Standing, Spence crossed to a plant hanging from the gazebo and pinched off a few dead blossoms. Then he leaned against the railing, facing them. "How disabled is she?"
"She told me specifically that she doesn’t have spinal cord injury. She can feel from the knees up."
"Not to be indelicate here, but can she have sex, enjoy it?"
"Well, I didn’t ask her point blank, but from what I learned in my EMT classes, and just now online, the answer to that is yes."
Cole let the knowledge simmer for a bit then asked, "Where are you with all this, Joe?"
"I’m fucking stunned." He drummed his fingers on the table. "I liked her before we met. She was fun and interesting online. And she got me to talk about myself. But being with her, seeing her in that chair and knowing how tough she had to be to build a new life has made me admire her, too." Hell, it made him even hotter for her.
"What does she want from you?" Spence asked.
"I guess she wanted to come clean about her disability and to see if I still wanted to date her."
"She should’ve told you before you got involved online." Spence’s tone was harsh. "And she misled you with her profile."
Giving Spence an incredulous look, Joe waited for him to make the connection to his own actions with Annie online.
He did. "I know that sounds hypocritical, but because I lied to Annie online doesn’t make what Dana did any more acceptable." Spence ran a hand through his hair, leaving a few specks of paint in it. "The fact that I tricked Annie almost destroyed our chance together. I was completely wrong."
"Why didn’t Dana tell you outright about her condition?" Cole asked.
"She said she’d decided only to tell her matches about her situation if she wanted to date them. And she thought she should do it in person."
"She was dishonest and it affected your actions. You like athletic women. That’s on your list of requirements. You belong to that group that gets together all year long to do sports. You play basketball, volleyball, go skiing, and you’re probably into sexual gymnastics we don’t even know about."
That brought a smile to Joe’s lips, albeit a grim one.
"Be honest," Spence continued. "If she hadn’t said she was interested in the same sports as you are, liked working out as you do, would you have given her a wink?"
"Probably not." Verbalizing the answer made him feel worse.
Cole jumped in. "But he did start a relationship with her. Now that it’s happened, he should see if he has something with Dana. Maybe sports and fitness won’t matter so much. He put up with her not wanting to meet for weeks, so he’s definitely interested. Right, Joey?"
Joe thought about the kiss, the scent and taste of her. "Yeah, sure. A lot."
Spence stared at him solemnly. Finally, he said, "There’s another reason you shouldn’t get together with someone disabled."
"What?" Cole asked.
Joe zeroed in on Cole. "My dad."
"The last three years of his life were…hard on everybody." Spence’s tone softened and he added, "Especially you, Joey."
Because of his father’s condition, Joe had grown up making sure he minimized any hint of physical frailty in himself. When he’d blown out his knee, ending his football career, he’d almost lost his mind recuperating. And he hated being sidelined because of the gunshot wound.
"But I like her, Spence. Even more after meeting her."
"There’s a whole slew of women out there you can hook up with. Don’t put yourself through this, Joey," Spence warned. "You don’t have to. You can avoid all the trouble a relationship with her will cause you."
"Hold on a second," Cole said.
Spence turned a warning glare on their younger brother.
"No, I’m gonna say my piece." Cole faced Joe. "I know you suffered through Joe Sr.’s illness. And I can’t fathom how hard it was for you. But don’t give up on Dana so fast. Happiness doesn’t always come wrapped up in the package you think it’s going to. Look at me and Ellie. I couldn’t be more ecstatic to have a baby in my life, and who would have thought that a year ago?"
Damn it. Why couldn’t he be more like Cole, ready to pursue Dana regardless of her circumstances? And what did the fact that he wasn’t ready say about him as a person? Restless, even more confused than before, Joe stood, crossed to the railing and looked out at the woods in back of Annie’s house.
"Does she know about your father?" Spence asked from beside him. "All of it?"
Joe shook his head.
"Any of it?"
