Chapter 16
Chapter Sixteen
R iley squealed when her door slammed open, only to follow it with a glare at her best friend. “Aspen. What in the world are you doing?”
Aspen held up a container. “I brought cake, and I expect all the gossip in return.” She grabbed the door handle as she stepped inside and pulled it closed. “Sorry about the slam. I was distracted.”
Riley raised an unimpressed eyebrow. “Distracted? You don’t even have baby Tony with you.”
Aspen shrugged, set the cake on the desk, and took a seat while rubbing her hands together. “Now. Dish it.”
Riley shook her head. “I’m not sufficiently filled with sugar yet for me to share all my secrets.” What she really meant was “I won’t be telling you that I kissed your brother and now I’m ruined for any other man if this doesn’t work out.”
“By all means.” Aspen waved at the box and folded her arms as if to wait.
“You’re just going to stare at me the whole time, aren’t you?” Riley asked while opening the gift.
Aspen shrugged and grinned .
“That’s creepy, you know.”
“I call it, protecting my investments,” Aspen retorted.
Riley snorted and took a bite. Closing her eyes, she hummed under her breath. “Aspen…this might be your best one yet.” Riley examined the cake. “What is it exactly?”
“Mango curd inside a lemon pound cake.” Aspen leaned forward and dropped her voice. “With a cream cheese drizzle.”
Riley slowly shook her head. “Genius. You should do bundt cakes more often.”
“Don’t tempt me.” Aspen took a deep breath and settled back in her seat. “They take less time since I don’t have to do the whole frosting thing, but still, I don’t think I can pull myself away from my true love.”
“Austin? Baby Tony?” Riley offered with a wide grin.
Aspen grinned. “You know me too well. Speaking of…” Aspen smirked as she leaned forward again, her arms resting on the desk. “Why don’t you share about your true love?”
Riley had to work to not choke on the bite of cake in her mouth. She’d walked right into that one, despite her desire to keep her love life private. This was the trouble with having a best friend with such a strong personality. On one hand, Aspen was awesome to have in social situations, and the woman found homes for more animals than Riley could ever thank her for. Unfortunately, it also meant that Aspen was deeply invested in Riley’s life and felt she had the right to poke her nose in every piece of business Riley had.
“I don’t have a true love,” Riley wheezed, pounding herself on the chest. “Just animals.”
Aspen rolled her eyes. “Have you kissed him yet?”
Riley gave her friend a look. “Why is this any of your business?”
“You have!” Aspen’s jaw dropped in a wide smile, and her eyes practically bugged out of her head. “Oh my word! We’re going to be real sisters!”
“Aspen!” Riley put a hand in the air. “Please…” She dropped her voice. “Please. Don’t jump to conclusions. ”
Aspen closed her mouth and clasped her hands at her chest, but her whole body was practically vibrating with energy. “You kissed him!”
Riley sighed and grabbed the end of her ponytail. “Technically, he kissed me.”
Aspen’s smile was so wide it nearly split her face as she slowly shook her head. “I should probably be disgusted that you’re kissing my brother , but I’m just so thrilled that it’s you!”
Riley shook her head. “It’s not all puppies and rainbows, Aspen. We’ve still got a long way to go.” Riley pinched her lips between her teeth. Last night had been a clear example that their road would be far from easy.
Antony was still healing, both mentally and physically. He was in a precarious position where he was starting to stretch out and poke his head out of the cave he’d built, but sometimes those first few steps were the hardest. He lacked momentum and still got upset at small bumps in the road. Riley’s experience with animals taught her that the worst might be yet to come, but her heart was screaming to stay close.
She truly didn’t mind helping take care of him. In fact, the act made her heart sing. She loved seeing his progress. She loved his smile and his low chuckle. His kisses kept her up at night, and she wanted nothing more than to see him become the man he was born to become. But Antony had to want the same thing, and his sense of duty was burying him in guilt that he was the weak link. If only he could see that it was temporary.
“So…” Aspen had her chin in her hand and her elbow on the desk. “Whatcha thinking of?” She scrunched her nose. “Is he a good kisser? Maybe I shouldn’t ask that. It might gross me out.”
Riley rolled her eyes, but inside she was burning from being caught daydreaming. “Aspen, I love you. But I’m not discussing this with you.”
Aspen blew a raspberry. “So uptight. Haven’t we been friends long enough that I’ve gotten rid of your sense of propriety? ”
“Not yet.” Riley smiled close-lipped as she chewed another bite of cake. “Now, how about a kitten for Baby Tony?”
