Downshift Series, #1 Page 6

  The door opened.

  “JT, I was thinking we could go into town today.” Kelsey stopped, putting her hand over her eyes and spinning around. “Oh! I'm sorry. I thought you said come in. I-I'm not sure. I don't know... maybe... uh.”

  Chuckling, JT reached for the shirt draped on his nightstand. “Kelsey, it's no big deal. You see me in less working out.” He glanced down at his black briefs. Morning breath and the mess he was were not the best ways to convince her to always stay with him. “Okay, maybe not less. Let me get some clothes on, and we can talk about what torture you have planned for me today.”

  She nodded, turning back toward the stairs, the orange glow from the kitchen highlighting the pink of her cheeks. JT wanted to throw his arms around her and kiss her. She was so dang cute and determined. He couldn't stop thinking about her.

  He pulled on his favorite Fox shirt and black LBZ pants and grabbed his crutches. He could do short distances with only one walking aid, as long as he was certain of the terrain, but Kelsey had mentioned going for a walk that day. He would do whatever she wanted. Just so long as he met his goals and he got to spend time with her.

  Following her to the kitchen, he accepted the black mug of coffee she held out to him. “Thank you.” He sipped the dark brew, reveling in the heady aroma. The shot of caffeine zapped the rest of the sleepy fog from his mind. “I'm sorry I slept in, soreness from the last few days is getting to me.” He drank half the cup and then trained his gaze on her. “Where do you want to go today?”

  Kelsey braced her arms on the counter and studied him with wide open eyes. “I was thinking we could try out the mall. I know it's a little far away, but with the different levels we could practice being on the escalator for stability, and we could walk on that flat tile and see how you do with the crutch for further distances. I can't have you go too far in this grass because there might be holes or something and the grass may be slippery. We shouldn’t have any issues at the mall.”

  The mall. He didn't really care what she suggested. She smiled at him and wanted to go somewhere, anywhere, with him. As far as he was concerned that was the true reward.

  Kelsey checked on the part-time nurse and her grandmother before they left, smiling as she led JT to her car.

  “Oh, no. I’ll never fit in that.” JT groaned, but laughed at the same time. The miniature vehicle in his driveway spoke of days past where free love and cruises down the coast were commonplace. Tall guys were not.

  “Come on, just climb in. I can help you, even if I have to fold you in.” She giggled at him and rolled her eyes.

  The curve of her lips distracted him for a moment. He was too tired to keep his head straight. He blinked hard to break his stare. He didn’t fight her much as he bent himself down and climbed in, ignoring the sting in his ribs and the sudden shortness of breath from the exertion. Getting out was going to be a chore.

  Once in the car, the drive was smooth and short with the mall only ten minutes from his place. Kelsey parked the Bug and helped JT out of the vehicle. He gritted his teeth against the pain, dealing with it just to be around her. His tall, lanky height made getting out of the small car even more difficult. She handed him the crutches and slowed her pace to match his. Once inside, they circled the tiled flooring. They passed stores, vendors, and booths like an indoor fair.

  Outside the gear shop, Kelsey stopped and pointed at a poster in the window. “Is that you?”

  JT glanced up, tilting his head back further than normal because of the hat pulled low over his face to cover his identity. He laughed. “Yeah, that's me. Blake is on the yellow bike before he switched to Yamaha and Mac there is on his KTM. I always ride red.”

  Mud splattered the camera lens, making for pretty great action shots as they had all jumped over the tabletop, a flat-topped jump that was longer than a standard jump. “That was a fun time. I can't even remember the drink we were advertising. Which one is it?” With all the other posters layered amongst his, the logo they had been marketing had been covered.

  His face was clear, though, as was his smile. It was one of the few times when his dad hadn't been there, spoiling his fun. Freedom from the contract with his father was so close. He couldn't focus on it too much, or he would get short-timer syndrome. He could also potentially do something that would trip himself up and get him locked in longer.

  Kelsey spun on her heel in front of him and walked backwards as they talked. “Do you like hot dogs? One of my favorite places is here and I thought it would be fun to eat out. Plus, I can see how you do holding with your hand.”

