“Aah. Immunizations and ear infections.”
Sara gave a little laugh. “That’s a big part of peds, that’s for sure.” She dug in her bag and emerged with a pair of glasses, putting them on and blinking hard. “That’s better.”
“Afraid you’ll lose them in the water?” he asked politely, wishing his sister would shut the hell up so Josie would look at him.
“Kind of.” Sara leaned back and bumped his knee. “Oh, sorry.”
“No problem.” He just wished he had invited Josie to a beach on a tropical island where no other humans were present, and her bikini was nothing but a couple of coconut shells.
Chapter Thirty-Six
Josie was enjoying her conversation with Kori, but she’d be a lot happier if was alone with Houston. She was filled with tension, wanting to talk to him, yet he seemed at ease, relaxed. Sara was laughing, soft and throaty, at something Houston had said.
God, what had he said? The guy wasn’t known for stand-up, so what exactly was so funny? And what was the matter with her that she was totally jealous of her friend, who in no way was flirting with him? They were just having a polite conversation, clearly.
Out of the corner of her eye she saw Sara bump against Houston’s knee. It looked like an accident—she was sure it was an accident—but hell if she was going to watch anyone else touch his knee while she was sitting there.
She was too far gone. She needed to get a grip on her emotions.
And since there was no way to nudge Sara out of the way and plop herself next to Houston without having Houston and his family think she was a lunatic, she stood up. “I’m getting really hot sitting here. I think I’ll just jump in the water for a minute.”
Houston’s niece stopped piling sand on her father’s feet and looked up. “I want to go in the water, too.”
Christian sighed. “We just got out, Miranda. Let Daddy have a three minute break.”
“I can take her,” Josie offered, anxious to get away, and not really sure what she’d do in the water by herself anyway. Swim laps back and forth and be irrationally jealous for no reason? “If she’ll go with me, that is.”
Miranda didn’t strike Josie as a shy child, and her response confirmed it. She stood up, kicking sand over both her parents and her sister and grabbed Josie by the hand.
“I’m ready. I can swim really good. I’m in the Trout group at swimming. If you sink I’ll save you.”
The adults all laughed. Christian grinned. “She gets her modesty from Houston.”
Houston watched Josie and Miranda jump a wave, holding hands, laughing, and he was sorry he had come to the beach in the first place. Sorry that he hadn’t been able to leave Josie alone, had pulled her back into his life after he had shoved her out.
Larry was bouncing Kori’s other daughter, Abby, on his hip, announcing that he was taking her for her own little dip in the water. Abby looked perfectly at ease with Larry, and Kori didn’t blink at Larry’s announcement. Like she was used to Larry being around.
Houston sighed, pulling forward to unstick his back from the nylon beach chair. Kori was probing Sara for free medical advice, asking for the early signs of meningitis.
His mother was still sitting next to him and they sat in silence for a minute, watching Josie run back and forth in the surf, chasing Miranda.
It was painful to watch.
Josie was adorable. She was intelligent and kind, pretty and outgoing.
She was six years younger than him, and shared none of the cynicism he had acquired in the last few years.
He was jaded.
She was still enthusiastic and optimistic.
There were a million and one reasons why he shouldn’t get further involved with her. Starting with the fact that they worked together and ending with the sad truth that he had nothing to offer her.
He shifted in his chair again and pushed up his sunglasses with his left hand. That was the biggest reason of all to stay away from Josie. He was in for a rough road ahead with his injured hand.
Two more weeks in the splint, then months of physical therapy. And still no guarantee that he would even be able to bend his thumb and finger ever again. His career would be gone.
Anger started to churn inside him. Hell, not only would his career be gone, but everything would be a nightmare. Without sensation or movement, he would have to do everything left-handed, including eating and writing.