interest. “Does he work with athletes?”
“Yeah, I think so.” He’d mentioned a few names of football and baseball players, but I’d never followed any sports, so they’d gone in one ear and out the other.
That was another way that Molly and I differed. She definitely inherited the sports gene. Growing up, while I’d spent all of my time in the dance studio wearing leotards and tutus she’d been on a field or court somewhere wearing jerseys and cleats. She’d played soccer, softball, volleyball, and basketball.
“I wonder what his thoughts are on cryo-therapy. I’ve only done it a few times, but I feel like my recovery time is cut in half. Some people say that you get the same benefits from taking a freezing cold two-minute shower.”
After college, Molly traded in her cleats for running shoes. She ran at least four marathons a year, so she was always training for one.
“Um…I don’t know. I didn’t ask him about cryo-therapy.”
“You didn’t?” Molly seemed genuinely surprised as if there’d be nothing else to talk about.
“Nope.”
“What did you talk about?”
“Family, movies, food, life…”
I could see from the look in her eyes that none of those topics came close to interesting her as much as cryo-therapy.
“Feel free to ask him about it when you meet him,” I offered.
“I will.”
We walked the last two blocks in silence and my mind wandered where it always did, to Holden. Why hadn’t he said anything about his girlfriend when I threw myself at him? If he’d said that when I’d asked him why we couldn’t kiss, I would have respected it. Instead, I doubled down.
Part of me was embarrassed by my actions but another part felt totally justified. He was the one who had called me magic and told me I was way too perfect in an infinite amount of ways. Those weren’t exactly things someone should say when they are in a relationship with someone else. But the way he’d been acting since then, was exactly how someone with a girlfriend would act.
I was so deep in thought I didn’t even notice that we’d gotten to town square until Molly grabbed my forearm. “Is that him?”
I glanced up and saw Jake standing at the other end of the grass holding a picnic basket and a bouquet of flowers and looking around.
“Yep.”
“Damn,” Molly whispered beneath her breath as we approached him.
I had to admit, I did feel a little vindicated by her reaction. I wasn’t one to say I told you so, but I had told her he was attractive.
“Hi,” I waved. “Jake this is my sister—”
“Molly, so nice to meet you.” He stepped toward her and shook her hand.
“Hi.” Molly giggled.
My head spun toward her. I thought for sure she had to be doing a bit or being ironic. My sister did not giggle. But then again, she also didn’t blush, and her cheeks were bright pink.
He didn’t drop her hand right away, or she didn’t let it go. I couldn’t believe what was happening. I wasn’t sure which one of them appeared to be more twitterpated. I had a sinking feeling that I’d just witnessed my very own meet-cute. Too bad I wasn’t the one meeting my cute.
Chapter 21
Holden
“When ya feel like everything is against ya, just remember a plane takes off against the wind.”
~ Maggie Calhoun
“Thank you for coming out tonight.” My mom squeezed my arm as we walked across the grass to where my dad had already claimed a spot. He’d left an hour early so that we’d have “prime real estate.”
I’d been home over two months now and every week I’d made excuses for not coming out to the Movies in the Park, which had been a family tradition growing up. But when my mom called and said that my dad, brothers, and their wives were all going, I knew that I couldn’t be the sole holdout.
“Are you sure your back is going to be okay sitting on the ground?” Her brow furrowed as she looked up at me. “Your dad can go get one of the chairs from the car.”
“I’ll be fine,” I assured her even though I wasn’t sure I would be.
Apart from not feeling very social, the other reason I’d avoided coming out to this weekly event was because I wasn’t sure my back could handle the seating situation. A chair was an option, but it represented the same thing that the cane had. It was a neon sign that I was broken. That was the last thing I wanted to