Chapter 3
CHAPTER THREE
CALYSTA
Sitting up, I swung my legs off the edge of the bed and dropped my chin to my chest with a sigh. “You wanted to do this.” Reminding myself didn’t make me any more excited as I sighed and pushed to my feet.
“Stupid idea, Calysta,” I told myself as I pulled my curly hair up into a high ponytail.
I poured an electrolyte packet into my water bottle and filled it with water and ice. With a quick look, I verified I had my ID and credit card in my running pouch. I strapped it on and made sure to bring the bag holding my costume before getting in the car.
The drive to the pharmacy, where I’d planned on leaving my car, was unusually long. St. Fleur had clearly shown up for the event. After a few additional minutes of traffic, I pulled into my parking spot.
I sipped my infused water, careful not to overdo it. Lord knew I’d need to pee the moment I started running. Aging was doing a number to my bladder, which was crazy, considering I couldn’t blame it on carrying a baby to term.
After attaching a long brown tail to my pouch, I slipped on a headband with brown ears. I didn’t bother looking in the mirror, fearing I’d change my mind at the fun costume. I locked the doors to the car and dropped the key fob into my pouch.
Looking around as I made my way to pick up my race bib, I was relieved to see others dressed in varying costumes.
Even Sheriff Noah’s face was painted, and dog ears poked out from his own headband as his daughter, Tori, sat on his shoulders.
His wife, Sofia, was talking to the owner of Whiskey’s pub as she twirled a thicker, softer-looking tail around.
Reaching a tent they’d set up on a side street, I chuckled at the sign: Have a woofing good time!
“Next!” someone called, and I hurried forward. “Hi! Thanks for supporting the sheriff’s department to raise money for a K-9! What’s your name?”
Less than three minutes later, I stood to the side, peering into a drawstring bag I’d been handed. I pulled out a white moisture-wicking T-shirt with the race’s information on it. A race bib, a bag of safety pins, and a few papers from local businesses filled the bottom.
I looked around at the crowd and noticed most of them were wearing the T-shirt, and the bib was pinned to the front.
“Hello again, do you want help with those? I know they’re a pain to do,” a familiar voice said, the sound sending a shiver down my spine.
“Oh, hi. Is it that noticeable that I don’t know what I’m doing?” I joked, giving him a sheepish grin.
“Only a little,” he said, pinching the air between two fingers. “I’m Frankie, by the way.”
A grin filled my face. “Calysta, and yes, I’d really love your help.”
“First you’ll want to take your shirt off.
” His eyes widened, and his cheeks darkened under his tanned skin.
“I mean, you’ll want to swap your shirts, unless of course you want to attach the bib to that one, or you want to just add this one, totally up to you.
God, I’m so sorry.” His words came out in a rush as embarrassment filled his expression.
I pressed a hand to his arm. “Breathe, it’s fine. I know what you meant.”
He pressed his lips together and nodded.
“It’s already stifling, so one shirt.” I looked around and saw everyone’s hands, including Frankie’s, were empty. “I’ll need to drop things off at my car.”
“That’s what we did,” he said.
“We?” I asked.
Frankie nodded and placed a hand between my shoulder blades as he turned me toward the crowd. “Yeah, my daughter and I. She’s the one with her hair in pigtails and a tutu.”
“The one you were shopping for,” I said quickly, and when I turned, I found my face inches from his. I sucked in a sharp breath as my hormones went into overdrive. His cologne or maybe deodorant, mixed with a clean laundry scent, wafted to my nose.
His gaze lowered to my mouth, and I watched his tongue slide across his lower lip before he stepped back. “Yeah.” The single word was breathy as his Adam’s apple bobbed.
Overheating and running out of time, I pulled my shirt off without thinking.
I made quick work of putting on the race shirt but didn’t miss the way he took me in during the quick exchange.
Later I’d question my sanity for doing it.
Sure, I had a sports bra on, but I wasn’t a young woman anymore.
Extra weight was padded around my middle, and my breasts were no longer perky.
Not to mention, I’d made the change in the middle of downtown.
Except for those couple of seconds, the only people that I registered were Frankie and me.
Frankie’s eyes were dilated when I met them again. In that moment, I remembered what it felt like to be a desired woman. His gaze slid down my body before he pointed at my head. “Your ears.”
I patted the spot where they’d been, noticing my ponytail was wrecked. Turning in a circle, I looked at the ground before he took my shirt from my hand. Frankie turned it right side out and passed me the headband.
“Thanks,” I said, grinning. “Can you tell I skipped my coffee this morning?”
His lips pulled back in a bright grin, and I marveled at how truly handsome he was. How had I not noticed Frankie in town since Sergio’s passing?
“Maybe if we don’t die of heat exhaustion after this, you’ll join me for coffee?” he asked.
Fixing my ponytail, I laughed. “I almost said ‘screw it’ to the money I spent on today, but now—”
He gently pulled the headband from my hands and slid it on my head. “Now?”
“Now, I’m really glad I came.”
“So am I.” Frankie picked up my bag from the floor. “Now let’s get this bib on you so you can drop the bag off at your car. Hold this up like mine,” he said, handing me the race bib.
I did as he said and watched him gently hold a safety pin between his full lips. He opened another, and I felt the gentle brush of his fingers over my left breast as he fastened one of the corners to the shirt.
“Sorry, maybe I should just talk you through it.” His voice was husky, and I wondered if Frankie hadn’t been with anyone in a while, like I hadn’t.
“It’s okay, unless you’d rather talk me through it,” I replied, realizing I didn’t want to make him uncomfortable if I was reading him wrong.
He licked his lips. “Oh, I don’t mind at all.”
Need shot to my core, and I was damn grateful I’d shown up for the 5K, even if the Louisiana heat killed me before the scorching heat Frankie was stoking inside me got a chance to.