Unbroken

by Donna K. Ford

“Okay.”

  Jackie attached small patches of electrodes to Kayla’s neck.

  “Can you loosen your shirt a little?”

  Kayla stiffened, momentarily insecure in the small space and vulnerable to Jackie’s tenderness. Reluctantly, she opened a button on her shirt and felt the fabric pull back from her shoulders as Jackie continued to attach the electrodes down her back.

  When Jackie finished, she pulled Kayla’s shirt back into place and draped a steaming towel across Kayla’s neck and shoulders. She picked up another towel and rolled it into the shape of a tube.

  “Lie back.” Jackie gently guided Kayla back onto the table and placed the towel beneath her neck.

  Jackie’s hands were soft and warm as she touched her, and Kayla held her breath for fear a sigh might escape her lips. She had expected Jackie to be flirtatious and teasing, but she had been sweet and tender in a professional way. Perhaps there was more to Jackie than the reckless, impulsive woman she had seemed to be when they met. Yeah, right. That was probably just wishful thinking.

  Jackie adjusted some dials on a machine next to the treatment table. “Let me know when this starts to feel too strong for you.”

  “Okay.”

  A tingling sensation started in her neck and grew more intense as Jackie manipulated the dials.

  “Does that feel okay?”

  “It feels good actually.” Kayla was surprised by how relaxing the combination of heat and stimulation was. Everyone always talked about physical therapy being painful, but this was pleasant.

  Jackie smiled down at her. “I’ll let you rest here for a while and I’ll be back to check on you in a bit. Do you need anything? Do you feel okay?”

  “I’m fine.” Kayla smiled despite her unease about being left alone. She wasn’t prepared for this professional, gentle side of Jackie. She had spent the last three days preparing to put up boundaries with Jackie, to resist her undeniable charm, but now Kayla found herself drawn to Jackie for entirely new reasons.

  “You’re leaving?”

  Jackie slid her hand into Kayla’s and squeezed. “I’ll be right outside. I just want you to relax awhile. I’ll be back, I promise.”

  Kayla felt silly for being such a baby, but she was scared and vulnerable and Jackie was a comfort to her.

  “Okay.”

  “Good. See you in a few.”

  When Jackie left the room, Kayla let out a long sigh and closed her eyes. She knew she was acting like a child pining over a crush. It was unlike her to let anyone get under her skin like this, but she had to admit it was nice to have a woman pay attention to her. And although Jackie was just doing her job, it felt good to have someone take care of her for a change.

  *

  Kayla opened her eyes at the gentle rap at the door just as Jackie stepped into the room. She wasn’t sure how long Jackie had been gone. To her surprise, she’d fallen asleep.

  “How are you feeling?”

  “Good. I could get spoiled by this,” she admitted.

  “Is that so bad?” Jackie said as she helped Kayla sit up and began removing the electrodes from her skin.

  “No.” Kayla admitted. “I think I rather like it.”

  Jackie’s hands stilled and Kayla thought she detected a slight catch in her breathing. Jackie didn’t respond with her usual flirtation, and that surprised Kayla. Jackie had been completely professional with her throughout the entire session. What had changed?

  “How about you? How have you been?” Kayla asked.

  Jackie smiled, but there was no light in her eyes when she spoke. “I’m good. It’s been a busy week, but other than that, I have no complaints.” Jackie removed the towels and pads from the treatment table. “Okay, I need you to sit up straight and tall and do the movements I showed you last week.” Jackie demonstrated again and watched intently as Kayla repeated the maneuver.

  Kayla did as she was asked but her eyes never left Jackie. “You seem different today. Is something bothering you?”

  Jackie placed her hands against Kayla’s neck and danced her fingers along her spine. “Very good. Do that ten times and rest a minute.”

  “Is there?” Kayla asked again.

  “Is there what?”

  “Something wrong?”

  “No.” Jackie frowned and seemed to consider something. “So, Jen’s husband has a drug problem? You don’t strike me as the kind of person who would be mixed up in drugs.”

