Joanie, who was roughly ten years older than Vi, and Ross, about their age, smiled at her. “Good to meet you,” Joanie said.
“You, too. Blake has mentioned you. You’ll be his second-in-command at the new store.” She turned to Ross. “He’s talked about you, too. You’re the new HR person, and you guys ride together.”
“That’s me,” Ross said. “I’ve heard good things about you.”
She blushed a little, then showed Blake her gym bag. “Where should I change?”
“Use one of the empty fitting rooms.”
In the bathroom, he donned his standard biking attire, then waited for her. Moments later, she emerged from the fitting room in a red and black cycling jersey and black padded shorts.
Slender with soft curves, she had a body made for the snug clothing. The outfit turned him on, but then, most things about her did. By Ross’s appreciative look, he also liked what he saw. Good thing he was involved with someone or Blake might’ve felt threatened.
“I finally heard from Gran about the wedding,” she said as they wheeled the bikes outside. “We’re invited. So are Rose and Peter. Gran said she’d call you next.”
“She did, but I was away from my phone. She left a message.”
“Did she give you the details? The wedding starts at two on Saturday and will be in the back garden—I don’t think we saw that when we took a walk around last weekend, although I may have seen it from Gran’s window. Anyway, during the ceremony, that section of the grounds will be closed.”
“Too bad Whitney can’t make it,” he said. “I promised to take photos and a video or two.”
Standing in the sun outside, they donned helmets. By now, he recognized when Vi was on-edge. “Nervous about the ride?” he asked.
“A little, but more excited. I’m so looking forward to forgetting about work for a while.”
“That bad, huh?”
“Nonstop phone calls and—never mind. I don’t even want to think about it, okay?”
“You won’t, guaranteed.” He gave her the Bad Boy and used an older bike he liked, and they set out.
They stuck to an easy bike trail. He didn’t travel too fast, and she had no trouble keeping up. “There’s a rest stop just ahead,” he said some twenty minutes later.
“Thank goodness. I need a break.”
While they rested, she drank what was left in her water bottle and refilled it from the fountain provided for anyone in need of it, then used the facilities. “I’m ready to go now.”
“Having a good time?”
“This is wonderful. I wish I were in better shape so you didn’t have to go slowly.”
Nothing wrong with her shape. “I don’t mind at all. Ride regularly, and you’ll get there.”
“Define regularly.”
“Once or twice a week if possible.”
“If I can squeeze in the time, I will.”
“No reason you can’t ride Saturdays or Sundays or after work. I’ll go with you. Let’s stop for today and head back.”
At the store, they parked the bikes and went inside to collect their clothes.
She wrinkled her nose. “I don’t want to change until I shower.”
“Same here. I have two full bathrooms at my place, remember? We’ll clean up there, then go have dinner.”
CHAPTER 23
