by M. Malone
Which made absolutely no sense.
They weren’t friends. She wasn’t even sure she liked him. He was definitely going to be a challenging patient. By all accounts, she should be dreading this.
But her heart rapped a steady beat that to her ears sounded nothing like dread. It sounded like excitement. It sounded like anticipation. It sounded like trouble with a capital T.
“Are you ready to get started?” She rose and came from behind her desk. As soon as she got close, his scent reached her nose. It was subtly masculine, like wood smoke and evergreens.
Matt shrugged. “I hope so. Do I need to undress again?”
“Uh, no. Not exactly.” Her eyes traveled over the loose sweatpants and tee shirt he was wearing.
“How’d you get the tee shirt on?”
He shrugged again. “Very carefully. I figured I’d better dress to sweat.”
“You were right. Come on, then.” She led him down the hall to one of the treatment rooms. “First thing I want to do is get a baseline on you. I’m going to lead you through a series of motions. All you have to do is move your arm and tell me what hurts.”
“That doesn’t sound so bad.”
“You might not say that by the time we’re through.” It sent a little pang to her heart. Despite his behavior that first day, she didn’t relish the thought of causing him any pain, but Penny knew from experience that what followed likely wouldn’t be pleasant.
They spent the next twenty minutes going through a range of movement. She had him hold his arm out as high as he could, lift it and rotate his thumb up and down. She noted where he grimaced and where he physically couldn’t move his arm anymore. By the time they were done, Matt had a fine sheen of sweat on his brow and his eyes were pinched with pain.
“You can rest back against the wall now. You must be exhausted.”
Matt let out a disgusted sound and leaned back. “I shouldn’t be this tired from doing nothing.”
“You weren’t doing nothing. Every motion requires the use of not only the active muscles but also the rest of your body. I suspect you’ve been compensating for the injured areas so long, you don’t even realize how much of a strain it’s putting on your other muscles.”
“That’s why I need to get this figured out. I should have been healed long before now.”
Penny glanced up from her notes. “I know it’s really important to you that you stay in shape. I’m curious how you’ve managed to do that while compensating for your injury. You’re in near-perfect physical condition.”
“You think so?” He turned to look at her, his dark eyes holding hers. The tips of her ears felt like they were on fire, so she knew her face was probably red, too.
“The musculature on the uninjured shoulder doesn’t seem to have been impacted in any way.” She ignored his smirk when she didn’t respond to his innuendo. “How long did you wait after your surgery before you resumed working out?”
Suddenly he didn’t look so smug. Matt glanced at her and then down at the floor. “A few weeks, I guess. I’m not exactly sure. I didn’t do anything with that arm for a long time, though.”
Exactly as she’d suspected. He’d probably been working out all along. That would explain why he’d never healed properly after the first surgery and also why he was still experiencing pain almost a year later. He could have easily caused new injuries to himself in the months since without even realizing it.
Penny picked up one of the stress balls on the table and wrapped his right hand around it. “Lift this. Higher.”
He complied and she put her hand on his injured arm. “See that, right there? Even though you’re using your uninjured hand, you can feel it in your injured shoulder, right?”
“Yes. It’s tensing when I move.”
“Exactly. I don’t want you doing any other upper-body work right now. It might feel like you’re losing ground, but it’s worth it so you can heal overall.”
She took the ball back and placed it on the table next to him. “Now you can just lie back and relax because we’re going to do some heat therapy. The hard part is over.”
Matt reclined on the table and let out a heavy sigh. “You promise?”
There was something inexplicably vulnerable about the way he looked up at her just then. For the first time, he looked like a shadow of his old self, the playful and mischievous boy who’d lived to play tricks on his sister and cause trouble, but who’d looked as innocent as an angel when it was bedtime. It made Penny feel good to see that part of him hadn’t been buried completely.
Penny couldn’t resist stroking her hand over his brow. “I promise. Now close your eyes.”
Although he looked surprised at the gesture, he closed his eyes obediently and let out another heavy sigh. The stress lines on his forehead flattened out after a few moments.
“The hard part is over,” he whispered.
Penny wished she could make the same promise to herself.
* * * * *
AFTER HER LAST patient of the day left on Monday evening, Penny leaned her head on the reception desk where Georgia was sorting a stack of patient files.
“Are you okay?” Georgia poked at her arm. “You’ve been mopey like this all day.”
“Can you blame me? First, there’s the situation with Matt. I really want to help him, but what if I can’t? Then there’s Scott. I told him I’d meet him at the bar after work. I know we need to talk, but part of me wishes I could avoid it for a while.”
Honestly, it was probably a mistake to meet at a place where so many of her coworkers liked to hang out, but Penny would have agreed to just about anything to get him off the phone before Matt’s appointment. It shouldn’t be weird talking to him in front of Matt. He was her boyfriend, even if they were fighting.
“You need to just put that man out of his misery. I know the proposal was not exactly ideal, but this is bordering on cruel and unusual punishment,” Georgia said.
“I know. It’s just that I know this is going to be a difficult conversation. I envy you sometimes,” Penny admitted. “You’ve been married to James since college, so you got to skip the whole dating rat race. No matter what happens, you know he’s there for you. You guys may fight, but at the end of the day, you’re still a team.”
