“Yeah, yeah.” Rowan’s dark eyes crinkled with mischief. “But just let her try comin’ back in here.”
Everly smiled. She could admit to herself that she’d pay money to see that woman try to go head-to-head with her boss. Blondie had no idea what she’d escaped thanks to Everly’s intervention.
“Go on back to my office,” Rowan said. “Wyatt and Cole are in there waitin’ for you. Wy’s bein’ very secretive about all this. Maybe he’s tryin’ to hook you two up, eh?”
He laughed when Everly’s face started burning. Then he turned and headed back into the kitchen.
Everly stopped to get her coat and purse before heading back to Rowan’s office. She considered his words. Could Wyatt be playing matchmaker? Why would he need to do that? Cole surely had access to all kinds of women. Wyatt knew that she didn’t have a social life. School, work, and caring for her grandpa took up her time.
Good Lord. Was he setting her up with Cole?
She paused outside the office door and tried to decide how she felt about that possibility. Insulted? Flattered? Horrified? Giddy?
Her pulse thrummed as she knocked once and then opened the door. Wyatt turned from where he stood looking out a window and smiled at her. She’d always found his smile delightful and engaging, the perfect complement to his Prince Charming looks. Now she found herself wondering what that smile masked.
Glancing at the small couch in the ten by ten office, she saw Cole sprawled across both cushions, his long legs stretched halfway into the middle of the room. His dark hair was more tousled than it had been when he first arrived. She found herself thinking he must be grateful he could wear a ball cap over it half the year so he didn’t have to style it. His dark suit jacket was folded over the arm of the couch and his white shirt sleeves had been rolled up enough to reveal his muscular forearms.
Her mouth went dry. She supposed that was better than drooling, which is what she was doing in her mind.
Okay, she thought, taking a deep breath. Remember you’ve dealt with some of the worst life can hand you. You can handle anything.
Then she squared her shoulders and pulled the door closed behind her, bracing herself for whatever Wyatt had up his sleeve.
Chapter 5
When Everly just stood inside the office door for a minute without speaking, Wyatt said, “Thanks for coming and meeting with us, Everly.”
Cole shifted on the couch in case she wanted to sit. Her eyes moved from him to Wyatt. He realized she was clutching her purse with enough pressure to whiten her knuckles.
“Rowan suggested you might be trying to set me up with Cole,” she blurted at last.
Wyatt chuckled. “He’s grasping at straws. Fear not, Everly.”
One of Cole’s eyebrows lifted as Everly’s shoulders loosened in apparent relief. Was he offended that she didn’t want to go out with him so much that she looked ready to bolt? Yeah, he thought he just might be. Did she find him repulsive for some reason? He didn’t want to work with someone so opposed to his presence.
“Wy, I don’t think—” he began.
“I know you’re not seeking any romantic connections right now, Everly,” Wyatt interrupted, giving Cole a quelling look. “We’re here in a strictly professional capacity.”
Now she looked more at ease. “I see. Are you seeking a consultation over Cole’s rotator cuff injury?”
Cole stiffened. He glared at Wyatt.
“I haven’t told her a thing,” Wyatt said with raised palms.
“You didn’t have to say anything,” she said with a shrug, leaning back against Rowan’s desk. Her keen gaze met Cole’s. “I noticed that you favored your left hand throughout your meal, using it to drink, eat, and bring your napkin to your mouth, but you’re a right-handed pitcher. And just now, when you moved to clear space on the couch, you stopped breathing and swallowed hard when you moved your right arm, telling me you’re hiding pain and have a reduced range of motion.”
His mouth opened over her observations. He looked again at Wyatt. His brother gave him a look that said, See?
“But how do you know it’s a rotator cuff injury?” Cole asked. Could other people see what she did? If so, he was so screwed.
