Chapter 8
She could do it. She was a fighter. She couldn’t quit on the first official day of physical therapy and definitely not in front of Allen. Point her toes and lift them back up. Simple right? Heather blew out her cheeks. She pointed her toes again closing her eyes.
“That’s it,” Allen said. “You can relax now.”
She couldn’t relax. Not only was therapy kicking her butt, but the man in her house made her stomach do summersaults. The sooner they finished their sessions the better. Until then, Heather needed to keep her distance.
Besides, even if things stirred between them, it would be over in her six-week time frame. She didn’t commit. Why bother when the men in her life proved unreliable?
Her father didn’t stay. He left her mother to raise her and her sister on her own, sometimes working two jobs at a time. Heather never wanted to live that way, so she took control of her relationships.
“Ready for the next one?” Allen asked.
“Bring it.”
“Tough one, aren’t you?”
“Looks like I have to be with you around. How many reps was that?” she asked
“Enough and you’re doing great.”
Tinsel barked and padded his way over to them.
Heather raised an eyebrow. “Tinsel?”
“It’s fine.” Allen petted the dog’s head and scratched behind his ears. He then grabbed a foam roll and placed it underneath her ankle. “We’ll slow it down with knee props.”
Thank goodness. Heather laid flat on her back and tried to relax.
“Okay, we have a way to go with this one. Is that as far as it will go without you straining?”
She winced. “Yeah.” Her only consolation was Tinsel nudging her cheek. She smiled and petted her puppy.
“No problem. It’ll straighten over time so just relax and don’t push on it,” Allen said.
Heather didn’t respond, only closed her eyes. Inhaling deeply, she relaxed but it was short-lived when Allen’s strong fingers clasped her ankle again to remove the foam roll. Her gaze opened, directly meeting his eyes.
Did he always have a mustache? It looked as if he were growing a beard. Heather liked it. It fit his… and why would she care if he fit his face?
“Heather?” he asked.
“Huh?”
“I said we’re done.”
She bobbed her head and took her time to sit up on the mat. “Okay. So… same time tomorrow?”
He grabbed his phone. “If anything changes and we need to reschedule, let me know.” Locking eyes with her, he stared. Heather froze as his eyes gazed at her face as if taking in every detail. Then he reached out, and she pulled back.
He blinked as if coming back to his senses. “Sorry, but you have… an eyelash.”
Heather wiped underneath her eyes. “Did I get it?”
“Stay still.” Allen reached out again and brushed the small hair away with his thumb.
Heather swallowed ignoring her the tingles in her skin. “Okay. Thank you.”
He held out his hand, and she took it as he helped her stand up. Heather hopped to the sofa, careful not to put too much weight on her leg. It had enough action for one day. When the doorbell rang, her body jerked and Tinsel barked.
“Want me to get that on my way out?” Allen asked, grabbing his bag and coat.
Heather blinked. “Yes, thank you.”
He left, and she sighed with relief. Her knee needed to heal—faster.
“Well… well… well,” Sonia said as she walked over to her sister.
Heather hugged her. “What are you doing here?”
“My day off, remember,” Sonia said. Then she gestured to her friend. “She has news.”
“What? Tell me.” Heather knew Morgan’s beauty blog had taken off and skin and cosmetic companies were pitching her to represent their products.
Morgan stepped inside. “Never mind. How are you feeling?”
Heather hugged her sister’s best friend. “What’s going on? What news is Sonia talking about?”
Morgan grinned. “I may sign a deal with Wordsmith’s Skin and Cosmetics. Nothing’s official yet, but they’re a contender.”
“That’s great!” Heather’s lungs expanded through deep, satisfied breaths.
Morgan rubbed at her chin. “Did a cute physical therapist just leave your house?”
“I agree,” Sonia said wiggling her eyebrows.
Heather shook her head. “Don’t even go there. He’s my physical therapist, and that’s it.” Liar. She ignored the fluttering inside her chest. Yet, she could still feel his thumb on her cheek. “Why are you here?” She looked over at her baby sister. “Is everything okay with your car? I can call—”
Her sister waved away her comment. “Needed a new battery, which I already got. I can take care of myself.”
“Sounds like she’s avoiding the subject to me.” Morgan scratched behind Tinsel’s ears as he wagged his tail.
“I’m not. There’s’ nothing to avoid. Allen is here to help with my knee.”
Sonia twisted her mouth into a grin. “We’ll let it go for now. Until then… girls’ night in.”
Heather laughed, breathing a little easier now that the subject changed. “How does that work?”
“We have romantic comedies, popcorn, and ice cream,” Morgan said.
