by Deb Kastner
Even a week later, Luke couldn’t stop thinking about that slow dance with Ashley in her dining room. Holding her in his arms, smelling the soft musk of her perfume, feeling her cheek resting next to his heart. He was certain she must have heard the way it was pounding. Her nearness did that to him. He was a goner and he knew it.
She was delicate, but not weak. Not even close. She was the strongest woman he’d ever had the pleasure of knowing, keeping Gwenny’s world right even when her own wavered. That was part of what attracted him to her—the way she always put her own needs aside for Gwenny.
But she deserved to be happy as much as Gwenny did.
He hated to see her hurting. He now recognized the pain in her eyes for what it was when she watched Gwenny unable to do something she’d once been able to do.
Like dance, for example. But once again, they’d proven Gwenny wouldn’t be held back. Gwenny could still dance—just in a different way than she’d used to before her accident. And next week, Ashley and Gwenny had invited him to a big-time wheelchair basketball game. Once again, Gwenny was showing ways she could live her life, rather than focusing on what she could not do.
For Ashley, it was much harder. But then again, had he gone through all Ashley had been through, he might feel the same way, facing the same struggles.
Today, they were meeting at the mall to test some of Pudgy’s latest training out in the real world. Luke believed the pup was ready, but there was always, at least, the possibility that Pudgy wouldn’t do well around a crowd of people, that he’d forget he was supposed to be performing a job and become distracted.
If that happened, Pudgy would still be a wonderful house pet for Gwenny. Even Ashley had grown to love the dog, although he suspected she hadn’t originally wanted a dog at all. And there were definitely some things Pudgy was good at—like soothing Gwenny by leaning on her chest and licking her face. Luke suspected he soothed Ashley that way, too, sometimes, although he’d never suggest such a thing.
“Dr. Luke,” Gwenny called as soon as he entered the mall’s south door. They were waiting for him—Ashley dressed in a pretty soft green shirt and blue jeans and Gwenny in jeans and a baggy pink sweatshirt. Even Pudgy looked handsome in his brand-new service dog vest. Luke could swear the pup’s chest was puffed up with pride.
“We can’t wait to try Pudgy out today in the real world, can we, Pudgy?” Gwenny said.
“Awesome,” Luke said. “Let’s get going, then.”
At first, they simply walked around, allowing Pudgy to get used to all the people and the noise. He did a great job, walking right next to Gwenny’s wheelchair, his attention entirely focused on her.
“What do you think?” Ashley asked quietly, for Luke’s ears only.
“I think you’ve got yourself a service dog right there. Let’s try something different.”
He got Gwenny’s attention and crouched before her. “Do you want to go clothes shopping?”
Ashley’s eyes widened. “Are you sure?”
“Yeah. We can get her a new dress for spring or something. Then we can really watch Pudgy in all his service-dog action.”
Luke wasn’t big on shopping, especially with women, but he was excited about this particular outing. Not only was Gwenny going to get a new dress, but Pudgy had some new tricks up his sleeve.
He hung back and allowed Ashley and Gwenny to do the actual clothes shopping. He was more than content just to watch his two ladies excitedly chatter on and on about what to buy.
When they’d settled on a pretty floral dress for Gwenny, Luke pulled a credit card out of his wallet.
“Oh, no,” Ashley said. “My turn.”
He grinned and replaced his card. “Okay. But give the card to Gwenny and let Pudgy do his thing.”
Ashley looked confused, but she did what Luke suggested. She pulled a credit card out of her wallet and handed it to Gwenny. Pudgy immediately snatched it away from her, causing her to giggle.
“Oh, now hold on just a second,” Ashley protested, but Pudgy was already approaching the register.
Luke held up his hand. “Wait for it…wait for it…”
When it was their turn, Gwenny handed her dress to the clerk. Pudgy placed his front paws on the counter and offered up the credit card to the cashier, who chuckled in surprise at her furry customer.
She rang up the card and gave it back to Pudgy, who in turn passed it to Gwenny.
