Seth frowned, his gaze moving to the crutches that rested against the bench. “Can I at least lose the crutches?” He didn’t mention that he rarely used them anymore. They made things awkward and uncomfortable—especially when it came to things like getting through that stupid self-closing door. What kind of PT office had a self-closing door anyway?
Grace returned her attention to the clipboard. “I’d like you to keep using them for a few more days—at least until you can walk without much pain. Otherwise you’ll create a limp pattern, which we don’t want.”
It was on the tip of Seth’s tongue to say something about how limps were cool or something like that. But he swallowed the words, mostly because being cheeky wasn’t getting him anywhere with Grace. Instead, he let his head flop down and obediently raised his leg like she’d asked—or attempted to raise it anyway. So crazy how something Seth could have done easily only a week before now felt like he had twenty pounds strapped to his foot.
Grace looked down at him, her lips pulling up into an almost smile. “Wow, I’m impressed,” she said.
“About what?” The few inches he’d been able to raise his leg didn’t look at all impressive to him.
She shrugged. “I expected a sarcastic remark about how limps are cool or that women find them sexy or something like that.”
As immature as it made Seth sound, he liked that she knew him so well already. It felt like an accomplishment, as though he’d finally made some headway with Grace. He cocked his head to return her gaze. “Do you think limps are sexy?”
The hint of a smile disappeared. “No.”
“Then I’ll keep using the crutches.”
At her look of annoyed surprise, Seth returned his attention to the ceiling, holding back a self-satisfied grin. Let her stew on that for a while.
Twenty minutes later, Seth gratefully tucked the crutches under his arms, resting his weight on them in an attempt to ease the throbbing in his leg. It felt as though someone had taken a mallet to his knee then kicked it for good measure.
Maybe Seth shouldn’t have attempted to flirt quite so much.
SETH SCRIBBLED HIS name on the patient check-in form and nodded a hello at the receptionist. According to Garrett, he no longer walked with a limp, so Seth had happily donated his crutches to Goodwill the day before. As he’d dropped them in the box, he considered taking a picture to send to Lanna. It had been nearly a month since the night of the auction—since she’d last spoken to him—and Seth was sick of it. Maybe if she saw that he gave to other charities as well, she’d finally find it in her heart to forgive him.
“Grace is expecting you, so feel free to go on back,” the receptionist said.
“Thanks.” Seth had purposely scheduled the last appointment of the day with the hope of getting some extra time with Grace.
No longer hindered by crutches, Seth pulled the self-closing door open and walked easily through. He headed toward the workout area then paused when he spotted Grace near the back of the room, working with a blond guy in a wheelchair. They were the only two people in the room, which meant Seth’s plan had paid off. As soon as the blond guy left, he’d get Grace all to himself. Seth smiled, admiring the way her yoga pants clung to her toned legs and the way her shirt followed her curves. What would her hair look like out of that ponytail? Would it feel as soft and silky as it appeared?
Seth watched her work, admiring the way her muscles contracted as she assisted the guy with some exercise bands. Beautiful and confident, Grace patiently coaxed and encouraged. She exuded a casual elegance not many girls could pull off. No wonder she’d kicked off her heels the night of the auction. They weren’t her. She was more the type to wear a pair of comfortable shoes beneath her dress or go barefoot.
Seth smiled, remembering the night of the auction and how her high heels dangled from her fingertips as her bare feet stalked away. At the time, he hadn’t thought much of it. But now he wished he’d gone after her, apologized, and found a way to get her to go out with him. Things were trickier now that Seth was a patient. Grace had made it very clear that she didn’t date patients—not even ones who’d already kissed her.
“Give me three more,” Grace said to the guy in the wheelchair.
He strained to pull on the bands one more time, finally dropping his arms to his side. Beads of sweat glistened across his forehead. “I think I’m done for the day.”
