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She sank down into the chair across from him, smiling gently. “It’s okay, Brian. I know you thought I’d hurt myself and you were coming to my rescue.”
He winced, not liking that she was giving him an altruistic out.
“And I’m also okay with you seeing me.” She laughed lightly. “We’ve had to be a little intimate this week. I think when I woke up the other night and you’d taken your prosthetics off, you felt as exposed as I did, so it was only fair.”
Brian sat back in the chair, amazed that she understood that. He nodded slowly. “Agreed.”
Sage grinned at him, and she lifted her chin, as if she was about to say something hard. “And now that we’re over that hurdle, maybe you can tell me why you’ve been drawing back recently. I felt like more could have happened when we kissed in Cheyenne. Was I wrong?”
“No, you weren’t wrong,” he said after a minute, weighing out what he wanted to say. “It was a great kiss. I’m not a great prospect, though.”
“A great prospect?” Her brow furrowed. “I’m not sure exactly what you mean by that, but no one is perfect. And I’m certainly not looking for anything major. I’ve been married, and it left me wanting. I would rather have someone that I can have fun with. And who gets along with my kid.”
Was that really all she wanted? Brian wasn’t sure, but the thought of continuing to be a part of her life was so tempting. He’d been thinking about that the other night, laying on her couch and listening to her breathe. Yes, he was helping her, but for the first time in a long time he wasn’t as lonely. That sounded ridiculous, even in his own mind, but it was true. More often than not, when he got off work, he went to his austere apartment and tried to lose himself in something. Or he went to work out in the complex’s gym, working himself into exhaustion. Then the next day he’d get up early and head back to work. His life revolved around work and the gym, but finally, over the past couple of weeks, since he’d gotten to know Adam and Sage, he hadn’t felt as lonely.
It sounded ridiculous, but it was true.
And here she was, offering him exactly what he craved. “Let’s see where things go after you’ve recovered,” he said carefully.
Sage grinned and nodded. “I look forward to it.”
She pushed up from the chair and moved to the Keurig, popping a chai cup into the machine. Then she put a mug under the spout and turned it on. Brian watched her do the mundane action and he wondered if her heart was racing as much as his was, right that moment, and she had to get up and do something. They’d just agreed to explore some kind of relationship and his system was bouncing around like crazy.
Taking a deep breath, he looked out the back French doors, trying to calm himself. “How are you feeling today?” he asked as she sat down in front of him.
She winced a little as she settled into the chair. “Not too bad. It was bliss finally getting into the shower. But I’m a little achy now.”
“Do you need a pain pill?” He started to get up, but she waved him down.
“No, I’m not that bad. I might put the arm sling on later, but I wanted to move it around a little. I start rehab this week and I have a feeling I’m really going to be feeling it.”
He nodded. “Rehab is no joke. But it has a purpose.”
“I know,” she sighed.
“You had a box at your front door.” Pushing up from the chair, he retrieved the box from the living room. “Want me to open it?”
“Please,” she said, eyeing the label. “I don’t know anyone in Louisiana.”
Brian cut the tape with his pocketknife, then sat back down in his chair. Sage dug into the box, pulling out bright red tissue paper. Then she pulled out a teddy bear in overalls. She looked at the bear for a long moment, then leaned to look into the box. She pulled out a card in a white envelope and ripped it open. Brian watched her face pale.
“What’s wrong?”
She blinked, shaking her head. “I’m not sure. This is from my ex. I literally haven’t spoken to him in years, and suddenly he’s sending me a bear and wishing me well? How the fuck did he get my address? He’s supposed to send all correspondence through my attorney in Wyoming.”
Brian looked at the gift, anger surging in him on her behalf. The box wasn’t remarkable— they could be bought at any big box store— so he looked at the label again. It didn’t seem remarkable either, but he took a picture of the label with his phone.
“If you give me just a few details, I’ll run a background check on him.”
Sage frowned, looking up at him. Automatically, she shook her head. “No, you don’t have to do that.”
Brian scowled. “If he knows yournew address, what’s to keep him from showing up on your doorstep one of these days? You haven’t seen him since the divorce?”
She shook her head. “No. I threatened him with theft charges if he didn’t sign the divorce papers. And there’s a judgement against him, so he has no visitation until he comes up with back child support or makes a commitment to start paying.”
“So, how did he get your address?”
Sage frowned and reached for her phone. She keyed in a text message and sent it off. “My mother said something about Tim the other day, out of the blue. I’m checking with her. I don’t think she would ever tell him where we were, though.”
