AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She nodded and then shut the bathroom door, climbed under the hot spray and turned it down some so that it would cool her body off.
When she was done washing up, she just stood under the cool water and let her body try to feel somewhat normal. After five minutes of that, she shut the water off, climbed out and dried off.
She’d forgotten to grab clothes but noticed that the door was open and shorts, a T-shirt and underclothing were on the sink.
She smiled and got dressed. She’d never had someone take care of her like Lincoln was.
“I appreciate the clothes,” she said, coming out. Her hair was still wet and hanging around her shoulders. She’d done nothing more than towel dry it.
“You’re welcome. Dinner will be here in about ten minutes. I got us some steaks. You need the protein.”
She shut one eye at him. “You waited to eat with me?”
“Yes,” he said. “I explored the area a bit this afternoon and got some street food to hold me over.”
“Fast food,” she said. “Should have figured you’d get your fair share of it here.”
“Not as much as you think,” he said. “They have some nice food trucks. Not everything around here is fatty and greasy.”
“No,” she said. “California has a lighter healthier cuisine in general.”
“Sit down,” he said.
She sat on the end of the bed rather than a chair. He got behind her and started to rub her shoulders and her eyes shut. “I can’t tell you how good that feels. It amazes me how exhausted I am.”
“It’s almost over with,” he said. “Two more days.”
“Or one,” she said, letting out a little moan. “Right there in that spot.”
He continued to rub her neck until there was a knock at the door. He moved to go get their food and she went to sit at the little table in the room.
He was almost serving her like a parent would a child and she wanted to laugh over it, but wouldn’t. She’d found it sweet and considerate.
Loving too.
“Eat up,” he said. “Then I’ll finish the massage for you in bed.”
She smiled. “I’m going to let you too.”
They were eating for a good two minutes when he said, “It was a nice thing you did, stopping to give your competitor water and making sure he drank it. It almost cost you by the sounds of it.”
“It was the right thing to do,” she said. “Him going down would have distracted me and cost me time either way. Not to mention worry. I’d never let anyone in my kitchen get to that point.”
“Not as tough as everyone says you are,” he said.
“I think it’s more about being human. I’m not here for the money or personal fame. I hope what I’ve done is enough.”
“Your family will think so and you know it.”
She believed that, but it didn’t stop her from wondering how she was being portrayed to the world.
There were times she wanted to curse and swear. Like over her scallops today.
That wouldn’t have looked good. She just had to shake it off and own it.
She didn’t finish her whole dinner, but Lincoln cleaned her plate for her. She found herself yawning. As much as she worked back home, she wasn’t often up at four in the morning. But she was spending as much time prepping as she could before the next competition.
“I’m tired,” she said. “I’m sorry I’m not much company.”
