Hooked on a Phoenix

by Ashlyn Chase

  She hung her head. “I know. I have that MRI in a couple of days, but I’m not sure I should wait.”

  “You sit here and rest.”

  “Okay.” She had started rubbing her left leg.

  “Does it hurt?”

  “No. It’s more like pins and needles.”

  He was still alarmed, but at least she wasn’t cringing in pain.

  “Do you have a laptop?” she asked.

  “Of course.”

  “Would you be willing to bring it to me?”

  Uh-oh. “Why?” I hope she’s not looking for an internet diagnosis.

  “So I can Google these symptoms. That doctor wasn’t telling me anything helpful.”

  “I don’t know how smart Googling this will be. You can get a lot of misinformation off the internet.”

  “Please.”

  He sighed, but relented and brought his laptop to her. “Where do you want to start?”

  “Uh…” She scanned the screen for an inordinate amount of time. At last, she said, “You decide.”

  This wasn’t the Misty he knew. She wasn’t indecisive. If anything, she knew exactly what she wanted and wasn’t shy about expressing it.

  “I’m not just going to Google symptoms. WebMD has a pretty good reputation, and it has the most introductory information.”

  “Okay. I’ll start there.” Misty typed for a few minutes while Gabe ruminated over his misgivings. Maybe he should have refused to let her use his computer for this.

  At last, she clicked on a video. He didn’t know why she picked that one. The doctor droned on about myelin. Lesions. Antibodies. It was dry, but he understood the important stuff. He glanced over at Misty. Her eyes were closed.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Um, just a little trouble focusing.”

  “As in mentally, or with your eyes?”

  “Both?”

  Shit. He took the computer and paused the video.

  “Oh, no, Gabe. I wanted to finish listening to that. I think it’s what I have.”

  “Let’s not jump to conclusions.”

  She restarted the lecture. As the video went on to explain how a lesion in a specific part of the brain affected a person’s nerves, which affected the muscles—including muscles of the eyes—well, it didn’t look good.

  He turned her head so he could study her eyes. All he could see was water gradually filling her inner corners and spilling over. He wiped a tear away with his thumb and whispered, “Don’t panic.” He wasn’t sure if he was talking to her or himself.

  “How can I not? What if they see those lesions on my MRI?”

  “We’ll deal with it then.”

  “Oh, will we?”

  Her sarcasm was hard to miss. “Yes. We will,” he stated firmly.

  “Don’t tell Parker anything. Please.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because there isn’t a damn thing he can do from where he is except worry,” she said. “They use live ammo in training, you know. I’d rather he concentrate on his surroundings, not on what’s happening here.” She placed her hands on her forehead and closed her eyes.

  “Headache?” he asked.

  “No. Despair.”

  “Misty…” He gathered her into his arms and let her weep.

  * * *

  Misty had to take some time off from the bank for her MRI. When she explained the reason to her boss, Adam was understanding—a little too understanding.

  He dragged his chair around his desk and leaned forward to place his hand on her knee. “I’m here for you if you need anything, Misty. Anything at all.”

  “I, uh, appreciate that, Adam.”

  “Would you like me to go with you? I have a meeting with a client, but I can reschedule.”

  “No. Gabe is taking me. Thank you, though.”

  Adam leaned back, and his expression grew chilly. “The firefighter who’s responsible for destroying our vault?”

  She knew he wasn’t fond of Gabe, but seriously? “The damage is covered by insurance, right?”

  “Uh-huh. So was the cash. How do you know him, anyway?”

  “We grew up together. He was my brother’s best friend, and his family lived down the street from us.”

  “Was? I take it they aren’t friends anymore.”

  “No, that’s not what I meant. We moved when I was twelve, but he and Gabe stayed in touch all those years. Parker would take the T into the city once in a while.”

  “Didn’t you go too?”

  “I was too busy. Dance classes, field hockey, and school stuff… I would have been welcome, though.”

  “Hmph. Well, since your brother isn’t around, the other guy is probably acting as his surrogate. Another big brother, in other words.”

  Thinking about the incredible night they’d spent together, Misty almost laughed. “I know what a surrogate is, and no. Gabe isn’t a big brother to me. He’s a friend.”

  “Just a friend?”

  “Why all these questions about Gabe? I like to keep my personal life kind of private.”

  “Of course.” He rose and dragged his chair back behind his desk.

  She rose too, a little more slowly. “Can I go? He’ll be here—” She glanced out his glass office wall just as Gabe strode in. “Oh! There he is.” She couldn’t help the grin that spread across her face.

  Gabe spotted her, smiled back, and waited outside the office.

  Adam just waved her off. “Let me know how it goes.” He opened a folder and looked bored as he went back to work.

  She strode over to Gabe. “Hi!” she said brightly.

  “Hi, yourself. I didn’t expect you to be in such a good mood.”

  She leaned in and whispered, “Getting out of work early always puts me in a good mood. I’ll just get my things and be right out.”

  She knew not to admit just seeing his handsome face was enough to thrill her. She walked briskly to the back room to get her jacket and purse and was relieved when she didn’t even list to one side. Standing behind the counter wasn’t too bad. Any time she felt unsteady, she could just grab the edge.

