by M. Malone
“Am I? Why? Maybe I temporarily forget my manners and reach out when I see a pair of soft, perfectly round—”
“Matt!” Her head snapped up.
“I was going to say ‘stress balls.’ Why, Penelope, what did you think I was going to say?”
It was an unexpected pleasure to watch her blush and stumble over her words. Teasing her was just too easy.
“Nothing. You’re not pulling me into your perverted games.” She sniffed and picked up a clipboard from the table.
She didn’t look at him as she made a few notations on the sheet. He leaned over and tried to read it but when she saw him looking, she pulled it away and flipped the top page down. He could only imagine what she’d written about him in her small, neat handwriting. Patient is being difficult, probably.
The thought made him smile.
“There’s nothing perverted about it. I assure you, it’s completely natural for a straight man to lose most of the blood circulation to his brain when he sees a woman like you.”
“A woman in scrubs and who wears her hair in a bun? You really are a charmer if you expect me to believe that.” Penny scoffed.
Matt leaned forward. “Trust me, I’m not worried about how you wear your hair. And as for the scrubs…” Something in his voice or maybe his facial expression must have conveyed how serious he was because she suddenly stood ramrod straight.
“Enough talking. We have work to do.” She didn’t meet his eyes as she motioned for him to raise his arm.
Matt complied, more than eager to get started. As she led him through a series of exercises, Penny was tough but encouraging. When he did something wrong, she corrected him. When he did something right, she praised him.
No pushover, she didn’t hesitate to yank him back in line if he got out of order. She didn’t respond to any of his suggestive comments, just gave him a stern look that was quickly becoming his favorite on her. By the time his hour was up, he was sure he’d never been so rebuffed by a woman.
He’d also never smiled as much.
* * * * *
FRIDAY AFTERNOON, PENNY got her first glimpse of Matt’s determination. Most patients needed a break by the second or third appointment. This was when it sank in how much hard work was ahead if they wanted to reach their goals. This was often when self-doubt made them want to reconsider.
Matt’s features were pinched and strained ten minutes into the appointment, but he never balked, no matter what she asked him to do. He didn’t ask for a break or back down. His ego probably wouldn’t allow it, she realized.
Ego could get a patient in trouble just as quickly as giving up. She didn’t want him to push himself too hard this early. After the first half an hour, she let go of his arm and stepped back. “Time for a break.”
Matt glanced at her in surprise. “No, I’m good. Let’s keep going.”
She pinched his triceps when he didn’t lower his arm. “Pushing too hard this soon can do more harm than good. I want to do some massage now.”
He lowered his arm reluctantly. She motioned for him to turn so she could reach his back. After one last suspicious glance, he turned to face the wall. When she placed her hands on his shoulders, he jumped.
“Just relax, Matt. I’m not going to do anything painful. So, how are your parents doing?” She figured it couldn’t hurt to distract him with small talk.
Matt grimaced as she pressed gently on the top of his trapezius muscle. “They’re great. My dad retired a few years ago, so they moved to Florida to be near his family. We see them a few times a year at holidays. Which is about all we can stand, honestly.”
“What? Your parents are awesome. I remember being completely in awe the first time I met your mom. She had the best clothes, and the way your dad looked at her…” She sighed. “I’d never seen anyone so glamorous.”
Matt acknowledged her comment with a slight grunt. “What about your folks? The Colonel should be retired by now too, right?”
“Yeah, although my mom had to bribe him to go through with it. I’m sure if he had his way, he’d work until the day he dies. He’s taken up playing checkers and reading biographies. Mom’s happy to have him home, even though she complains he’s driving her crazy.” Penny chuckled thinking about her parents.
“I bet they’re really proud of you. All that studying paid off.”
“Yeah, they are. My dad wanted me to go to medical school at first. He couldn’t understand why I chose physical therapy specifically. But even though he didn’t exactly get it, he was cheering the loudest when I graduated with a doctorate in physical therapy. Every article that mentions my name, he has it saved in a scrapbook somewhere.”
“That’s as it should be,” Matt said. He glanced at her as she massaged down the muscles of his back. “You know, I used to envy your family.”
Penny was so shocked that her hands stopped moving. “Why would you envy us? Your parents were so in love.”
He shrugged, his muscles bunching beneath her hands. “My parents’ brand of love didn’t leave much room for us kids. I always felt like they were waiting for us to grow up so they could be alone again. We were more like cute toys they could play with and show off to their friends. Until we got too big to be cute anymore.”
“Oh. I see.” Penny hoped her voice didn’t convey the sorrow she felt. He’d balk if she showed any pity. So she tried to sound unaffected when really she just wanted to hug him.
“It’s not that big of a deal. I’m not the sensitive type, so I didn’t really care.”
He hesitated just long enough for Penny to get the sense that it had mattered, even though he hadn’t wanted it to.
Matt glanced over his shoulder again and this time he raised his eyebrows. He sent a pointed look at her fingers until she started massaging again. She rolled her eyes. He grinned at her before turning back around.