Grace pulled up a chair and sat down. Her elbows rested on her knees and her palms came together as she looked at the guy. “Don’t hate me for saying this, but I feel like you’re holding back. I wanted to start you in the pool next week because you need cardio as much as strength, but we’re not making as much progress as I’d hoped. Are you holding back?”
The guy leaned forward and held out a staying hand. “Listen, Grace, I appreciate what you’re trying to do, I really do, but you’re right, I’m not giving it my all, because I don’t want to give it my all. This isn’t me anymore, and the sooner you realize that, the better.” He paused. “It was a mistake for me to start coming here.”
Surprise and concern reflected in Grace’s wide eyes. “Hey, if you think I’m pushing you too hard, I’ll back off, okay? Just please don’t give up. Not yet.”
The guy shook his head. “I’m sorry.”
He started to wheel himself away, but Grace placed her hand on a wheel, stopping him. “I don’t understand. What do you have against working out? There are thousands of paraplegics who live wonderful, active lifestyles. You can do this.”
“How nice that you know so much about people like me.”
She let out a sigh, still keeping her hand on the wheel. “C’mon, Alec, you know that’s not what I meant. I just hate to see you hide away all the time. There’s so much more to life than staring at a computer screen.”
Alec’s jaw stiffened. He sat up straight, looking Grace in the eye. “You’re one to talk. When was the last time you went out? When was the last time you did something for the joy of it? You sit here and accuse me of not living my life, when you’re doing the exact same thing. You come here then spend your evenings researching new therapy techniques or trying to coerce me out of my apartment. At least I have a reason for the way I live my life. What’s yours?”
Grace visibly flinched, but said nothing. Only sat there in her chair with her lips clamped shut.
Seth’s protective instincts kicked in, and he found himself taking a step closer.
Alec began rubbing his temples, as though trying to ward off a headache. “I thought if I came and did this a few times, you’d stop pressuring me. But I was wrong. You’re worse now than ever before.” He shook his head and let out a breath. “We both know you moved here because of me—because you don’t think I can take care of myself. But I’m a big boy, Grace, and I can. I need you to stop bringing me groceries, stop making me dinner, and stop pressuring me to come here. I need you to back off.” He paused. “Please.”
Grace’s hand fell from the wheel, and Alec pushed himself forward, wheeling himself directly past Seth without a second glance. He paused to hit a small button in a recessed opening on the side of the wall then waited as the door opened wide and stayed open long enough for him to wheel himself through. Seth frowned, thinking about how many times he’d struggled to get through that same door while Grace stood by and watched, probably laughing on the inside.
Seth shook his head and took a step forward, ready to give her a hard time about it. But when he saw the worry lines creasing her forehead and the pain in her eyes, the words died in his throat. That guy in the wheelchair had really done a number on her.
Who was he anyway? An old boyfriend? Or worse—a current one? Did Grace really move here for him? Seth felt a prick of something that felt like jealousy. Apparently, she didn’t keep a professional distance from all her patients. How had Alec managed to sneak past her walls? Or had they been involved before he became her patient? Seth checked the impulse to follow the guy and find out. He forced himself to stay put
, waiting for Grace to notice him.
She sat in her chair, leaning forward with her chin resting on her hands as she gazed out the window. Although Seth could only see her profile, something in her expression wrenched his heart. He’d seen that look before. On Lanna, right after the auction and before she’d walked away from him. It was the same broken expression.
Seth suddenly wanted to pull Grace into a hug and fix whatever was broken inside her. But that was crazy. He hardly knew her, and the last thing Seth should want to do was get personal with another girl like Lanna.
He cleared his throat and moved forward.
As if coming out of a trance, Grace’s head snapped up. Her eyes widened in surprise, and she quickly stood. “I’m sorry, have you been standing there long?”
“Long enough to know I’m not being treated nearly as well as that guy.” Seth hooked a thumb over his shoulder where Alec had just left. “You forgot to mention that the door opened automatically.”