“That, I’ll admit, was an educated guess based on your age and profession,” she answered. “I’ve only observed your symptoms and haven’t done any scans or tests to confirm. You’ll want to rule out bursitis, tendonitis, adhesive capsulitis, and other possible causes of your shoulder pain, of course.”
Despite what he’d seen this evening and his brother’s assurances, Cole was surprised by Everly’s quick assessment. She looked like she should be out club-hopping, not spouting medical jargon with such an intent expression on her face.
He also realized, since she knew his profession, that she had known who he was the moment she saw him. So why hadn’t she mentioned that before now? Maybe she wasn’t a fan.
“We’ve had scans done,” Wyatt said. “X-rays, an MRI—the whole load.”
He moved over to the desk. Everly stepped to the side as Wyatt reached over to retrieve the large manila envelope resting there. She hit Cole’s leg and nearly toppled onto his lap. Out of instinct, he reached out to help her maintain her balance. His hands ended up on her nicely shaped rear end.
She sprang away like a gazelle fleeing a lion. When she turned to look at him, he realized her cheeks were nearly as red as her hair. Her reaction went a long way toward putting him back on an even keel.
“I don’t bite,” he said with a grin. “Come and have a seat.”
He patted the cushion beside him. She looked at it warily, then moved her gaze to him. He patted the cushion again. Her lips moved on a whispered comment of some kind as she stepped around his legs and sat down. It was a small victory, but he felt better.
When he turned to look at her, he caught her scent, a unique fragrance that reminded him of whipped vanilla cream and frosted wildberries. She met his gaze. The combination of her nearness, her scent, and the cautious look in her lovely eyes had his whole body reacting.
Oh, this was such a bad idea.
Wyatt pulled the contents out of the envelope. “You’ll see that the scans show—”
“I’d prefer to make my own judgments on them, if you don’t mind,” Everly interrupted.
She gave Wyatt a smile that had Cole shifting in his seat. He shook his head at himself for wondering if she’d ever smile at him that way. He had to get a grip.
“Of course,” Wyatt said. “I’ve taught you well.”
“You’re the best,” she agreed, setting her coat and purse beside her and taking the films.
It was strange watching her pour over images of his body, even if they were internal scans. Having seen the scans before, he focused on her face instead. Her brow had a faint furrow in it, her eyebrows drawn together as she flipped from one image to another, holding them up to the light as needed. The corners of her heart-shaped mouth pinched in a study of concentration. She occasionally muttered to herself or held the nail of her thumb between her front teeth as she studied. He realized that she had a light smattering of golden freckles across the bridge of her nose. They somehow made her even more appealing.
“Well,” she said at last, her gaze on the last of the scans, “I don’t see any evidence of a degenerative tear. Looks like there’s some fraying, possibly a partial.” She lowered the scan and looked from Cole to Wyatt. “If you’re asking for my opinion regarding whether or not surgery is needed, I’ll say that I don’t think so, based on these. Targeted rehab should do the trick.”
Her words cemented Cole’s desire to work with her. Wyatt had presented the scans to a friend as a general consultation without giving Cole’s name and received the same verdict. Hearing it from Everly somehow instilled more confidence in Cole, though.
“That’s why we’re here,” he said, causing Everly to look at him. “I’m in need of a physical therapist.” When her eyes widened, he grinned. “I want that physical therapist t
o be you, Everly.”
* * *
If she lived to be a hundred, Everly would never forget sitting beside Cole Parker—close enough she could feel his body heat through his clothes—and him asking her to be his physical therapist. This had to be a dream.
“I’m still a student,” she managed when she found her voice. She couldn’t seem to look away from him. “You should be going to a certified—”
“I know what I should be doing,” he interrupted. He looked humored, which made her frown. “But I don’t want any hint of my treatment ending up public knowledge.”
Realization had her back stiffening. The only reason they were approaching her to work with Cole was because of her status as a student. Any pride she might have felt over this proposal swiftly faded. Anger rose to take its place.
