Read Online The Loss (Heartache series #1) by Vicki Green - Free Book Online

the fridge. Help yourself.”
    I walk over, open the fridge door and am amazed by how clean and organized everything is. He certainly has changed. I grab a beer and turn, holding it up to him and he nods, so I grab another and take them over to the breakfast bar. I twist off the caps and bring mine to my lips, the liquid going down my throat smoothly. Turning around, I lean back against the counter and watch him. “So, why the name Battle Ground Fitness? It’s pretty unique.”
    He puts a bunch of spaghetti noodles in the pot of boiling water and then walks over next to me. He picks up his beer and takes a large drink. My eyes can’t help but watch his throat move up and down with his swallow, and then he sets it back down. “I dunno. I was trying to come up with a different name and that one just popped into my head. It’s like….” He shrugs and settles back against the counter, mirroring me. “If you’re really serious about keeping fit, whether it be just to be healthy, training for something or just getting out some stress, it can be like a battle ground. Sometimes, there’s competition with others but there can also be against yourself. It just seemed fitting.”
    I smile big. “Well, I really love it. That makes so much sense.”
    We just stand there looking at each other, both with smiles on our faces and it all just seems so familiar. He turns towards me, leaning his arm on the counter. “What about you? Why Creative Graphics? I thought you were more unique than that. Not that there’s anything wrong with it but….”
    He’s right, of course. Bill thought it would be better to be hidden behind the company’s name. I hated it. Still do. “Well…” I pretend to pick some lint or something from his sweatshirt that I’m wearing, but really I’m not sure what to say. “It was a quick decision and I didn’t have much time to get creative.” I look up as he moves away from the counter, drains the noodles in the strainer in the sink, and plops them back into a pot. “What are you doing?” He turns a bit so I can’t see, and I’m behind him in a flash trying to watch.
    “Hey, secret here! No peeking!” He laughs and opens the oven, putting the pot in it before I can see what he’s done. He turns and almost knocks me over, again, steadying me with his hands on my arms, the tingles moving down them quickly. “Uh…. Why don’t you go sit down at the table? It won’t be long now.” Nodding, I turn, grab our beers and walk over to the table. He’d already put place settings down, and I’m surprised to see they all match.
    “Your mom?” I ask as I wave my finger over the dishes.
    He laughs again, and I think it’s the best sound I’ve heard in forever. “Yeah, well, if I would have had any say, we’d be eating off paper plates with plastic silverware.” I laugh, and he gives me his sexy smirk.
    Dinner was fantastic and I told him so several times, enough that his head might explode. We’ve had about six beers now, sitting on the couch in his living room and talking about nothing and everything. “Where in the hell did you learn to cook? All I can remember is the many days of mac and cheese.”
    “Ha! Hey, my mac and cheese was to die for.” His lower lip shoots out and I want to nip it, but instead I just lick my lips. “I told you. I would have died in college if I didn’t start learning to fend for myself, and I got some pretty amazing and easy recipes from Mom and also from Jolie. You met her yesterday, right?”
    I’m laughing so much my sides hurt. “Yeah, I did.” I laugh a little more, and then I tilt my head, my elbow resting on the back of the couch, my fingers playing with some strands of my wavy and out of control hair. “What’s her story? I mean…. She seems nice but what’s with all the tattoos and piercings. Not that I mind them, they’re pretty cool, actually.”
    He looks at my hand, watching my fingers move through my hair, and I swear he licked his lips.