She let out a half sigh, half strangled chuckle. “Sorry. I, uh . . . forgot.”
“I bet.” Seth leaned casually against the bench and folded his arms, glad to see that some of the sadness had disappeared from her eyes. Maybe some mild goading would make it go away altogether. “Know what else you forgot to mention?”
“What?”
“That you make dinner for your patients as well. When can I expect you to drop by my place? Or do you only do that for guys in wheelchairs?”
Lips no longer twitching, Grace shot him a that’s-none-of-your-business look. Then she pointed to the exercise bike and said tersely, “Why don’t you warm up on the bike for ten minutes? After that we can go over some more strengthening exercises and see how your leg is coming along.”
Seth wanted to kick himself, possibly even duct tape his mouth closed. When it came to Grace, he didn’t seem to know when to stop. Maybe he needed therapy on more than just his knee. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to pry.”
“Why do I find that hard to believe?” Grace said. She let out a breath of frustration then sighed. “For the sake of your knee, I’ll let it slide for today.”
Seth nodded, still curious about the guy in the wheelchair, but not enough to risk ticking Grace off again. He swallowed his many questions and climbed on the bike, starting slowly until his knee got the hang of it, then building up speed. He’d totally bombed in the personal department, but at least he could show Grace that he was still a good patient. Seth had worked hard—both here and at home—and was pleased to notice that his leg muscles were getting stronger already.
While he rode, Grace tinkered around the room, writing something down or fiddling with a machine. Seth even caught her staring out the window at one point with the same sad, broken look in her eyes.
When his ten-minute warm-up finally ended, Seth climbed off the bike with an incredibly sore knee and wiped the perspiration from his forehead with a hand towel. “I can’t wait for that not to hurt anymore,” he said.
Grace’s eyes flickered to his, looking almost haunted. “At least you’ll recover.”
It took Seth a moment to realize that she was still thinking of Alec—whoever he was. He studied her for a moment, wanting to know why Grace seemed to care so much about him and where her sadness came from.
“What happened to him?” The question was out before Seth could rethink it.
Grace’s gaze moved to the window again. She looked uncharacteristically vulnerable. ”A skiing accident, same as you,” she said, surprising Seth with an answer. “Only instead of his ACL, he injured the T-11 segment of his spinal cord, resulting in permanent paralysis from his waist on down.”
“Oh.” Seth had no idea what else to say. Sorry? That totally bites? Of all the rotten luck? Everything that came to mind lacked any sort of substance, so he kept quiet, feeling like a jerk for teasing her earlier.
“He’s my brother,” she added, almost like an afterthought.
Seth felt a wave of relief pass over him. So Alec wasn’t an ex-boyfriend or a wannabe boyfriend. Seth almost smiled, but quickly checked the impulse by reminding himself that it wouldn’t be appropriate.
Outside, Alec was just now getting into his car. Not sure what had taken him so long, Seth watched as he opened the door, awkwardly scooted himself inside, then snapped a wheel off his chair and moved it into the car. The second wheel came next, followed by the rest of his chair. Impressed by the efficient process, Seth wondered what it would be like to drive with only hand controls.
“Looking at him, you’d think he had it all figured out, wouldn’t you?” Grace said.
“What do you mean?”
“That he’s accepted his injury and has learned to deal with it.”
Seth shot her a sideways look. “He hasn’t?”
She shrugged. “In some ways, yes. He’s learned how to get around, how to drive a car, how to make the transition from his wheelchair to his bed or shower or wherever else. But he never goes anywhere. He stays in his stuffy apartment most of the time with his blinds closed and the world shut out.”
Seth studied Grace’s profile. He had so many questions—about her brother, about her, about everything. But he didn’t dare ask any of them for fear she’d close up again.
Grace nodded toward the parking lot. “It took me three years to convince him to come work out with me. And now, after only a few tries, he’s giving up and fleeing back into his protective shell. Why?” She said the words quietly, as though talking to herself.