  Kayla understood Jackie’s curiosity but she also detected something personal in the question. “I’m not mixed up in anything. It isn’t even the kind of thing I deal with often. I’m a mental health counselor, and in my line of work I encounter a little bit of everything.” Kayla studied Jackie as she spoke. “Why do you ask?”

  Jackie shrugged. “Just curious. The story last week had me confused and I couldn’t help but wonder about it.”

  Kayla stopped her exercises and met Jackie’s gaze. She understood that something significant was happening for her with Jackie. In her professional life, she was used to asking questions of others, but suddenly she found herself wanting to share with Jackie. For some reason, it was important that she explain. “It was a very unusual situation. Jen is more a victim than I am. Mike has never come to the office before and I got in the way.”

  “So you don’t usually have drug addicts attacking you?”

  Kayla smiled. “Of course not. I care about all of my clients, and I can’t imagine any of them harming anyone intentionally. But Mike isn’t a client. This was the first time anything like this has ever happened.”

  Jackie brushed her fingers along Kayla’s neck and shoulders, needing the physical connection to ground her to the moment. She was unusually tense and guarded and she wasn’t sure why. Kayla was being very pleasant and there was no reason for the unease making her skin itch. She wasn’t sure what she was looking for, but something told her Kayla was holding back.

  “Well, this guy didn’t do you any favors.” Jackie’s anger simmered too close to the surface, making her tone harsher than she intended. The incident with Kayla had made her defensive. “This kind of injury is likely to be a long-term problem. Even if we get you through this episode, it’s very likely you’ll have recurrences. These exercises you’re learning now will be your best defense to keep the pain at bay.”

  “Oh.” Kayla looked stunned as she considered the information. “I guess I didn’t realize it was that serious.”

  “Anytime someone hurts you, it’s serious,” Jackie snapped and immediately regretted the remark. “I’m sorry. It’s none of my business.” Jackie tapped her finger on the end of Kayla’s chin. “Ten more. I just hope you’re careful from now on.”

  “Trust me. I don’t want to experience anything like that ever again. Like I said, it was a very unusual situation. I’m perfectly safe now.”

  Jackie forced a smile. “Good.” She busied herself around the room while Kayla went through the exercises. She hoped Kayla was right. Maybe it was a fluke incident. She’d overreacted and was thankful Kayla hadn’t called her on her rudeness. At least now she understood things a little better. It wasn’t like Kayla was mixed up in drugs herself. She’d just been in the wrong place at the wrong time. Jackie relaxed a little as some of the tension melted away.

  She continued her instructions, determined to keep her mind on her work. Kayla was just another client. She had no right to get into her personal business. This was work and she would handle this situation like all the others. She could do that, right? Sure, she could tell herself that all day, but it didn’t change the way she felt.

  “I want you to do that exercise again, but this time when you retract your head, I want you to turn your head to the left, like this.” Jackie demonstrated again and took Kayla’s chin between her fingers and thumb while she cradled her neck with the other to make sure Kayla had the movement right.

  Kayla felt the heat of Jackie’s body as she cradled her face in her hands. She knew Jackie was only doing her job, but th
e touch sent a rush of heat through her skin. She thought of her relationships with her clients and shuddered at her behavior. This must be what transference feels like. She was clearly confusing Jackie’s caring with attraction.

  Jackie nodded and smiled. “Perfect. Now do ten more of those.”

  “Okay.” Kayla was relieved when Jackie stepped away. She took a deep breath and tried to rein in her traitorous emotions. This was a professional relationship, nothing more.

  Jackie smiled when Kayla finished. “That’s it for today. I want you to do those exercises three times a day for the next week, and more often if you feel your neck or shoulders begin to stiffen up or hurt.”

  “Got it.” As Jackie drew away, Kayla grabbed her hand, not ready to let her go. “Thank you. This really helps.”

  Jackie smiled and took a step back. Kayla felt the withdrawal as if a door had closed between them. Jackie had been tender with her, her touch caring and gentle, but there had been a distance between them that Kayla didn’t understand, and the absence of Jackie’s flirtations and cheerful disposition had left her confused and disappointed. When had she started wanting Jackie’s affections? This is silly. This was Jackie’s work. The Jackie she knew here was not the same as the Jackie she had encountered at the bar. I wonder what the real Jackie is like?