  He gripped the handles of his crutches tighter. “I love hotdogs. I'll do whatever you need me to do.”

  Anything at all.

  JT SANK FURTHER INTO the water of the hot bath Kelsey had helped him draw. He hadn't wanted to complain to Kelsey, but the day at the mall had sapped his strength. Every ounce of pain rippled through him. Under the guise of wanting to clean up, he had talked Kelsey into helping him draw a bath. Truth was, he didn't even want to bend over. Breathing too deeply hurt his ribs. He wanted to soak and try to ease some of the pain. Erase some of his fatigue.

  Kelsey drew him a bath and tossed in an ounce of Epsom salts. “That'll help you. It draws out the pain.” She winked and carefully tapped his shoulder before leaving. “I know you're hurting. It's okay to tell me. I won't think less of you; I promise.”

  He must've fallen asleep because by the time he opened his eyes the water was tepid and the sunlight had dimmed considerably. He grabbed the assistance bar on the side of the tub and tried to pull himself up. The water pulled at him, making it difficult to fight its weight. He yanked out the plug to make things easier for himself. After the water drained more than three-quarters, he tried to pull himself out again with one arm, but he couldn't get his leg under him. With his fatigue and soreness, it didn't look like it was going to happen.

  Everything in him wanted to just make it happen. He wanted to force himself to stand, but the part of him that wanted to dirt bike, the part that wanted to be free of his father and the manipulating management, made JT reconsider. What would be safest?

  He called out to Kelsey. “Kelsey, can you help me?”

  She might have left. Would she hear him?

  “Yeah, I'll grab a towel.” She was professional at her job. If nothing else, he could trust her with this.

  JT pulled his legs up and tried to grab the towel hanging just out of reach. He didn’t need her thinking he’d planned something sordid.

  She walked through the door, averting her gaze from his form. She had two towels in her arms and draped the smaller one out to him. “Here, cover yourself, then I'll help you stand. We'll wrap you in the bigger one once you're out.”

  He gratefully accepted the towel and laid it across his lap as he sat in the now empty bathtub. She hung the oversized bath towel on the heating bars and knelt into a squatting position.

  She smiled as she met his gaze. “Okay, I'm going to put my arm here and you're going to use that arm and we’re going to push you up together, okay?” She nodded her head and they pushed.

  Kelsey was stronger than her slight frame made her look. She did most of the lifting with her legs. As heavy as JT was, inasmuch as he tried, he knew she put considerable effort into helping him stand. She steadied him as he stepped from the tub, keeping her warm grasp on his upper body and one stabilizing him. He reached for the towel and wrapped it around his waist, allowing the smaller towel to fall to the ground.

  Kelsey held the crutch out to him and glanced up into his eyes. “Are you okay now? Do think you can do it?”

  Even when he was weak, she made him feel strong. She didn't try to make him feel inadequate or inept because he wasn't able to do something by himself. Instead, she empowered and encouraged him. How had he gone through his life without her?

  “I'm good now, thanks.” He swallowed at the emotions raging through him. He was good then, but only because she was there.

  How did he tel
l her he was falling for her? What would she do when their time was up? Surely, she would want to leave. She wouldn’t want to be stuck with him. He’d hired her and put them in the awkward position of patient and caregiver. As soon as she wasn’t in charge of his care, he planned to remedy that immediately.

  If she planned on leaving right away, he’d have to stop her. Even if that meant stopping his therapy. He certainly didn't want her to leave. No matter what.

  Chapter 10

  Kelsey

  Kelsey wiped her freshly washed hands off on a kitchen towel that she had unpacked from her grandmother's things. The white material was dotted with bright red apples and the edges were a little frayed. All the signs of a truly loved item.

  She picked up the warm chamomile tea and stirred in a dribble of honey. As she approached her grandmother sitting on the couch in the fully furnished downstairs apartment, Kelsey looked around.

  “Isn't it lovely here, Grandma? Are you having fun?” She offered her grandmother the warm tea and cautioned, “It's hot, be careful.”

