Page 81 of Wild Desire

"What's the first thing you're going to do when you're back?" Lincoln washed his hands in the tiny sink as I slid off the exam table.

"Get on my board."

"I bet everyone's relieved you'll be back soon."

"Any reason to think I can't perform at the level I did before?" I asked.

Lincoln sighed as he leaned against the counter, his arms crossed over his chest. "There have been cases with professional athletes where they can never quite get back to where they were. But I have no reason to think that you'd suffer the same fate. Rick said you've been working hard and taking care of yourself."

"That was all Noelle. She kept me in line."

"You two are close."

"We're friends," I said, not wanting to admit more to him. I didn't know Lincoln that well.

He grabbed his laptop and moved toward the door. "I wish you luck, and I hope that when you retire, you'll think of us and move back to Telluride."

"That's the plan." I shook his hand. "Thanks, Lincoln. I appreciate everything you've done for me."

Lincoln walked out of the room, and I headed to the waiting room. I'd thought a lot about this day, and I assumed I'd be happy and excited to leave town. But as I approached Noelle, a crease appeared between her eyebrows.

"You good to go?"

"He cleared me."

She grinned and stood, wrapping her arms around my waist. "Congratulations."

I held her to me, burying my face into her hair. I didn't want to let her go but I had to. Her life was here, and mine was wherever Jeremy told me it was.

My phone buzzed.

Jeremy: Got the paperwork. I'm lining up interviews for you tomorrow. Rest up tonight.

I sighed.

"Was that your agent?" Noelle asked as we headed out of the doctor's office.

"He has things planned for tomorrow."

"You'll be busy."

"Want to grab lunch after therapy?" I was eager to have one more day with her.

"Your mom wanted you to come to her house for lunch. Was that okay?" Noelle asked as we slid into my truck.

"Of course." It was over. Our little routines weren't necessary anymore. Now I'd be leaving everything behind, and it hurt.

I somehow went through the motions of the exercises. At the end Rick said, "I can see you're already somewhere else. Good luck to you."

"Thanks for everything."

When he walked me out, the front-counter person handed me a present. "We got this for you."

I rubbed the stabbing pain in my chest. "You didn't have to."

"This is what we do in a small town."

It was a framed picture of me with the staff on one of the first days. "This is great. I'll hang it in my room. It's a good reminder not to take anything for granted."

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