“I see. It’s a contract year for you, isn’t it?” she asked. She remembered reading an online article about it. “Heaven forbid you receive treatment for an injury so common in pitchers.”
“Everly, I apologize for Cole’s lack of finesse,” Wyatt said from his position against the desk. “What he means is—”
“I’m not interested in being finessed.” Her throat burned with hurt as she got to her feet and caught Wyatt’s gaze. “I don’t know what to say right now, Wyatt. Maybe you think I’m convenient, or maybe you just think I’m willing to risk my future because you know I’m an Atlanta fan and you’ve helped me out in the past. But this is out of line.”
“Hey, wait a minute,” Cole said, also getting to his feet. “Don’t take your anger out on Wy. Maybe I didn’t word this right.”
His tone caught her attention. Gone was the arrogant humor of a moment ago. Now, she saw a hint of desperation in his eyes.
“I’m not the best with words and explanations,” he said. He reached out and touched her shoulder. The contact made her pulse hum again. “Please, will you just hear us out?”
She forced herself to calm down and gave a brisk nod. When Cole waved again at the couch, she took a seat and waited for him to do the same. Wyatt continued to watch them from the desk. She knew him well and decided that he was biting his tongue. It seemed he wanted Cole to direct this conversation.
He did so the moment he sat down, angling his body so he faced her. She sat at the edge of the cushion, her knees and hands clenched together.
“You’re right that this is a contract year for me,” he said. “Since you apparently follow baseball, you know that injuries weigh heavily in those kinds of decisions. If a team decides that a player’s injury could be chronic, they’ll be less likely to invest in him. That could mean a decrease in pay or, more importantly, a trade to another team. In worst-case scenarios, players might not be picked up at all.”
She couldn’t prevent a snort over that. “You’re in your prime, Cole. You’ll be fine.”
He shook his head. “Everly, I don’t want to leave Atlanta. I know that it’s rare these days for a player to finish his career with the team where he started, but I really want that. My family’s here. I was raised here and went to school here. I don’t want to give team decision-makers any reason to question whether they should renew my contract. Between you, me, and my agent, I’d take less money just to stay here.”
She considered that. Many players would say that they’d change teams in a minute if it meant more money. Sincerity reflected in his eyes, though. The truth was, she didn’t want him changing teams, either. She’d grown up an Atlanta fan and had been crushing on him for years.
“Cole, I respect your wish to stay with your team. I really do. But you need the help of someone with access to the right equipment who can focus on your rehab from now until spring training starts, and I can’t do that. School has to be my top priority.”
“Wyatt gave me a head’s up on the equipment. I’ve got a fully outfitted gym at my house. Anything you need, I can get. And I know that your last final is in two weeks and then you’re out of school until mid-January. We could work around your school schedule for now and then we can work together as often as we need to until you’re back in classes. By then my rehab should be to the point where I can work on it by myself with limited help until spring training in February.”
He’d really put a lot of thought into this, Everly realized. Even as the impossibility of his suggestion made her shake her head, she couldn’t help but be flattered.
“As you can see,” she said, waving at her uniform, “I have more obligations than just my studies. I work here, I perform extra work at the school to earn my assistanceship, and I volunteer at several sports rehabilitation centers in the area. I can’t afford to put my life aside to do this.”
Now, Wyatt leaned forward and drew her attention. “Everly, you know your school obligations will come to a lull after finals, and Rowan mentioned that Kathleen’s unable to give you the extra shifts you requested during the holiday season because you approached her later than everyone else.”
She held back a wince. She was still kicking herself over that. School had taken up so much of her time that she hadn’t thought to approach Kathleen until it was too late.
“With you only working here a few nights a week and not having school to distract you, you’d have the time to work with Cole.”
Feeling Cole’s gaze on her, she said, “I’ve approached some of my contacts in the sports rehab world to see if there are any paying positions open right now. I want to build up my resume with graduation coming up this summer.”
