Page 31 of The Downside of Love
It might be painful, and no doubt I’ll hate my dad even more, but I can now see a goal: becoming a pilot will get me away from this hellish household and allow me to achieve the freedom I’m desperate for.And that is all I want.
Chapter Ten
STRYDER
“Did I wake you up this morning?” Rory asks as she places her keys on a hook near the door and drops her gym bag on her bed.
Perched on my air mattress, I look up from my iPad and shake my head. “Nah, I’m usually up early anyway. How was your class?”
She shrugs and fills a glass of water before chugging it. “Some girl took a huge spill on her step today. She didn’t lift her foot enough and tripped forward, knocking down the other person in front of her.”
“Really?” I can feel my eyebrows rise in humor.
“Yeah. Everyone was fine, but it was hard to keep a straight face while I asked if they were okay. It was just like a domino effect.”
“Do you usually have casualties in class?”
Moving from the kitchen, she goes to her bed and lets her hair down from the tight ponytail holding it together. Like a wave of chocolate, it falls past her neck, soft and inviting with a little indent where her ponytail once was. Devoid of any makeup, wearing a tight-fitting long-sleeve shirt and spandex pants, she looks amazing. Maybe I need to start going to some morning workout classes to see what she’s like, how she teaches. I can imagine a ball of energy, encouraging people with her soft voice.
Leaning back on her hands, she shakes her head. “Not really. But there are people who like to grunt when I’m teaching my lifting class. I’m all about exerting energy, but there is this older gentleman who really lets it go, and it gets uncomfortable. It almost sounds sexual.”
I chuckle. “Maybe it’s sexual for him.”
“I sure as hell hope it isn’t.” She takes a look at her watch and groans. “I have to be at practice in an hour.”
“Practice? Are you part of some kind of adult team I don’t know about?”
She stands up and starts pulling clothes from her dresser. “No. I coach Bryan’s track and field team. We’re meeting up at Coronado High School today.”
And here I thought Rory would be home this weekend, but I guess Ryan was wrong. At least it gets me off the hook for having to come up with something fun to do with Rory. A deck of cards is pretty much the extent of my knowledge of fun that doesn’t involve sex, jumping out of a plane, or alcohol.
“If you’re not doing anything, you’re welcome to join me. Don’t feel pressure or anything but it might be fun to get out of the apartment.” She shrugs, looking shy.
Without even giving it a second thought, I say, “I’d love to.” Standing up, I continue, “Practice is at one?” She nods, looking excited. “Want me to make you a peanut butter and jelly sandwich while you get ready? I’m assuming you haven’t eaten lunch.”
Her face softens, a smile pulling at the corners of her lips and looking so goddamn beautiful it hurts. “I would really appreciate that. Thank you.”
She goes into the bathroom and shuts the door to take a shower. Quickly, I change into an Air Force shirt and a pair of black Nike shorts and then head to the kitchen to find the makings of lunch. I went to the store this morning after Rory left for the gym and got a few staples I could keep here while I was back and forth between her place and Ryan’s.
Holding off on the application of jelly so the bread wouldn’t get soggy, I cut up apples for both of us and peel some carrots, hoping she likes both. She doesn’t take very long in the shower, and when she emerges, her hair’s wet, she’s wearing red athletic shorts and a Special Olympics Coach shirt, and looks cute as fuck. But it's the huge smile on her face when she sees the plate I made for her that hits me the hardest.This girl is so easy to please. To love.
“Uh, do you want more water?”
“That would be great.” She takes a seat at the table and twists her hair into a mess on the top of her head. She takes a bite of a carrot and says, “You didn’t have to do all of this. Thank you, though.”
Mimicking what she said last night, I say, “I had to eat as well, so might as well make something for you too.”
She points at me. “Ah, I see what you did there.”
I give her a glass of water and take a seat in front of my plate. My second meal with Rory. It’s peanut butter and jelly, but for some reason it feels more intimate than last night. I’m not sure if it’s because I made her the meal, or if it’s because some of the awkward tension has subsided and we’re feeling more comfortable around each other.
“So, do you have any plans tomorrow?”
“Not sure, really. Was kind of thinking about going to the airport to get a few jumps in. Blake texted me the other day asking if I could help with some civilian jumps.”
“Oh, really?” Her face falls flat.Shit.I kick myself mentally, watching how a giant, pink elephant settles his punk-ass between us.
I’ll give you a guess what his name is.
