Kai beamed at him. “Yeah, man. I did. You’re going to have a shot at the finals.”
Jacob laughed and brought his hands to his hair, making it more disheveled than before. “I’ve got a shot at the finals. I can keep working.” The relief, adrenaline, and exhilaration swirled together in a dangerous concoction. He turned to face the doctors. “And the risk is low that I’ll aggravate these injuries?”
The doctors shared an amused look and then Doctor Smith spoke again. “As I said, the injuries you sustained when you were hit by that bull aren’t the same sort you would get while riding a bronco. Of course nothing is absolute. There is always the chance that you could injure yourself if you’re not careful. You will need to remain vigilant. And no more darting out in front of angry bulls.”
Jacob laughed again. He couldn’t remember the last time he felt this light. It was like he was floating, staring down at himself ashe got the news. He could compete again. His dreams weren’t shot. His future was wide open again.
And he couldn’t wait to tell Hallie the good news.
He exited the doctor’s office, Kai at his side. They were both smiling. Nothing was going to get them down.
Phone in hand, Kai glanced over at him as they walked down the hospital corridor toward the building’s exit. “I’ll reach out to your sponsor and the coach. We’ll need to connect Doctor Drake with your team so everyone knows what you’re working on and how much we can push you. I don’t want you jumping in too soon. The last thing we want to do is destroy all the work you’ve put into healing.”
Jacob nodded. “Right. What about competitions?”
“There are a few close by coming up. They’re not exactly the most prestigious, but they’ll be good for you—help you get back into the right headspace for competing again. We’re feeling on top right now, but we have to remember it’s going to take some effort to get you back to where you were. It can mess with your head when you expect everything to be the same. I’ve seen it before.”
Jacob’s steps faltered and he glanced at his manager. “I’m not naïve, Kai. I know this isn’t going to feel the same. Heck, the act of walking felt different for a while. I know what I’m up against.”
“Good. Eyes wide open, Jacob. That’s what I want to see.” Kai didn’t miss a beat. He brought his phone to his ear as he strode toward his car. It was a sleek sportscar rental he’d gotten this morning when he’d flown in for the appointment. Now that Jacob had the green light, they’d be seeing each other more.Kai would likely get something more reasonable to drive around Rocky Ridge.
His manager gave him a wave as he pulled out of the parking lot and Jacob climbed behind the wheel of his truck. The grin he wore was a permanent fixture at this point. He probably should have been more cautious about the speed limit, and thankfully he arrived back in one piece.
Hallie’s car was parked out front, but he didn’t have to track her down. She must have heard the sound of his tires on the gravel. They’d discussed when she’d move back to her place, and he’d convinced her to stay until after today’s appointment.
While he hadn’t wanted her to witness him getting bad news, he’d known he might need her calming presence after the fact.
She stood on the front porch, the breeze plucking at her hair and causing it to dance in the fall wind. Her cheeks and nose colored quickly in the cool weather, but her eyes heated with all the affection he knew she harbored for him.
He wasted no time closing the distance between them and scooping her up into his arms. “They said I’m clear.”
“What?” she pulled back breathlessly, her eyes searching his with excitement. “You can compete again?”
Jacob nodded. This was the happiest moment in his life. He hadn’t known just how much he depended on this news until this point. He laughed and spun her around despite her arguments. “I get to compete again. Kai thinks I still have a shot at the finals in Vegas. Can you believe it?” He set her down on her feet and framed her face with both of his hands. “I’m not broken anymore, Hallie,” he whispered, then he kissed her.
It was deep and fueled by all the relief from his pent-up anxiety over what the doctors would say. Hallie’s arms wrapped around him, tugging him close. She clung to him, sharing in the emotional revelations. He wanted to laugh, cry, and holler to the sky. But most of all, he wanted to celebrate with the woman who had helped him through it all.
Pulling back, he brushed the apples of her cheeks with his thumbs, chasing away the happy tears she shed… for him.
“You were never broken, Jacob,” she murmured quietly. “I hope you know that.”
He pressed a kiss to her forehead before resting his own there. “And you helped me see that.” They stood like that for long moments until Hallie was the first to move. She reached for his hand and tugged him toward his cabin. “I’ve gotten everything packed up. I’ll be heading out in a little bit. But I thought we could share one more game of chess before I go.”
Frowning, he paused, his hand slipping from hers as he took in his home with new eyes. This wasn’t her home. He’d barely been able to call it a home before. Looking at it now, something felt off.
“Jacob?”
He cut Hallie a look. Concern marred her features. “Are you coming?”
Nodding, Jacob shook off the strange half-thought and stepped through the door. Everything was the same and yet it wasn’t. Everywhere he looked, he could see the small touches that Hallie had given the space. The pile of puzzles on the floor by the fireplace. The chess board set up on the coffee table in frontof the television. Even the smell seemed to suggest that she’d changed the chemistry of the air if that was even possible.
“Hey.” Hallie’s voice was quiet and close. The warmth of her body nearly pressed into him, soaking into his chilled bones. He glanced up at her, noting the creases between her brows. He wanted to kiss them away, but unease kept him rooted to the spot. She placed a hand to his cheek. “Everything okay?”
Jacob nodded. “Yeah. Of course.” Except he was anything but.
Nothing felt normal. Not anymore. Being here with Hallie while he got better had brought with it certain emotions and experiences that he hadn’t known were possible for him. But returning to his career meant he’d be walking away from the new pleasures he’d discovered.
“You know what? We can skip the game. You were going to call your brother with the news, remember? I’ll get us started on some food and we can watch a show before I head out.”