Aspen laughed. “He’d eat her. That kid eats anything he can get his hands on.”
“He’s being raised in the kitchen. What did you expect?”
Aspen shrugged. “Maybe we should have you teach him how to run.”
“He can’t even walk,” Riley said sarcastically. “Might be a bit early.”
“He can ride in Antony’s lap while he runs.”
Riley laughed and shook her head. “Maybe someday, but this race is going to be hard enough as it is.”
Aspen pursed her lips and leaned back. “Is he going to make it, do you think?”
“To what? The race?” Riley frowned.
Aspen’s levity had waned, and her lips tugged down on the corners. “I’m concerned he’s doing too much too fast,” she admitted. “I know he’s always been fit and stuff, but…he stopped going to therapy and I just don’t want to see him get hurt.”
Riley sighed, completely understanding where Aspen was coming from. “Yeah, me too.”
“Do you think it would help if we went to chat with him?” Aspen made a face.
“I think visits from his family would be good,” Riley offered. “They can’t hurt. And really, I agree that he’s pushing too fast. Actually…” Riley took a minute to debate her words. “I think the biggest problem is he doesn’t have the equipment he needs, but Tone insists that the insurance won’t spring for anything else.”
Aspen’s eyes dropped to her lap, her mind clearly working before she spoke. “If we got him into the doctor’s office again, I’m sure we could take care of a prescription for something better.”
“He’ll probably have to get his own racing chair,” Riley offered. “But arm crutches for getting around should be easy.”
Aspen nodded, her eyes still unfocused. “Mom should have some of that information.” She looked back at Riley. “I’ll ask her. He’s always struggled with the one crutch, but he quit his visits as fast as he could and has been stuck with what he’s got.”
“If you can talk to your mom, I’ll work on getting him through the race,” Riley promised. “Whether that means walking next to his pace or pushing him myself. Either way, he needs to feel like he’s accomplished something.”
“I can see that.” Aspen slapped her knees and took a deep breath. “Okay. We both have homework.” Her grin came back, and she winked at Riley. “And if yours involves using kisses as motivation, you have my absolute permission.” She jumped toward the door when Riley threw a wadded up piece of paper at her. Blowing a kiss from the entrance, she waved. “Love ya, Ri! You’re the best!”
Riley laughed to herself and shook her head as her best friend left. Despite the invasion of privacy, she felt better that they talked, especially about getting Mrs. Harrison going on some insurance investigation. Antony would be much happier if he quit doing things the hard way.
“Stubborn man,” she muttered, but her smile wouldn’t leave. He was stubborn, but Riley appreciated his dedication to what he thought was right. That hard part moving forward was helping him only be stubborn about the right things.
“Got your gloves?” Riley asked.
Antony held up his hands, a too-wide smile on his face.
“Leash?”
Antony tapped the place where they’d tied Griffin to his chair.
“Helmet?”
“Absolutely not.”
Riley raised her hands innocently. “They wear them in the Olympics. ”
“I’m barely going over walking pace,” Antony argued. “No helmet. I look dumb enough as it is.”
“You don’t look dumb,” Riley scolded, her light colored brows furrowing. “Stop saying that.”
“Then stop mother-henning me.”
“Listen, mister.” She put her hands on the handles of his chair and loomed over him.
Normally that kind of behavior made him feel smothered and angry, but with Riley? Yeah, he’d work this to his advantage.
“Careful,” he warned in a low voice. He slowly reached up to hold her upper arms. “You never know what might happen when you threaten an ex-soldier.”
Riley’s lips tried to spread into a smile, but she kept swallowing it back. “I’m not afraid of you.”
“Thank goodness.” Pulling her forward, he stole a kiss, then pushed her back. “This is no time for kissing, woman! I’m in training. Stop distracting me.”
“You’re going to be the death of me,” Riley muttered under her breath, which only made Antony laugh.
Had he ever laughed so much? Even before he’d been hurt? It all seemed fuzzy, and he couldn’t seem to remember much of his life “before.” It was as if everything was broken into two pieces. The “before” and “after.” The “before” was like a barely there memory. It teased him, taunted him, and made him feel as if he had lost something precious. The “after” took up most of his time and mental energy and had started with such rage and depression that Antony hadn’t been sure he’d survive.
But now, thanks to Riley, he was surviving. And he had hope of eventually doing more than that.
Riley stretched her neck from side to side and bounced on her toes. “Ready, Freddy?”
“Don’t call me that while I’m at work.” He cracked his knuckles and stretched his own neck .
“I’m sorry. I forgot we decided on Grumpy Gus in public,” Riley shot back.
