I agreed, inclining my head, while spooning another scoop of ice cream into my mouth. “Hopefully, it’ll work out and I’m able to get Luke in the shape he needs to be in to win his next bout.”
“It’s for the championship title, isn’t it? With a Dominguez or—”
“Rodriguez,” I corrected, laughing.
Grace gave me a sheepish look. “I don’t really follow the NFA that closely. Jacob does to keep an eye on his brother, but I do so in passing.”
“No worries at all. It can be a brutal sport to watch if you’re not used to it.”
“Aw man, you’re so right about that. So much blood and broken noses and everything. I mean, I’m a nurse so I’m used to seeing that sort of aftermath, but knowing people voluntarily get into the ring and do that stuff for fun or to make money.” She visibly shivered. “I tell Jacob that maybe he should advertise at some of the local fights, right? Have a big ol’ placard on the wall of the arena that reads, come and see plastic surgeon, Dr. Jacob Reynolds to fix that broken nose of yours or correct your cauliflower ear.”
Grace and I laughed.
“I can picture it,” I said before remembering something she said that stuck out. “Did you say Dr. Reynolds?”
She turned to me with a furrow in her brow. “Yeah.”
“As in Jacob Reynolds.”
She nodded slowly.
“That means you’re Grace Reynolds.”
“Yup. As non-traditional as I might be in some ways, I dropped my maiden name to take on Jacob’s last name.”
“Right… so that’s Jacob’s last name but Luke goes by McConnell,” Grace and I said at the same time.
A number of questions filled my head at that point. There could be a simple explanation for why two brothers had two different sur names. Until my mother officially changed my last name when I was twelve, I had a different last name than my younger brother.
Maybe Luke and Jacob had different fathers. Neither one of them had mentioned anything about their parents the night before over dinner. Admittedly, I’d found it a bit odd, but suspected it was yet another topic that was off limits with Luke. Of course, that was before he and I had taken our relationship to the next level.
“They have different last names,” I finally said out loud to Grace.
The look on her face said with that one simple question, I’d moved into uncomfortable territory.
“They do,” she responded slowly. “If you want to know any more about that, I suggest you speak to Luke about it.”
I sagged my shoulders feeling frustrated. “I was afraid you’d say that. Getting information out of him is like getting blood from a stone.”
She let out a wry laugh. “Trust me, that is definitely a family trait.”
“Hm-hm.” I started walking again but was stopped by Grace’s hand on my forearm.
“Tread lightly with Luke.”
My gaze moved from her hand on my forearm to meet her eyes. “I’m only his trainer.” The words were even difficult to get out, as if my own body were physically rejecting the lie.
She gave me a once over, her eyes revealing she didn’t believe a word I’d just said. I should’ve remembered as a nurse, she had developed a keen sense for reading people. Most of the ‘medics and nurses I’d come across, who were great at their professions were that way.
“You and I know that’s not the whole truth.” She shrugged and held up her free hand. “And I’m not looking to get into your business. You two are adults. I’m just offering a little bit of wisdom from my own experience. Being loved by my husband is the greatest thing that’s ever happened to me in my life. But it does come with its challenges. Many of which are a result of how he was raised.”
I started to ask Grace for more information. What did she mean, how he was raised? Did it have to do with why I’d had such a difficult time finding any information about Luke’s past? But Grace shook her head, silently conveying she was done talking about this subject, for now.
Sighing, I let the questions die on my tongue. If I wanted to know more, I’d have to go directly to the source. Silently, I questioned if it was even fair of me to do so when I was harboring a secret of my own.
“Thanks for the heads up, Grace.”
“I’ll add one more piece of advice. If Luke loves anything like his brother. I mean, if he’s even one-tenth as giving, caring, protective, and kindhearted as Jacob, then he’s worth the challenges.”