  “Practice.” Jackie feigned a stern look. “I’ll see you next week.”

  Kayla smiled. “Of course.”

  She had at least one more week to figure Jackie out. Maybe next week she would get some answers about this contradictory woman. Her curiosity was piqued and when she wanted to know something she could be relentless. She wasn’t usually wrong about people, but something told her there was more to Jackie Phillips than she knew, and despite her first impression, or maybe even because of it, she wanted to know more.

  *

  Jackie looked at the appointment calendar and was relieved to see there were no new names on the list. She looked at the clock, shocked she had managed to end a day on time for once.

  “Hey, Jack.”

  Peter, her coworker and business partner, closed the door to his office. He smiled broadly and threw his backpack over his left shoulder. He had showered and changed and looked ready for a night on the town.

  “Well look at you. Who knew you had anything in your wardrobe besides gym clothes? Hot date tonight?”

  Peter grinned. “Not yet. How about you? Do you have any big plans for the night?”

  “Nope,” Jackie answered.

  “Want to grab a decent dinner for a change and see what kind of trouble we can find?”

  Jackie wasn’t sure why she hesitated, but for a moment the idea of being surrounded by strangers felt like too much work. But the thought of going home to her apartment alone and the relentless silence and loneliness was even worse.

  “Sure. You call it.”

  Peter clasped Jackie by the shoulder. “I’ve got just the place.”

  Jackie groaned. “Why do I have the feeling I’m going to regret this?”

  Peter laughed. “Nonsense, you’ll be fine. Now get your gear and let’s get out of here—I’m starved.”

  Jackie followed Peter to a small building on the outskirts of the city. What was he up to? She groaned when she pulled into the parking lot of the Purple Pig. She was going to kill him. The Purple Pig was a leather bar that catered to men and their motorcycles. Jackie looked down the row of bikes parked in front and did a double take when she spotted a horse tied to the post at the corner.

  “Ah, hell, this I’ve got to see.”

  She climbed out and met Peter at the front of her car. “When you said decent dinner, this isn’t exactly what I had in mind,” she said as she nodded her head toward the bar.

  Peter shrugged. “You haven’t had the smoked wings and the sweet potato pie.”

  “You’re kidding, right?”

  “Nope. Don’t worry, I know the guys here tonight and you’re safe.”

  Jackie sighed. “Fine, but I don’t fight, I don’t do men, and I’m not bailing anyone out of jail.”

  Peter laughed. “Good Lord. First of all, there won’t be any fights, the men are all mine, and no one’s going to go to jail. Trust me. It isn’t as bad as it looks. If it makes you feel any better, my aunt owns this place and no one here is brave enough to take her on.”

  Jackie considered the revelation. “Your aunt owns the Purple Pig?”

  “Yep, and she’s expecting me for dinner and I’m going to tell her it’s your fault if we’re late. Now, come on.” Peter put his arm around Jackie’s shoulders and tugged.

  “Oh, what the hell.”

  The crack of pool balls pierced through the roar of voices that filled the small space as they pushed through the door. Jackie looked around the room and noted the handful of men crowded around the pool tables didn’t seem fazed by their entrance. She followed Peter through to the back. Instead of a door leading out to the patio there was an open garage door. Outside, fifty or more people mingled around a large fire pit and a group of men and women were playing Cornhole to their right.

  Peter stepped up to the outdoor bar, leaned over, and kissed the tall broad-shouldered brunette on the cheek. Jackie was stunned. This couldn’t possibly be Peter’s aunt. This woman couldn’t be more than five years older than Jackie and looked like Terri Clark.

  “You’re late,” she growled.

  “It’s her fault.” Peter pointed to Jackie.

  Jackie smiled apologetically and held out her hand. “Sorry, ma’am.”

  The woman took Jackie’s hand and held it as her eyes trailed up and down Jackie’s body. “Hmm. You’re forgiven.”