“I’m telling Aspen your pet name is Susie Sunshine!” Antony shouted as he gave a shove to his wheels. The take off wasn’t as dramatic as he would have liked, but still, it felt good to catch Riley off guard.
She scowled as she caught up. “If you think that’s an insult, you’re going to have to try harder. I’ve been teased for my personality since we were kids.”
A small part of him hated that she could chat while they worked and he was already huffing, but Antony shoved the feelings aside. He didn’t want to feel that way anymore, and he knew Riley wasn’t making fun of him.
No one, not even his own mother, had been so dedicated in getting him through his struggles. Not that he’d given them much of a choice, which was partly why Riley had been the perfect choice. His family was afraid of severing their relationship, Riley had stepped in with the words, “I have nothing to lose.”
And Antony would forever be grateful.
“You were a little peppy,” he panted. “Not everyone is a “glass half full” type of person.”
“What fun is life if you're always focused on what you don’t have?” Riley shot back. “Seems to me, that’s a sad way to go.”
Antony chewed on that for a moment, but his brain was struggling since it wasn’t getting enough oxygen. “I used to be in shape,” he grunted.
“You still are,” Riley offered. “Now you’re trying to get in different shape.” She looked at him and grinned, her ponytail swinging madly behind her. “It’ll take time.” She tilted her chin toward his arms. “Don’t think that I haven’t noticed how thick your arms are getting from hefting yourself everywhere.”
Antony gave her a look. “Riley Roo, are you staring at my biceps again?” It took a second before he could speak again as he gulped air into his lungs. “My chest, my biceps…I’m starting to get concerned here.”
She laughed, finally sounding slightly out of breath. “If we weren’t exercising, I’d smack you.”
“If we weren’t exercising, you wouldn’t be able to.” He puffed again. “Being that my arms are so big and all. You’d stand no chance.”
“Men,” Riley grumbled, making Antony grin.
The sounds of their chatter quieted to just the pounding of Riley’s feet and Antony’s heavy breathing. She was right. He was getting stronger. Not as fast as he would have liked, but his arms didn’t feel like they were on fire after two minutes anymore and he found that he was managing with his crutch better than before.
It was amazing how only a few short weeks in Riley’s company had changed Antony’s perspective completely.
Griffin’s bark had Antony coming out of his brain fog and into the present. Cursing under his breath, he tried to maneuver around the pothole they were coming up on, but he wasn’t quite quick enough and the chair wasn’t made for split second turns.
“No, no, no,” Riley shouted, grabbing the hands of his chair and jerking hard enough that Antony almost bounced right out the front.
They both paused for a moment, breathing heavily as they took note of the near disaster. Antony had almost bit the asphalt…again.
“Well, that was close,” he said, his voice lower than it should have been.
Riley was gasping for air as she came around to his side. “We should complain to the city. They obviously aren’t keeping up with the maintenance around here.”
Antony shook his head. “It’s fine, Riley. No one cares about me in my wheelchair.”
“I care,” she shot back, her face flushed. Whether it was from the jogging or the near accident, Antony wasn’t sure. “Just because we haven’t had a lot of people in town with wheelchairs doesn’t mean that they should just let things go to pot.”
Antony chuckled. “They aren’t going to pot. It’s a spot in the road. They’ll probably say I’m the problem because I should be on the sidewalk.”
Riley put her hands on her hips and huffed again. “We have every right to run on the road.”
“I’m not?—”
“I know, I know,” Riley waved him off. “You’re not running. You’re rolling.” She shook her head. “There has to be a safe place for you to do this.” Narrowing her eyes, she pinned him in his seat. “Or you could just wear a helmet like I suggested.”
“Not happening.” Antony turned himself around and shook out his arms. “How far did we go?”
She looked at her watch. “About a third of a mile.”
Antony blew out a breath. He still had so far to go. “I guess we can do a couple laps then. I need to push up to a mile and a half. The run is in two weeks.”
Riley nodded. “Yeah, that’d be good.” She tilted her head toward the road. “Ready?”
Once again, Antony took off without her. “Come on, slowpoke!” It was harder going this time, since his arms were already tired, but he kept going anyway. Slowly but surely, he was digging his way out of the pit Riley had found him in.
Slowly but surely, he would get his life back.
Slowly but surely, he would find a way to make his and Riley’s relationship more even.
Antony grinned as Riley scolded him for taking off, but they kept going, his arms aching but his heart racing. They could do this. He could do this. It was time to let that little flicker of hope fan into a raging forest fire.
Antony was ready.
It had been too long.