Lost Time (8 page)

“It’s okay, Shannon. I know you meant well. Your mother’s a wonderful woman, and I’m very glad I met both of you.” I swallow. “But I’m not ready for anything serious right now.”

“Well Mom said you’d be running like a marathone
r—
whatever that i
s—
in a month or two, and it would be good for you to find someone else to love.”

That one catches me by surprise, and I don’t have a ready response.

She doesn’t seem to notice. “And she said your boy parts work just fine too.”

Lani appears from behind me. “What was it that I supposedly said?”

Shannon jumps up and grabs her backpack. “Hi, Mom. I was just telling Mr. C about the puppies in GG.”

Lani looks at me, her eyebrows raised, but doesn’t comment.

“Is it okay if I take him back to his room?” Shannon asks in her best cherub voice. “I’ll make sure Becky knows he’s there.”

The doc glances at me and I nod.

“Okay,” Lani says. “But don’t be late for your afternoon classes. If you’re going to be an engineer, you’ll need to know calculus.”

“I’ve got it covered, Mom. I’m not a bimbo.”

“Shannon Malia Kai!”

“Oops,” she says under her breath. “Sorry, Mom. Of course I’ll be on time. Thanks for reminding me.”

“Apology accepted.” Lani glances over her shoulder at me. “I’ll be by in an hour to check on you,
Mr. C.
”

“Oh, you’ve no need to worry,
Dr. K.
Shannon has been taking very good care of me.” I wink at Shannon, and she grins.

Lani stands with her arms crossed, watching Shannon undo the wheel lock and turn the chair around. As Shannon pushes me back across the park, I hear Lani mumble, “Boy parts,
ko’u akole.
”

Chapter 12

Lani: Suit Yourself

I
knock on Diego’s door and then walk in, forcing down my apprehension. It’s high time he got back to living his life.

He looks up from his laptop and smiles at me. “Hey, you. You’re early, but I’m not complaining.”

I realize that the cuts on his face have finally healed, and he looks even more handsome no
w—
particularly when he smiles.

Enough with the wishful thinking. The last time you let your emotions cloud your judgment, you ended up alone and pregnant.

“I have a surprise,” I say and hold up the sports bag I spent the day putting together.

“New legs?”

“Nope,” I say. “But something almost as good.”

He gives me the eyebrow, and I laugh.

“I had to guess your size, so I hope it fits.” I sit down next to him on a small sofa and set the bag on my lap.

“It looks perfect,” he says, the corner of his mouth rising, “but to be honest, I’ve never worn a sports bag before.”

“Very funny, Diego.”

He closes his laptop, sets it on the small coffee table, and scoots closer to me.

The soft scent of his aftershave reaches me, and I can feel the heat of his body next to mine.

Don’t go there, Lani. There’s no way he’s falling for yo
u—
not now, not ever.

I glance over at him, but he’s lost in thought, his gaze still on me.

“Everything okay?” I ask.

“Yep, just thinking. Thanks again for getting me the sofa. It’s perfect.”

“You’re welcome. Given that you’re stuck here until we get sector four repaired, I thought it might make things a bit more... homey.”

“So what’s the surprise?”

I rummage around in the bag and then hold up the swimsuit. “
Voilà
!”

He stares at it, looking like I just offered him three-day-old roadkill.

“It’s a bathing suit, Diego.” I try not to frown. “We’re going swimming.”

He wrinkles up his nose. “In a swimming pool?”

“No, in the bathtub.”

“Hah.”

I tap his arm. “The bones are healed, but the muscles have atrophied, so we’re going to start in the water.”

“Without any casts?”

“It tends to work better that way, Sherlock.” I get his wheelchair and bring it over next to the sofa. “Come on, time to try out those new legs.”

It takes a minute, but we manage to get him off the sofa and into the wheelchair without incident.

“You’re sure... this is a good idea?” He’s still breathing hard from the exertion.

“Positive,” I say, hoping I’m right. I pick up the swimsuit. “Will you need help getting this on? Once we get the casts off, I mean?”

“No, doctor.” He snatches it out of my hand and then holds it up. “Where I come from, this does not qualify as male bathing attire.”

“Well, beggars can’t be choosers. But if you want to go in your birthday suit, be my guest. I’m sure the rest of the biodome will be thrilled to get a look at your boy parts.”

“So how do
you
know about my boy parts?” he asks.

“Physician’s privilege.”

“Of course. Don’t want to tip your hand and appear unprofessional.”

“Are you implying that my interest in you is anything but professional?”