Again the negative gesture. "I don’t talk about him, Spence, you know that."
"Hell, Joe, you can’t keep your father’s situation from her now. It’s relevant that you already know what life is like with a person in a wheelchair. And being with her will probably resurrect things you’ve buried."
"Joe Sr.’s circumstances are not the same as Dana’s," Cole objected. "She’s not deteriorating every day. Is she?"
"No. Actually, she gets stronger every day. Other than her legs, she’s in terrific shape.
"She can’t walk." Spence’s tone was forceful. "She’s an invalid."
That silenced everybody.
Spence broke the tense moment. "I’m sorry if this is hard for you. Or if my objections sound crass. I just want you to analyze all aspects of going further in this relationship." He paused. "And Joey, you’ve got to be sure now, because after you get involved, it would hurt her even more if you left because of the very thing she thought could keep you apart."
Joe stared at his brothers. They knew him better than anyone else did and Joe often took their advice, listened to them. Then again, Cole and Spence were divided on what to do about Dana—the same way Joe felt inside. Would he be able to handle her situation? More importantly, did he want to? Spence had been right about one thing. This was a decision he could only make once. It would be different if he and Dana found out they were incompatible. But no way could Joe experiment with this woman, let them get involved and then dump her because he didn’t want the life she had after all.
He was in a hell of a predicament.
Chapter 4
* * *
THE DAY AFTER her meeting with Joe, Dana stared at the computer, watching as her service downloaded new email messages. None from JoeyD. She hadn’t expected to hear from him so soon, but her heart didn’t seem to understand her brain’s thinking. His silence was just as well. He needed to give a relationship with her some thought. The worst thing he could do was jump in rashly. She could only imagine the pain she’d feel if he gave it a try with her and then dumped her because of her disability. If being together didn’t work out on its own, because they weren’t suited to each other personality-wise and in their values, so be it. She just didn’t want him to say, yes, he could handle her circumstances, then not be able to do it.
Still, she couldn’t help thinking about what he looked like in person, how he moved, how bright his smile spread across his rugged face. And she kept remembering how he’d smelled when he’d pulled her close, the mind-blowing kiss and her body’s total response. It had been so long since Dana had experienced acute desire, like the feelings that had zipped through her when she’d been in his arms. He’d felt it as much as she had when they’d embraced. She knew he had. So because of all that, she was going to be optimistic. Cautiously optimistic.
Tugging her thoughts away from Joe, Dana emailed her summer dance demonstrator—a beautiful girl who’d graduated from the studio and was majoring in dance at Butler College. Afterward, she swiveled around and scanned the office she shared with Ruth, noticing again it needed painting. The classrooms and waiting area were immaculate, but this space, including a private bathroom, was the last to get attention. They never seemed to find a time to schedule the facelift.
Across from her, Ruth was busy at her own computer, billing for the fall classes. Her head bent, her gray hair curving into a flattering bob, she wore her glasses while she entered data into a spreadsheet. Ruth took care
of all the financials for the studio. And a million other details.
"Ruth, I think we should hire painters for back here. A group of workers could do it on a Sunday."
Removing her glasses, Ruth also surveyed the room with a sweeping glance. "Yes, I guess so. I’ll book it." She glanced at Dana’s computer. "No word from JoeyD?"
"No, I didn’t expect any. I hope he takes some time to decide."
"That’s probably best. To make sure. But I was hoping maybe he’d sweep you off your feet."
Dana paused. Then she said dryly, "I’m always off my feet, Ruth."
Ruth’s face blanked. Then reddened. "Oh, my God, I can’t believe I said that."
"You rarely do that anymore."
Though a lot of people did misspeak about her condition. At first she took offense, but now she understood they were seeing her as able-bodied, not always seeing her disability. For Dana, to be treated like everyone else was a blessing. She hated when her disability was thrust in her face all the time.
