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"Pussy," he says, squeezing et o to his on instinct, and there isn’t a single trace of pity on his face His lips don’t twitch, and I can tell this isn’t a front He isn’t trying to put on a strong face forthat he doesn’t care what I just said He honestly and truly doesn’t He’s just calling me a pussy

"Ty, did you hear me?" I ask

"Yeah, I heard you You have MS I can’t feelor what?" His expression hasn’t changed once, and the armor I just started to build up around

I pull ain to really take it in Everything on here--every exercise and the time associated with it--is familiar I know I can do it I’ve done it before I also know I may experience setbacks And I know my body will be tired But I want this Maybe it’s because Ty’s the one believing indecision based on a ht one in my heart

"Where do I start?"

The way hisdoubt away, and I take a slow, deep breath,and wanted all at once

"We need to get yourfrohts today Today is all about the tread feels lighter, yet nothing between us has changed And I think I like thatat me over his shoulder, "a Nate and me, and we have extra seats I’d like you to ht e would say, but I sht up anyway, because Ty is actually doing it--he’s earningto be earned "I’d like that," I say

He nods in response, like it’s no big deal, but I also hear hi me made him nervous I make him nervous And I like that, too

Chapter 6

Ty

I have never done a load of laundry in ift, my one super power

Mo She always says she loves the smell--the way the fabrics feel when she pulls theet it When I was a kid, I used to love tagging along with her while she did the weekend chores, and we’d always end up in the laundry room I would sit in the corner, in the basket filled with freshly dried towels, and eat a bowl of grapes So about the dryer sheets lulled me to sleep To this day, when I’m at home, Mom practically bakes od I sleep like a damned baby

You think h to learn how the whole process works But as much as I love the end result, I absolutely loathe the manual-labor part of laundry It’s just so…tedious! It’s not like dishes or vacuu, not that I do any of that often either, but at least when you do the dishes, it’s done…in like…fifteen minutes Or you put them in a machine and just come back later and pull the dishes out when you need the And folding And sorting

While I was in Florida, I was usually able to get someone to do my laundry forood that I even have hiain I know he’d do it every week, for the rest of the seo into the laundry room, and suddenly here I am, halfway down the hall with a full basket of laundry inyou here!" I shut h when I hearla her laundry, so I pause and watch

She’s wearing tiny running shorts and this thin T-shirt that makes me want to toss water on it just to watch it stick to her skin We haven’t really talked o I have a feeling she thinks I’m freaked out because she told one to see her because every time I do, I want to kiss her But then I think about her one stipulation, and I wonder if me--and all of my crap--won’t find a reason to hurt her once I’ sessions, no more not-so-random laundry room run-ins I don’t think I want to be done with that