“We work well together and that’s important, but that’s not why I married him, Penny. If all I needed was a teammate, I could have married one of my girlfriends and gotten sex on the side.”
Penny shook her head. “I didn’t mean to imply you’re like roommates. I know you love him.”
“I’m not offended. I just want you to understand. I’m not with him because he’s great at handling money and keeps my shopping binges in line. I’m not with him because I need help. I’m with him because I want to be. I want to snuggle with him after a hard day and wake up each day with him. I’m happier when we’re together. I’d still be married to him even if he wasn’t so organized and smart.”
“You make it sound so easy. That connection is what I was hoping I’d one day feel for Scott. I thought it would come with time, but it didn’t.”
“It’s not easy, but it is simple. Love isn’t complicated, Pen. It’s all the other stuff that’s complicated. Money, careers, in-laws. The love is the easy part. Do you love Scott?”
Penny looked down at her hands. She’d twisted the rubber band she was holding into a knot. “I guess the fact that I even have to think about it says it all.”
Georgia patted her shoulder. “You know what you need to do. Go talk to him.”
Penny went back to her office to gather her things. She took a minute to brush out her hair and wind it back up into a neat bun. She left her white coat hanging over the back of her chair. Georgia waved as Penny left the building.
The bar across the street had an official name, but no one ever used it that she knew of. It had always just been “the bar.” When she walked in she immediately spotted Scott sitting at one of the tables on the far right. It was good that he’d gotten a table.
Their sure-to-be-awkward conversation wasn’t one she wanted overheard.
He stood when she approached. “Hey, I already ordered you a beer.”
“Thanks. I need it.”
He slid the bottle across the table and she took a sip. The cold liquid sliding down her throat shouldn’t have felt so good after being out in the icy wind, but it cooled the blush in her cheeks.
Breaking up with someone was never easy.
“I’m sorry about dinner.” Scott grimaced. “I went about that entirely the wrong way. What woman wants her marriage proposal announced at the same time as a job transfer? I didn’t even get down on one knee.”
Penny took another sip of her beer. “It’s okay. I apologize for being so cold afterward. I was upset, but I could have handled it better, too.”
He smiled at her across the table and she wondered why he couldn’t be the one. Why couldn’t she go all mushy when he smiled at her? Why didn’t she want to go to sleep with him every night and wake with him in the morning? It would be so much easier if she did.
“You don’t want to marry me, do you?” It wasn’t so much a question as a statement.
Penny didn’t look up as she answered. She couldn’t meet his eyes. “No. I don’t. I’m sorry.”
He let out a breath and drummed his knuckles against the table. “I know. But I’d rather hear it straight out than always wonder.”
They sat in silence for a while, each taking sips from their beers. The music changed from the latest country hit to a dance tune and the lights dimmed. The bar was filling up with a much younger crowd. Penny couldn’t remember what it felt like to be that young and carefree anymore.
A young guy who didn’t even look old enough to drink legally asked to borrow a chair from their table. Scott pushed it toward him.
“It’s starting to get crowded. That’s my cue to leave.” He waited until she looked up. “I’ll come by to get my stuff this weekend.”
“Of course. There’s no rush.” They sat in uncomfortable silence before she blurted out, “This is your dream job, right?”
He grinned for the first time since she’d sat down. “Yeah, it is.”
“It’s what you dream about at night. It’s what you want to do when you wake up in the morning. Just the thought of it makes you happy.”
“It does,” he admitted.
“Have you ever felt that way about me?”
His smile dimmed.
“It’s okay. I didn’t feel that either. That’s why I know it’s not right.” She leaned across the table and looked him directly in the eyes. “Either way, I’m really proud of you, Scott. Not that it matters now, but I am.”
Scott stood and left a few bills on the table. Then he leaned down and kissed her cheek. “It matters to me. A lot. Thank you.”
He brushed the back of his hand against her cheek. “Goodbye, Penny.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
MATT SPENT MOST of Tuesday running errands, picking up groceries, and getting a feel for the neighborhood. If he was going to stay for a few months, he didn’t want to have to call Eli for every little thing. It made sense for him to learn his way around his temporary home.
When he walked into the waiting room at Penny’s office for their Wednesday appointment, it was empty. He stood at the reception desk and peered around. After a few minutes, he rapped his knuckles on the counter impatiently.
The door next to the reception area opened and an older man walked out. Matt watched the door slowly close. At the last second, he sprang forward and caught the handle. He glanced behind him before slipping through the doorway.
“Penny? Are you here?” He waited a moment, expecting a nurse or the receptionist to come out at any moment. He walked down the hallway they’d gone down last time. Maybe she was still in her office. Then he heard her voice. He stopped outside one of the treatment rooms and peered through the door. Penny was standing in front of a patient, counting out reps as a man lifted one of his legs off the table and lowered it.
“I must be early,” Matt muttered. He might as well just hang in the waiting room until she was done.
Just before he turned around, the man reached a hand down and patted Penny on the behind. She grabbed his hand and placed it back on the table. Her movement was so quick that if he hadn’t been watching all along, he would have missed it. It was also automatic, like she was used to it happening.
