AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Charly’s wolf whistle sounds from behind. “Now there’s a view you don’t see every day.”
I arch an eyebrow. “What am I, a piece of meat to you?”
Her laughter flutters around me. “I mean, if you’re putting it on display like that, you’re going to get some attention.”
I stand and stretch my arms overhead, loving the way her eyes travel down my torso. “Fair enough. Just know that goes both ways.”
Her bathing suit is more modest than the string bikini she had on earlier. An olive-green halter top with a high neck completely covers her chest, and high-waisted black bottoms conceals most of her stomach, leaving a sliver of creamy skin peeking out. To some, this choice might not draw the eye. To me? Charly could be in a snowsuit and I’d still find her attractive.
Stop thinking about how attractive she is.
She dips her toes into the water by the steps in the shallow end. “I love swimming.”
“I did aquatic therapy when I was in rehab,” I say, joining her on the step. “I had to re-learn how to walk.”
She swishes her leg back and forth, moving the water with her foot in front of her. She doesn’t attempt to talk. She doesn’t apologize, or look at me with pity. It’s rare for people to listen to someone’s struggles without imparting their own opinions and judgements. It’s why I don’t share much with anyone. People say what they think I want to hear, or offer some cliché quote that demonstrates their ignorance more than anything. But Charly simply listens, and it makes me want to tell her more.
“It was frustrating, having to learn how to do something so menial when I used to be able to perform such athletic feats.” I pause, preparing to share another piece of me with her. “I used to play defense for the New England Patriots.”
Her head swivels to face me. “The Patriots? As in the mega-famous NFL team?”
“Yes.”
“As in Tom Brady’s Patriots?”
I chuckle. “Yeah, Tom Brady’s Patriots.”
“Wow. You’re the perfect size for that. I bet quarterbacks shit their pants when they saw you coming at them.”
“Oh, they did.” I step further into the water until it hits my waist. “I thought not being able to play the game I loved would be the worst part of my injury. Turns out it wasn’t.”
She surges into the water, and floats over to me. “What was the worst part?”
“The way people treated me once I wasn’t a defensive lineman anymore.” I focus on a palm tree at the far end of the pool. “Without football, everything changed.”
She nods as if she understands. “Life always shows you who your true friends are. Anyone can stand with you when you’re at your best. It takes someone special to stay with you when things go sideways.”
I glide to the edge, and kick my feet out behind me. “You sound like you’re talking from experience.”
“I know it’s not the same thing, and I’m not trying to compare. But I lost some friends when my mom got sick.” She swims to the wall beside me. “They wanted to go out, and party, and have fun. But I felt like I needed to be home with her. I felt guilty leaving her behind.”
“Sounds like you lost some of your youth too.”
“I didn’t mind it. I’m grateful I got to spend the time with my mom. As crazy as it sounds, I think I was lucky she had cancer, and not something else. Some people lose someone in a car accident, or a sudden heart attack. I had time to grieve, and cope, and say goodbye before she died.”
“That’s how I lost my parents. In a car accident.”
Charly’s eyes widen. “Shit, I’m sorry. That was so insensitive of me to say. Beatrice told me about it earlier, and I completely forgot.”
My heartrate picks up. “She told you about the accident?”
“Well, she mentioned she lost her son in an accident. She didn’t go into specifics. I assumed her son was your father.”
My insides tense at the idea of Nana talking about my life to Charly. “And why did that come up in conversation?”
She stares down into the water. “We were talking about some heavy stuff during our shopping trip today.”
“Like?”
