“Can I stop by to see Twain?” Timothy texted.

  “Yes! Bri and Twain have gotten close, lol,” she texted back. “Need a ride?”

  ***

  They immediately went to the back and began playing fetch with Twain, joking and chatting.

  “Your jaw seems fully healed. Your voice is back to normal.” She didn’t point out that his deep breathing, the occasional drool that slurred his speech, is completely gone, in case he was still sensitive to it.

  “Yeah, I’ve been eating solids.”

  Sarah spotted Timothy eyeing the hot tub as they played with the dog.

  “You can ask.”

  “What?” He tossed Twain’s tennis ball across the yard.

  “It’s chilly out, but it’s always nice in the hot tub.”

  “I didn’t bring a swimsuit.”

  “We have extra in the guest area.” She nodded to the sliding door. Inside, Timothy also spotted the gaming area, which she mentioned her dad likes to use.

  “Yeah,” he said. “I’d like to get in.”

  ***

  Sarah dressed in the spare room while Timothy got ready in the connected bathroom. He insisted on taking the bathroom to change to be polite, and waited for Sarah to say she’s ready.

  “Okay, let’s go.” She posed with intention before Timothy came out of the bathroom. Stretching her back while putting her blonde hair in a ponytail. Liam always stared when she did that in a bikini. And Timothy was no different. He had staring problems before, but now he looked like an owl and a deer looking into headlights.

  But Timothy… She did see him do his pushups and situps in gym class, but she always assumed he was all string-bean. Well, he was still thin, but he had abs and some pecks. Plus, all the walking kept the breakfast burrito calories off. His form looked slightly off, and his arms were not as built, but she was pleasantly surprised.

  “If you started ironing your shirts,” she checked him out, “I’d be concerned about other girls going after you.” Though one thing bothered her, he flinched as she approached him, placing one hand on his shoulder, and another on his lower back, and she straightened his posture. That added about an inch to his height. She released her hands, and he hunched over again. And again, she straightened him back. “Try and stand straight.” She led him outside and lifted the cover of the built-in hot tub, and they stepped in. With some wincing, they got comfortable and relaxed, looking up at the setting sunlit sky.

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  Peace of mind settled in, but Sarah kept inching closer and closer. The bubbles gathered into his oversized swim shorts, and he lifted the shorts to release the bubbles for an obvious distraction tactic to avoid looking at Sarah. He did it again, the shorts filled with air, and released, the air bubbled up to the surface and splashed a bit. Twain took notice as well, as he leaned on the hot tub with his front paws.

  “Having fun over there, buddy?” Sarah said with a hint of sarcasm.

  “I will not be phased by TNA.”

  Impressed with Timothy’s honesty, she approached and the water woke around her and said. “What about touch and affection?”

  “Just as easy.”

  The bubble timer turned off, and the water went still. Filling his shorts up with air as a distraction was no longer an option, and she placed a hand on his knee. The large shorts did act as a barrier, but he flinched. Like the homecoming dance, his mind sent the freeze signal to his body. Patience, understanding, perception, she had practiced it all with Timothy. After kissing him in the car before his surgery, he still hasn’t initiated—

  Her breath stopped as he kissed her. And that took her aback, flinching as much as Timothy did, but they both held onto it, and after a beat, he backed off.

  She smiled. “Some things are better done than said.”

  “Sorry, I couldn’t help it.”

  She straddled him and heaved her chest near his face. “Neither can I—”

  “Dinner,” Mr. Carr said from the back door.

  She hopped off Timothy faster than a cat in a bathtub.

  “Is that Timothy?” He said.

  “I swear I didn’t do anything!” he raised his arms in the air, ready to be arrested.

  He couldn’t help but laugh. “Yeah, we know. Take him home, Sarah. It's family night tonight as Lily isn’t busy with residency for once.” Mr. Carr mumbled as he walked back into the house.

  Sarah coughed, ending the tension, and Timothy unfroze, releasing his arms. “He came home early. We’ll finish this later,” she winked.

  ***

  She was giddy driving him home, sporting a massive smile. Her blonde hair swung whenever Timothy spoke, and she turned to face him.

  “Is your dad mad at me?”

  “No,” she said. “My parents like you more than me.”

  He raised a brow. “Why?”

  She smiled and placed a hand on his leg. “You’re not a douche? Maybe? And they say if you care for a dog, you’ll care for others. Or something like that.”

  “I’m not sure. But it’s impossible for anyone to be more liked than you.”

  Her face turned red from that compliment. As she parked in his driveway, she turned to him. “It’s because you did something, something amazing.”

  He looked confused.

  “Still playing coy? Does my sister remind you of anything?”

  “No, I’m sorry.”

  She pulled up into the driveway. “Alright, have it your way.”

  With one foot out the door, he said. “I like you too.” And he went inside.