“I’d be happy to tell you that, as long as you don’t mind me lying to you.” River’s shoulders dropped a little of the tension that was right back where it had begun. “If I help you sit up, can you drink some of this?”
Marina nodded and opened her eyes. She sat up mostly on her own this time, but River kept her arm behind her for support, just in case. She sipped at the coconut water until it was gone. The little crowd around them had dispersed, thankfully. Billy sat on a chair beside them.
“Please tell me I didn’t literally faint in your arms.”
“You keep asking me to lie to you. Is it a kink I should know about? And if so, can I hear about the others too?” She grinned when Marina rolled her eyes and a hint of a smile appeared.
The medic came back over and knelt beside her. “How you doing?”
Marina grimaced. “Mortified. How are you?”
The medic laughed and stood. “Then you’ll be fine. Your girlfriend has promised to watch over you and knows what to look for. But feel free to call with any questions if you want to.”
He walked away and Billy shook his head. “I think I’d probably call a…oh, I don’t know…actual medical person insteadof a gym medic who just knows to hand you water.” He looked at River. “Girlfriend? You’ve been holding out on me.”
“A girlfriend would at least get some benefits.” Marina motioned that she wanted to get up, and Billy got on the other side of her. Together, he and River helped Marina to a seat at a table. Within seconds, a staff member had swept in to take away the yoga mat.
“That’s true. I’ll take whatever benefits you want to throw my way.” River looked at the smoothie bar. “I’m going to guess you don’t want anything from there.”
Marina rested her head on her forearms. “No. I really don’t.”
“Okay. Well, you need some carbs and some protein, and you need to stay hydrated. In all seriousness, do you have a friend who can come over and hang out with you for a while?” River wasn’t about to offer to be that person. Holding Marina that way, taking care of her… It had pushed some emotional buttons she wasn’t ready to deal with.
“I’m fine on my own. I don’t need a babysitter.” Marina raised her head and glared at her.
“You do, actually. If you’ve suffered from heatstroke, which is possible, you could pass out again. And if you hit your head, you might damage that fine brain of yours that you use to argue with everyone. Imagine if you couldn’t win arguments anymore?” River blew out a breath. “That would be devastating.”
Marina laughed softly. “My gym bag is in a locker. Number forty-five.” She unhooked the safety pin holding the key to her shorts and handed it over. “If you don’t mind.”
River gave Billy a quick look and he nodded, understanding that she was telling him to watch Marina closely. The last thing she wanted was to walk away and have Marina fall off her chair. She found the locker and thought of the number Marina had chosen. The number four represented a logical, sometimes rigid, law-abiding person. Five was the symbol for someone freedom-loving who wasn’t always great at mundane tasks. In some ways, they suggested opposite aspects, but maybe in Marina’s case, it showed her public versus private personas. Marina, of course, would scoff and say she’d chosen a locker that was empty, and there was nothing more to it. But River knew the power numbers could have on a subconscious level.
She took the maroon bag back to the table and found Marina and Billy in conversation.
“Did you know Marina was raised in Pilsen? A decade earlier and we would have been neighbors.” He ran his hand through his sweaty, damp hair. “I can’t wait to shower.”
Marina pulled her phone out of her bag. River moved aside so as not to eavesdrop, but she wondered who Marina would call. A girlfriend? An ex? Both?
“Thanks for staying,” River said to Billy.
“You think they’ll let you on the L looking like you do?” He leaned forward and sniffed. “You’d clear the train.”
“Okay. My friend Rob is going to meet me at my place, and he’s bringing food according to the psychic’s orders, which I wouldn’t normally put any stock in, but her body suggests she knows what she’s talking about.” Marina stood, less unsteady but still pale. “Thanks for not letting me face-plant and for staying with me. I’ve got it from here.”
Billy raised his eyebrows and looked at River.
“While I know for certain that you’re tough and can handle everything, it would make me feel better if you let us give you a ride back to your place. I mean, what if there isn’t some other sweaty, stinky butch to catch you if you go down again?”
Marina hesitated. “Well, if it will make you feel better.”
She held onto River’s arm as they made their way back to the car, and although her energy had cleared up some, River knew for certain she wasn’t out of the woods. She dropped into the passenger seat of Billy’s car with a relieved sigh.
River got in behind Billy so she could watch Marina’s profile. Not once in her life had River ignored her special brand of irritating intuition, and right now it was clanging like broken church bells, telling her there was more to her meeting Marina than met the eye. What it was she wasn’t certain yet, but their paths had been meant to cross.
Not that she’d say it out loud, obviously.
Marina punched her address into Billy’s GPS as they set off toward Lake View, an upscale neighborhood River had only been to in order to do readings for a socialite’s birthday party. The moment she’d suggested someone in the room was having an affair, she was politely told they no longer needed her services and gently booted out the door. Billy stopped at a boutique condo building, put on the blinkers and jumped out. River helped Marina out of the car, and although she still looked shaky, that intense sickly energy had dissipated somewhat. Billy came out with the doorman.
“Ms. Fuentes, are you okay? Do you need me to call a doctor?” he asked.