Rage rose up in Matt’s chest. He slapped a hand on the door and shoved it open. Penny turned.
“Matt! What are you doing here?” She glanced at the clock on the wall. “Oh, it’s almost time for your appointment."
When she moved closer to him, she stepped slightly to the side and he was able to see the patient’s face. The old man on the table behind her looked between them uncertainly. Then, seeing that Penny’s attention was diverted, he reached out and patted her on the bottom again. Penny jumped and then whipped around.
“Okay, Mr. Eisenberg. We’re done for today. Your daughter will be here any moment to take you back home.”
Matt stood staring for a second before a laugh bubbled up and out of his throat. He clamped his lips shut when Penny turned to him with narrowed eyes.
“What is so funny?”
I’m not going to ask. I am not going to ask.
“Nothing. I’ll be in the waiting room.” He turned and walked back to the lobby before she could say anything else. The receptionist was back at the desk, so he signed the appointment list, grabbed a magazine, and settled in one of the chairs in the far corner of the room. He was halfway through an article about offshore drilling when his name was called. He looked up to see Penny standing in front of him.
“Hello, Sergeant.”
Matt tossed the magazine on the table next to his seat and stood. “Hey. Are you ready for me?”
Her eyes narrowed again, as if she wasn’t sure if he was making fun of her. “Yes. Glad you made it back. Were you sore after Monday’s workout?”
He followed her back down the hallway into a different treatment room than they’d used the last time. “Surprisingly, I was. A little. I have to admit I wasn’t expecting to be.”
“I know you’re in excellent shape, but the exercises we’ll be doing are going to target areas you’ve never had to worry about before. It’s normal to be a little sore.” Penny turned and looked at him directly. “If your pain rises above mild soreness or irritation then you need to call me. Immediately. Okay?”
“Okay. Will do.” He fought to keep his amusement hidden since he knew it would only piss her off. He wondered if she was aware of how her chest heaved when she got all worked up and bossy. He doubted it. She wouldn’t wear that prim hairstyle if she was the type to flaunt herself. No, he’d wager money she had no idea just how hot she was.
Matt sat on the end of the long plastic exam table and watched as Penny bustled around the room. She gathered a small red ball, a couple of weights, and what looked like a belt. As she moved, her scrubs bunched and tightened over her behind. Her incredibly toned, perfectly round behind. No wonder the old guy couldn’t keep his hands to himself.
I’m not going to ask. I am not going to ask.
He lasted about forty-five seconds before he blurted, “So, did that old guy just grab your ass?”
Penny stopped moving abruptly. Then her lips stretched into a big smile. Matt had to stare. Her entire face changed when she smiled. She went from pretty to radiant.
“Mr. Eisenberg? Oh, yeah. We have a nickname for him around here. Grabby-hands. The assistants all pick straws to see who’ll deal with him at check-in. Luckily, he only needs therapy twice a week now.”
“I know the guy is older than dirt, but that’s harassment. And it’s gross.”
Penny looked over her shoulder at him. “He has Alzheimer’s.”
“So you feel sorry for him? I don’t get it. I guess I’m not that nice, but I’d still kick him to the curb. It’s not like he’ll remember, right?”
“Matt!” Her mout
h fell open. “Not okay!” She stared at him in shocked silence for a moment. Then he saw it. Her lips twitched like she was trying not to laugh. It seemed to make her angrier because she crossed her arms and glared at him. “That is… I can’t even state how many ways that is not okay.”
He held up his hands. “Sorry. I’m not making light of his condition. I’m just saying.”
Penny narrowed her eyes at him. “And I don’t feel sorry for him. As you so elegantly stated, it’s not like he’s aware of what’s happening to him most of the time. But his family is. He has children and grandchildren. They deserve to have a grandpa who has enough mobility to give them a hug when they come visit.”
Matt sat back and observed her. “I’m starting to understand you a little better. You like to fight for the underdog.”
“I like to help people. Everyone deserves a little help, right?”
“Yeah. I’m just not as selfless as you are.”
“I wouldn’t say that. You jump out of airplanes to keep the rest of us safe. I’d say that’s pretty selfless."
Matt looked down at his hands. “I don’t do it because I want thanks.”
“Heroes are never asking for thanks, but that doesn’t mean they don’t deserve it.”
Heat rushed to his cheeks. Many people expressed their appreciation for his military service and he’d learned to accept the praise with some grace. With Penny, it was different though. It made him feel like a little kid being praised by his favorite teacher in front of the class.
Because you’re trying to impress her. You care a little too much what she thinks.
“I guess. So, you’ve been putting up with Mr. Grabby-hands for how long now?”
“It’s been about a year since he started coming here. His mind is usually back in the seventies, so he still thinks it’s okay to call women “sweetheart” and pinch our bottoms as a form of affection. It’s gross but he’s harmless.”
“So does that mean I’d get the same treatment if I had wandering hands?”
Penny pushed a stray lock of hair behind her ear and got busy lining up the items she’d collected on the table next to him. “That’s different. You’re different.”