  “Jackie, this is my aunt, Adele. Adele, this is Jackie, a friend from work.”

  Adele hadn’t taken her eyes off Jackie. “Well, Jackie, welcome to the Purple Pig. If you’re hungry, I’m sure I’ve got something you’ll like.”

  Jackie smiled. “I’m sure of it, ma’am.”

  Adele stepped back, her expression suddenly serious when loud voices signaled a problem at the Cornhole game. Adele picked up an air horn, and everyone stopped what they were doing when the blaring sound burst through the raised voices.

  “Hollace. Murley. Cut out the macho bullshit or I’ll see your asses outside!”

  The two men turned and waved her off. “Sorry, Adie,” they called in unison. The shorter man in black leather chaps and black muscle shirt shoved the beanbags into the chest of the larger man with an American flag bandana wrapped around his head.

  Jackie’s ears were still ringing from the air horn when Adele turned back to her.

  “What would you like to drink?”

  “A Bud Light will be fine. Thank you.”

  Adele turned to Peter. “What about you, sweetie? And don’t say one of those pansy fruity drinks. It’s beer or whiskey or soda. I’m not hauling ice for these lugs when you get them started on those damn daiquiris again.”

  “Come on, Adie, let’s put a little sweet in your tart.”

  Peter ducked when Adele tried to swat him. “Okay, okay. I’ll have a Jack and Coke.”

  Adele quickly produced their drinks and disappeared into the back.

  “Is she really your aunt?” Jackie asked.

  Peter sipped his drink. “Yep. My grandmother said she was a change-of-life baby. I figured that was appropriate since she changed everybody’s lives.” Peter grinned. “We pretty much grew up together since we’re so close in age. She’s more like a sister than an aunt, but she still likes to pretend she’s the boss. But I know all her secrets and I can get my way when I want it.”

  Jackie was intrigued to see this side of Peter. They had worked together for three years now, but this was the first time she had met anyone from his family.

  “I think she likes you,” Peter said with a wry grin.

  Jackie gave his shoulder a shove. “Why haven’t you mentioned her before?”

  He shrugged. “I don’t know. You know how it is, work is work, and fam
ily is family. I guess this makes you a little of both.”

  Heat rose in Jackie’s cheeks as warmth spread through her. She didn’t know what to say. She didn’t even know if she really understood what family meant. But she knew this was a really big deal and her heart swelled with gratitude and ached with loss. “That’s nice. Thanks.”

  Peter laughed. “You say that now, but wait till Adele gets her hands on you. You might change your mind.”

  “I’m going to tell her you said that.”

  “Tell me what?” Adele said as she pushed through the swinging doors and placed two heaping plates of pulled pork, potato salad, green beans, and corn bread in front of them.

  “I was telling Jackie how sweet you are.”

  Jackie started to say something, but Peter stuffed her corn bread into her mouth.

  “Yeah, I’m feeling the love,” Adele said and rolled her eyes. “Just stay out of trouble and let me know if you need anything.” Adele brushed her fingers across the back of Jackie’s hand before she disappeared into the crowd.

  Jackie admired her body as she walked away. She was a beautiful woman, and Jackie considered accepting the subtle invitation that had been offered. Then again, she had to work with Peter every day and the last thing she wanted to do was to mess up that relationship. She might not have a family of her own, but she knew it was something sacred. Peter trusted her enough to share his with her and she wouldn’t cross that line. She wasn’t family. That was something she could never have. But having Peter accept her and trust her with those important to him was a gift.

  “Hello, beautiful,” a deep voice said behind them.

  Jackie turned as a tall, well-built man in worn jeans, a white button-up shirt, and a black cowboy hat leaned against the bar and clasped his hand possessively around Peter’s knee.

  Peter made a show of chewing his food and wiping his mouth before he answered.

  “Hello, Calvin. I thought I saw your horse outside. What’s wrong, couldn’t find a barn to roll around in tonight?”

  “Oh, come on now, sugar, let’s not be like that. I’ve been here every night for a month looking for you. I’ve missed you.”