“Nothing healthy.” Heather looked between the two of them.
“What do you want?” Sonia asked. “A veggie plate?”
Morgan laughed.
Heather nudged her sister. “Does it have to be a love story?” It was the last thing she wanted to see.
***
Allen arrived on time the following day at Heather’s house. Her wine-colored hair was in a messy bun with a scarf wrapped around her head when she opened the door. She avoided eye contact, but he didn’t ask why. Whatever it was, he had a job to do.
Nothing personal—never. He got right to work and she didn’t object. Back on the floor, he laid out the mat for her and helped her to sit. She complied but pulled her hand away.
“How’s your walking?” he asked.
“A little slow.” She reached for her phone.
“Heather, we need to—”
“You mind if I play some music. It helps take my mind off the pain.”
“You’re in pain. What can I—”
“I guess more of discomfort. I’m used to music when I work out. It helps take my mind off what I’m doing.”
“Whatever’s best for you,” he said. However, when The Temptations’ “Everything for Christmas” played, Allen’s gaze flicked upward.
“Okay, what’s the problem?” Heather asked.
“What? We’re doing knee slides, so I need you to lie back.”
She did, propping her good knee up, leaving her injured one straight. “You don’t like Christmas decorations and now you’re frowning at my music?”
He swallowed. “If it helps you during our session, that’s all that matters.”
Heather’s eyebrows rose. She wasn’t giving up. “Well?”
“I like Christmas. I just haven’t celebrated the way I used to. Knee up.”
Heather followed his instructions. “Sorry.”
Allen sighed. “It was my mom’s favorite holiday. She passed away two years ago.” He didn’t have to explain himself, but perhaps some information would satisfy her.
Heather raised on her forearms, her forehead wrinkling. “I’ll turn it off.”
“No, don’t.”
“Allen, I don’t have—”
“It’s fine.” He patted her good leg. “A few more knee slides and we can move on to the next exercise.”
Heather did as he told her with no argument, much to his surprise. Yet, when he heard humming, the corners of his mouth quirked up.
“You sing?”
She giggled. “I prefer dancing.”
“Ah, that number I saw in the grocery store.”
“I’m not a professional. I like music.”
“What’s your favorite?”
“Depends on my mood. You?”
“I grew up listening to 90s music, so Aaliyah, Tevin Campbell, Brian McKnight…”
“No rap or jazz?”
He laughed. “You like rap?”
“Again, it depends on my mood.” She smiled and her eyes sparkled.
Taking a deep breath, he focused on her eyes and the mole above her lip. How did he not notice it before? He’d been staring lately, but he dared not to anymore. It wasn’t part of his job, and yet this gorgeous woman… Allen blinked. He pointed to her leg. “We should um… get back to this.”
“Yeah.” Did her voice sound breathy? She cleared her throat. “Yeah, we should.”
Allen needed to get away from her. She was dulling his senses. He couldn’t have that. He didn’t deserve it.
***
“Make sure you take your next dose of ibuprofen before you go to sleep,” her mother said as she cleaned up her daughter’s kitchen. She hurried back and forth between the table and the sink with the dirty dishes in hand.
“Is there a reason you’re in such a rush?” Heather rotated her body to look at her mother.
“No rush. Not exactly.” Was her mother humming?
“Mom, do you have a date?”
“Perhaps.” Her mother’s grin could not be contained.
“Is this the same man you’ve been seeing from the last time?”
“Heather, you’re being nosey my dear.”
“I’m not. I only want to know who this guy is, where does he live, is he serious about you, and—”
“Heather, I’m fine. I’m enjoying myself. When the time comes, I’ll share what’s going on with you and Sonia.”
Heather bit the inside of her cheek before asking, “Is it serious, Mom?”
Her mother tucked a curl of hair behind her ear. She didn’t look a day over fifty with her glowing smooth cinnamon skin. “I’ll tell you when the time is right. Trust me?”
Heather nodded.
Her mother kissed her cheek. “I put the leftovers in the fridge.” She grabbed her coat. “Let me know if you need me. Try not to overexert yourself, please. My nerves can’t take any more accidents with you.”
Heather laughed hearing the door close after her mother. Her smile faded. Whoever this man her mother was seeing had her giddy. She couldn’t get serious. Not after what she went through with Heather’s father.
She saw the dark circles and the bloodshot eyes from all the tears she had cried. She would hold off for now, but if she needed to, she would protect her mother from another heartache. What did Heather learn from the pain her mother suffered? If you love someone completely, you’ll end up hurt. So, she preferred to end things quickly with the men in her life. Lowering her gaze to the floor, it only reminded her to keep things at a distance with Allen.