Page 116 of Bodybuilders for the BBW

And I hadn’t even made it to my car on time.

“Thanks.”

That’s all I could say as I turned and bolted for my locker. I stripped out of my scrubs and into my street clothes (not what I had planned to wear) and then made a beeline for my car. Other staff waved or called out goodbye as I left, but I couldn’t spare the time to reply. Not when I pulled out my phone to see a million missed calls, increasingly hysterical texts from Rhys, and…

Not one from Katie.

Fuck.

It was only the knowledge of what could happen that stopped me from putting my foot to the floor. Instead, I obeyed every road rule carefully, trekking across town to Katie’s parents’ place.

Which brought me to here.

“Hey.” I stood there like an idiot, staring at each one of them as they enjoyed their meal. Right now I felt like some kind of Dickens orphan, lurking around only to beg for more. “Just wanted to say how very, very sorry I am that I’ve gotten here so late.” That wasn’t going to cut it. I watched Katie turn around in slow motion, all those observational skills that helped me at work helping me to see her face fall in real time. That forced smile, coupled with very real disappointment that just seemed to deepen by the second. It was killing me. I raised a hand lamely and tried to smile. “I’m Garrett.”

“I’m Janey, love.” Katie’s mum was a spit of her daughter, and her warm smile had me wanting to rush forward and wrap her in a hug. “You look done in. Let me get you a drink.”

Bronson barked and then ran over, his feet slamming into my legs, forcing me to stagger back.

“Hey, boy!” Dogs were so damn pure. I couldn’t disappoint him because he lived in the moment. I was here now and that was all that mattered, but I knew that wouldn’t cut it with everyone else. “Have you been a good dog? Have you?”

“He likes you,” Janey said, returning with a glass of wine, handing it to me.

“Thank you.” I took a sip and then felt something uncoil inside me at the first fruity notes. “Damn, that’s good.” She smiled at that. “Did you get a glass? Katie said you like white wine, and I thought?—”

“I did.” When she gave my arm a squeeze, it was a perfect echo of Helen’s motherly gesture. “Have a seat. Katie made you up a plate in case you were able to make it. The others said there was a car accident.”

A car accident. A guy that came in because he was short of breath and turned out to be having a heart attack. A kid with a broken arm. That clinical cool that protected me was fading fast and just leaving me behind. Everything I’d seen, done, today was flickering before my eyes.

“Right as I was walking out the door.” I smiled at the table because right now I had everyone’s attention. “That wasn’t how things were supposed to go. We had things planned down to the last second to ensure we’d be here on time, but apparently those patients didn’t get the memo. Again, I’m sorry.”

“We’re all here now.” That had to be Katie’s father, Bill. He nodded at my plate. “Steak tastes best when it's still hot.”

“You let it rest for twenty minutes.” I felt the meat dimple under my fork, its firmness telling me so many things. “And you marinated the steak first?”

Bill snorted. It felt like I’d passed some test I wasn’t aware I was sitting.

“My own recipe. Katie says you’re a helluva cook? Be interested in what you think.”

My girl looked at me for what felt like the first time, her hand snaking out under the table to grab mine. Just a tiny secret smile, and then she let go and turned back to her plate. Maybe, just maybe, I’d get through this in one piece.

“Oh god…” I moaned the moment the meat hit my tongue. That came out more of a muffled sound and I closed my mouth and chewed. “Tender… spices…”

“Garrett’s having a foodgasm,” Rhys said with a grin. “Happens all the damn time.”

“Can’t ask for better than that. Dig in everyone.”

At Bill’s command, a comfortable quiet settled over the table as we all dug into our meals.

There was nothing like a big meal to settle me back down again. When I couldn’t fit in another bite, I pushed my plate away, leaning back, suddenly glad I’d put on a stretchy pair of track pants after work.

“That was incredible.”

I looked at the plate mournfully, wanting to squeeze in a couple of more bites, but my stomach made clear what a mistake that would be. Janey got to her feet, taking my plate and hers.

“Wait until you’ve tasted my apple pie.”

I knew enough about human physiology to know we had only the one stomach, but damn, when she said that, suddenly I had room for more food.

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