“You’d get plenty of direct experience working with me,” Cole pointed out.
“Nothing I could list on my resume if you want to keep this quiet,” she countered.
He frowned, acknowledging her point. “What’s the largest tip you’ve ever made?” he asked after a moment.
Blinking over the question, she thought of the five hundred dollar tip he’d given her earlier. It was more than twice her second largest tip ever. Her eyes flickered to her purse beside her. Cole followed her gaze. Heat suffused her face when she saw he understood.
“I’ll triple it,” he said.
She considered that. Fifteen hundred dollars for about six to eight weeks of work. Not too shabby, especially when combined with her pay from Prix Fixe. Feeling her resolve slipping, she looked again at Wyatt. The hope she saw in his eyes gave her resolve another nudge.
“Fifteen hundred for me to treat you between now and when I start back to school, right?” she asked Cole, wanting to be sure she hadn’t completely misread the fact that he’d tipped her the five hundred and based his proposal off that.
“I’d like you to work with me up until I leave for spring training,” he clarified, “even if you can’t work with me as often after mid-January. And I’ll pay you fifteen hundred per session.”
Her breath seized in her chest. Per session? He didn’t understand how much rehab this was going to entail.
“But I’ll want to work with you almost every day, at least initially,” she explained.
“I understand that.”
Her palms grew damp. “B-but that’ll be at least thirty sessions between now and February. Maybe even as many as fifty.”
“I imagine so.”
“It’ll likely end up costing you well over fifty thousand dollars at that rate of pay,” she said. Her eyes widened to try and impress the significance of this on him.
He shrugged, making a face as his right shoulder raised and lowered. “Worth every penny if it gets me healthy.”
Holy Mary, Mother of God.
Everly’s head spun. She tried very hard to cling to the reasons not to do this. She’d have a heck of a time explaining this income to the IRS. If anything went wrong, she could ruin the career of one of the hottest players in Major League Baseball. Even if everything went well, she’d receive no professional credit to aid her in her career goals.
Looking from Cole to Wyatt, she took a deep breath and let it out.
“All right,” she said. “If it helps one of my favorite people an
d one of my favorite team’s players, I’m willing to give it my best.”
Chapter 6
Cole Parker was a godsend. Either that, or he was batshit crazy.
Everly was still trying to process what had happened that evening as she got behind the wheel of Champ, her ten-year-old Kia Rio. The car had earned its nickname after surviving a near sandwiching between two tractor-trailers on I-75/85 a few years before. Since then, Everly tried to stick to driving on back roads whenever she had to cross the city.
She now cranked up the heat, turned on the radio, and headed on those back roads along the familiar path to her grandpa’s house off Tift Avenue. Champ operated largely on auto pilot as Everly pondered her recent windfall.
Fifty thousand dollars or more in two months or less. Hot damn.
Tears pricked her eyes when she fully realized what this meant. She’d be able to pay Jonette, the nurse who treated her grandfather whenever Everly could afford it, enough money to work with him for at least six months. She could pay his specialist for the extra services recommended to treat his respiratory condition. She could pay their property taxes and possibly have room left over to pay her annual health insurance premium for next year.
She was afraid to believe it. The old phrase, “Too good to be true,” ran like a mantra through her head. But Dr. Wyatt Parker hadn’t ever let her down. Since he was involved in this arrangement, she allowed herself to feel optimistic for a change.
Even though it was after one in the morning, her grandpa had left the porch light on for her. It greeted her as she pulled into the driveway running alongside the 1920’s bungalow her grandpa had lived in from the time he married her grandma. Since the age of fifteen, Everly had lived there, too. It had been just the two of them for about seven years now.
She cut the ignition and listened to the familiar rattle that resulted as the engine died. Maybe she’d use some of her coming fortune to get a tune-up, she mused. Then she grabbed her purse and opened her car door to the biting cold.
The XOXO New Adult Collection: 16 Full Length New Adult Stories Page 34