Page 2 of The Reward of You

Not that the kids are the problem, but given the way my ex and I fumbled our way into parenthood, it’s a miracle I got pregnant at all. Neither of us knew what we were doing and, frankly, neither of us cared that much. Sex with Ed was well, about as exciting as peeling potatoes. And I’m sure he’d say the same about me, if he can actually remember doing the deed.

We didn’t even have the energy to have an acrimonious divorce. He simply accepted a professorship in Europe without telling me. I’m still not sure if he was expecting us to stay here or go with him. The most likely scenario is he didn’t think about us at all. Ed is the epitome of an absent-minded professor. That was mildly interesting when we were in grad school, but mostly he was safe. I knew he wasn’t going to get my engine revving and, at the time, I thought that was a good thing. Eliminate the distractions so I could concentrate on my career. Then he announced his move to Berlin, and I asked for the divorce paperwork so I didn’t have to track him down later. He didn’t even blink. The girls call and talk to him about once a month, but lately they’ve been letting that slide. Bea spends more time telling me about Sam and what he’s doing in his yard. She finds him fascinating. Another guilty wince when I realize she gets that from me.

I shift my gaze back to the calendar. Guys like Sam know their way around a woman’s body. And they expect a woman to know his as well as her own, and gymnastics positions, and well… things. “Such a freaking loser,” I mutter to myself as I sink beneath the water in shame.

A bubble tickles my nose. I’m not ready to face the world yet. My nose twitches. Another bubble moves into position. That’s when I sit up abruptly and sneeze. The wave of water catches my wineglass perched on the edge of the tub. My hand flails in an attempt to catch it and my arm encounters a sharp edge, the glass having already shattered against the tub. The bubbles instantly turn red and I cry out in pain.

Miranda and Bea come bursting through the door. They should have been asleep. I look around frantically for something to stem the bleeding, but the towels are on the other side of the room.

“Mom!” Miranda’s eyes go wide and her lids flutter.

“It’s okay. Just hand me a towel, quick!”

Bea shouts as she runs out the door, “I’ll go get Sam!”

It doesn’t even register what she said as Miranda brings me one of my pristine new white towels. I sigh with regret as I hold it against the gash in my arm and consider how I’m going to get out of the tub without cutting myself on the shards now lining the bottom.

Then I hear heavy thumping on the steps. That’s when Sam runs in, his chest bare but barely heaving with the effort of taking the stairs two at a time. His eyes take in the scene at a glance. Then his jaw clenches as he approaches. My eyes stare into his silver ones despite my best efforts to break my gaze away. I think I hear myself whimper.

2

I think I died a little tonight. My heart is thudding in my chest like I just ran an impromptu marathon. Seeing the stark fear on Bea’s little face when she showed up at my door. Followed by the shock on her mom’s. Not to mention all the blood. My old training kicks in, though, and it only takes a second to realize it looks worse than it actually is. Thank God. Noelle’s still injured, but she’s conscious and there’s nothing spurting blood.

“What cut you?” I ask her abruptly. My brain is incapable of calculating anything right now except what it will take to secure the situation and her safety.

She grimaces with a twist of wry embarrassment and looks away. “Wine glass.”

I nod, but I doubt she sees the gesture the way she’s studying her kneecaps. Since there’s no visible evidence of the glass, that means it’s all in the tub with her, so I’ll have to lift her straight out. The girls are fretting in the doorway. I turn back to them. “Miranda, is it?” I ask Bea’s sister.

The older girl nods hesitantly.

“I need you to turn back the covers on your mom’s bed and lay a clean towel out on the sheet, please? Bea, do you think you can find a flashlight? The brighter, the better.”

“I have one!” Bea jumps with excitement, probably because there’s something she can do to help too.

Miranda bites her lip. “Is she going to be okay?” Her anxiety is palpable.

“Right here, you know,” Noelle chimes in dryly. Miranda’s lips twitch in response, but she keeps her gaze steady on me.

“Yes. I need to check her over before I rule out the hospital, but she’ll be okay.”

Miranda heaves a huge sigh of relief and turns back into the adjacent bedroom.

I scan the bathroom for… I grab a washcloth from behind a stack of hand towels on a high shelf. “Let’s replace the giant towel with this on your gash, okay? Just let the towel go and keep the pressure steady.”

Noelle nods. “How am I going to get out of here?”

“I’m going to lift you. One arm under your knees and the other around your waist. Straight up and out. Just hold still and focus on keeping the pressure on your arm steady.”

I hand her the washcloth and we both wince as fresh blood wells up fast when the towel is removed. She folds the washcloth over and presses down.

Reaching into the warm water, I can’t quite believe I’m this close and personal to my gorgeousnakedneighbor. The bubbles have made her satiny skin slippery, so I grip her tighter than I might otherwise so she doesn’t fall back onto the glass. She gasps as I bring her out of the water and tight against my chest. I glance down and breath out in relief. No fresh blood dripping from any other injuries. Pivoting quickly, I carry her into the bedroom and that’s when I notice the ancient calendar on the wall by the door. The sight almost stalls my steps completely. I truly was not expecting that.

There’s no time to process that fresh tidbit about my sexy neighbor, though, until we see what we’re dealing with and she’s ready to talk. I set her down gently on the towel Miranda laid out per my instructions.

Noelle immediately takes her hand off the washcloth to reach for the sheet to pull over herself. “No, darling. Not yet. I need to check you over for any glass splinters,” I tell her gently. She grimaces again but lets her hand return to providing pressure on the wound.

I hold out my hand for Bea’s flashlight while Noelle blushes from head to toe. I guess being out of immediate danger finally made her realize just how naked she is.

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