Changing Gears by Roseanne Beck

Author:Roseanne Beck [Beck, Roseanne]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: injured hero, injury romance, strong single woman, Chick Lit, women's fiction humor, romantic comedy
Publisher: Roseanne Beck
Published: 2019-11-06T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Jake

KYLIE PLUCKS HER KEYS from the table. “As much as I hate to, I think I need to get going. I’m leading the sunrise trail ride in the morning. You need a ride, Jake?”

“I can take him home.” Lauren’s cheeks pinken. “It’s on my way.”

Oh, hot damn. Maybe we’ll get a chance to pick up where we left off the other night.

“Alright. See you guys tomorrow.” Kylie stands up. “And Jake? If the Motocross thing doesn’t work out, I think you’ve got a second career in strip karaoke.”

The excitement at some more alone time with Lauren bottoms out with Kylie’s words.

Lauren’s brow furrows as she studies me. “You okay?”

“Yeah. I’m fine.”

“Liar.” She presses her lips together. “What’s wrong?” Her eyes widen, and she checks to make sure Kylie’s gone. “Oh, shoot. Did I read this wrong? Did you not want me to take you home?”

“No. I mean, yes. Shit. I mean, no, you didn’t read it wrong, and yes, I’m glad you’re taking me home.” I take a deep breath, trying to loosen some of the dread squeezing my chest. “It’s just what Kylie said about Motocross not working out. The doc mentioned retirement today at my appointment.”

“Oh, Jake.” Lauren’s eyes fill with empathy, and she reaches out and squeezes my hand. “I’m sorry.”

“Yeah. Me, too.” Flipping my hand, I twine my fingers with hers, her touch a welcome comfort.

“Do you know what you’re gonna do yet?”

“No. It’s just...” I run my thumb along hers and sigh. “I don’t know. I mean, I love racing. But there’s a very real chance that I could throw myself into training after I’m all healed up and still not make it back onto the tour.” My gut clenches. “I don’t want to be a quitter. But I also don’t want to be stupid.”

Lauren glances at our hands, her gaze rocketing around the bar as she untangles our fingers. “Sorry,” she winces. “Just, uh...too many eyes here, you know?”

“Yeah. I guess.” While part of me gets where she’s coming from, a tiny part of me is beginning to wonder if it’s more than just the employer-employee thing. Like maybe she’s ashamed. Shit.

Trapping her lower lip between her teeth, Lauren studies me. “Do you wanna get out of here?”

A spark of hope ignites. “Maybe. What’d you have in mind?”

“Do you trust me?”

“Yeah.”

She tugs my hand. “Come on.”

Several minutes later, Lauren pulls into an empty parking lot on the college campus.

Maybe that whole trust thing was unfounded after all. “Uh... If you’re trying to get me interested in night school, no thanks.”

She grins. “Nope.” She gets out of the car and waits while I extract myself. “Follow me.” She leads us to one corner of the lot and swipes an ID card at a closed gate. “This is the Baker-Williams Arboretum. It closes to the public at dusk, but employees get extended access.”

The gate opens with a soft click, and she holds it open for me, then lets it snick shut. Crickets serenade us as we follow a paved footpath through a grove of trees.

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