“Smooth move,” Ashley said. “I’m impressed. Although I’m not sure how I feel about a dog with a credit card.”
“Wait,” Luke said. “There’s more.”
The cashier placed the dress in a bag and then paused, not knowing to whom to pass off the package. Pudgy had his front paws back on the counter again.
“You can give it to the dog,” Luke told the clerk.
Pudgy easily took the bag in his mouth and deposited it into the basket hanging on the back of Gwenny’s wheelchair.
“And…done,” Luke declared. “How many ladies have we impressed today?”
“Both of us,” Ashley admitted.
“Yeah? Well, I might splurge for ice cream if I get a kiss out of it.”
Ashley turned an alarming shade of red that made Luke laugh—especially since he’d been talking about Gwenny. Not that he would pass up a kiss from Ashley.
He leaned down toward Gwenny and tapped his scruffy cheek. Gwenny responded with a loud kiss and another giggle.
He felt ready to press his luck today, since everything was going so well, so he offered his other cheek to Ashley.
“You goof,” she whispered as she brushed her lips across his cheek.
“Hey, whatever it takes.”
“You promised us ice cream,” Ashley reminded him.
“I did. And this time, I’m buying.”
They made their way over to the food court. Pudgy continued to be a model service dog, even around the scent of a variety of food. Since food was Pudgy’s weakness, Luke was especially proud of the pup for staying so faithfully by Gwenny’s side.
“Can we do the credit card trick again, Dr. Luke?”
“Not around food, sweetie,” Ashley said before Luke had a chance to answer. I don’t think the cashiers want dog germs near their ice cream.
“Speaking of ice cream, what flavor is your favorite?” Luke asked the ladies as they gathered around a table in the food court.
“Chocolate chip,” Gwenny said.
“Fudge brownie,” said Ashley. “What about you?”
“Strawberry,” he answered. “I’ll be right back.”
He returned a few minutes later with not three, but four cones—chocolate chip, fudge brownie, strawberry and vanilla.
“Who is the vanilla for?” Ashley asked. “Is Ruth joining us?”
“Not this time. The vanilla is for a very special fella who outdid himself today.
He held out the vanilla ice-cream cone toward Pudgy. The pup licked it a couple of times and then snorted and licked his snout, sending Gwenny into a fit of giggles.
“Brain freeze,” Luke teased. “Here, Gwenny, why don’t you feed him the rest of it, since he’s your dog.”
Gwenny happily grabbed the cone, but it didn’t take Pudgy long to finish it. He’d apparently figured it was easier to bite than to lick.
Once, twice, and the whole cone was in his mouth and he was chomping down on it. Everyone laughed as he chewed and swallowed quickly and then shook his head in distress.
“Now that was a real brain freeze,” Ashley said, taking a lick of her own ice cream. “Mmm. So good. The perfect end to the perfect day.”
Luke thought so, as well. Sweets for his sweets. And the dog.
“Excuse me,” said an older woman as she approached their table.
Ashley smiled up at her. “Yes?”
“I just wanted to comment on what a cute family you have. You’re such a cute couple. Your daughter is adorable—and that dog! Well, I’ve been watching you now for some time and I’m super impressed
.”
“Er…thank you,” Ashley said, sending Luke a panicked glance.
He didn’t know what to say. It would be rude to contradict the woman, and besides, it wasn’t as if they’d ever see her again.
Besides, he wasn’t certain he even wanted to try to explain the complicated status of their relationship right now. Because it was a relationship, no matter how the two of them shied away from naming it as such. And every day it grew stronger and stronger.
He was doing just exactly what he’d promised himself he would never do again.
He was falling hard—for a woman and her child.
And the dog was nice, too.
Chapter Twelve
Gwenny was super stoked for her basketball game. Before the accident, she’d already shown an aptitude for athletics. While other girls learned ballet, Gwenny participating in T-ball, basketball and swimming. She loved camping and going out with her dad on the ATV. Nothing was too much of a challenge for her.
