Streamline (17 page)

Leo swung open the front door and jumped when he almost stepped right into his father. “Dad!” Chilly Sourpuss’s face hardened. “You’re five minutes late.” Leo bit his lip as he closed the door “I’m sorry, sir. Matt had a team meeting after practice to give us our itinerary for the state meet.”

“Let me see it.”

Leo handed him the paper and waited.

“Your mother and I arrive at nineteen-hundred tomorrow,” he said after a moment.

“Yes, sir.” Leo’s chest loosened. He’d have almost an entire day free of CS.

“How was your practice tonight?”

“Fine, sir. I think our four-hundred free relay’s going to be good this year.”

“That Jake kid’s inexperienced. He’d better not screw it up for all of you.” His father stood up a bit taller. “I’m headed to the office to get some work done before I miss two days for your meet. I’ll drug test you before I go.”

“Yes, sir.” Leo reached for the specimen cup that had appeared in his father’s hand.

His father hovered outside the bathroom door as Leo provided the sample.

“Here you go, sir.”

CS took the cup, and Leo braced for the usual list of questions.

“Any chance there’ll be opiates in here?”

“No, sir.”

“Because if you’re going to pop positive, you’ll be in a lot less trouble if you tell me now.”

“Understood, sir. I haven’t taken any pills.” His father gave a satisfied nod. “I’ll probably see you tomorrow night before the meet, but I wanted to wish you good luck, Leo.”

“Thank you, Dad.” Leo searched his father’s multihued eyes for any hint of feeling. He could draw no firm conclusion before CS turned to go.

His father’s departure typically cued a deep exhale, and Leo felt tension drain from his shoulders once he stood alone. After a moment he loped down the stairs to the empty kitchen.
Mom must be at one
of her classes
. He scrounged around the refrigerator until he located some leftover lasagna, which he piled onto a plate and slid into the microwave. Enjoying the peace of the empty house, Leo munched his dinner and watched TV.

Later that evening, as he packed his swim bag in his room, he was overcome by excess energy and emotion when one of his favorite songs came on. He cranked up the volume.

He gave a fantastic air band performance, lost in the lyrics, until he turned to find his mother standing in his bedroom doorway.

Registering her frown, Leo clicked off the music immediately.

His mother’s face was flushed, likely from the exertion of climbing the stairs.

“I didn’t hear you come in, ma’am.”

“No wonder — the walls were shaking,” she said sternly.

“Sorry, Mom. I really like that song. I guess I got carried away.”

“What do you like about the song?” she asked suddenly.

Leo’s brow furrowed. His mother hadn’t asked him a question like that since before the accident, and he wasn’t quite sure how to approach her now that she was actually acting like his parent again.

She’d changed a lot since January — replacing some of her Oxycontin doses with acupuncture, massage, and yoga, and updating her teaching certificate at the community college.

“Uh, I don’t know…I guess the stripped down guitar riffs at the beginning…and the hollowness of the lead singer’s voice. They make it really intense.”

“Go on.” She nodded.

He swallowed. “And…the lyrics…they’re, like, so poetic. She says she’s going under, but you just know she’s fighting like crazy.

She won’t let them get the best of her.” His mother’s lips trembled. “You’re talking about…your relationship with your father?”

Leo looked away.

“I remember the reason I dragged myself up here,” she said after a moment. “Well, besides the opportunity to learn such fascinating information about a song you like!” Her smile faded. “The kitchen’s a disaster zone. I want you to put your dirty dishes in the dishwasher.” Leo hesitated. He’d become used to doing what he pleased in the rare moments when CS wasn’t around. But he couldn’t refuse her. “Yes, ma’am. I’ll get those dishes right now. Do you need any help down the stairs?”

“That’s all right, sweetheart. Just come down when you’ve finished your packing.” As she turned to go, struggling a bit with her canes, she added, “Leo? Good luck at the meet. I’m behind you one hundred percent.”

“Thanks, Mom.” Leo felt butterflies dive-bomb his stomach. He was ready to swim fast. He knew it.

A vibration on the hotel bed jarred Audrey awake. She opened her eyes to find Elaine bouncing like an ADHD poster child.

