He laughed. “No reason to lie. I came to the conclusion that the kind of love my parents have is rare and impossible to duplicate. If I can’t have what they’ve got, I don’t want anything at all.”
“You’re fortunate to have had them for role models when it comes to relationships and love.”
“It didn’t help me in any of my relationships. I take it you didn’t any role models?”
“No. I can’t say I’ve ever seen a healthy relationship up close and personal.”
“In my case, it didn’t help me find one.”
Silence fell between them as they continued to run. Then, Remington blurted out his thoughts as if he was exhausted from holding them in. “I don’t think I’ll ever forgive myself if Charlie doesn’t wake up. I’m not sure I’ll forgive myself regardless.”
Sweat was dripping down Sky’s face as she pressed the button to cool down. They were sharing some fairly intimate details about their lives, but she was surprised at this confession. “Can I be candid?”
Remington slowed his own machine. “It’s never good when a woman starts off a sentence like that. I’ll probably regret saying this, but yes.”
Sky patted her face with her towel. “It’s obvious you are devoted to Charlie. She can feel that energy. She knows you’re there. That goes a long way to help a person find their way to healing.”
For a moment, Remington looked deeply into her brown eyes and saw an honesty there. Then, slowly, he turned away and slammed his fist down on the dashboard. “I should have fought harder. I should have been around more. I thought I was doing what was best for her.”
Sky turned off her machine. “The ‘what if’ game is not helpful to you or her. We all make mistakes, and Charlie is going to need all of your strength.”
“My daughter hated me.”
“She doesn’t hate you. She might be pissed at you, but hate is a hard place to get to with a parent no matter how much they suck.”
“How do you know? Do you have children?”
“I don’t. But I know exactly what it’s like to be in a tug-of-war between two parents. I was pissed at mine for what they put me through. I’m sure you know that my father is a physician. He’s also a work-a-holic and an alcoholic. As far as my mom, she didn’t know she had a daughter until I graduated high-school. She went about her days constantly looking for the next man who was going to make her feel good about herself.” Sky shook her head. “It was disgusting.”
Remington looked on intently listening to every word.
Sky continued. She had never shared her personal life with anyone, but given how open Remington had been, she felt she could be too. She sighed. “I was around the same age as Charlie when my parents divorced. I was so angry at them, not for all the reality-show madness they put me through, but because they didn’t spend any quality time with me.”
Her words didn’t offer Remington a whole lot of comfort. “Given I was in China when this happened, just how is that supposed to make me feel better?”
She smiled. “Let me finish my story.”
Remington put his hands up in a gesture of surrender. “Okay.”
“Anyway, both of my parents, to this day, are still miserable souls.” Sky stepped off of her treadmill and stood next to his machine waiting for him to finish his cool down.
“I think I feel worse.”
“You shouldn’t and here’s why.” Sky glanced up at the ceiling. “God, I can’t believe I’m telling you this. They are a hot ass mess. Not were, but are. Yet, I still love them very much.”
Remington pondered her words. “They couldn’t have been too bad, you seem to have turned out alright.”
“Hmm . . .” Sky thought about it for a second. “I’m not sure if that was because of them or in spite of them. They can’t see past their own needs and how their parenting affected my life. Seriously, they fought so much I’m not sure how they ever conceived me.”
Sky gave Remington a lot to think about and hope for. If he got another chance with Charlie, he would certainly make the most of it. He finished his cool down and stepped off the machine. He gave her a sexy grin. “I’ll let you in on a little secret, you can have sex when you’re pissed. Sometimes, angry sex is the best kind.” He wasn’t sure why he’d said the words. But Sky’s reaction at the mention of sex was an interesting one. He couldn’t tell if she was horrified or mildly intrigued.
What was he thinking? Did he really want to unlock that door if she were mildly interested? It not only could but probably would turn into an unnecessary complication that Remington didn’t need. Still, he had to admit, sex was always an excellent way to release some tension. It was then that he noticed Sky in her little work-out shorts and fitted tee. She was not only his daughter’s doctor, but a curvy, voluptuous, sexy woman.
At the mention of sex, Sky noticed how his sweaty white t-shirt molded to his chest. She could make out every. Single. Muscle. His washboard abs looked as if they had been sculpted from clay, and those corded muscles in his arms looked strong and capable. To put it simply, the man was ripped. When Sky realized she was staring, she quickly glanced away. She didn’t know if angry sex was the best. But had a feeling