“I didn’t care, but Mara did. She used to follow my mom around, trying to act like her and do her hair the same way. They had a decent relationship until we were teenagers. When Mara didn’t want to compete in beauty pageants the way my mom used to, that strained things a lot. They haven’t been close since.”
“That’s hard,” Penny said when he didn’t offer anything else. She was surprised by the swell of anger she felt on his behalf. “No child should be made to feel like their presence isn’t wanted. I’m sorry you were ever made to feel that way. You’ve done pretty well for yourself, Matt Simmons. I’m sure you’ll do even better things in the future.”
“You haven’t changed a bit,” he whispered. “You were always softhearted.”
He turned to look at her and she realized how close they were. Close enough that she could see the faint shadow of his beard where it was starting to grow in. Close enough that she could smell the scent of his skin.
See the look in his eyes.
He was staring at her mouth. She momentarily stopped breathing. When he looked up, he didn’t even try to pretend he wasn’t looking. She could read the question in his eyes as clearly as if it was written on his forehead in magic marker.
“We can’t,” she blurted. “I can’t get involved with a patient.”
“Just tell me you’re not interested. Look at me, Penelope.” His voice was soft, but she flinched at the sound of her name. Finally, she looked at him. His dark eyes focused on her face with laser-like intensity.
“Tell me you don’t feel anything when you look at me, and I’ll never bring it up again,” Matt offered.
After an interminably long time in which she contemplated lying, she finally whispered, “I can’t.”
He didn’t argue, just leaned back against the wall and said, “So, I guess we’re at an impasse. For now.”
* * * * *
THAT SUNDAY WHEN Matt arrived at the Alexanders’ for dinner, he was braced for a round of questions. Showing up around all his friends wearing a sling was just asking for it, but when Ridley answered the door, she didn’t even bat an eyelash.
She merely
said hello and directed him inside.
When Jackson had followed a few minutes later, he’d gone straight to the kitchen and emerged with trays of food. He’d then started talking about basketball. Before long he’d been engrossed in the conversation and had forgotten to be self-conscious.
After Jackson went back to the kitchen to help his mom bring out the rest of the food, Matt remembered that his friend didn’t even watch basketball that often. He was more into football. He’d successfully taken Matt’s mind off things though. It hit Matt then just how much he appreciated his friends.
Matt pulled out the paper plates and bowls and arranged them on one of the folding tables in the family room. He was glad now that he’d changed his mind and decided to wear the sling. He hadn’t even planned on wearing it at first, but a promise made was a promise kept in his book. Penny had said he’d be back in fighting shape if he could follow her rules and he wanted that more than anything.
A sudden round of feminine squeals erupted behind him. He turned to see one of Jackson’s singers, Kaylee Wilhelm, struggle through the door juggling a baby carrier and a bright pink baby bag. She was immediately surrounded by cooing, squealing women.
Trent met his eyes over the clamor of the girls and they shared a sympathetic look. His sister was right in the middle of the throng.
“Oh my gosh. Look at those tiny toes.” Mara glanced back at him. Matt just shook his head. He liked kids as much as the next guy, but he didn’t envy his friend right then. Mara had always loved babies and no doubt Trent was in for a load of baby talk when they got home.
Eli walked up next to him and handed him a beer. He observed the squalling pack of women with interest. “This is going to take a while.”
Matt took a swig of his beer and nodded in agreement. His sister and all the other women were cooing at the baby and fighting good-naturedly over whose turn it was to hold her next.
“Thanks again for letting me crash at your place. I would have been exhausted if I’d been driving back and forth all week. In fact, I wanted to talk to you about renting more long-term. A couple of months, maybe.”
The thought of spending months away from home suddenly didn’t seem so bad. Working with Penny had given him new hope for the future. If he could stay the course, there was a good chance he could get back everything he’d lost.
He thought of Penny, the way she’d so naturally given him the strong encouragement he’d clearly been lacking all along. She was going to get him where he needed to be. He could feel it.
Eli took a long sip of his beer. “No need. You’re one of my brother’s best friends. I know you aren’t going to trash the place. Just keep the key and use it as long as you need. I’m planning on staying down here through the summer. Maybe even for good.”
“Wow. Does everyone else know that?”
“Not yet, so I’d appreciate you keeping that quiet for a little while. I’ve missed being home and I’ve been thinking about coming back for a while.” Eli looked behind him at the cluster of people around Kay and the baby. His brothers stood off to the side, watching their wives indulgently. “I’ve got two nephews and a niece on the way. It’s finally time. The business is thriving and I can run things from anywhere at this point.”
“I understand. I’ve been thinking about making some changes myself,” Matt admitted.
It wasn’t often he talked about his parents, but Penny’s words had stayed with him. He didn’t need anyone to approve of the way he lived his life; he’d learned that a long time ago. However, Penny hadn’t sounded like she was just stroking his ego or placating him. She’d sounded like she was proud of him. As someone who’d known him when he was a kid, that counted for a hell of a lot.
Maybe he wasn’t as immune to needing validation as he liked to believe.
“Actually I wanted to mention to you that we have openings if you’re ever looking to get into a new line of work. Security is a natural fit for someone with your training.” Eli took another long swig of his beer, finishing it off.
