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Chuckling, I palmed the small of his back and headed inside and into the locker room.
“Bro!” Jamie hollered the second he saw us.
“Hey, Jamie,” Lars called.
Jamie pulled something from his locker. “Bro, I got you this protein bar. Look, it saysno nutson it,” he announced, pointing to the words. Glancing at me, he snickered. “I guess there’s one type of nuts you aren’t allergic to, though.”
I shook my head. “How long you been waiting to say that one?”
Jamie grinned. “Too long.”
“You ready to swim today?” Ryan asked, appearing beside Jamie.
Lars nodded. “Ready.”
“May the best backstroke win!” Kruger piped up from down the row.
“So Lars, then?” Jamie called back.
“Burnnnn,” Prism cooed from the other side of Kruger.
“Whose side are you on, P?” Kruger complained.
“The winner. Which is me,” Lars quipped, catching us all off guard.
Everyone laughed, and he glanced at me, my heart turning over because his joking with everyone was a big thing, and he needed reassurance. From me.
I winked, and he went to his locker and opened it, revealing the heap of clothes tossed inside. I said nothing. He could be as messy as he wanted, and I’d never complain.
“Here’s your bag,” I said, setting his duffle on the bench behind him, then ducking around to kiss his cheek. “They’ll make good friends,” I whispered before pulling back.
“Thanks,” he said, shy.
“You want me to put some more arnica cream on your bruises?”
He groaned. “My bruises are practically gone. If you use any more of that damn cream on me, the water is going to repel off my skin.”
I laughed. “Maybe you’ll swim faster.”
“No more cream,” he muttered.
“How about some coffee?”
He perked up.
Sometimes I wondered if he liked caffeine more than me. “Meet tradition. I didn’t forget.”
“I can get it after I get changed.”
I shook my head. “Uh-uh. That’s my job. You stay here, and I’ll get it for you.”
“Thank you.”
I kissed the side of his head. “You’re welcome, angel. Be good while I’m gone.”
He made a rude sound like I knew he would, and I left him to get ready to swim.
On my way out, I stopped beside Ryan. “I’m heading out to get some coffee for Lars. You mind just, ah, keeping an eye on him?”
