Page 48 of When Morning Comes Around

“What’s up with you?” her dad asked.

“Nothing, sorry. I just… Do you need a hand?”

He leaned on his cane and started heading for the gym. “I’m good. You can get the door for me if you like.”

She hovered by his side until they reached the gym, then she grabbed the door and held it open for him.

“Hey, Harvey! It’s good to see you,” Russ greeted him.

“And you. It’s been a while. Max tells me good things about this place.”

“I’m glad to hear it. I’m even more glad that you’re here. Do you want to take a seat? We need to fill out some paperwork before we can start.”

Sadie felt bad for him. He found it difficult to sit down, and even more difficult to get back up.

He looked around before saying, “I’m not here to sit around on my ass, I’m here to work. I can lean on the counter to sign my life away.”

Russ chuckled. “I wouldn’t ask you to do that, not sign your life away – we just need to go over a couple of medical forms.”

“And if you want to sit, you can sit on this.”

Sadie’s heart leapt into her mouth when Dominic appeared in the hallway that led to the office in the back. He was carrying a stool and set it at the counter next to her dad. It was just the right height for him to rest his butt against it.

He grinned at Dominic. “Thanks. I appreciate it.”

Sadie kept quiet. It seemed odd to her that her dad didn’t have anything else to say to Dominic; perhaps he was more nervous than she’d realized. She kept her attention on him and did her best to ignore Dominic.

Her heart sank when Russ asked, “Have you guys met?”

She gave her dad a puzzled look when he said, “I don’t believe we have.”

She glanced at Dominic, who was agreeing. “No, I know you’re a friend of Max’s. He speaks highly of you.”

“Likewise,” her dad said with a smile.

Sadie could only stare at them. She didn’t understand what was going on. Why were they pretending that they didn’t know each other?

Russ smiled at her. “Have you met Damon?”

She turned her stare on him. “Damon?”

Dominic stepped forward with his hand extended. “That’s me. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

She didn’t shake his hand. Whatever was going on, she wanted no part of it.

He chuckled. “I bet I know what you’re thinking.”

She scowled at him.

“You’re wondering why I said that my name’s Damon, aren’t you?”

She nodded.

Her dad winked at her. “His nameisDamon, honey bun.”

She felt thoroughly confused. Had he been lying when he told her that his name was Dominic? Was that what they meant?

“I don’t understand,” she said eventually.

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