Chapter 18
Luke
Bogey runs around the backyard in a flurry of activity. Gen was wrong about the exhausted part after being at camp. He’s anything but tired as he furiously digs in his sandbox so that he can bury the pile of sticks he’s collected.
Shaking my head, I can’t help but chuckle at his antics. This fluffball makes the weight I've carried inside me fade for the first time in years. I forgot what it felt like just to breathe. For the first time in a long time, a day off is actually a day off.
The past week away was productive, and a good paycheck. Finally, after years of struggling, I’m back at the top of my game.
Even my dad, being there to watch and analyze my every move, couldn’t get to me. No flinch, no braced tension.
There was a time, not too long ago, that his being present would’ve amped up my anxiety and had me over-pulling my swing.
This time, he wasn’t an issue, because for all it mattered, Dad was just another face in the crowd.
Amazing what a dog, a girl, and an agent who cares about your game will do for a person.
I missed Gen and Bogey more than I thought I would. Spending nearly every day with them over the last few months has become so much a part of my daily routine that everything feels a little off without them around.
J.B. was right. Again. The dog and the dog trainer are good for me.
And the woman who’s been infiltrating nearly every thought…well, she should be here shortly. My bike is on the back of my SUV, Bogey’s gear is in a backpack in the hatch, and today is the day we actually do some bikejoring.
Well, partly anyway, still not riding the bike yet, just walking next to it.
But at least we’re progressing with no injury to my person.
Rolling my neck, a memory of me in the dirt, feeling like every bone was badly broken or bruised, comes to mind. “I’m such an idiot.”
“I can attest to that,” Gen laughs, closing the gate she just walked through, only to have a blur of brown run up to her ‘AwoOooOooOooOOOO’ reverberating throughout the backyard. “I missed you, too handsome man. Did you enjoy your stay at camp?”
Genevieve greets my husky with a tenderness that I want, making my stomach twist. But then at Bogey’s short ‘Awoo’ we both chuckle.
“Stop telling fibs. We watched you while you were there. You had a great time.” When Bogey looks at me with wide, innocent eyes, I nearly howl myself. This dog is too much. Rather than answer, he runs over to his sandbox and starts digging like he’s planning to make it China.
Feeling a warm prickle on my skin, I glance at Gen to find her watching me, a lopsided grin on her face. My heart nearly stops as my gaze falls to her mouth. “Are you ready?”
Am I ready? My eyebrows pull together as my pulse races while my mind races faster because I am positive she’s not asking if I’m ready to kiss her. The answer to that question is a ‘Yes, ma’am.’
“For bikejoring.” She smirks, pulling her bottom lip between her teeth. But then I notice her cringe after she takes a step forward.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” She waves a hand at me dismissively. All the while walking toward me like one of the old biddies from Evergreen Whisper Hall. “It’s just a blister. My bike is in the car. I figured we could hook it with yours on the SUV and…”
“Just a blister?” I quirk a brow, crossing my arms.
She cringes again as she tries to put weight on one foot, and then the other. Her chest rises as she huffs out short breaths, clearly struggling to breathe. “I ran on the treadmill without shoes yesterday.”
“You what?” I shout.
Two steps and I reach her.
Scooping her up in my arms, I head into the house.
If I weren’t so worried about how badly she injured her feet, I would’ve laughed at the surprised look on her face, enjoyed the feel of her clinging to me, and the rapid beat of her heart against mine. “You do know that’s like running on sandpaper, right?”
“You’re being dramatic,” she says breathlessly, as I place her in one of the kitchen chairs, and start gently working at her shoelaces before sliding both her sock and sneaker off. “I’m sure it’s not that bad.”
Holding her ankle, I try to look at the bottom of her foot, but at the same time, she’s working to tug it away. Lifting my gaze to hers, her cheeks glow a soft pink. “You have nothing to be embarrassed about. Please let me look?”
The golden flecks in her hazel eyes turn a warm sherry, and my pulse jumps under my jaw. I want to take care of the woman in front of me, not just her feet. But the question is, will she let me? “Gen? Please? I don’t want them to get infected.”
The resistance stops, and her ankle gets heavy in my hand as she lets me support her leg. When I lift her foot so it’s nearly level with my face, it’s my turn to cringe.
“Is it bad?”
Glancing up around her foot, I meet her eyes and nod. “The bottom is almost one, gigantic, connected blister. How the heck were you walking?”
Sheepishly looking down, she mumbles, “I didn’t for the majority of today or last night. I pretty much crawled around the house.”
Dropping my chin to hide my face, I press my lips together in an attempt to control the grin that wants to break free. Unless I’m mistaken, Genevieve wanted to see me today as much as I wanted to see her.
Is it too much to hope that she missed me, too?
Afraid she’ll get up and try to stomp out of the house if she notices my amusement, I work to get my facial expressions under control. “We’re not going bikejoring today.”
“Luke, I can—”
Narrowing my eyes at her, I shake my head firmly. “No. You can’t.”
Gently putting her foot down, I stand up and point at her. “Don’t move.”
Her mouth twitches, and she lifts her hands up. “Not going anywhere.”
Walking to the pantry, I hear her mumble, “Because even if I wanted to, I’m not sure I can get my shoes on again.” Covering my laugh with a cough, I grab the emergency kit, just as Bogey lets himself in through the newly installed doggie door.
“You got a doggie door?” He trots over and sits next to Gen, all while keeping me in his view. She pets him without taking her gaze from me.
“Well, now that he comes when called, I don’t need to worry about him spending the entire afternoon outside destroying my yard.”
“You’re welcome.” Genevieve gives me one of her smiles that tugs the corner of my mouth up, and I can’t help but grin in return.
“I’ll be right back. I want to go grab a washcloth and a bowl of cool water.”
She gives me a slight nod as I walk past the girl and dog. “Hey, Luke?”
“Yeah?” I look over my shoulder to find her watching me from under lowered lashes, and the warmth from the sun that is Genevieve is now warming me from the inside out.
“What did you do with the real Luke Nichols?” My brow pulls together as I wonder if the blisters affected more than just her feet. “Because this version’s kind of hot.”
My eyes widen, only to feel the corner of my lip pull up.
She missed me, too.
Feeling confident, I lift a shoulder to my ear and murmur, “Really? Hmmm…maybe this version’s only for you.”