Erica shook off the fantasy of showing Dani up when the referee cleared the pool to begin the competition. Erica lost herself in the excitement of the routines. Both the excellent and the not so hot. She eavesdropped on the people around her when they told the story of the current swimmer who if rumors could be believed taught herself how to swim off the Internet just a couple years ago. She’d picked up synchro a few months later and here she was. Her absolute joy at being in the pool was obvious and her smile lit up the stadium. Erica remembered those days for her and a twinge of jealousy hit. She shook it off to continue watching and was impressed with the girl’s verticals. They were all very high and straight. Erica could tell she was a new swimmer, but it was obvious she was a fast study.
Erica was so engrossed in the current routine that she didn’t notice the woman who sat beside her until she leaned in to whisper, “I don’t know about none of this stuff so you’re gonna have to talk me through it.”
Erica sucked in a surprised breath and looked at Megan who was squinting at the action in the pool. “What are you doing here?”
Megan pointed at the swimmer and her eyes lit up. “Oooh! Oooh! I’ve seen you do that. What’s that called?”
Erica looked back at the pool in time to catch the tail end of a familiar hybrid. One she’d made up years ago. She smiled. The girl must have studied her. Erica sure liked the kid’s gumption. She was going to make sure she said hello to her before she left. “It’s an old hybrid.”
Megan heard the wistfulness in Erica’s tone. “How come you’re not out there? You know you want to?”
“It’s a competition. I’m not registered.”
“I’m sure they’d make an exception if someone were to tell them who you are.” Erica looked at Megan in alarm.
“You didn’t.”
“No. But he might have.” Megan nodded across the pool where Trevor stood staring at her. Every single one of her emotions seemed to flood her at once. How much she loved him. Her anger that he’d almost gotten them killed. How much she missed him. Her frustrations that she was now out of a job and he’d forbidden anybody to give her references. How good he looked.
“Oh my God. No. I can’t go out there. I … I …” Erica searched her mind for any excuse she could think of. She knew once Trevor flashed that smile of his, any referee would throw in an exhibition in two shakes. “I don’t even have a suit.”
Without a word, Megan thrust a gorgeous green suit at her. The crystals and sequins formed elaborate patterns that could only be handmade. Erica looked at Megan in awe. “This is …”
“Are you going to let all that work go to waste?”
Erica laughed. “So now you’re blackmailing me.”
“Absolutely.” Megan cast a critical eye at the suit. “Come back when you get it on. I want to make sure it’s a perfect fit.”
“It will be.” Erica hugged Megan and climbed from the stands. She paused and looked back at her. “But tell me why. I’m not …”
“You’re family. We don’t let family go that easily.”
Determined to not let Megan see her cry, Erica turned and fled for the locker room. It took no time for Erica to change into Megan’s suit and matching cap. While Erica checked it out in the mirror, she saw that it was an exquisite fit. Megan was a miracle worker with a needle and some thread. She smoothed the suit over her backside as she turned and met Dani’s angry eyes in the mirror.
“What are you doing here?” Dani demanded and stalked toward her.
“I’m swimming an exhibition,” Erica explained in a conciliatory tone. “I didn’t ask to, it just happened.”
“I bet. Like it just happened that you couldn’t be bothered to show up at the Olympics.” Dani got in Erica’s face. “Do you even realize how much people here hate you? You cost this country a medal. They shouldn’t have even allowed you to come back.” With that pronouncement, Dani shoved her nose in the air and stormed from the locker room.
Erica stood in stunned silence. Other swimmers were all around them staring and not bothering to hide the fact they were listening to their argument. More than one of them that Erica didn’t even know glared at her like she’d hurt them personally. Seeing that made something in Erica snap. She was tired of cowering behind one little mistake that incidentally saved Dani’s life.
“Anyone have a nose clip I can borrow?” More than one swimmer followed Dani’s lead and left the locker room. Others turned away without a word and went about their business.
“I have one,” a lone voice said behind her.
Erica turned to see the new swimmer she’d just watched holding out a nose clip. Erica smiled gratefully and took it. “Thanks.”
The girl blushed and shrugged. “Keep it. It’s the least I can do since I’ve borrowed some of your hybrids.”
Erica laughed. “And you do them very well.”
The girl lit up at the compliment. Erica nodded at her, then followed Dani from the locker room determined to finish this once and for all.
Erica scanned the pool deck and found Dani waiting for her routine to be announced. She noticed that the woman wasn’t even wet. She was so smug that she hadn’t even bothered to warm up. A plan began to form in Erica’s mind.
Dani’s number was called. The queen was back. She walked to the center at the edge of the pool and did her deck work. Erica couldn’t believe it. She was going to swim their duet as a solo. The woman couldn’t even come up with a new routine.
Trevor came over to Erica. “Erica …”
“Don’t let them stop the music,” she told him while she scrubbed her nose on the suit and put on the nose clip.
“What?”
“The sound system is over there.” Erica pointed then ran and dove in the pool. Trevor scrambled to the scoring tent.
Dani’s face was livid when Erica surfaced beside her and performed the routine as a duet.
“What the hell are you doing?” She put her arm down.
“Are you afraid I’ll show you up? With your own routine, no less,” Erica challenged. She watched Dani’s eyes dart around the stadium. She got back on track with the next one count.
Erica and Dani finally swam their duet, but it wasn’t like either of them ever imagined. Instead of competing against other teams, they were battling each other. Every figure had to be more precise. Every hybrid had to be more extended. Every boost had to be higher. Every eggbeater had to be stronger than the other person’s in the pool.