  When she returned he said, “I’m double-parked outside.”

  “Oh, I didn’t know you had a car.”

  “I don’t. It’s Dante’s.”

  She followed him to the steps, and as he jogged down, she walked over to the handrail. He noticed she wasn’t beside him when he got to the bottom and turned.

  Slapping his forehead, he said, “Sorry. I should have helped you.”

  “No. I’ve got it.”

  Just then, she stumbled.

  He rushed over and caught her, even though she had a death grip on the railing and wouldn’t have hit the pavement.

  “Damn,” she muttered.

  “Don’t be mad at yourself. It’s not your fault. You can’t help it.”

  She realized that Gabe had already given her a diagnosis in his head. “You can’t help it” or “it’s not your fault” meant there was some medical reason for her clumsiness.

  She was relieved that he’d brought a car and she didn’t have to ride the subway to Brigham and Women’s Hospital. If it was crowded and she had to stand while compensating for shifting floors, she’d be in trouble.

  The car ride seemed long and quiet. She tried to initiate conversation once and he told her he really had to concentrate. He hadn’t driven a car in several months…or maybe a year.

  She didn’t know what to make of that. Maybe that’s all it was. Driving in Boston could be a nightmare even for commuters who did it every day. Or maybe he was avoiding conversation. The way they’d left things on the day after her birthday made her wonder. He was fine when talking about superficial things, like making plans to take her to this appointment, but he clammed up when she casually t
ried to bring up the topic of their relationship.

  Please don’t be an asshole, Gabe. Don’t lose interest as soon as I put out and the chase is over. That’s what my stupid high school boyfriend did.

  What chase? She suddenly realized because she was the one who had been chasing him, he’d never had the thrill of the chase at all. Well, that had to change. She wouldn’t chase him anymore. Let him come to her…but would he?

  * * *

  Gabe had regrets. Huge regrets. He was supposed to be looking after Parker’s little sister, protecting her from guys like him. Instead, he wound up being the guy who took advantage of her.

  Well, that had to stop. She needed him as a friend, not a lover. Especially now.

  “We’re almost there. Why don’t I drop you off at the front door and find a place to park? I’ll meet you in the waiting room.”

  “No need,” she said. “I can handle it. Why don’t you go do something you feel like doing? I’ll text you when I’m done.”

  Surprised, Gabe glanced over at her. She was staring straight ahead. Something had changed. “What’s wrong?”

  She looked over at him. “Nothing.”

  “I am not very good at woman-speak, but I’ve heard that nothing means something.”

  She smiled and said, “Sometimes nothing means nothing. Seriously, there’s nothing to worry about. I want you to know that I can handle these things on my own. I’m sure there will be times when you can’t be there.”

  “Okay, if you’re sure.”

  “Yes, I’m sure.”

  Gabe pulled up to the front entrance and let her open her own door. She wanted to be independent, and now he was in flux again. Should he insist on walking in with her, making sure she got to the office all right? Or would that just be making her dependent on him? Shit.

  “Misty, I should go with you.”

  “No, you shouldn’t.” She slammed the car door shut and ambled down the sidewalk. He watched as she entered the revolving door. She held onto the bar in front of her, but she seemed to be walking okay.

  He sat there for a few moments, debating with himself. At last, he decided to park the car and meet her at the MRI unit. And it wasn’t because he had to. It was because he wanted to.

  When he found her, she was in the waiting room, scanning a magazine. She didn’t seem to be reading, just glancing at the pictures. Maybe she was more nervous than she had let on. He was glad he didn’t just take off and leave her.

  “Hey, beautiful,” he said as he sat next to her. “Is this seat taken?”

  She glanced over at him and shrugged. “I was saving it for some good-looking dude, but you’ll do.”

  Gabe laughed. She still had her sense of humor. At least he hoped that was a joke.

  “Misty, if you think you’re being a burden, don’t. I’m not here because Parker asked me to look out for you. Well, not completely.”

  She closed the magazine and faced him. “Then why are you here? I told you I could do this on my own.”

  “I know you can.” What could he say? I’m here because I care about you? He didn’t want her to take that the wrong way, although it was true. He simply didn’t elaborate.

  She went back to gazing at her magazine. He wondered how much concentration she had, since she flipped the pages frequently.

  When she got to the end of the magazine, she tossed it back on the table next to her, and instead of picking up another one, she slid down in her chair. Leaning her head against the top of the backrest, she stared at the ceiling.

  “Bored?” he asked.

  “Yeah.”

  This wasn’t the Misty he knew. Her answers were short and not so sweet. Something was up. Maybe it was simply the stress of her impending appointment.

  Fortunately, at that moment, a nurse opened the door and called her name. She got up slowly and seemed to be a little unsteady. Gabe shot to his feet and grasped her arm. She shook him off. “I’m fine,” she snapped.

  He backed away with his hands in the air. “Okay, okay. I’ll be here when you get out.” He watched as she followed the nurse through the door toward the first step in finding out the truth.

