Total pages in book: 166
Estimated words: 157273 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 786(@200wpm)___ 629(@250wpm)___ 524(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 157273 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 786(@200wpm)___ 629(@250wpm)___ 524(@300wpm)
I glanced at the clock. In a few minutes, he’d get out of the pool, walk up the porch, and head into the downstairs bathroom, where he’d get changed into dry clothes. Which meant I could stop fighting the impulse to run a sporadic mile on the treadmill just for an excuse to stare. Not like I needed a reminder of what he looked like; I saw him hovering over me, gloriously shirtless, every time I closed my eyes.
I couldn’t go there again, not with him wanting this to be real, but in a way, it already . . . was. Without a reason to put on a show, we were simply ourselves, and while I wasn’t exactly letting him, I wasn’t cold-shouldering him.
Juniper finished the routine with a flourish, and I hit pause on the remote in my hand, killing the classical music.
Her smile fell and her shoulders dipped. “I did it better earlier.”
“Earlier you weren’t as tired, and I think you did great.”
“You always say that,” she muttered, picking at her skirt.
“No, this afternoon I said your turnout was lazy.” I walked to the closet beside the studio doors and tucked the remote away next to the stereo. “When I give you a compliment, I mean it.”
We moved through a stretching session for cooldown.
“Are you excited to come camping this week?” she asked as we moved into our legs.
“I don’t know enough about the trip to call it excited.” I couldn’t afford to take the days off training for the trip, not with Charlotte breathing down my back and scheming to take my role, but I couldn’t lose an opportunity to spend time with Caroline either. Three days of being examined by Hudson’s sister only to be found wanting wasn’t exactly my idea of fun, but it was our last scheduled chunk of time together, so I needed to make what progress I could before this whole thing blew up in our faces.
“It’s the best.” Juniper grinned, leaning into another stretch. “We rent these little cabins right by the lake. They’re not fancy, no electricity or anything, just a couple twin-sized beds with kinda lumpy mattresses.” Her nose crinkled. “The center one is the best because it’s closest to the outhouse, for—you know—”
“Gotcha.” I moved into position to work my hip flexors. “Lumpy mattresses, twin beds, outhouse.”
“Grandma and Grandpa push their beds together. Mom and Dad used to do that too.” Her voice trailed off. “I used to sleep with my cousins in cabin four, with the bunk beds, but after Dad died, Mom got nervous about me being so far away—the lake and all—so now I sleep in hers. But maybe this summer she’ll let me go back with Mason and Melody.”
“Maybe.” A pang of sympathy smarted in my chest. It was understandable that Caroline had anxiety when it came to Juniper. “When my dad died, the three of us took turns staying at Mom’s house until she felt ready to be alone. It’s really nice of you to be a comfort to her.”
Her brow furrowed as she twisted, stretching her back. “How did Grandpa die?” She flinched. “You don’t have to answer. I don’t want you to have a panic attack.”
Like I had when talking about Lina.
“No, it’s okay. Talking about his death is easier since I wasn’t a part of it, I guess.” That pang bloomed into an ache. “He slipped coming out of their brownstone in the snow. Hit a patch of ice and broke his neck. He died instantly, which I’m thankful for, but it felt like a really stupid way to die when it happened.” Pointless, even.
“I’m sorry,” she said softly, then twisted to the other side. “Nothing genetic, though.”
“Just an accident.” I shook my head, and my stomach hollowed. She needed to be tested. Genetics and medical history were the least of what Juniper was owed, and we could only give her half of that without knowing who her father was.
“Back to camping,” Juniper said as we both settled in to stretch our calves.
“Bug spray and sunscreen?” My muscles screamed, but I kept my face flat. Too much time on pointe meant I was going to have to use the ball tonight to release the muscle.
“Absolutely, and you should bring a good sleeping bag, because it can get cold,” she added. “Oh, and lanterns are really good too. Cabin two is probably second best because it’s closest to the pavilion, so you can smell breakfast cooking in the morning.” Her eyes lit up, and I couldn’t help but smile. Her excitement was contagious. “Mom always makes me eggs in a basket, which are my favorite, and then usually packs a picnic lunch, too, since we don’t usually stay at the campsite all day.”
“What do you do?” I muscled back a grimace and started working the left.