Page 25 of Training the Heart

“My mom’s tried to sober up many times. Every time I hope this is the time she makes it, but so far it never has been. I’m still helping her out when she needs it, now that my sister has moved, I’m all my mom has.”

Wade nods and changes the heavy subject. “How is it feeling?” he asks. “Is the ice helping at all?” He nods toward my foot in his lap.

“I think a little. I’m so sorry, Wade.”

“Stop apologizing for your ankle, fuck. It was an accident,” he says as he reaches down and gently squeezes my calf.

I can tell instantly that Wade doesn’t reach out and touchpeople often; his touch is cautious, but even with the pain I’m in, this touch resonates with me, it’s oddly comforting. I look up at him and my eyes meet his in the dark for a fleeting moment. His hand is still resting on my leg.

“Are you hurt anywhere else?” he asks

“I don’t think so, but we still have thirty minutes left in this drive,” I say quietly, grinning to lighten the mood.

He shifts the ice on my ankle as I take a breath, feeling rewarded with the hint of a grin I see on his face. He squeezes my calf one more time before he lets go and returns his hand to the wheel.

“Yeah, you’re more than alittleaccident-prone.”

“Yes,” I say honestly. “All my life. Tripping-up-the-stairs expert right here,” I say, raising one hand.

“Well, maybe don’t touch anything. Just keep your hands in your lap,” he says.

I smile back at him and exaggerate folding my hands in my lap.

Must be a world record. For the third time in as many days, there are the hint of those dimples again.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Wade

Icouldn’t tell you why I insisted on getting Ivy’s life story on the drive here. I’m breaking my employer/employee barrier more and more every day with her. I also couldn’t tell you why I sat right beside her for an hour while she waited to see a doctor, making uninteresting conversation about theIce Road Truckersepisodes that played in the waiting room. Or why I agreed to stay in the actual room with her while she saw the doctor. I didn’t question it; I just did it. I stayed while the doctor pressed and prodded at her ankle, and now I’m waiting, right outside the room while they x-ray her.

I just need to know she’s okay, because it happened at the ranch. The last thing I need is a workplace injury complaint—at least that’s what I tell myself as I’mstillsitting here.

“It’s just a mild sprain. But you should stay off of it for a few days, maybe even a week, if you want it to heal as quickly as possible. Keep it elevated. Only really walk when you have to, and get some crutches for the first few days.” The doctor gives his diagnosis and treatment as Ivy nods, listening intently.

“A light compression will help with support, and you canstart walking on it more as your pain allows. Take ibuprofen if you need to for pain.” He looks between me and Ivy. “Do you have someone to help you get around?” he asks.

“I—I can’t train effectively until it’s healed anyway.” She looks up at me with big blue eyes. “I could go stay with my mama, I suppose. Take a break and rest. Good thing it’s my left foot, I could make the drive.”So she can look after her mother while she tries to heal? Don’t think so.

“It’ll be me. I’m helping her. She lives on my ranch,” I say without even thinking, as Ivy’s eyes meet mine in question across the room.

Her mouth falls open to speak but the doctor beats her to it.

“Good,” he says, seeming satisfied, giving Ivy pamphlets on healing time and R.I.C.E. treatment. He smiles a friendly smile at Ivy. “The more you take care of it in the first few days, the better it will be. If it gets worse or isn’t healed up in a few weeks, come back and see us.”

He exits the room before his last words have even left his mouth, already looking into the folder for his next case in the busy ER.

He isn’t gone one second before Ivy turns her gaze to meet mine.

“Wade. How can you help? You can’t come over every day for aweek. I’ll just go home to Jellico for a few days. You can pause my pay. This isn’t your problem—” She’s rambling, not unlike the first day I met her.

I sigh, putting my hand over hers in her lap, just to settle her. She’s a sight right now, damp hair all pulled up, her sugar scent mixed with rain, her huge icy eyes looking up at me, all the while her small frame drowning in my winter coat.

Fucking hell. I’m about to make a colossal mistake but I just can’t stop myself.

“You’ll just stay with me at my cabin for the first few days,” I say.

Her eyes grow as wide as saucers in her pretty face. “Wha—how?”

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