“I just want to make sure you’re okay.”
“I told you.”Her voice was low and harsh.“I’m fine.”
“Are you sure?”he pushed.
Her exasperated sigh came clearly across the phone line.“I was fine until you kissed me in front of everyone,” she hissed.“Are you crazy?”
“Yeah.I was crazy like a man who’d just seen his lover beaten up by some creep.So maybe I overreacted.”
She snapped her hand through the air.“He didn’t beat me up.And you kissed meafteryou found out I was okay.Your hands were all over me.Everyone saw.”
“I had to make sure he didn’t break any bones.I heard you say you were fine, but that was a hard hit you took against the table.”
She put a hand reflexively against her back, and he rushed on to say, “It’s hurting you, isn’t it?”
“I’m fine,” she said, obviously through gritted teeth.“I’m hanging up now.Don’t call me again until after my daughters have left.In fact, don’t call me until I call you.”
Dead air thrummed against his eardrums.
All right, he’d pissed her off.But he’d meant every word; he’d had to make sure she wasn’t injured.The kiss, though, had been spontaneous.He hadn’t thought it through.
Even if he had, he would have done it anyway.Because while shefeltokay, he had to taste her, make sure he couldn’t taste pain on her tongue.
But he abided by her rule and didn’t call her.She didn’t call him on Saturday night.She didn’t call him on Sunday.
Not hearing from her was literally killing him.
He couldn’t help himself, he had to text her.Are you okay?I just need to know.
It felt like hours before she replied, but of course it was only a matter of minutes.Really, you don’t need to worry.I’m not in pain.I promise.
But he did worry.And he wanted, needed.You wouldn’t lie to me, would you, just to make sure I don’t come rushing over?
She sent him a laughing emoji.Then,I’m not lying.I’m perfectly fine.But I really need to be with my daughters.Okay?
His heart didn’t want his fingers to type the right answer.But he did.Okay.I just needed to make sure.
I’ll call you when I’m ready.
He had to believe she wouldn’t lie to him.And as hard as it was, he left her to her daughters.
Sunday was hot and sunny,a perfect day for lounging by the pool at her complex’s community center.They were lined up in a row, the girls wearing skimpy bikinis, Summer in a black one-piece.Her back was sore, and she’d iced it twice last night and once this morning.She’d also taken a couple of ibuprofens.
Knox hadn’t called last night, but he’d texted to see how she was.The man was attentive, she’d say that for him.And the text hadn’t even been about sex, just asking how she felt.She’d told him she needed to be with her daughters and she’d call him when she was ready.
But she didn’t know what constitutedready.
On her left, Cara put down her e-reader.“So, Mom, tell us about the hunk.”
Fallon, on Summer’s right, set aside the textbook she’d been highlighting.“Yeah, Mom, you said he was just some VP you barely knew.”
Now she knew why they’d flanked her in their lounge chairs.This was an ambush.Summer played dumb.“Who are you talking about?”
Since they hadn’t mentioned Knox yesterday or last night, she’d thought she was free.
“The hot silver fox who kissed you at the picnic.”Cara said with a puff of exasperated air.
She tried to deflect.“He’s not a silver fox.He doesn’t have any gray hair at all.”
