Series: Fever Falls Series by Riley Hart
Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 81272 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 406(@200wpm)___ 325(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81272 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 406(@200wpm)___ 325(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
“It’s nice. I definitely like it, and it’s good to spend time with Rush again. I missed his dorky ass.”
“I know you are, but what am I?” Rush teased, pulling the stool out at the bar. I thought he was going to sit down, but then he nodded for me to do so, and yeah, I almost died. It was the simplest thing but one of the sweetest.
“Thank you.”
Rush winked. I sat down, and he began to help unload bags.
“Are you going to be around for a while?” I asked Jude.
“I think so. If Rush doesn’t get tired of me, that is. Kind of looking for a change.”
A change? Did that mean he wanted to move to Fever Falls? And was he going to be staying permanently with Rush? “Oh, that’s nice. You’ll have to meet the rest of the guys. We go out for Saturgay once a month and…” Oh my God. Had I just called it Saturgay in front of his mom and his maybe-not-so-strait bestie? “I mean, I know you’re straight, but we can all hang out. Or not for Saturgay. That’s just a silly name someone in the group who wasn’t me came up with. I just can’t remember who right now. All I know is it wasn’t me.”
Both Rush and Kathy barked out a loud laugh. This time, my hand flew up of its own accord, and I flipped Rush off. The second I did, I almost died for the hundredth time that day.
“Oh, I like you, Linc. You’re fun,” Kathy said.
Linc. She’d called me Linc and said she liked me. That made my embarrassment worth it.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Rush
It’s obvious Rush Alexander’s dad has been a big influence on his career.
It felt good watching Linc interact with Mom and Jude. There wasn’t a part of me that didn’t see Linc was enjoying it as well. He was getting more and more comfortable as we talked, and even Jude was loosening up a bit. I needed to figure out what in the fuck was going on with him.
And not for the first time, seeing how Linc dealt with situations made me wonder about his past. It was something I hoped he would share with me one day.
“So you’re a nurse, which I know. How do you like it?” Mom asked him as she cooked.
“I love it. It’s all I’ve ever wanted to do, and I can’t even say why. I feel like some people can trace their occupation back to something, but for me it was just…automatic. Like there wasn’t another option. I don’t know. Maybe that doesn’t make sense.”
It made perfect sense to me. Bikes had always been the same for me.
“No, it does,” she assured him. “It sounds like Rush and motocross.” Mom looked at me. “Even though it is dangerous as hell.”
“Right? It’s so scary! I mean, like I said before, I would never expect Rush not to race. It’s who he is. But it freaks me out. Most of the time I cover my eyes when he jumps.”
I nudged him. “I never knew that.”
“Can we pretend you don’t know it now?” he teased.
“You get used to it,” Mom added. “I know you and Rush were friends before you started dating, so you’ve seen it for a while, but the longer you’re together, the more you’ll get used to it. That doesn’t mean you stop worrying, but pretty soon it’ll feel so good to see him succeed, that it’s like you’re out there flying with him.”
Christ, I was lucky to have this woman as a mom. I reached over and squeezed her hand.
“I don’t doubt it. It already feels amazing to see him do well. I alternate between covering my eyes and jumping and screaming.”
“Aww!” I teased.
“I’m ignoring you,” Linc joked back.
“You don’t ride at all?” Jude asked him.
“Oh, God no. Do you?”
“Well, obviously not as well. He leaves me in the dust, but yeah, I ride with him. It’s a hell of a rush.”
“Yeah…not my thing.”
“I have to admit, I’m slightly envious of you, Linc,” Mom told him, and Linc frowned.
“Why?”
“Your career. I’ve always loved the medical field. I don’t know if Rush told you, I was pre-med in college when I got pregnant with him.”
I fought to hold back my frustration—not at Mom, but at the situation in general.
“I didn’t know. You didn’t finish?”
“No. His father and I decided it would be better for me to stay home and take care of Rush.” She turned to me. “Not a decision I regret in the slightest. I loved being home with you, taking care of you, but it’s just… I don’t know. I guess I’m wondering why I never went back to school when you got older.”
Because of him. Because he hadn’t wanted her to.
“You should go back now,” Linc exclaimed.
“What? I couldn’t. I’m too old.”