Again, Seth felt the urge to pull her into a hug and offer what comfort he could. But did she even realize she’d lowered her protective barriers and shared all that with him? Probably not. If he hadn’t lucked out by coming right after Alec left, Seth probably never would have known about her paraplegic brother or the real reason Grace had ended up in Seattle.
As Alec’s car finally disappeared from sight, Grace seemed to snap out of it. Her eyes met Seth’s in an almost startled realization that she’d just crossed a line she hadn’t meant to cross. “I can’t believe I just told you all that. You’re practically a stranger.”
Seth nudged her with his arm. “Oh, c’mon. We’ve already kissed, remember? That’s got to at least get me into the acquaintance category.”
Grace let out a small snicker and glanced around, as if suddenly remembering where they were and what she should be doing. “I think you’re just trying to get out of the rest of your workout.”
“Who, me? Never.”
Her lips twitched. “Well, I hope you can stay a little late. You’re my last patient today, and we need to get through your entire workout.”
Seth couldn’t help the silly grin that came to his face. Who knew his plan to schedule the last appointment of the day would turn out so well? “I’ll gladly stay as late as you want. And just so you know, if you’re ever interested in moving me out of that acquaintance category and into something more along the lines of kissing friends, my lips could use a workout as well.”
She rolled her eyes. “And here I was beginning to think you could act your age.”
Seth laughed. “Where’s the fun in that?”
Shaking her head, Grace looked away, but not before Seth saw the corners of her mouth twitch once again. Someday he would get her to full-on smile, or better yet—laugh. Wouldn’t that be something.
“Up you go.” Grace patted the table.
As Seth allowed Grace to check on his progress, his mind started churning. He thought of Grace’s brother and how quickly Alec had gotten into his car—about what life would be like for Seth if he’d done more damage than tear his ACL. Would Seth be the type to shut out the world, or would he embrace his new life and seek out the possibilities? He wanted to believe the latter, but who knew for sure? Hadn’t he moped around his apartment just the other day because all he could do was play video games?
Just then, an idea struck. A brilliant idea. Seth could rent a bunch of wheelchairs, take them to the gym where he and his friends met to play basketb
all, and get his friends to play wheelchair ball. It was the perfect solution. Why hadn’t Seth thought of it before? Maybe Alec would want to join in as well.
Grace had Seth stand to do some calf raises, and as he lifted his body up and down, he said, “Hey, you think your brother might be interested in playing wheelchair basketball with me and some of my friends?”
Grace’s eyebrow raised. “Are you serious?”
Seth shrugged. “Why not? It’s a Paralympic sport, isn’t it?”
“But you’re not a paraplegic.”
“No, but according to you, I’m not allowed to play regular basketball yet, so why not wheelchair ball? Unless, of course, you won’t let me do that, either.”
Grace’s expression turned thoughtful. She raised her arm and rested it on the exercise bike next to him. “So what, you’re just going to rent a bunch of wheelchairs?”
“That’s the plan, yes.”
“And your friends are on board with this?”
“Yeah. They think it’s going to be a riot.” At least they would once Seth told them about it.
Grace drew her lower lip into her mouth and worked it back and forth before releasing it. “You sure you have room for one more?”
“There’s always room for one more.”
Grace smiled—actually smiled. It lightened her eyes the way Seth knew it would and made her that much more beautiful. Seth wanted to fist pump the air. Evidently today was a day for miracles.
“I’ll see if I can get Alec to come,” she said. “When are you meeting and where?”
Oh, um . . . Hopefully the gym at the junior high where they usually met, but he’d have to call a friend to make sure. Then there were the wheelchairs to procure. “If you give me your cell number, I’ll text you the details once I get them nailed down.”
She hesitated a moment, then scribbled something on a pad of paper and held it just out of reach from him. “I only want one text from you, okay?”
Working It Out (A Romantic Comedy) Page 6
