Chapter 11 Rayna
Rayna
What a fucking klutz I am! And right when I was walking back home.
Happy as, feeling wonderful after a class.
Ready to take on another day of being within the same walls as my best friend, turned estranged friend turned back into a friend, now evolved to crush.
I have to admit it. But it’s lunacy to think I can progress this any further.
I don’t want to lose his friendship for a second time.
He means too much to me to lose him again.
I roll over in bed, half asleep, half not wanting to see how hard it might be to walk on my leg. But the bruise is massive, and I press it into the mattress with slightly too much pressure. Wincing as I roll on my back, avoiding it. So. Fucking. Stupid.
And then Koby had to come along and be all amazing and carry me up the stairs.
That was way too fucking hot. Definitely needed a longer moment in the shower.
Cut to us back to being playful besties as he made me lunch.
Argh, I’m so confused. Just need to play it cool.
Whipping the sheets off, I look down at my leg.
It was feeling too sensitive with clothing directly on it, so I ended up taking my shorts off through the night.
The bruise glares back at me. It’s huge, and dark purple.
My leg is quite swollen and tender around it.
I gingerly throw my legs off the edge of the mattress and slowly put weight on my feet.
Testing it out. Yes. Tender. Very tender.
But not too bad. Shuffling over to the bathroom is not unbearable.
Making my way slowly down the stairs, I’m met halfway by Koby, with a warm good morning, an outstretched hand held out and presenting a shoulder so I can lean on him for the last half of the stairs. Guiding me to the lounge so I can lie down with a straight leg.
“How are you feeling today?”
“Little sore, a lot stupid.”
“Don’t. It happens. Do you need me to get anything from your room? Set up shop down here?”
“Argh, yes, I probably need to do that. Maybe a little later.”
“Just tell me when and what you need.” He fusses around the lounge, bringing pillows closer. “I can have some eggs ready if you’re hungry?”
“My very own cabana boy to tend to all my desires and needs! I might actually get some relaxing holiday-time in,” I joke, but might not have hit the mark when he only subtly lifts the side of his mouth and jogs back towards the kitchen without a word.
He really looks after me with a coffee to start while the eggs are cooking. Ideal when I was only in the mood for a light breakfast, grateful for the eggs and toast. He settles down on the lounge with me and vigilantly applies and swaps out my ice pack when needed.
After lunchtime, we settle into a comfortable silence.
Propped up in a half-sitting, half on my back position, laptop on my lap and working on some new season sponsorship proposals.
Koby at the opposite side of me on the deep lounge.
Resting against the back of the lounge. Laptop also teetering on his lap.
He borders on looking comical. Laptop: small and slim.
Body: broad, and large. His arms look like they are straining to type on such a narrow keyboard.
“You can go up to your room and work at your desk. I can’t imagine your typing like that is very ergonomic.”
He looks over at me with a cocked eyebrow, looking at my very non-ergonomic position. “Do you need a lift to your room yourself?”
“No, no. I’m comfortable. Just looking at you trying to one-finger type and wondered if you needed the extra room.” I follow it up with an exaggerated motion of one-finger typing on my laptop, squishing my elbows into my body, trying to smuggle a smirk while I tease him.
He closes his laptop. “Ooh, alright then, missy. Shots fired. Someone had feisty pills this morning.”
Laughing as I wave him off. Things are feeling a little too comfortable. Maybe a little distance would do me good.
“You can head out for a run if you want. You don’t have to sit with me the whole day.”
“Don’t be silly. I’m here to help.” He smiles and puts his hand on my calf.
The touch burns my skin through the thin fabric.
“Plus, it feels like uni days. Both of us cramming for exams here.” His hand slides away from my calf, leaving a trail burn that sears in its wake, and he breaks his eyes away from me.
Staring at the TV that has a random show playing in the background.
Distraction needed.
“As you know, I need some help with Brax.” I straighten myself up a little, putting some distance between my legs and his hand that landed on the lounge near my leg and did not move. The warmth of his hand, still close to me.
He looks back at me, and his demeanor changes. From goofy to serious. “Any updates? Is he okay?”