  Her grandmother smiled, fine lines from her lips bleeding lipstick onto her pale skin. Kelsey reached out and touched her grandmother's frail shoulder. She claimed the seat beside the older woman and tucked her feet up on the couch. Just sitting with her grandma reminded Kelsey of her mom. She missed her mom very much. There were things about her grandmother and mother that Kelsey hoped would pass down to her, like their kindness and grace.

  Her grandmother sipped her tea and murmured, “Oh, that's good. Good job, Sarah. You always did make a good cup of tea. When will Mother be home?”

  Kelsey plastered a happy smile on her face. She pretended to be the long-lost sister of her grandmother, the sister who had died as a nurse in the war. “Mother should be along shortly. I met a guy.”

  Grandmother's eyes widened with delight. She smiled and wrapped her other hand around the warm mug. “I want details. Have you kissed him? This is scandalous.”

  Kelsey chuckled. “No, he's a client for a little while, but he's very nice. He let us move in here. He’s the reason I might be able to go back to school.” All of her hope and optimism had returned and she owed it all to JT.

  “Sarah, you know girls don't go to school, but if that's what you want to do, I will back you on it.” Grandma reached over and patted Kelsey's leg. “And if you like the guy, client or not, real attraction doesn't come along all the time.”

  Grandma was right. Her own true love was with her forty-eight years before his passing. Love like that didn’t come along like rain. Yet, a chance at her dream career didn’t either. Now that she had a serious need for enough money to take care of her grandmother, obtaining her upgrade in professionalism was more important than ever.

  She couldn't ethically pursue what she wanted while also pursuing the clientele. There were definitely laws about that. If there weren’t, there should be.

  KELSEY WAITED AT THE counter for JT to join her. She had let him sleep in so he could recover from the exhaustion of the mall the day before. She knew what he put into his recovery, but she also knew a break once in a while could often do more for recovery than fifty exercises.

  “There you are.” JT yawned and scratched his stomach through his t-shirt as he limped into the kitchen. “You shouldn’t let me sleep so long. I'm going to get fat and lazy.” A subtle scent of his cologne reached her.

  Kelsey laughed. There was nothing fat or lazy about the man. No matter how much he liked to joke about it. “I hope you had fun yesterday. I'm sure you're sore.”

  She didn't mention the bathtub or the way his chest looked with water dripping down the plains of his muscles. She'd worked all night on erasing that image from her mind.

  “I had a lot of fun. It was good to take a different look at therapy. Along those lines, I was wondering if you would like to go to the local fair. There’ve been some races today and I kinda wanted to see what the town looks like in this area.” He hobbled across the room and claimed a seat, sliding down and sticking his leg out to the side.

  “What?! JT, where are your crutches? I just noticed you don’t have them.” Pride and worry warred within her. If something happened, he didn't have anything to lean on.

  He grinned sheepishly at her, bending his elbow and resting his arm on the table. “I thought maybe I could try it. Don't worry, I’ll take the crutches with me when we’re at the fair. I just wanted to see if I could do it.”

  Kelsey claimed the seat beside him, subtly breathing in his fresh clean scent. “I think it's awesome that you’re trying, but yes. You’re taking your crutches.” She tapped her finger on the counter, lifting her eyebrows as if he would challenge her.

  Her job had become both pleasure and pain. She couldn’t pursue anything with him and yet she got to spend time with him. The double-edge didn’t surprise her. She just had to figure out how she was going to survive the following couple weeks.

  AS THE CAR BOUNCED along the muddy parking lot, Kelsey winced with each bounce. JT wouldn't admit anything, but he had to be feeling the bumps and bruises in his ribs, arm, and leg. Maybe coming to the fair hadn't been such a good idea.

  “Are you okay? We can turn back and go around.” She was more worried about his comfort than seeing a few pigs and watching a few races.

  He glanced at her in dismay, relaxing his hold on the dash and the car seat. “After all that? Don't deny me my reward. I'm not going through that for nothing.” He grimaced playfully and opened the door after she parked. He bent down and grabbed his crutches, which leaned across the seat, “I'm not sure you can get a smaller car.”