Not even now, after the accident. As soon as she’d heard there was a wheelchair basketball league that raised money for St. Judith’s hospital, where she’d recuperated after her accident, she was totally onboard.
It took Ashley a little longer to be okay with the idea, but once she’d seen Gwenny out on the basketball court doing her thing and watching the pure joy in Gwenny’s expression as she played with her teammates, she had to relent.
So, she was once again a sports mom. It was something she’d had to learn. Chase had been a natural, of course, since he’d participated in nearly every kind of sport growing up. But Ashley had been more interested in getting good grades—and she’d hated her physical education classes. What idiot had come up with the idea of dodgeball, anyway? It was a good way to get hurt, no matter which way a person ducked and ran. Pure foolishness, in her mind.
But like her father, Gwenny loved all things sports. And so, Ashley had learned how to be supportive. She’d never been a yell-at-the-coach type, but she found she was surprisingly vocal in her cheering. The games were exciting and--dare she say it--fun.
Both she and Gwenny were extra-enthused today, because Dr. Luke and Granny Ruth were both coming to watch the game and cheer Gwenny on.
It was a date. Ashley had finally gotten over herself and got up the gumption to ask Luke out—officially. They’d been together nearly every day since they’d met, but there hadn’t been any real dates to speak of. So, after the game, Granny Ruth would take Gwenny back to her house and Ashley and Luke would do dinner and a movie and see where it went from there.
Adrenaline coursed through her at the thought of finally being alone with Luke and calling it what it was. What if it was a complete disaster and she’d done nothing but put their friendship to the test. But in another sense, it just felt right.
It was time to move on with her life, and Luke was the perfect man with whom to step forward. He’d shown himself to be utterly trustworthy, and that was the key characteristic she was looking for in a man.
That sounded funny to her—that she was looking for a man. Because she hadn’t been. He’d somehow found her. Kind of like Pudgy had just found them and become a part of their family. Luke and Ruth were the same way.
“Go get ‘em, tiger,” she heard from the sideline. She recognized that deep voice. Luke was down giving Gwenny a pep talk. Ruth was there, as well, performing some kind of cheer Ashley suspected might have been her old high school cheer. Something about go, fight, win.
A bit overenthusiastic, especially considering Ruth didn’t have pom-poms, but she couldn’t fault the older woman for her form.
“Hey,” said Luke as he slid in next to her. “I can believe how excited I am to see this. I usually don’t watch much basketball, so you’ll have to fill me in on all the rules.”
“It’s a little different with wheelchair basketball, anyway,” she assured him. “You’ll catch on. But it is fun to watch. I sometimes get a little overenthusiastic when Gwenny is playing well—which is always. Once an athlete, always an athlete, even from a wheelchair.”
“That’s our Gwenny,” said Ruth. “I’m so proud of her.
“Me, too,” agreed Ashley.
“You ladies aren’t going to leave me out of this,” Luke informed them. He stood, cupped his hands to his mouth and yelled, “Go, Gwenny!”
Ashley put a hand on his muscled forearm, pulling him back down onto the bench. “You should probably wait until they start playing,” she suggested with a wry grin.
He smiled back at her and their eyes met and held. He slipped his hand into hers. The urge to snatch it back was habit—one she wanted to overcome. She liked the feel of her fingers threaded through his. She liked the way he smiled down at her and the twinkle in his blue eyes that was just for her.
She liked everything about this night.
Before long, the ref blew the whistle and the game was on. It was every bit as exciting as Ashley had promised Luke it would be. The score volleyed back and forth and no one team dominated. One minute Gwenny’s team was in the lead and the next her opponent was in possession of the high score.
At the fifteen-minute break for halftime, the other team was leading by twelve. Luke turned toward Ashley and whistled under his breath. “That is some high-intensity playing.”
“I know, right?”
“I’m not sure how I’m going to handle another half-hour of play time. These little girls are super competitive. Gwenny’s the best one out there, though.”
“Says a man who has absolutely no skin in the game.”
“I’m just calling it as I see it.”