  That’s got to be it. She’s got to be scared out of her mind. That’s why she’s not herself.

  A big part of him sensed there was more to it.

  Chapter 9

  Misty planned to outsmart any claustrophobia they warned her about by closing her eyes before she entered the MRI tunnel and not opening them until she was out. As far as her body was concerned, she could’ve been lounging on a sandy beach. Despite the circumstances, she’d try to meditate and calm herself down.

  Then the noise started. They’d given her headphones, but she didn’t feel like listening to music. Ping, ping, ping. Pong, pong, pong. Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom…

  Random thoughts drifted through her mind. Gabe, sitting in the waiting room. She pushed the thought away and went back to her happy place. She wondered how Parker was doing. She pictured him safe, maybe playing cards with his buddies. Gabe in bed with her, rolling her over. Kissing her.

  Ping, ping, ping. Pong, pong, pong, Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom…

  Damn. As often as she tried to push thoughts of Gabe away, her mind returned to him. She set that thought aside again and pictured herself in a dance class. In her mind, she could execute every turn and even the acrobatic moves perfectly.

  Ping, ping, ping. Pong, pong, pong. Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom.

  Dear God, I hope I don’t wind up in a wheelchair.

  And on it went until at last the techno-torture was over. When the white-jacketed guy reentered the room, she sat up and asked, “What did you see?”

  “I don’t interpret the results. That’s up to the doctor.”

  She studied him for any sign of discomfort. Apparently, he was used to the question, because he didn’t seem to have much of a reaction. She wanted to press him for some kind of hint, but chances were he’d just practice avoidance again. Men were good at avoidance. She rolled her eyes.

  As she changed out of the hospital gown and back into her jeans and sweater, she wondered if Gabe was really waiting all this time. Of course he is. He promised Parker he’d look after me.

  But would he be there if he hadn’t?

  She sighed and pushed open the door to the waiting room. Yup. There he was, reading a magazine.

  She wandered over to him. “Anything good in there?”

  He flipped the magazine over and said, “Yeah. Some new cars coming out this year.”

  He had been reading Consumer Reports. Fascinating. “Are you thinking of getting a car?”

  He shrugged. “Depends.”

  She knew she was supposed to ask “On what?” but instead, she just waited to see if he’d elaborate on his own.

  He didn’t. Instead, he rose and dropped the magazine on the table. “Ready to go?”

  “More than ready.”

  He dug the car keys out of his pocket. “Where to?”

  “Home, I guess.”

  “How about Starbucks?”

  “Really? You’re going to take me out for ice cream because I was such a good girl at the doctor’s?”

  He looked puzzled. “Starbucks doesn’t have ice cream.”

  “I know. I meant…” She sighed. “Never mind. Coffee sounds good.”

  On the way there, he turned toward her and asked, “How did it go?”

  He seemed more comfortable driving—and talking—than he had before. That helped her relax a bit, but she was still aware that something had changed. “It was okay. About what I expected.”

  “Did they give you any results?”

  “No. Apparently the only one who can be trusted to interpret the results is the doctor, and I guess I’ll hear from him sometime soon.”

  “When’s your next ap
pointment?”

  “Next week. Wednesday.”

  “I’m working Wednesday through Friday.”

  She shrugged. “No problem. I think I can go to a simple doctor’s appointment by myself.”

  “Are you sure?”

  What choice did she have? Her friends at the bank were working. Her friends in the suburbs were working. “Yeah. I’m sure.”

  “Okay then. Let me know how it goes.”

  “Sure thing.”

  He glanced over at her again. She kept her eyes straight ahead. She thought he might ask if something was wrong—again—but he didn’t. Maybe he really didn’t care.

  * * *

  Gabe met his older brother for a drink that night. They found a quiet table, and before they even sat down with their beers, he asked, “Can we keep this between the two of us?”

  Jayce adjusted uncomfortably in his seat. “I don’t keep secrets from Kristine, but you can trust that whatever you say won’t go any further.”

  Gabe chewed his lip and thought it over. He didn’t know his new sister-in-law very well, but if Jayce trusted her completely, it was probably safe. One thing their parents had impressed on all the Fierro boys was finding women they could trust with a big secret.

  Come to think of it, a public bar might not be the place for this conversation. “Jayce, can we go out on your boat?”

  “In the middle of winter? Why? Do you want to do some ice fishing?”

  Jayce. Always the joker. Maybe I should have called Ryan—in Ireland. Yeah, that would help, he thought sardonically.

  “No. To clear my head.” He lowered his voice. “I need to fly. You know we can’t do that where our ridiculously colorful tail feathers will be spotted.”

  “Why don’t you just do what I do? Find a chimney to fly down and coat your feathers with creosote?”

  “Yeah, and getting that crap off is so easy. Even in the shower, scrubbing with castile soap, it doesn’t like to come off.”

  “What’s going on, Gabe?”

  He sighed and raked his fingers through his hair. He wouldn’t have been surprised to see some falling out from stress. “It’s Misty. I don’t know what to do about her.”

  “Ah. I should have known.” Jayce smirked. “You’ve still got no game, do you?”