Chapter Six
Rin could barely move when she woke the next morning. With a grunt of pain, she rolled onto her back and blew out a heavy breath. Had she really volunteered for this torture? She had expected some pain, true, but her arms and shoulders were screaming. A hot bath probably would have taken care of most of her aches, she had even planned to take one, but first she had collapsed on her bed just intending to shut her eyes for a moment – and that was all she wrote. Now here it was the next day, the sun was just starting to light the sky outside her window, and by the roar of her belly, she had missed dinner.
Pushing herself up with a wince, Rin made her way to the bathroom. Maybe she should call Mike and cancel. She couldn’t imagine putting those gloves back on, and… hadn’t Mike said he planned to step things up today? Oh, hell no. He’d be scraping her up off the floor. Even something as simple as raising her arms to wash her hair was pure torment.
She didn’t know how long she just stood under the water praying that the heat would loosen her aching muscles, but the smell of bacon drifting up from the kitchen set her stomach clenching in hunger. Drying off as quickly as she was able, she dressed in another set of comfortable workout clothes, and made her way downstairs.
Mike was there waiting for her with a big grin on his face. “Morning, Champ! How are you feeling?”
Rin scowled. “Sadist” she mumbled under her breath, heading for the breakfast spread set out in the dining room.
“What was that? I didn’t quite catch it.” Mike cheerfully proclaimed as he fell in step behind her.
Just picking up a plate had Rin’s muscles quivering and she nearly whimpered before Mike took the plate from her shaking hands. “Just tell me what you want and I’ll set you up. Sit.”
Pride be damned, Rin sat and let Mike wait on her. She was too hungry and in too much pain to make a fuss. The plate he set before her, however, had her eyes rounding and saw to the return of her good humor. A veritable mountain of eggs, bacon, and sausage had been heaped on the plate, rounded off with English muffins slathered with butter and scoops of strawberry jam. A plate filled to satisfy a male sized appetite.
She let out a chuckle. “Do you actually think I can eat all this?”
Mike plopped down into one of the empty chairs. The look of confusion on his face as he stared at her plate sent more mirth bubbling to the surface. “That’s barely a snack.” He said with a snort. “Eat. Then I have a present for you.”
Mike made small talk while Rin dug into the food before her with gusto. She was hungry yes, but now she was also curious. A present? Finishing more food then she thought she would have been able to, in what was probably record time, she pushed the plate away and wiped her mouth with a napkin. “Present?”
Mike let out a chuckle and then grinned as he dug a jar out of the front pocket of his sweatshirt and set in on the table. “Figured you’d appreciate this if you’re as sore as I was after my first day.” Another chuckle, “You’ll stink to high heaven and Mrs. Tully will probably shoo you out of here because of it, but you’ll be feeling better within minutes.”
Curious, Rin unscrewed the cap and immediately recoiled from the smell, her nose wrinkling with distaste as she quickly replaced the cap. “What is that? It smells bad enough to cause a mass evacuation of the entire town.”
Mike laughed. “It’s my own special creation. Annnnnd, possibly why I’m still single.”
He nudged her foot under the table. “Go ahead and go put some on your shoulders. I guarantee you’ll be feeling better in no time. And you’ll get used to the smell.” He added when she frowned down at the jar she still held in her hand.
Rin stood, still skeptical, but willing to try anything if it would give her some relief. Even if it meant smelling like – well, whatever that smell was. She had definitely caught a whiff of camphor, but there were other eye watering things in there as well. “It’s not going to burn my skin off, is it?” She asked hesitantly, turning back to eye Mike before she mounted the stairs.
“It’ll feel pretty warm,” he replied thoughtfully, “but you’ll appreciate it, trust me.”
Rin took a deep breath for courage and nodded.
As it turned out, Mike had been right – on all counts. The thick gel got really warm on her skin, but within minutes her muscles were loosening enough where Rin felt halfway normal, and her nose quickly adjusted to the smell. Oh, she could still smell it, but it was becoming less and less noxious – at least to her. He was also right that Margaret Tully would want her out of The Cedars post haste. She had barely gotten down the stairs when Margaret had come out, a look of disgust on her face. “What is that smell?” The older woman had sniffed at the air a moment more before her eyes narrowed on Rin. “Good Lord, dear, what have you been doing?”
Mike, who had been waiting for her near the front door, had let out a loud bark of laughter and snatched his coat from the rack. “Come on, Rin. We’ll go for a ride.”
Margaret was busy grabbing up a can of air freshener and spraying frantically. “Yes, do go, dear. Have fun!” She finished with forced cheer, spraying in Rin’s wake.
Rin made it out the door and onto the porch before the laughter burst free. Great peals of it split the air, her eyes watered with it, her belly hurt with it, and still she laughed… because it felt so wonderful. Mike laughed with her, and that felt wonderful too. Shared merriment. Such a small thing, but a wonderful moment.
Still chuckling, Rin wiped her eyes and looked at a grinning Mike who dangled a set of keys before her. “I brought a sedan.” He said, his tone cajoling. “It’s an automatic.” He gave the keys a jingle. “And it already needs body work so you don’t have to worry if you scratch it.” He added tilting his head in the direction of a nondescript, primer gray car. “Want to learn to drive?”
Rin stared dubiously at the keys. “Don’t I need a permit for this?”
Mike winked, “I won’t tell anyone if you don’t. Besides, we can always go to the DMV at some point if you insist on being all legal,” he added with an infectious grin.
Obviously, the fumes from that ointment had gone straight to her head because at that moment, she was feeling invincible. She gave an eager nod. “Let’s do this. I’m ready.”