Out of Bounds (The Summer Games #2)(114)
I beamed. “She’s coming a little later on. She just has to work for a few hours this morning.”
“Always working!”
“I know. I know. She just loves her job so much, even when I try to convince her to retire, she won’t listen to me.”
On top of the money I’d earned from the Olympic Committee for winning a handful of medals, I’d signed three different large endorsement deals with Nike, PowerAid, and GK Elite Sportswear after the games. The first thing I’d done after I’d socked most of my earnings away was purchase a modest house for my mom in North Austin, partly because she deserved it more than anyone I knew, and partly because I was selfish and wanted her as close to me as possible. It’d taken a little (okay, a lot) of convincing for her to accept the gift, but eventually she’d moved in and cut back her hours. I knew she would never leave her position as a social worker, not when there were so many people who counted on her. She loved being a voice for the less fortunate and I admired her for it.
“Are these white chocolate macadamia cookies?” Erik’s mom asked, sliding her gaze back to Erik’s father.
“Oh? Are they?” I winked at him over her shoulder. “I baked so many I lost track of what they were.”
They were his favorite dessert and I loved to make them for him every now and then.
She hummed in disbelief. “You know he’s supposed to be watching his diet! He has even more of a sweet tooth than Erik.”
“There you are!”
Speak of the devil.
I’d only just handed off the last of the cookies when Erik shouted at me from the front door. I spun around to see him leaning out, holding the door open for guests to walk past him. “You were supposed to be here twenty minutes ago!”
I pointed to his grandfather. “Blame him! He was on the phone with Britta and I swear they were doing the ‘no you hang up first…no you hang up…’ thing for thirty minutes!”
His grandfather chuckled as he brushed past Erik to get into the gym, though he didn’t deny my claim.
Erik groaned and reached out for me. “Here, the others can bring in the stuff from the truck. Everyone has been asking about you and I’ve been running around like a chicken with my head cut off and…”
I reached for his hand and squeezed it, trying to calm him down. We’d both been stressed about this competition over the last few weeks. I’d assumed competing at the Olympics would be the hardest thing I’d ever do, but that short week in Rio didn’t hold a candle to running my own gym with Erik.
Lone Star Gymnastics was our baby—especially since Erik had sold Seattle Flyers—and though we had a lot of help from my mom and Erik’s family, most of the responsibility still fell on our shoulders. Erik ran most of the day-to-day operations and we both taught the elite level gymnasts, which meant our schedules were erratic and impossible to manage. On a good day, it was overwhelming. On a bad day, it was nearly impossible, but we loved it and craved the intensity of gym life.
I reached out for Erik’s hand and laced my fingers through his as he tugged me into the lobby. The gym was an explosion of sights and sounds. Gymnasts and their families had infiltrated every corner of the space. We’d roped off extra seating to accommodate all the parents and even still, there were sections that were standing room only.
Erik turned to glance down at me and I could feel his excitement as we gripped our hands tighter. I pressed up onto my tiptoes to kiss his cheek. We did it. The smile that spread across his face was enough to make my heart skip a beat.
“You think you can just come in here and kiss me and I’ll forgive you for being late?”
“That’s what the cookies were for. The kiss was free.” I grinned.
He tilted his head to the side. “Hmm, well if they’re free, I’ll have another.”
I laughed and pressed a quick kiss to his lips. “There, now do you forgive me?”
He hummed. “I’m getting there, but you should probably keep going.”
I laughed and shook my head, aware that it wasn’t the time or the place to be making out with my fiancé.
“Later,” I insisted with a wink.
He grinned and waggled his eyebrows. “That sounds promising.”
“Enough you two!” Erik’s mom said, pushing in between us so we had no choice but to step apart. “Brie, there’s a line of gymnasts half a mile long that are waiting to get a picture and an autograph from you before the competition starts. I suggest you get a move on or you’ll never get to them all in time.”
Before I could reply, she was already pushing and prodding me away from Erik.
I laughed and glanced back at him over my shoulder. “Sorry! Duty calls!”
He smiled, held my gaze as I walked away, and mouthed, “I love you.”
A shiver ran down my spine and I looked down to the flawless princess-cut engagement ring adorning my left hand. He’d given it to me two weeks earlier as we ate breakfast on our front porch. I hadn’t been able to stop looking at it since. The feel of it on my finger was a continual reminder of our love.
My signing table was set up near the side of the gym that wasn’t being used for the competition. When I saw the line spiraling out past the second entrance, I stopped in my tracks, still shocked by the idea that these people were there for me. As soon as I came into view, the girls waiting in line erupted with screams and waves, trying to catch my attention. I smiled and tried to form words, but I was speechless.