“No further updates. But I am worried about him taking on too much, and I want to have some suggestions for him when he comes in two days.”
“What are you thinking?” He maneuvers his body to face me and opens his laptop up again.
“I've got a few ideas. I would like him to take the season off and focus on his mum, but I think he likes having work be a little bit of a distraction, or normality in his life, with his mum’s condition being volatile.”
“Makes sense.”
“The next idea is to have him job-share, but I want him to really communicate and rely on the other person. And I want to find someone who could facilitate supporting him in that way. I know we don’t have anyone who is egocentric on our teams, but I want them to be aware of the commitment I’m expecting from them.
Louie knows I'm thinking of someone across the sports who would be the best fit. I also have to think of someone to fill in during the parental leave period for Jack and Adrian. If you have anyone in mind who you think could step up to that challenge.”
“I was thinking about this when you mentioned it the other day. I think I have two people who would be a good fit across both roles. One is on the motorcycle team and one on the enduro team. Leniece and Mitch.”
“I’ve heard Riley talking about Mitch.”
“How do you want to approach this? Get Brax on board first and then approach Mitch and Leni, or vice versa?”
“I think getting Brax on board first would be better and then see if they would like to come across. Not fair to dangle an opportunity in front of them and then take it away from them if Brax isn’t keen on it.”
“Definitely agree. Then we need to work on some plans for that knock-on effect. Probably good to work on this during this season break.”
“You know I love to forward plan.”
“That I do.” He flashes a smile at me, and I. Am. Floored.
We spend the afternoon working out succession plans for a few of our mechanical team members who we believe are ready for the challenge, are knowledgeable and flexible to move across the sports.
Outlining training and support for them across the sports and where they will fit the best. All ready and prepared to discuss it with Brax when he arrives tomorrow.
Koby walks the stairs behind me at the end of the day, holding our laptops and there in case I slip. Despite the bruise getting the full ice and rest treatment, the leg area is still swollen from the impact, so I'm stiff and sore still, therefore slow ascending the stairs.
Getting to the landing and making my way to my door, Koby hands me my laptop.
“Thank you.” I take the laptop from his outstretched hand, my fingertips brushing against his in the exchange. Electricity shoots up my arm. I linger. Swaying towards him. Willing him to dip down and brush his lips against mine. Feel the burn his hands made on my calf across my whole body.
Stepping backwards, his hand slips out of my reach. The heat from his body, replaced by the cool breeze of the air conditioner.
“Okay…ahhh…efficient work today. Goodnight.” And he disappears.
Leaving me feeling even more foolish than when I fell down the gutter. This is lower than the gutter.
My alarm goes off. Not that I needed it. I’ve been up for hours. Lying in bed, surrounded by existential dread and mortification, and picking so much skin off the sides of my thumbs, they are raw and sore. Gotta love that nervous energy habit.
Okay. New day, new outlook.
Denial. Denial. Denial.
Stop looking at Koby in any way other than that he is my friend. Nothing more.
Plus, I have Brax coming around today, and I want to make sure everything goes smoothly for him. No distracted thoughts. Full focus on Brax and how we can support him.
Patting myself down, I’m not nearly as damp as I normally am. And so it has been decreed: Today will be a good day.
Showering and sorting myself out before heading down. Koby tracks me down the stairs from his position in the kitchen. Standing at the kitchen island, buttering some toast to go with our eggs.
“Morning,” I chime.
“Good mornin’,” he drawls, with gravel in his morning voice.
Friend, friend, friend.
“How do you know when to make breakfast so it’s ready by the time I am down the stairs?”
“Impeccable timing.” The rakish half-smile pulls at his lips.
I roll my eyes so I don’t have to stare at that sexy as hell smile and sit down at the bench opposite him, wincing as I pop up on the stool with a little too much force.
His smile has disappeared, and he is in the freezer retrieving the ice pack.
Holding it up to me, he asks. “Another day?”
“Yeah. It’s not so much the bruise, but the surrounding area.”
“You could have a bone contusion.”
Taking the ice pack from him as I shake my head, “It is getting better. I could get down the stairs okay just then. I sat too aggressively. That’s it.”
