Page 24 of Catch and Release

“Okay. Ugh. I’ll figure it out.”

“Yes, you will. Now I have to run to work, but text me later, okay?”

They hung up and Willa walked over to Ida’s. She knocked on the door, but nobody answered. She tried again, but again no answer. She pulled out her phone to check the time—it was five minutes after their usual walking time. Ida was not usually late, but maybe something came up today that she’d forgotten to tell Willa about.

“You looking for Grams?”

She jumped, dropping her phone as a voice startled her out of her confusion. She knew before turning around that it would be Shawn, but she didn’t expect him to be shirtless and sweaty.

Again.

She could feel her face turning red, and her gaze fell to his abs.

Fuck, a man had never affected her like this before—not even Leo. Hot men were a dime a dozen in San Francisco, especially in the yoga community. And she looked her fill. But never had she had such a volcanic reaction to someone just by looking at them. The way his brown eyes pierced hers made her feel like she would melt into a puddle, and she had the sudden urge to lick the sweat off his neck.

“Willa? You okay?”

Was that the first time he’d ever said her name? Or would it always sound like the first time, the way he said it? The way his husky, deep voice hit her had Willa clenching her thighs.

God, she was horny.

She cleared her throat and tried to pull herself out of the sex spiral she was falling into.

“We usually walk at 10,” she told him.

Willa checked her phone again. It was 10:07 a.m. Shawn’s brow furrowed in concern, and she wanted to run her index finger along his forehead and smooth it over.

“I’m sure she just forgot,” Willa offered.

“No, she didn’t,” Shawn said, moving past her and opening the front door slowly. “She was about to go get dressed for your walk when I left for my run.”

Willa tentatively followed him inside.

“Grams?” Shawn said. Then louder, “GRAMS?”

Willa heard a small whimper down the hall, and Shawn booked it toward where the sound came from. She followed behind him, and when she entered what she assumed was Ida’s room, she saw her laying uncomfortably on the floor. She was dressed in her regular walking attire—joggers and a t-shirt—and one sock was half on.

“Grams,” Shawn whispered, his voice strained as he kneeled next to his grandmother. “What happened?”

“Fell,” she said, her weak voice cracking Willa’s heart. “Lost my balance putting my socks on. Stupid.”

“Let me help,” Willa said, kneeling on the other side of her. She pushed Ida’s hair out of her face and rearranged her limbs, which were skewed uncomfortably about her. “I was worried you stood me up.”

Willa smiled weakly at her, hoping her attempt to lighten the mood wasn’t poorly received. She was rewarded with a smirk and a wink from Ida.

“I’d never forget about our walks, hon,” she said thinly.

Shawn left the room briefly and came back, tugging a shirt over his head.

“Grams, I’m going to pick you up and put you in bed,” Shawn said, his eyes never leaving Willa.

“Alright, Scooby.”

Before Willa could process the odd nickname, Shawn effortlessly picked up Grams and gently—so gently, it made her want to cry—set her in her bed. Willa grabbed an extra pillow from her bed and put it under her feet before draping a blanket over her.

“Do you want me to get you some water? Tea?” Willa asked, desperate to help Ida feel better.

“Shawn can get me some tea,” Ida responded. “He knows how I like it. You can sit here and tell me how your yoga class went last night.”

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