“Not at all. You’re the most selfless person I’ve ever me
t—
and also the most secretive.” He puts the swimsuit back into the bag. “I’m just saying you should be careful. I may not have disfiguring burn scars to hide behind, but I’m still damaged merchandise.”

“Well at least we have that in c-common,” I say. “Excep
t—
as you so shrewdly pointed ou
t—
I look the part.”

“Shit.” He reaches out to me. “You know I didn’t mean it like that.”

“So how did you mean it?”

He shakes his head. “It’s just that I hate being so dependent on you.”

“Because I don’t have a medical degree, or because I’m a woman?”

He shuts his eyes, the muscles in his jaw tight. “Lani, I do care about yo
u—
and not just because you saved my life.” He looks up at me. “And I am attracted to you too, perhaps more than you realize, but I’m not ready to jump back into a relationship.”

“Yeah? Who s-says I am?”

Chapter 13

Diego: Over My Head

E
xcept for the two of us, the Rec Center is deserted. Considering how cramped the Bub is since people had to move out of sector four, it’s unnerving.

Like it’ll be when the biodome fails…

Lani leaves me alone in the men’s locker-room, and I spend five uncomfortable minutes impersonating a crippled snake attempting to get back into last year’s too-small skin. When it’s as good as it’s going to get, I wheel myself back into the lobby, hoping the important parts will remain covered.

Lani, who’s wearing a man’s button-down shirt over her one-piece bathing suit, holds the pool door open and then pushes me through. “I hope you don’t mind sandwiches for supper,” she says. “I didn’t want too many spectators, so I figured now would be a good time.”

“Ah. Good idea,” I say, still trying to shake off my embarrassment at the pasty white skin and flabby muscles where the casts used to be.

She rolls me backwards down a long ramp and straight into the pool.

“Shit!” I lift my arms over my head, trying to keep them dry.

“Don’t be a weenie. It’s not cold. It’s refreshing.”

“Refreshing, my ass.”

She laughs and steps around in front of me. She’s not wearing the shirt anymore, and for the first time, I can see the extent of the burn scars that cover the right side of her body.

Who or what did that to her?

I sit there like a bank teller facing Billy the Kid.

A door opens behind me, and I belatedly lower my arms into the water. A minute later, Lucy joins us in the pool. With Lani walking backwards, Lucy pushes the wheelchair forward until the water is up to my armpits, and then Lani lifts me out of the chair.

“Whoa!” I say. “I haven’t used my legs in months!”

“Believe it or not,” Lani says, “I’m aware of that.”

I glare at her, and she stifles a grin.

“Trust me?” she says and gestures with her head. “And Lucy is right behind you.”

Lucy steps around, a life jacket under her arm, and gives a parade wave. “Never lost one on my watch,” she says and starts putting my arm through the vest.

I shake my head and pull away, not wanting the cold, wet fabric against my skin.

Lucy frowns. “But you could be the first.”

“I bet you say that to all your men.”

She clicks her tongue and then looks pointedly at Lani. “If we drown him now, we could still get to supper in time for apples.”

Lani laughs. “Just set the lifejacket on the deck, please.”

“Pride goeth before drowning,” Lucy says, tossing the wet heap up on the side.

Lani motions with her head, and my chair disappears.

“Ay yai yai!” I say, flapping my arms and accidentally splashing Lani in the face. “Whoops, sorry!”

The lithe doctor suppresses a smile, easily supporting me in the buoyant water. “Relax, Diego. I’ve got you.” She pins me with her doctor gaze. “But your legs are going to be weaker than you remember, so take it easy. This is not the Olympics.”

“Right,” I say. “But I’ll have you know, I was once an Olympic tap dancer… until I fell in the sink.”

I hear Lucy’s groan, and Lani steps backwards into deeper water. “Try extending your legs. No weight just yet. See if you can touch bottom.”

It takes a bit of work, but I manage to get my feet to the bottom. Despite the painful tightness in my legs, the freedom to move is absolutely wonderful.

“Woohoo!” I say. “This is awesome!”

Lani’s expression softens, and she slides her palms across my body to my waist, holding on to me. It’s been a while since a woman touched me like that, and I feel myself getting hard. “Rest your hands on my shoulders,” she says. “I’ll be right here if you need me.”

Lucy makes a disapproving noise. “My first double drowning.”

“Ready to try standing on your own?” Lani asks, and I nod. “Okay, here we go.”

She releases me.

My chin bobs in the water for a few seconds, and then my legs pick up the slack. Stabs of pain flit across my calves and thighs, but I ignore them.