She loved that about him. With the way he spoke and acted, Gwenny had become the center of his world. He was clearly proud of her and of his association with her. And she appreciated the way he’d become a strong male role model Gwenny could trust in.
The game started again, and their attention returned to watching Gwenny on the court. She was a starter and was usually out playing except when the coach gave her an occasional break to catch her breath.
As the game wound down to the end of the fourth quarter, the teams were still neck-and-neck.
“Way to go, Gwenny! Go, fight, win, St. Judith Jackals. Kill the Cougars!” Ruth screamed, totally into fan mode.
“Mom,” Luke groaned, tunneling his hands through his hair. “You are not only embarrassing Gwenny, but we have to sit here next to you. Can you tone it down a bit?”
Ruth raised a brow and snorted. “My unofficially-adopted granddaughter is down there killing it, and she’s going to know her granny is up here watching her every move.”
“Yes, but do you have to be quite so loud?” Color appeared on Luke’s cheeks.
“Hey,” Ruth said, nudging her son’s biceps. “I worked very hard as a mother to raise my son right. I suffered and my heart broke on numerous occasions. I was strong when I wanted to give in. So, I have earned my right to be the honorary granny. I get to spoil Gwenny as much as I want. It’s my prerogative because of my age. And I can yell if I want to, so just leave me to it.”
“Yes, but—” Luke started, but Ashley laid a hand on his shoulder and shook her head.
“She’s right. Anyway, I’m sure Gwenny appreciates being able to hear her from the court.”
“Gwenny, and every other person in this entire auditorium,” Luke grumbled.
Then he met her gaze and they both laughed. Ruth was definitely her own person and wasn’t about to apologize for it. How had she managed to have such an introverted son?
As the game clock wound down, the score continued to be too close to call. Finally, with the game even and seconds left on the clock, the game was going to go to whichever team scored the final basket.
Ashley gripped Luke’s muscular biceps tightly, pressed her forehead to his shoulder and groaned. “Oh. This is why I don’t like being a sports mom. I can’t look. I just can’t. I’m in agony. Tell me when it’s over.”
Luke laid his hand over hers. Despite her best eff
orts, she still peeked through her fingers to see what was happening.
Luke put his free hand up like a microphone and lowered his voice an octave. “Gwenny’s team is passing the ball around, setting up the shot.” He sounded like a sportscaster.
His muscles suddenly tensed. “It’s Gwenny, Ashley. She’s got the ball!”
She lifted her head just in time to see Gwenny loft the ball into the air. Ashley squeezed Luke’s arm and held her breath as time seemed to slow to a halt.
Whoosh!
The ball didn’t so much as hit the rim, but rather went straight through the net. Gwenny had won the game for the team.
While Gwenny’s team gathered around her cheering and whirling her around, Ashley threw herself into Luke’s waiting arms.
His warm mouth immediately covered hers, giving and taking.
Celebrating.
Then in a moment their kiss turned into something else. The cheering crowd disappeared from around them and it was only Ashley and Luke in their own little world.
Luke pulled her closer and groaned from deep in his throat.
How had she not known this was what she’d been waiting for? Her connection with Luke was undeniable and beyond explanation. It felt oh, so right.
After another minute, he reluctantly broke away from her, but the smile on his face made her heart turn over once again.
“Come on,” he said, reaching for her hand. “We’re missing the celebration down there.”
I thought this was the celebration.
Her head was completely in the clouds and her heart was spinning, leaping and dancing like a ballerina. Luke led her down the bleachers and onto the court. It took them a moment to weave through the crowd to Gwenny’s side, seeing as she was the girl of the hour. Ruth was already there, cheering up a storm and acting like the proud granny she was.
“Way to go, sweetheart,” Luke said, kissing Gwenny’s forehead. “We’re all so proud of you.”
Ashley held her hand up palm out for a high-five.
“Mommy!” Gwenny exclaimed. “Mommy! Mommy! Mommy!” She always repeated herself when she got overexcited, and she had a good reason to be overexcited now. This win was huge.
