“Lana, it’s good to see you, too. I hope Lucas didn’t run off your last therapist.” The older man showed a flash of teeth.
“Of course not, it was coincidental that Mina had to take a leave of absence. Totally unrelated. Now, this does mean that you’ll be getting a new physical therapist, Lucas.” Lana’s smile stayed in place as she turned to face the younger man.
“I hope he or she is better than the last person.” Lucas’s tone was flat.
“I believe you’ll be pleasantly surprised. Why don’t you go get changed.”
Hope looked up in time to see Lucas heft a thick nylon strap on his shoulder and swivel his head between Lana and the older guy with him. He appeared to dismiss them and turned his sight on her. With a nod, he walked away from the trio. She stared after him watching his careful gait, and rubbed her belly.
“Please tell me you have a person who can handle his attitude, Lana. I’m starting to get worried.” The older gentleman leaned over the counter.
“I do. Go home, Bill, I’ve already made the arrangements. I promise I have never lost a patient and one way or another his spirits will improve even if I have to reach down deep and drag the damn smile out of him.” Lana patted his hand.
Hope watched the interaction with mild interest and pulled a file from the top of her pile of patients. “Huh.” She read the name twice. When she looked up, the guy, Bill, was gone. “Lana?” She held the file up. “When did I get a new patient?”
“When I couldn’t find anyone else to take him.” Lana twisted in her chair to face Hope.
“Umm, the guy that made Mina question if she wanted to remain in this profession is now mine. I thought you liked me. That we were friends.”
“I do and we are. But you’re my secret weapon.”
“I am?” Hope didn’t bother to hide the disbelief in her voice.
“Yep. Think about it. Who would be mean to a pregnant woman? I mean you are like a godsend right now.”
“So who is he?”
“Weren’t you paying attention? You just met him.”
“Who? Tall, blond, and brooding?” Hope’s stomach roiled and the baby shifted from one side to the other. She pulled a drawer open and grabbed a packet of crackers.
“Are you going to be okay?” Lana shot out of her seat.
“No, idiot, I’m going to be sick.” She munched on crackers, sticking them in her mouth two at a time. Hormones were not her friend. If she wasn’t thinking about sex, she was thinking about food. Sir Sexiness with a bad attitude had just revved her engines and she would be working with him for the time being. She stopped eating long enough to wipe a hand down her face. This was supposed to be her year. Tears started to fall. Fucking great, and now she was crying.
Chapter Two
Lucas stared at Hope. He still had a hard time believing she’d conned him into accepting her as his physical therapist. She’d come walking into the therapy area with a smile that could stop traffic. With her hair piled on top of her head, held in place with two pencils, she’d looked at him with huge brown eyes and a tentative grin. When he hadn’t returned her smile, he was sure he saw them water. Hope wasn’t model gorgeous but cute. She had the prettiest caramel skin he’d ever seen, a button nose, and bow-shaped mouth.
When he’d seen her belly, he’d automatically glanced at her left hand. The fact that she wasn’t wearing a ring made him wonder where the daddy was. He’d asked a few of the medical personnel in the center that would talk to him and knew she was single. But that was all anyone would tell him. That was a couple of weeks ago.
There was something about the way she carried herself; she kept her head high and damn if he didn’t want to bury his face against the long column of her neck. She also had him doing things he wouldn’t do for his other therapists. Hell, she could bark orders better than his drill sergeant ever had.
But he had to tread lightly. The woman was lethal when it came to using emotions like guilt to get him to acquiesce and she was clueless that she had such power. He couldn’t rage at her because it might upset her and the baby. No, all he wanted to do was take hold of her and see if those gloss-covered lips would leave heart-shaped imprints on his face when she kissed him. She was beautiful and he was scarred; who was he kidding? Lucas shook his head and folded his lips. Hope wouldn’t want him. He looked toward the end of the bar where she stood. His attention focused on a point out the window beyond her shoulder and he gritted his teeth. But if she did…he made a promise to himself. If she ever did, he’d always put her before himself and until then he’d accept the fact that she was a friend.
“Come on, Lucas, you can go farther than that. Move that ass, soldier boy.” Hope called out to him from the end of the track.
He grunted. Sweat peppered his forehead and rolled down his temple. His shirt clung to his sweat-dampened body. He took another step with his new prosthetic and felt the give of the false foot. The idea of falling in front of Hope had him gripping the waist high bars tighter, the smooth metal cool under his palm. He slid his hands forward by inches and took another step.
“I’m glad you think this is easy.” Lucas spoke through clenched teeth.