“Okay?” Lani asks, her eyebrows raised.

“Yes!” After months of being lifted, dragged, and pushed, it’s difficult to put into words just how exhilarating it feels to be supporting my own weight, even if it’s in a kiddie pool. I lift my shoulders out of the water, unable to stop grinning.

Mierda
, I’m more than a foot taller than she is.

“Easy, Diego,” Lani says, putting her hands back on my waist and looking up at me, her golden eyes full of concern. “Let’s take this slowly.”

“You have the most beautiful eyes,” I say without really thinking about it.

A surprised look flashes across her face, and then there’s a sharp pain in my thigh, and the next thing I know, my head is underwater.

A moment later, I feel her hands on me, and I want nothing more than to sweep her up in my arms, whirl her around, and tell her that everything is going to be okay.

We’re both going to be okay.

When our heads break the surface, I let out a whoop, kiss her on the mouth, and then wiggle out of her hold and start swimming on my back. After I manage to keep my head above water for a bit, I steal a glance at Lani.

She looks annoyed, even angry.

“It’s okay, doctor,” I say, squirting water out of my mouth like a whale spouting. “I know how to swim.” I paddle in a circle, waving at Lucy.

“Maybe you could have told me that sooner.” There’s an edge to her voice, but I can’t tell if she’s mad about the kiss or just miffed that I don’t need her anymore.

“Bless my soul,” Lucy says, standing in the shallow end with her hands on her hips. “But I’d say you no longer require my assistance.”

“Thanks,” Lani says. “Go have some apples for me.”

“I’ll save some for both of you,” she says, winking at me as she gets out.

I swim to where the water is shoulder deep and then try standing again. The muscles in my legs have warmed up, and there’s almost no pain. I let out a whoop of delight. “This is great! You’re a genius.”

Lani follows me into the deep end, half smiling at my exuberance.

“Woohoo,” I say, “I forgot how good it feels to stand up.”

A worried look crosses her face. “It’s too deep here, Diego. We should go back to the shallow end.”

I put my hands on her waist, still able to touch the bottom. “No worries, doctor. I’ve got you.”

“Please!” She tries to push my hands away. “This isn’t helping.”

“We’ll be fine. Honest. It’s your turn to relax.”

She glares at me, her brow one thin line.

“Trust me, Lani. If I lose my balance, I’ll let go of you and swim back to the shallow end, okay?

“You’re impossible.”

“Water, taken in moderation, never hurt anybody.” I kiss her on the nose. “And you’re beautiful when you’re mad. Shit, you have the most gorgeous eyes, golden like a dragon or something.”

Her mouth falls open and then she tries to push me away again.

I take a couple of steps to rebalance us. “But if you don’t stop doing that, we
will be
going under.”

“Damn it, Nadales. What has gotten into you? I’m your doctor not your mistress.”

“Ouch.”

“Who are you?” She stares at me, her eyes narrowed. “And what really happened to you?”

“I could ask the same of you,” I say.

“I have
never
lied to you.” Her voice is icy cold.

“Lani, please. I didn’t want to lie to you, but I didn’t have any other choice.”

She goes limp in my arms. “When it comes to lying, there is always a choice.”

“If I told you what happened, you wouldn’t believe me.” I let go of her, and she dog-paddles to the edge of the pool.

“You think I believe you now?”

I watch her get out and then swim toward the shallow end, conflicting emotions ricocheting around inside my chest like popcorn in hot oil.

I enjoy being with Lani, and when she touches me, I’m filled with warmth and light. But it also confuses me, makes me feel strangely uncomfortable, like a part of me isn’t here and never will be.

Isabel’s gone, mae. She’s been dead for twenty goddamn years. It’s time to let her go.

And yet the queasiness in my gut remains.

“Stay where you are,” Lani says, “and I’ll get the chair.” She climbs up the ladder, grabs a towel, and tosses it over her shoulder.

I watch her walk the length of the pool, her long black braid swinging back and forth as she pads on the balls of her fee
t—
the movement as graceful and seductive as a geisha. She backs the wheelchair into the water and then turns it around. “I think in a week or two, we’ll have you walking again.”

I swim into the seat and use my arms to push myself up into a sitting position. “And I’m sure it’s going to be a fun-filled fortnight.”

“Don’t go soft on me now.”

“Well, according to your professional assessment, there’s nothing to worry about in that department.”

She tosses the towel onto my lap. “Let’s hope I’m right about the rest of you.”