“I might just take you up on the offer once I’m back to one hundred percent.”
“I can give you the names and numbers of some of my employees. A few of them are ex-Army. They can give you the no-bullshit lowdown on what it’s like to work for me if you’re interested.”
The offer made Matt smile. If he’d ever wondered if Eli was a stand-up kind of guy, he’d have his answer now.
“Thanks, but that won’t be necessary.” Matt gestured with his chin toward the crowd in the center of the room. “You’ve got all the recommendations I need right here.”
CHAPTER EIGHT
OVER THE NEXT few weeks, Matt worked harder than he ever had before. He was grateful that Eli had offered the use of his house because he wasn’t sure he could have handled driving such a long distance three times a week. Penny had him on an aggressive treatment plan. She’d explained everything she was doing, but most of it went over his head. In the end, the only thing he cared about was that his shoulder hurt less and less each day. He didn’t feel like he was getting stronger yet, but at least he wasn’t in as much pain. That was something.
Matt decided to drive home in mid-February and check on his house. His sister had been checking on it for him, collecting his mail and watering the few scraggly plants he had. She and Trent were there currently to keep him company his first weekend back in town.
“So, tell us about therapy. How is Penny doing?”
Matt froze, his beer halfway to his mouth. “She’s great. Things are going well so far. I’m still supposed to wear the sling when I’m hanging at home, but she said I can take it off when I go out now.”
“That’s great, Matt. See? I was right. Penny was exactly what you needed.”
Matt made a noncommittal sound. “How are things with you? Do you still hate your job?”
He was eager to turn the conversation to his sister. She was relentless when she caught wind of something to do with his love life. He’d been mostly successful at keeping her away from the few girls he’d dated the past year. The last thing he needed was for Mara to dig her heels in and pester him about Penny. Especially since he wasn’t even sure how he felt about Penny.
“I got a promotion and I’m assisting one of the top executives now. He’s slightly less annoying than my previous manager, so that’s a plus. It also means a good pay raise.”
“That’s great, right?”
“Yeah, it is. I can finally stop worrying about money so much. I can start paying you back, too.”
“You don’t need to, I already told you that. It’s not a big deal. It was a gift.”
“I know.” Mara hooked an arm around his neck and pulled him into a quick hug. “I just feel bad taking so much money from you. What if you need it?”
Trent rapped on the table to get Mara’s attention. “If your brother is in a generous mood, just say thank you.”
“Okay, okay. I’m not trying to be ungrateful. I’ve just never had someone give me ten thousand dollars before.”
Trent spit out the sip of soda he’d just taken. “Wait, how much?”
Mara looked between the two of them uncertainly. “Ten thousand dollars. He gave me part of my down payment for the town house. I never would have been able to afford to buy it if he hadn’t done that.”
Matt shook his head. “That’s not true. I was living with you off and on for years so I wouldn’t have to pay for my own place. I appreciated you letting me crash with you. It was more like paying you back.”
Trent stood so suddenly that his chair teetered on two legs before crashing to the ground behind him. “Mara, can I talk to you?”
Mara glanced at Matt. “Sure, okay. Matt, I got those pretzel things you like. They’re in the kitchen.” She walked with Trent back toward the bedroom.
Matt got up too and wandered into the kitchen. He found the jumbo pretzel sticks and stuck two in his mouth. There probably wasn’t much on television, but if nothing else, he could turn to sports
. When he sat on the couch, the voices floating back from the bedroom got progressively louder.
“I’m not comfortable with owing Matt that kind of money.”
Matt turned up the volume, hoping it would drown them out. It was embarrassing enough to be caught in the middle of an argument between his sister and one of his best friends. Having to pretend not to hear it was just icing on the cake. He couldn’t even sneak out since they were at his house.
“He’s my brother. He’s just looking out for me. It’s not like I got the money from some pimp on the streets or something.”
“Your brother is always there to save the day, isn’t he?”
“What the hell does that mean?”
“It means I’m starting to wonder if there’s any room left for me to help you, Mara. Seems like you never really need my help. The role of protector has already been taken.”
After an uncomfortably long minute, Matt was starting to wonder if he should get up and check on them. Another minute passed and finally he couldn’t take it anymore. He rounded the corner and stopped short. Mara was leaning against the wall, the faint black trails on her cheeks evidence that she’d been crying.
Matt had been working to tamp down his overprotective-big-brother instincts for the past year, but the sight of his sister in tears gave him the immediate urge to hunt his friend down and beat his ass. Just for the hell of it.
“Are you okay?”
Mara wiped at the wet tracks on her cheeks. “I’m fine. Trent left. He had some stuff to do.”
It was a little ridiculous to pretend he hadn’t overheard their conversation, but Matt was tempted to. Partially because he was afraid talking about it would make her break down in tears again. “Look, I can take the money back if it’s going to cause a problem between you and Trent. You can pay me back whenever you get the money.”
“Can I hang out for a while?” Mara spoke as if she hadn’t heard him. He figured that was her way of saying she didn’t want to talk about it.