Halfway through the routine, Erica could tell that Dani was getting winded. Even though she was still competing, it was obvious she hadn’t stayed in as good a shape. Then again, considering the competition, she hadn’t needed to.
During the slower middle section of the music, they had a long sequence above the water. Erica figured she and Dani could talk then.
“I’ve told you a million times how sorry I am about missing the competition.”
“Shove it … up … your … rear. Swim!” Dani was almost gasping for breath and her smile was looking pretty forced. Erica put more pressure on her and sped up. Not wanting to be shown up, Dani struggled to keep up.
“I’m finished apologizing, Dani. I’m finished with listening to your snide remarks. I’m done being afraid to swim simply because you are.” They went underwater for another quick hybrid and a direction change.
“I didn’t blow the competition off that day like you’ve been telling anyone who’d listen. It hurts that after all the time we spent together that you would think that of me.”
“I’m not … listening.” She was really starting to pant now.
“Whatever. That loser boyfriend of yours tried to blow you up. Unfortunately, I triggered the bomb instead. I had to stand there, not moving a muscle while Interpol diffused it. That’s why I missed the events. Since I saved your life, I’d think you’d cut me some frigging slack!”
“I don’t … believe …”
“I don’t care. Just know that I’m back. You’re no longer
the lone big fish in this small pond.” To prove her point, Erica sailed through the remainder of the routine. She literally left Dani in her wake. Erica even added the more exciting hybrid to the end of the routine that they’d had to take out when Dani was never able to get it.
When the music stopped there was dead silence in the stadium. Erica and Dani swam to different ladders to exit the pool. She paused to watch her old duet partner climb onto the deck. Erica was sorry that things couldn’t be fixed between them, but she knew it was time to let it go.
Trevor started clapping and cheering Erica on. She heard Megan join him, the applause built around the stadium until it turned into a standing ovation. All were looking at Erica. Dani slunk off to the locker room with only half of her two swimmer entourage. The other girl didn’t even notice when they walked off.
Erica took a moment to enjoy the cheering audience. She was home. Where she belonged. All thanks to Trevor. She looked for him on the deck and was surprised to see he’d stripped down to some swim trunks. She paused, one hand on the ladder, wondering what he was up to.
He stared at the water for a long moment then jumped in. Erica sucked in a surprised breath and swam back out to where he’d splashed down. What was he thinking? She hadn’t worked him up to water this deep yet. She was just about to dive down to find him when he surfaced nearby.
“What are you doing?” Erica caught his arm and tried to hold him steady. His legs were flapping back and forth trying to hold his head above water.
“It looked like you needed a new duet partner.” He offered her a toothy grin. It was brief because he forgot to kick and went under again.
Erica laughed and pulled him back to the surface. “First, you’ve got a lot to learn.”
He suddenly turned serious. “I know. And I want you to teach me. Every day. For the rest of our lives.”
Erica inhaled and backed away a bit. What was he saying? Trevor doggy paddled after her. “See? I’m at least a little trainable.”
“I don’t know what to say, Trevor.”
“Just say yes.” He stopped paddling with one arm to reach into his pocket. His head went under again.
“Trevor!” Erica hurried to catch him and push him back up.
The water didn’t even seem to faze him. He shook the drops out of his eyes and held out a three carat round cut diamond ring with baguettes surrounding the center stone.
“You told me to wait until I didn’t need you to see if I needed you. I do. I want to show you how much for the rest of our days. Marry me, Erica.”
“I’m not going back to Trecam,” Erica warned. Caitlyn had been quite persistent in trying to woo her back.
“I’m not here for Trecam. I’m here for you.” Trevor set his jaw stubbornly. “And I’m prepared to hound you until you say yes. So, what’s it gonna be?”
“Is that a threat?” Erica asked. She couldn’t keep her amusement from shining in her eyes.
“Try promise.”
A smile burst forth on Erica’s lips despite her tears of joy and she kissed him. Like she’d expected, the familiar jolt of electricity zinged through her. She could tell it zinged through him, too, if the sudden press against her belly was any indication. Now she was home. The thought faded when Trevor pulled away to look at her.
“I’m afraid I need an answer.”
She leaned in for another kiss and whispered against his lips, “Yes. My answer is yes.”
Trevor let out a whoop and sank again. With a laugh, Erica pulled him back up. He slid the ring on her finger and kissed her again. Erica smiled when he pressed against her harder and harder.
Finally noticing the applauding crowd, Trevor whispered, “Um, Erica, how are you planning to get me out of this pool without everybody knowing our business?” She laughed and swum him toward the shallow end of the pool so he could stand while he regained some control.
Even though people swarmed them to offer congratulations and compliments on Erica’s amazing swim, their problem was still pressing against her hip.
She turned to Trevor with a twinkle in her eye. “I think we’re going to need a short engagement,” she said with a twinkle in her eye.
Trevor grimaced. “Best idea you’ve had all day!”
The End
About the Author
Lori Crawford has two great passions—television and writing. As a child, she was a walking TV guide. When not watching TV, she was devouring every book she could get her hands on. Nearly a decade later, her love for reading developed into a passion for writing. She graduated from short stories and imaginary friends to write her first novel when she turned sixteen. It went on to languish in the bottom of a drawer where it rightfully belongs. She is delighted to share this novel with you which is waaaayyy better than the first one.
Table of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Secret Bodyguard Page 19
