Page 11 of Silver Sanctuary
She couldn’t afford a membership, which is why she hadn’t even bothered swinging by before. If she had, maybe she would have seen the flowers, and whatever shock to her system it was to see them there would have hurt less.
“He’ll be out in a sec.”
“Thanks. Hey, Mae? I remember seeing something about free self-defense lessons on your website. Do you guys still do them on Saturdays?”
“Why do you need self-defense lessons?” Nash’s voice boomed as he walked toward the reception area, making bothwomen jump. “Is someone bothering you? Is that why you’re here?”
“Down boy.” Mae giggled. “I think the only person Lacy might be afraid of right now is you—stalking in here like that.”
“Sorry.” Nash studied her face, his eyes searing into her like he was ready for her to lay all of her problems at his feet. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing’s wrong; I didn’t mean to worry you. I just came by to see if you had a receipt, or remembered the total cost for the gear you gave to Embrie. You would not believe what they are saying that gear costs online. It’s outrageous.”
A faint blush crawled up his neck and settled on his cheeks.
“There was no cost. Sebastian?—”
“Please don’t say Sebastian donated to the club. I know he didn’t. I know you bought these for her because you saw that I was unprepared on Saturday. But I will pay for what my daughter needs, I just need to know how much it was. I tried to look it up online but I must have been doing something wrong because it kept bringing me to a professional line and I…” Her voice trailed off as she looked up at Nash. The truth was written all over his face. “Please tell me you did not spend that much money on gear.”
“I don’t want you to pay me back, Lace. And I want Embrie to have the best protection. If she got hurt while playing for me…”
Lacy’s eyes drifted over to Mae, who was staring at Nash like she was trying to figure out a puzzle. She needed to get out of there. She was going to do something embarrassing like cry, and that was the last hit she needed to take.
“I’ll get the money to you. Bye, Mae.”
“Bye, Lacy.”
She turned and pushed through the doors, stopping on the sidewalk to catch her breath.
How could he do that? How could he stand in front of Mae and still look so tenderly at her?
“Lacy, wait. You don’t have to?—”
“What are you doing?” Lacy asked as she whipped around, Nash only a step behind her.
“You just seem upset. I didn’t mean to overstep with Embrie.”
Her shoulders fell. “I know you didn’t; it was very kind of you. I’m not used to people being kind like that—for someone to give without strings attached. I don’t know… I don’t know how to accept it. That’s why I want to pay you back. Because I don’t like being a burden, and I don’t want anyone to ever feel that way about Embrie.”
“Whoa. I would never think that about either of you. I just want Embrie to be successful out on the field, and I don’t want you to have to worry about her gear.”
“You should go back, Nash. I don’t want Mae to get the wrong idea.”
Nash looked like she had slapped him. Confusion clouded his icy blue eyes for a second before a smile started taking over his features. His hand came up to rest on her arm, and she hated the way her body warmed to his touch.
No, she wouldn’t be like that. Lacy always yearned for female friendships, and Mae had been nothing but sweet to her since they first met. There was no world in which Lacy would let herself feel something for Mae’s man.
“What? Why is that funny?”
“Do you think I’m with Mae?”
“The flowers from today… they were on her desk. That’s who you’ve been coming in to get flowers for every Monday. For Mae.”
Nash shook his head. “Come here.” His hand slid down her arm, his fingers slipping between hers.
“Where are we?—”
Nash pulled open the door to Dr. Donovan’s office and guided her through with his hand on the small of her back.