The energizing effects of taper had made her even more boisterous.

“Wake up, girl! Time to shave down.”

Audrey groaned, rolled over, and stuffed a pillow over her head.

But the pillow didn’t stay there for long.

“If you wake up, Audrey, I’ll help you shave those hard-to-reach spots.”

She bolted upright and saw Leo and Alex grinning at her. Leo’s lanky body slouched against the fake wood dresser, and he held a Styrofoam container.

Audrey finger-combed her hair as she climbed off the mattress and sniffed the food. “How was dinner?”

“Blech.” Alex stuck his tongue out. “If I have to eat bland pasta one more time, I’ll gag.”

“Alexa, not everyone has your snobby culinary tastes,” Leo said.

Audrey had stayed behind with a stomachache while the team went to dinner. Her abdominal pain had ended once she was able to throw up, but then dread had set in. Was she getting the flu right before her big meet? Audrey had simply decided she wouldn’t let il ness impede her swimming performance. And now she’d almost forgotten about getting sick. She was ravenous.

Closing in on Leo, Audrey reached for the container. “What’d you order for me?”

He pulled it from her reach. “You think this food’s for
you
? It’s for me, for when I get hungry later.”

“Hand it over! I’m starved!”

Leo transferred the food from one hand to another behind his back as she lunged for it.

“Give it to me!” She lost her footing and careened into him.

He gave a low laugh as he held her in his arms, the food now safe on the dresser. “I should know better than to stand between a hungry swimmer and food.”

“Darn straight.” She leaned in for a kiss. “I think I’ll have you for my appetizer.”

“
Ugh
.” Alex winced. “I know when I’m not wanted. C’mon, Laney, let’s go to my room.”

“Okay, let me grab my razor.”

While Elaine rifled around in her bag, Audrey scooped up the container and sat on the bed. Soon she was shoving forkfuls of pasta into her mouth.

“I’ll be right back.” Leo followed Alex and Elaine out the door.

When Leo returned, he held electric clippers. Audrey continued inhaling linguini carbonara as she watched Leo buzz a path through his tightly coiled black hair.

“Is Alex shaving his head this year?” Leo chuckled. “No way. Alex says a shaved head looks stupid on him.”

“It is all about fashion,” Audrey said with a laugh.

After guzzling water, she flipped on some music videos on the way to the bathroom, where she set out towels, shaving cream, and her razor.

As she peeled off her clothes and stepped into an old training swimsuit, she heard Leo’s voice. “Are you feeling better?”

“Yep, that nap was awesome.”

She emerged from the bathroom to stare at Leo’s newly shorn head. His face appeared almost gaunt, and his blue eyes popped with an even brighter intensity. He looked like a badass, which would come in handy trying to intimidate competitors behind the blocks.

She smiled. “You said something about helping me shave?” Leo’s eyes floated down her body, and she hoped her melon-colored suit showed off her suntan. He took a step toward her and cocked one eyebrow. “Yeah, you’re pretty hairy, so it’ll probably take two of us to do the job.”

Mouth open, she pushed him with mock distain, then moved her hands down to his waist and lifted his T-shirt over his head. It fell to the floor in a heap. Audrey sauntered into the bathroom, glancing behind her with beckoning look. She turned on the faucet in the tub while Leo stepped out of his cargo shorts and joined her, clad only in his boxers.

They sat on the edge of the tub, with the pounding water drown-ing out the sound of the television. “Let’s shave our legs first,” Audrey suggested.

Leo seemed entranced as she soaped her legs. He squeezed shaving cream onto his palm, and the calming scent of lavender filled the air.

“Gimme that beautiful leg.” He placed Audrey’s foot in his lap and smoothed the shaving cream over her leg. Audrey closed her eyes as Leo’s fingers skated across her skin. She dipped her razor into the tub and slowly dragged it through the foam, leaving sleek smoothness in the sharp blade’s wake.

“Yay, I get to be a girl again!” Audrey smiled as she rinsed her razor and went back to work. “It sucks not getting to shave all season long.”

