what, let’s eat, then we can take a look at the knee and see what needs to be done. It actually feels okay. The odds are that I’m not even going to be able to get into my doc’s office this late in the day anyway. I think if we can get the swelling to recede again, it’ll be fine.”
She twisted her mouth as she studied him through her dark lashes. “Okay,” she relented. “If we can get the swelling down, I’ll let you put off the doctor until tomorrow. But I do want to sit down with it and examine it thoroughly myself.”
“Aw, Butterfly,” he wrapped her back up into his arms, “you’re welcome to examine any part of me that you’d like.”
She swatted at his chest with a laugh. “Sit down and I’ll make you a plate of food.” She moved back into the kitchen, dished up his food, and sat it in front of him.
As he ate, he gestured toward the slips of post-it notes spread throughout the kitchen. “So, what are you working on?”
“Um,” her gaze skittered away from his, “just some lists. Nothing important.”
“Really?” He cocked an eyebrow at her. “You seemed to be working pretty hard on that list when I got here for something not that important.”
Suddenly Julie shot out of her chair and began to gather the various scraps of paper. “Nope, just busy work.”
His gut twisted. This was what Rachel was talking about. This wasn’t the Julie he’d known that Valentine’s Day weekend, stressed and strung out over something. She didn’t have multiple lists and scraps of paper then and she’d been working to change her life. What did it all mean? He wasn’t sure, but he planned to puzzle it all out. He just prayed that something wasn’t him. If it was, that didn’t bode well for the two of them.
Losing his appetite, he stood and carried his plate to the sink before turning around to Julie, who stood there nervously holding scraps of paper. He pulled her into his embrace. “Relax, it’s okay. I didn’t mean to push.” He kissed the top of her head and tugged her back toward her bedroom. “Now, can I interest you in a shower?”
She tugged back, shaking her head. “No hot showers for you today. Ice. Knee. Couch.”
He groaned and maybe pouted, too. Just a little.
Chapter 33
Julie wiped her damp palms against the fabric of her jeans covering her thighs. She examined the office building shining in the bright sunlight. She could do this. She would be better for it. She knew that. A bead of sweat trickled down her spine and she turned tail to climb back into her car, scrambling for a piece of paper and pen.
Reasons she needed to go talk to this doctor.
“Mainly because you’re becoming certifiable. Stop it, Julie,” she muttered and forced herself to set the paper down. She sat and clenched her hands into fists, knowing that she needed to get out of the car without her emergency list paper in her hands.
When she had called Rachel, she’d asked her to check out the therapist Pete had recommended to her. Rachel checked him out, talked to him and then called Julie back to let her know that her appointment was set up. Now, Julie just had to get inside the doors without puking in the bushes.
As she entered the reception area of the office, she glanced around at the modernly decorated space. The walls were white with huge canvases of photographed flowers in pinks, yellows, and purples. The odd thing was that all the flowers were photographed from below so the sun shone through the backside of the iridescent petals. The soft tones of the colorful pictures along with the unique perspective created a surprisingly peaceful effect. She instantly felt better, which she supposed was a good thing for a therapist’s office.
An older lady sat at a reception desk and she flashed a kind smile to Julie as she met her eyes. “Are you Julie Hyatt?”
Julie nodded, trying to swallow against the sudden dryness of her mouth.
“Good, we’ve been expecting you. Dr. Eckert will be available in just a moment. In the meantime, can I get you something to drink? We have various colas, coffee, tea, and water.”
Damn, no alcohol. She really could have used a shot or two of some liquid courage right about now, but she guessed that would be bad form for a therapist’s office to offer alcoholic beverages, even if it would