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“Good morning, tuxedo cat,” I said and scratched his noggin. He purred and made bread on the duvet cover, clearly pleased with himself. Lulu appeared in the doorway, calico tail flicking. “Okay, okay, I get the message.” Throwing on a robe, I followed the cats downstairs and split a can of shredded chicken between them. Purring and num-num noises ensued while I filled water bottles for Aithan and me. Lulu finished eating first and hopped up on the breakfast bar to bathe and rub her face on my hand.
“You’re welcome, kitty-kitty.” I scratched her chin then headed upstairs.
Drew slept soundly while Aithan shaved. I grabbed a washcloth and took a French whore’s bath. Once dressed, we headed off to run around Green Lake.
“We’re gonna get rained on,” Aithan said as we walked the first few blocks to warm up.
I covered my mouth in mock horror. “What? In Seattle? InNovember? Surely not. Nooo.”
He eyed me. “Thanks for the morning sarcasm.”
I laughed. “Sorry. Native humor.”
“You know, where I’m from, rain’s a cause for celebration and sheer panic.”
“People in Los Angeles get all crazy from a little rain?”
“Well, yeah, it’s a desert. No one knows how to drive in it, so they all freak out.”
We crossed Phinney and started running as we headed into Woodland Park. A few intrepid fellow joggers nodded as they passed, and we dodged the usual happy dogs walking their bleary owners. Skirting the zoo and the rose garden, we headed downhill under Aurora Avenue, talking about Drew. Aithan had offered a variety of training approaches, but Drew had countered each with an excuse.
“Can’t figure out how to motivate him,” Aithan said, sounding a little frustrated and a little winded.
“Somehow you gotta make working out more interesting than writing.”
“Ha! Not sure that’s possible.”
We cut back into the park, passed the tennis courts, and headed toward the soccer fields. A light drizzle began.
I glanced at him. Brow furrowed, he looked as annoyed as he sounded. “This is really bugging you, isn’t it?”
“Yeah.” He coughed and slowed to a walk. “Kurde,” he muttered in Polish.
“You okay?”
Aithan nodded. “Just pushed things a bit this morning.” That came with a big, sweet smile that I couldn’t help but match. “Worth it.” He pulled his water bottle from his belt, drank, and offered it to me.
“Thanks.”
“It bugs me because I don’t like being indebted to him,” he said.
Ohh. Ego.“Drew doesn’t see it that way.”
Aithan eyed me and annoyance underlay his frustration. “Ido.”
“Are you angry?”
“About him paying my hospital bills? No.” He squinted at me, then blinked rain from his eyes. “Maybe.” Aithan sighed. “It’s more that he did it without asking. He just made the payment, and I know he sees nothing wrong with that, but I don’t like people making decisions for me and that’s what my life has been for the last month. Suddenly, I have a bunch of keepers.”
We walked and he massaged his chest. I just listened ’cause I was pretty sure he wanted to vent, not get advice.
“I’m used to being in charge. I run my own business, control my own life, have for almost a decade. I’ve been heading off problems and fixing other people since I bought Blue Water, but this blindsided me.” That was Blue Water Fitness, the gym Aithan owned.
“The attack?”
“The attack. Drew’s generosity. You.”
“Me?” That jolted me and anxiety made my scalp tingle, my spine crawl. Was he saying he regretted our relationship?