"Joe would find it funny." Mentioning his name brought a smile to her lips. "He has that type of sense of humor, too."
"A commonality you share."
"I hope there’s more, Ruth." She hated the longing in her voice but couldn’t control her feelings.
"I know you do. So do I. And I have a good feeling about the guy."
"Send positive vibes his way."
"Already have, sweetie."
The bell on the door in the entryway sounded. Ruth stood and headed out to see who the visitor was. Dana heard the low male voice, then Ruth came back with a nice-looking man carrying a briefcase. "This is John Edmonds, Dana, from the National Board of Dance Schools."
Of which Devlin Dance was a member. Some of their staff had visited the studio this year. When Dana remembered why, her pulse beat a little faster. "Hello, Mr. Edmonds. What can we do for you?"
"It’s what I can do for you." He held out the briefcase. "May I?"
Dana nodded and he set it on the desk. From it, he drew several papers and a big plaque. She glanced at Ruth, who got it now, too. Pure joy bubbled inside of Dana, making her grin. "We won?"
"Yes, you’ve been chosen as the number-one small, private studio in the country."
"Oh, God," she said, clapping her hands. "Even with all those New York and California schools competing?"
"Even with that. Congratulations."
Dana allowed a swell of pride to fill her. The renowned dance award was given to small studios at the apex of success. She’d been able to achieve this despite her circumstances, and the fact thrilled her. Her studio had become the center of her life, and the recognition meant more to her than this man could ever know.
Edmonds continued talking. "A lot comes with this designation, Ms. Devlin. First off, the recognition will be a boon to your business. We’ll be offering publicity for you in the upstate New York area, and you may even get some out-of-state students for the summer workshops. We were very impressed by the depth and focus of the ones you offer."
Ruth frowned. "Oh, dear, we’re full to capacity as it is."
"Then you’ll have to think about expanding. Perhaps you can use the space next door? I see it’s for sale."
"We’d talked about that," Dana told him. "But we never got around to pursuing it."
His smile was broad. "Well, good luck with that. Now, I’ll need to set up interviews with you, your instructors and your business partner. Our website will run pages on you all year long."
"I’m so honored, Mr. Edmonds."
He smiled, broadly. "Building the kind of school you have is an impressive feat."
His eyes dropped briefly to her chair. What he was probably too politically correct to say was that it was a feat, particularly for someone in her condition. For a moment, the high of success dimmed. Oh, she knew her disability wasn’t why she’d gotten the award; they’d entered for five years running. But the thought bothered her regardless.
Hell! Dana wasn’t going to spoil the terrific moment with reminders of what she didn’t have. Building a successful studio that would get national recognition gave her a boost in self-esteem like no other. And that she could take pleasure in this success also meant she was evolving from the days when nothing meant much to her because of her lost dance career.
After Edmonds left, Ruth crossed the room and hugged her. "Congratulations to us!"
"Yep, to both of us." Dana had only one fleeting thought— that she’d like to share this with JoeyD.
***
DESPITE HIS WISHES that he was more like Cole, Joe couldn’t simply jump into a relationship with Dana. So he decided to give himself a week to think about dating her. Since he could drive the day after he’d met with her, he got in his car and went to the police station to check on his group.
The familiar and routine buzz of phones ringing, the murmur of cops talking and the smell of strong coffee soothed him. The guys were in the bullpen area near his office.
"Hey, if it isn’t the hero," one of them shouted. "Thought you had two weeks off."
"I do. I’m here to make sure you clowns are behaving yourselves."
"Shelly’s a hard taskmaster." His partner was filling in for him as sergeant, as she did whenever he took vacation. "Easier on the eyes, though, than your ugly mug."
"Screw you."
Laughter and more questions, comments. Some sincere inquires. Every single member of the squad he oversaw had visited him after his injury, and it was good seeing them again. "Where is Shell?"
"In your office," the guy nearest him said.
