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voice was quiet. “What if I’m a bad person? What if I stole those clothes and that money? Maybe the car isn’t even mine. Maybe I’m running because of something I’ve done. Maybe …” she hesitated. “Maybe I … knocked up a store? Over a store? Knocked over a store?”
    I snorted. “What, like a career criminal, Rabbit? You think you’re a thief?”
    She looked at me. She was serious. The woman who had just made me soup and who my dog had taken instant ownership of, thought she had to be a bad person.
    I shook my head. “Then you’re a bad criminal, Rabbit.” I gestured to the small pile on the ottoman. “If your haul is a few items of clothing, less than a couple grand, and a five-year-old Escort, I suggest you give it up,” I smiled at her and winked. “Plus, your inability to come up with the right lingo suggests that perhaps you aren’t so inclined.”
    I saw the corners of her lips twitch. “Maybe I was having an off night.”
    I threw back my head and laughed. I was pleased to hear a small giggle escape her lips.
    I smiled over at her and squeezed her hands gently. “I highly doubt it, Rabbit. You don’t strike me as a hardened criminal. Or any kind of criminal. I’m sure there is another explanation. You could have lost your purse. Or left it behind, if you were in a hurry.”
    A sudden searing cramp in my leg reminded me of the awkward position I was currently in. I groaned, releasing Rabbit’s hands and grabbing for the top of my right leg.
    She moved, kneeling beside me. “What is it, Joshua? What’s wrong?”
    I gritted my teeth against the pain. “Need to stand,” I managed to get out.
    Rabbit wrapped one of my arms around her shoulder and helped me to stand. I didn’t fail to notice her grimace of pain from the effort of helping me.
    “ What can I do? Tell me, please.”
    I took a deep breath in, the pain abating a little. “I need to go get in the hot tub; that will help ease it.”
    “ You’re limping worse than before. It’s because of doing all this for me, isn’t it? The extra snow blowing and the work of waiting on me? Oh God, you carried me yesterday as well. Tell me what to do, Joshua, please.”
    I looked down at her earnest face, touched by her concern and even more so from her lack of prying questions. I smiled reassuringly at her. “I had to get to the barn anyway, Rabbit. And since you weigh about two pounds, carrying you was not an issue. This happens. Please don’t worry.”
    “ I’ll go run a tub for you,” she said as she tried to duck out from under my arm. I held her against me, shaking my head.
    “ I have a hot tub in the basement. I hate using the electricity right now, but I need it.”
    She hesitated. “What can I do?”
    “ Nothing. Really, this happens a lot. The heat helps a great deal. Then I’ll stretch it out and give myself a rub down. I’m an old pro at this.” Reluctantly, I let her go. I liked the feeling of her tucked under my arm.
    I made my way to the stairs and gingerly began the descent. I stopped part-way down. Turning around, I looked back at her. She had moved to the top of the stairs and was watching me. “I wear my shorts in the hot tub. You’re welcome to join me,” I offered. “It’s big.”
    Her eyes widened.
    I stumbled over my next words. “The hot tub that is. The hot tub is big. You’d be perfectly safe. It may feel good on your injuries as well. Especially on your back and legs.”
    She glanced down.
    “ Grab one of my t-shirts.” She still didn’t look up and I softened my voice. “You don’t have to, Rabbit. Only if you want to, okay?”
    She nodded, not saying anything.
    “ The stairs to the basement are beside the mudroom door.” I turned and kept going. “Please be careful going down the stairs,” I added.
    I shook my head when I got to the basement .
    What was going on with me?
    Rabbit; in the hot tub with me.
    A little voice in my head snickered at my stupidity.
    What had I just done?
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