They go without complaint, and I scoot in next to Mollie on the bench.
“It doesn’t happen that much,” she says as if reading my mind. “I slacked. I’m sorry.”
I turn my body toward her and grab her hands. “Hey, just because you’re a nurse doesn’t mean you’re not human.”
I can see she’s fighting something. My chest aches for her because I know what she’s feeling.
“I know better.” She presses her palm into her head. “It was stupid of me not to notice sooner.”
“Shit happens. And you have to stop thinking like a person who can only count on themselves. You’ve got three heroes now, right?”
She leans in and kisses me on the cheek. “Three heroes led by a pretty hot somebody. I can’t lose.”
Chapter 16
Mollie
There are small moments in time so meaningful it almost breaks your heart to know they will soon be over. For many people those moments are milestones like getting married, seeing your child born. I feel so far away from anything like that. But in my little world, one of those moments is happening right now, watching Belle as she spins around in her full-length, blue princess dress, wearing green chucks on her tiny feet, and holding a plastic rifle. She’s me—living somewhere between the feminine person society is trying to arrange her to be and the tou
gh female real life created. On second thought, maybe Belle isn’t torn at all. She knows who she wants to be and she wants it all. When I first saw her, I thought being around all these males was going to be tough for her, maybe even detrimental. I believed they couldn’t give her what she needs. But I can admit when I’m wrong and I was dead wrong.
Belle jumps on her bed and starts kicking her legs out with the rifle strapped to her back. “I’m kidboxing like you Maui.”
I sit on the edge and fold my arms as I stare at her. “You can say my name correctly now.”
She plops down on her knees and takes my face in her hands. “I know. I just like that name. It’s beautiful, like you.”
“Thank you. And it’s called kickboxing. Not kidboxing.”
She slides off the bed and takes her stuffed baby tiger, tucking it under the covers. “Is it time for dessert yet? My baby needs to nap.”
“We’ll check in a minute. They said they would tell us.”
Lou and Logan’s grandpa are in the kitchen, supposedly doing the dishes. When I told Lou I was going to hang out with Belle tonight because all the boys were going to be late coming back from the car show, she finagled an invite by dangling her homemade lasagna as bait. She insisted the boys needed a homemade meal and they could eat the leftovers.
“I like your grandma,” Belle says, coming to sit next to me. “Can she be my grandma too?”
I laugh. “Lou’s not my grandma. She’s my…friend.” The pause when I almost called her a neighbor makes my heart heavy. As annoying as she can be at times, Lou’s been a good friend too. Makes me feel like I have someone in my life. I thought I liked my solitary existence. Being an only child, it’s been that way most of my life. No sharing or hand-me-downs. Even in college I lived alone most of the time when I could afford it. My friends were surprised when I became a traveling nurse for a few years and even lived overseas alone. I still enjoy my alone time, but Lou has grown on me, and I know she needs me even if she pretends she doesn’t. And just because I’ve found myself thrown into a big bunch of Bridges doesn’t mean I don’t want Lou in my life. A fleeting thought crosses my mind and my hearts clenches. I wrap my arms around Belle and squeeze her, as if I’m trying to get my fill, store it up just in case.
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