David clapped Chase on the back. “This guy was our star quarterback. The rest of us faded into oblivion behind him.”
“Not all true. You should check out the yearbooks from my senior and junior years.” Chase shot back. I made a mental note to ask Amber if she could dig those up. Purely for research purposes of course. It was clear we were all separated by six degrees, possibly less of separation here.
“Most of us in our group played together. You, Evan, Hunter, and me. Whit played for a bit and even Damien before he quit.”
“That guy hated practice. He only showed up so he could watch my sister cheer. Come to think of it, they both quit around the same time.” Chase rubbed his jaw like he was remembering something and then shook it off. I didn’t inquire, he’d tell me if he wanted to and if not that was okay.
“Yeah, the only one not on the team was my brother, Andy.”
“I knew he was a smart guy.” Chase and David bantered back and forth and I grimaced wanting to get off my leg.
“I have an appointment. Chase, I’ll see you inside.” Ignoring David I pushed forward leaving Chase with my bag. He’d drop it off at the locker room for me and I was already dressed with my suit on underneath for the swim portion of today’s PT.
“Sure thing.”
I left the guys outside to chat and made my way in. I was second guessing my decision to leave my crutches at home to help stabilize me, but damn it I didn’t want anyone to know I wasn’t okay and hopping in on one leg was ridiculous.
As soon as I got inside I unwound my scarf and hung up my jacket. I smiled at the receptionist and made my way back to the therapy room. My trainer, Roy waited reading something on his tablet and making notes, probably my chart. He was one of the few people I let see my vulnerable side because I had to. It was the only way to work through the pain and push forward.
“Kiara, what’s going on.” Roy was on me before I could school my features.
“Nothing.” I lied.
“Bullshit. Get that prothesis off so I can take a look.” Roy helped me sit on the bench as I pushed my sweatpants down. He helped me take off my leg and it was all clinical. He was easily twenty years my senior and more like a brotherly figure to me. He’d been a former sprinter and Olympic level pole vaulter turned physical trainer. He knew the rigors of high level training better than anyone. Never once did I feel uncomfortable and it was probably his gruff no nonsense manner that helped.
“How long.” He asked wanting to determine my level of idiocy. He knew me better than I knew myself sometimes and my desire to train until I couldn’t move a muscle. We were both alike in that way. Not much had changed from the high school girl chasing her dreams of Olympic gold. I saw a goal and I went after it. My mom joked that she should have named me Tenacious instead of Kiara.
I bit my lip letting Roy do his job.
“Last weekend. At the 5k. I pushed the sprint at the end and I wore my other prothesis, not my sprinting blade. I ended up with some chaffing and a bruise.”
“Did you get it checked out?” Roy poked and prodded making not of every hiss. He looked up at me and clucked. “Of course you didn’t.”
“I have to get up to the orthopedic center, but school started and I don’t want to take time off. The girls are really close to bringing home that trophy.”
Roy grunted. He knew my level of commitment better than anyone. Asking me or telling me deviate from that plan wasn’t in my vocabulary. “We need to fit you for a better model for those hikes in the woods.” He prodded around checking my fit making humming noises as he went.
I grunted waiting for his assessment with bated breath. If Roy told me I couldn’t compete in the local 50 miler this spring, I would be devastated. Unsurprised, but crushed all the same. I’d been attacking my training especially hard since meeting a certain guy that had me twisted in the head and more sexually frustrated than I’d been in long time. Mad too. Mad that he even had the kind of power to evoke those feelings in me, and somehow I let it happen.
“No weights today. I want you off the leg as much as possible to heal this surface bruising. I’m going to pad your prosthetic, but I want you in the pool swimming laps, then the hot tub. Temperature on low with the jets. I don’t want you swelling, just relaxing.”
I gave Roy my unhappy face.
“No butts, no coconuts. Let’s go little lady.” Roy kept my leg and handed me a walker to stabilize myself. I cursed him under my breath with a smile. He knew his stuff, I didn’t have to like it, but it was the truth.
I didn’t see David down by the pool and figured he left which put my mind mildly at ease. This place had been my domain for so long and I wasn’t sure how I felt about sharing it. Logically, I knew he could come and go as he pleased, but this was one of my safe havens. He already got my weekdays at school and the football stadium track field. I wasn’t ready to share this or be nakedly vulnerable.
I saw Chase by the weights doing some strength training. I focused on my laps in the pool like a good girl and then got out making my way to the hot tub which was behind a privacy wall from the pool area. I got in and let the water massage over my body. Checking myself over, I saw more of the bruising now which throbbed in the water. The rhythmic gym music with the water pulsing felt good against my skin and I leaned back closing my eyes.
A deep voice interrupted my daydream of broad shoulders, tan skin, short hair, and muscles on top of muscles like a cherry on top of a sundae. “Roy said I might find you over here.”
“Jesus Christmas!” I startled splashing in the water gripping the sides of the hot tub. Turning my head, my eyes popped open hearing his voice much closer to my ear than I realized. He huffed sounding impatient like maybe he had been looking for me while his breath cooled against my neck giving me a shiver despite the warm water.
“Easy water sprite, I’m not getting in.” David chuckled splashing me back as he leaned closer crossing his arms over the edge. I focused on breathing in and out. His scent cut through the chlorine treated water and smelled like icy mints and crisp apple.
His presence was oddly comforting and yet still somewhat taboo as if we’d be in the halls of the high school about to be caught. I dubbed him my sneaky giant. Peering over the side, I saw he was barefoot on the tiles, brave too considering the use this gym got during football season with all the high school kids aiming to buff up trying to impress the college coaches scouting for talent.
“What are you doing here?” I wiped water from my face eyeing his wet t-shirt up and down. The man was stacked, I’d give him that.