Free Perfectly Able by Suzannah Daniels Page A

been dark, and I had been having fun. In the light of day, my actions seemed brazen. Maybe he hadn’t wanted to kiss me, but he was too nice to say “no”. All morning, I couldn’t shake the feeling that he had only agreed to it because I was the only other person here. Maybe when we were back in the real world, he’d want nothing to do with me, like Jack. Maybe in the real world, he’d prefer someone who was whole, perfect, unlike me.
    But now he had just insinuated that we’d see each other again . In my mind, I tried to add up how many times he had referred to us seeing each other once we left the cabin. He had invited me to his Halloween party; although, I hadn’t been convinced that he would follow through with it. He’d also talked about using me as his real estate agent. But now he suggested that we’d do body shots with real liquor.
    I liked Ridge Sutherland . Maybe if I had both my legs, I’d have the confidence to show it more, but my self-image had taken a beating after Jack. Every time I got the nerve up to do something daring, something I wouldn’t have thought twice about before I lost my leg, I’d start having second thoughts, thoughts that he would find me unattractive or inadequate.
    I cursed myself . It’d been five years since I lost my leg. I’d thought that I’d gotten past this point long ago. Trying to remember how I’d felt immediately after the accident, I started to wonder if I was having more trouble with the fact that I’d lost my leg now than I did then. And it all led back to the night that Jack had rejected me.
    Why did I struggle with this? Most people dealt with rejection at some point or another. Why did I let him affect me so deeply?
    Screw him. If Jack couldn’t accept the way I was, then he didn’t deserve me.
    “Ava, have you been listening to anything I’ve said?” Ridge asked, snapping his fingers in front of my face.
    “I’m sorry. I was just….”
    “Thinking?” he supplied.
    “Yeah, something like that.”
    “The moonlight washed it away last night,” he said, rubbing his warm palms over my shoulders.
    “What?” I asked, confused.
    “Whatever’s had you off-kilter today, whatever’s on your mind right now, the moon washed away . The sun rose on a new day.”
    I squinted as my gaze flicked toward the sun before falling to the glittering lake . “You know what? You’re right.” I felt as though heavy chains had fallen from my wrists and ankles and maybe even my heart. “It’s a new day, a new Ava.”
    Ridge squeezed my shoulders in silent agreement . “Does the new Ava want to take a canoe ride?”
    I nodded, eager to see the beautiful s cenery in the full light of day and to spend more time getting to know Ridge.
     
    ***
     
    Over the next three days, Ridge and I spent a lot of time together, mostly canoeing and swimming. He went for a run every morning, and when he got back to the cabin, we’d practice our swimming techniques for the triathlon, each of us learning something useful from the other. We hadn’t kissed again, but we had joked and laughed and talked. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d had so much fun or the last time that I’d been so comfortable around a guy, especially one who knew about my leg.
    He was adept at putting me at ease, and it was nice to not worry when I was around him. Part of me couldn’t help but wonder if the magic would disappear once we were back to our everyday lives.
    “ Our last day here is almost over,” he said, his fingertips gliding across his bare abdomen just above the waist of his swim trunks. “What else do you want to do?”
    Kno wing that the day was almost over was bittersweet. I hadn’t expected to enjoy myself as much as I had during my time here, but remnants of Jack’s rejection still hid in the shadows of my mind, lurking, waiting to pounce on any positive thoughts that formed. I glanced at Ridge’s profile as he scanned the lake, and I felt like he was part of the reason I