“The sacrifices of swimmers,” Leo mused. “Finally my sweet hair-ball gets to shave her legs.”

She whisked her hand through the water and splashed him. “Get going, baldy.
You’re
the hairy one.”

“Okay, okay.” He lathered cream over his legs, extending them into the tub with his feet toward Audrey.

Audrey turned off the tap and hummed along with the music floating in from the television as she started on her arm. “Are you nervous?” she asked.

“Yeah, I’m pretty jacked. You?”

“I definitely feel butterflies. But I’m also kind of enjoying this — our last state meet. I want to go out with a bang.”

“That’s what
she
said.”

She rolled her eyes. “I’m dating a ten-year-old.” A few minutes later her legs were slick and slippery. “Leo? Will you, um, will you shave my back?”

He sighed dramatically. “I guess. If I have to. C’mere, little swimmer.”

She slid down the edge of the tub and swiveled her back to him, shyly pulling down her swimsuit to her waist. There was hardly any hair on her back, but you could never be too careful, so swimmers shaved it
all
.

Audrey closed her eyes as Leo massaged shaving cream over her back. He slowly drew the razor over her skin, and she shivered despite the heat.

“You’re so beautiful,” he murmured.

She reveled in the glide of the blade across her skin, interspersed with light splashes of water. Her eyes were still closed when she heard him say, “Okay, I think I’m done here, but let’s make sure your entire back’s smooth.”

Leo skimmed his hands across the small of her back, using gentle pressure as he massaged up to her neck and shoulders. Audrey moaned. The sound increased in volume as Leo planted wet kisses down her spine.

Turning to face him, she pressed her lips to his. Leo let the razor drop into the water, freeing his hands to embrace her in a fervent meeting of lips and tongues.

Suddenly there was a pounding on the door, and their kisses were replaced by looks of alarm. Audrey instinctively pulled up her suit straps. “Who could that be?”

“Leo? Are you in there?” came a deep voice.

Leo’s eyes widened. “That’s CS!”

Audrey scrambled out of the tub. “Hide in here. I’ll get rid of him.”

“No, Aud. Maybe he’ll go away if you don’t answer.” More pounding at the door soon squashed that hope. Audrey stepped out of the bathroom and tossed Leo his clothes. They exchanged looks of desperation as she closed him in.

Audrey trembled as she opened the door and looked up at Leo’s father. She hardly ever saw him in civilian clothing. She followed his gaze as he scanned down her swimsuit and noticed haphazard patches of shaving cream on her arms.

CS cleared his throat. “Miss Rose, I’m trying to locate Leo.” Smiling sweetly, Audrey shrugged. “He’s not here, sir. I’ve been shaving down and haven’t seen him since he brought me some dinner.”

“You didn’t eat with the team?”

“I’ve been feeling a little sick.”

He took a step back from her. “I stopped by Leo’s room, but he wasn’t there.” His frown turned into a conspiratorial grin. “I think I interrupted something going on between Alex and Elaine. I didn’t know they were dating.”

Audrey suppressed a laugh. “That’d be news to me too.”

“Well, if you see Leo, tell him to report to room three twelve.”

“Yes, Commander.” Audrey shut the door and leaned back against it. She realized she was shaking.

Now dressed, Leo stuck his head out of the bathroom. He crossed the room in an instant and swept her up. “You’re an awesome girlfriend.”

Feeling steadier and calmer in his arms, Audrey giggled. “Guess who CS thinks is dating?”

Leo pulled back and stared into her eyes. “Who?”

“Alex and Elaine.”

“Oh, I’ll make sure they never hear the end of
that
.” Leo let go of Audrey to grab the ice bucket. “I’ll tell CS I was getting ice…Mr. Cold-as-ice Shark will certainly understand that. I should get going. What room number did he say?”

“Three twelve.”

“Drat, I really wanted to finish this shaving party…” His eyes twinkled. “But I better go.” He leaned in for a lingering goodbye kiss, then held their foreheads together for a moment. “Sweet dreams, Audrey.”

She smiled. “Sweet gold medal dreams, Leo.” He opened the door, peeked into the hallway, and was gone.