He headed back and found her sitting at a small table with the chief. The space was about twelve-by-twelve and crowded with a desk, conference table and filing cabinets.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Chief Cummings asked. "You’re supposed to be recovering."
"I know. I’m checking in, is all."
Shelly glanced at the chief then back to Joe. "I think," she said, "we just found somebody to make the last of the contacts for the hospital children’s party."
The chief smiled. "Great idea."
"He even lives within walking distance of Strong Hospital."
Joe nodded vigorously. "Anything. Give me anything to do." He meant it. Inactivity about killed him.
Shelly smiled and the chief stood. "Fine, but stay out of this office until your sick leave is over. Your kind of injury takes longer to heal than you think." When Joe didn’t respond, he added, "I mean it."
"So," Shelly asked after the chief left and Joe sat down next to her, "how you doing now? When I stopped by your house last week, you were as cranky as a baby needing a nap."
"I’m better. Restless, I guess."
"Yeah? Heard from that pretty dancer again?"
He drew in a breath, let it out. "Uh-huh. You won’t believe what’s going on with her, Shell."
Joey launched into a full description of what had transpired with Dana. Even to his own ears, there was an excitement in his voice, an anticipation that hadn’t been there in a long time, whenever he’d talked about a woman. Though he was torn about what to do, it was good to experience the feelings again. His inability to make it work with Leona had soured him on relationships.
Shelly’s feet thudded to the floor when he finished. "Holy shit. You’re considering dating her?"
"Of course I am. Do you think I’m that shallow I’d ditch her without some thought?"
God, he hoped he wasn’t. No, he simply needed to think through all the angles.
"I don’t think you’re shallow. But, Joe, you’re one of the most athletic men I know."
Shaking his head, he watched his partner. "Shelly, you’re married to a former professional baseball player."
"My standards are high, which is the point I’m making. Having Dana in your life would change your whole lifestyle."
"Not necessarily. You and Pete don’t do everything together."
"But we could. I vote no on this."
"Well," he said st
anding because he didn’t want to hear her objections, "you don’t get a vote."
His captain, Tom Jenkins, rushed in, cutting off further discussion. He was a small, wiry guy whose gruff exterior kept everybody in line. Joey knew him to have a big heart, though. "There’s a report of weapons at the Civic Center. You’re going in, Banks. Take Adams with you. I’ll follow behind with more backup."
Dealing with threats to large agencies was part of Joe’s team’s responsibility. "Shit, I wanna go."
The cap glared at him. "I heard you were here, Moretti. Two more weeks off. The chief means it."
After Joe finished talking to Shelly, he drove to the hospital and let his mind wander to Dana. It didn’t have far to go, as she seemed to be there somewhere in his brain all the time. He remembered her scent, alluring and sexy. Her hair had felt like thick silk in his hands and she tasted like honey. No doubt about it, the physical chemistry was there. Now he had to decide if he could deal with the limitations in her life.
He reached Strong Memorial about ten minutes later and made his way up to the children’s ward. It was heaven and hell coming here every year for the party. That the police department could brighten the first day of school for these kids was a blessing, but knowing some of them were here last year and that some would never get out of the place was torture. Yet, the experience made him appreciate his own life more. His father’s condition had taught him that, but he forgot sometimes.
At the desk, a pretty nurse he recognized smiled up at him. "Hi, Sergeant."
"Nurse Baker. You’re looking lovely today." She was blond and brown eyed, which he found appealing. Or used to, anyway.
"Your brother came to tell us you were shot. Then it got around the hospital quickly. Thanks for the heads up."
"No big deal, Sandy. The bullet went right through."
"Stitches?"
"Yeah, several. I’m off duty for a while."
"That must be killing you." She smiled warmly. "What can I do for you today?"
"I’m running errands for our September shindig." He held up some paperwork. "This has to be rechecked by Nancy Sherwood for the party."
Wounded Heroes Boxed Set Page 26