I place the ice pack against my thigh and let the cold seep through me. Koby moves my plate in front of me along with my coffee mug, but stays eating on the other side of the kitchen island.
“Brax should be here in about an hour.”
“Need to go through anything before he gets here?”
“We covered everything yesterday. I didn’t have any ideas overnight.”
“It wouldn’t be the first time.”
“Fair point.”
Knocking erupts, and Koby heads to the door. I hear Brax’s voice once Koby opens the door and greets him.
By the time I have shimmed myself off the stool, and faced the front of the house, Koby reenters with Brax behind him.
He is the epitome of don’t judge a book by its cover.
His hair is always a buzz cut. Broad shoulders with tattoos that snake up from his sculpted arms and wrap around his neck.
Clear glasses and a full trimmed beard. He looks rough.
But appearances aren’t always what they seem.
“Rayna! I’m so sorry for barging in early, love.” He approaches me and scoops me into a hug. “I knew you’d understand, but I wanted to get this started so I could head and see Mum.”
“Brax, don’t be silly. Of course. I’m sorry. I didn’t realise you landed already. How are you?”
“Okay? Maybe? I’ll feel better once I see Mum. I wanted to stay longer with Louie, but the carers were concerned.”
“Don’t you worry about it. Let’s go sit down and get started.” I motion him over to the dining table and realise I left my laptop upstairs.
Turning to head upstairs, Koby is already in front of me.
“I’ll get the laptop. Just sit down and put that ice pack back on your leg.”
“Thanks,” I say, and he is up and back down the stairs in no time. Handing me my laptop and setting my eggs and coffee mug at my new position on the table.
Brax accepts a coffee offer and sits next to me, extracting his own laptop from his backpack, wasting no time giving me some rundowns from the season.
Nothing outrageous and things he and Louie have been keeping me abreast of through the season.
He finishes his wrap-up, and he looks drained already.
Time for me to float the idea of job sharing.
“Brax, this is great. You have done a tremendous job this season, as you do every season. Next year, I want to run something by you. Ideally, I would like to offer you some special carers leave. It’s open throughout the entire season including testing months. Whatever time you need.”
“I don’t know if I can do that…” He trails off, considering. Running a hand over his head.
“My other thought was you could job-share with someone. So you can rely on them to carry out what you have planned, and then you know the team is covered, but especially you are supported.”
“Have you approached anyone yet?”
“We haven’t. We have some ideas of who we would like to approach, but we wanted to see how you felt about it first.”
“Sorry. We? You and Louie?”
“Koby and I. We’ve thought of some mechanics from Ghostly Flux who would be good fits for both filling in for Jack and Adrian, but also people as support for you.
Infraction32 mechanics are still recovering from the previous year’s losses in crew taking new roles.
Louie has someone in mind for Jack or Adrian’s cover, but we still need to train up someone within the team to be near your level and provide the support.
Which is why I have asked Koby to help out. ”
Brax lifts his glasses and rubs his eyes.
Sighing loudly. “Rayna, you’re honestly the best boss.
” Putting his glasses back on, he places his hands on the table on either side of his laptop.
“I don’t know what to say. I’m really floored.
Could we plan for the job-share, and see how I go before the start of the season? ”
“Absolutely. Let us organise this, and you focus on your mum.” I lean over and place my hand on his hand.
His mouth quivers, and he closes his eyes. “Thanks, guys. I really appreciate this.”
Looking over at Koby, he gives me a small smile. Empathetic in the situation.
Brax and I wrap up as I want him to get to his mum and to reach out if he needs anything. He gives me a long embrace, and I rub his back and squeeze a little tighter when I feel a tear hit my shoulder. Koby gives him a hug at the door as he leaves.
Koby re-enters the room. “You okay?”
“Yeah. Just breaks my heart. Poor kid.”
“He is thirty-one.”
“I know, but he has been with us since he was seventeen. I still see him as a kid.”
He laughs. “You see them all as your kids.”
“You got me.” I smile bashfully.
He simply smiles at me and nods.
“Guess I better get to making a few calls today.” Reaching for my laptop and checking the battery: Low. “Actually, make those calls upstairs so I can put this on charge.”
I head up to my room, not waiting for a response.