  Kelsey didn't acknowledge his remark. Jabs at her car were obviously deflections from the real focus of his pain. Plus, she liked when he teased her. She brushed off her concern as she thought to herself that he wasn't paying her to nag at him. She held a slow pace, so he wouldn't feel rushed. They picked their way across the parking lot.

  At the ticket booth a young man, not more than sixteen, carelessly took their money. Until he glanced up and saw JT, that is. He stared open-mouthed for a long moment. “Oh, hell. JT. You’re here. What... How... My buddies won't believe this. Can I take your picture?” The kid dug in his pockets for his phone, fumbling as he searched. He continued to check to make sure JT didn’t leave on him by glancing upward every half-second so that he was watching JT more than he was looking for his phone.

  JT shuffled his feet, heat flooding his face. His murmur barely reached the boy. “That's fine, but don't make a big deal of it, please.”

  The guy focused his phone on JT and snapped some pictures of JT smiling a PR smile. By that point, a few of the other ticket sellers peered at the group curiously. JT rushed Kelsey through the entrance point and ducked his head.

  “I never forget my hat, and I forgot my hat today.”

  “He was shorter than you. He would’ve seen you whether you wore a hat or not. True fans always know.” Kelsey walked beside him following his lead across the fairgrounds toward the arena area.

  “Arena” was a loose term. It was nothing more than just bleachers set up in a loose oval. The oval was made of mud.

  JT carefully made his way up the stairs. Kelsey stood beside him in case he needed more assistance, but he did very well. They claimed the bottom seats. Fatigue pinched the bridge between JT's eyes.

  He leaned over, pointing toward the simple starting gate. “This is just a local event, but there should be some fun stuff to see.”

  A man with a cowboy hat and brown, beaten up boots approached JT and Kelsey. He pulled off his hat and held it in his hands. “Excuse me, JT? My son is selling tickets and he said you were here. Would it be okay to ask you to award the trophies at the end of the races? I don't want to be an imposition, but it would sure make our riders happy.”

  JT smiled kindly and held out his hand to shake. “I would be honored, thank you. Sorry, I can't stand right now. I’m just giving my foot a rest, but I’ll make my way down there around the award time.”
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  The man's smile broadened as he shook the offered hand. “That would sure be nice of you.” He nodded at Kelsey and released JT’s hand before turning and walking away.

  JT avoided Kelsey's gaze, scratching at his knee and looking everywhere but at her. “Sorry, I didn't realize it would be like this.”

  “I think it's sweet.” She didn’t say what she wanted to say, that he was a much kinder person than she’d expected.

  Kelsey didn't want lose her heart. The way things were going, if the next few weeks didn't hurry up and speed by, she would have to face a very unethical crush on an extremely moral client.

  Chapter 11

  JT

  Regrouping in the car after a long day at the fair sounded like heaven. JT hadn't thought through the energy required to survive such a public event. Honestly, he’d just planned on sitting most of the time, but even that had fatigued him faster than sitting at home. In combination with the soreness from therapy, JT was hurting.

  Kelsey climbed into the seat beside him and buckled her seatbelt. She tilted her head to the side and peered at him intently. “Are you okay? You have to be exhausted.”

  JT tried not to meet her gaze. He wouldn’t be able to look her in the eye when he lied, but it was looking at her eyes that had become like an addiction that he didn’t want to deny himself. He returned her worried gaze.

  “I'll be fine.” That wasn’t a lie. You didn’t lie to your future bride. Wasn’t good luck for the marriage.

  Kelsey leaned closer to him, which almost put her on his lap in the small interior of the Volkswagen. “I know you're hurting. It's okay to tell me. I'm not going to say anything or think less of you. You're still the big macho man, but you need to tell me if you're hurting, so I can treat you. That’s why I’m here.”

  JT could drown in her green gaze. He leaned closer, scanning her face and finding that even her scent was refreshing and calm. “I feel just right.”