Hope walked down the outside of the bar and placed her hand on top of his. She stared at him. “Nothing worth having is ever easy to attain. It takes work, strength of spirit, and faith.” She leaned in and spoke quietly. “Come on. I’ll walk with you.”
Lucas took a step then another; once he walked a few more feet ahead, he looked over and she wasn’t there. He glanced over his shoulder and saw her gripping the bar with both hands. He turned and moved as quickly as he could to her side.
“Hey, are you okay?” He ran his hand up her arm.
“Yeah, the baby decided to give me a kick-punch combination. I just need a minute.” She lifted her face to give him a soft smile before dropping it again. “Oh.”
“Oh…what’s an oh? Do I need to go get someone?”
“She’s active today and appears to like the sound of your voice. She usually never moves this much.” Hope grabbed his hand and pressed his palm to the side of her belly.
He tried to ease his hand away but she held it firm. Then he felt a slight movement; a moment later the baby completely turned, moving like a wave against his palm. He slid his hand across Hope’s belly, following the baby’s undulations with wonder. Lucas couldn’t contain his smile as he looked up into Hope’s eyes. “Wow.”
“Yeah, she’s a regular gymnast today.” She slid her fingers across his knuckles before moving away from his touch.
He let his hand drop. “Mind if I ask a personal question?”
Hope tilted her head. “Shoot.”
“Where’s the father?”
“Charlie didn’t feel he was ready to be a dad. I haven’t seen him in some time. I came home and his things were gone.” Her voice was monotone.
“He left you like this.” Lucas waved his hand in a circular motion.
“Yeah. I’m pregnant, Lucas, not disease ridden. Women have babies and raise them alone all the time.”
“I didn’t mean it like that.”
“I know.” Her shoulders slumped.
“I’m sorry if I hurt your feelings. Since I’ve been home I tend to speak first think later.” He turned and bent, leaning his arms on the bar.
“You? Please. You’re a pussycat. No, I was just thinking I can’t keep going to Lamaze class without a partner and I kind of made up a story so people wouldn’t ask questions or give me those pitying looks. Now I have to do something or stop going.”
“Where is your class?”
“Here, on the second floor of the main building.”
“When?”
“Thursdays.”
“What time?”
“Why? Listen, forget about it. It’s my problem.” She glanced over at the clock above the double doors. “Come on, soldier boy, we have fifteen minutes, show me what you’re made of.”
“I’m a little slow but I just caught what you said and I am
not
a pussycat although I am a
pussy
lover.” He chuckled and watched a deep flush start at her neckline. Then he maneuvered his body and started walking. With her encouragement, he finished his therapy and headed to the locker rooms.
Lucas walked to the car with his dad, whistling. At the vehicle his father stared over the top of the automobile at him with a look of bemusement on his face.
“What’s wrong?” Lucas threw the bag on the hood of the car while he waited.
“You’re whistling.”
“So?”
“Son, you haven’t done that since you’ve been back.” Bill reared back and dug the keys from his pocket.
“Dad?”
“Yeah.”
“Where’s the Mustang?”
“In storage. Why?” Bill raised his head to look at Lucas.
“Can you take me to pick it up?”
“Sure, any particular reason? When do you need it?”
“Yeah, I need it by Thursday. I’m going to a Lamaze class.”
The car keys slipped through his father’s fingers and Lucas laughed hard when he heard the tinkle of them hitting the ground again. The rusty bark emitting from his throat surprised him. It took his father a couple of tries before he got the door open. The clicks of the locks releasing alerted him that the door was unlocked. Lucas slid into the passenger seat before swiveling his body to maneuver his legs in. Pulling the door shut, he threw the bag behind him into the back seat. He tapped his fingers on his knees as he waited for his dad to start the car. His fingers slowed their rhythmic tattoo when he realized his father was staring at him.
“Okay, who are you and where is my son?”
“What?”
“Whistling, laughing. This is
not
your normal behavior.” Bill exclaimed.
“I’m fine, Dad. I really just need my car.”
“Do you have some secret life you’re not telling me or your mother about?”
“No.”
“Would you tell me if you did?”
“No.”
His father’s shoulders dropped and he turned to face the windshield. “Guess I’ll have to sic your mother on you.”
“Go for it.” Lucas turned away from his dad and laid his head back against the rest. He closed his eyes and started humming.
§ § §
Hope inhaled deeply as she marched back and forth along the hallway. The only barrier between her and the room that held her weekly Lamaze class was a heavy wooden door. She could do this, just walk into the class, right up to Donna, and tell her she lied. That she had no partner and frankly she’d been relieved when she got home and found Charlie had left her after she’d found out she was pregnant. At least she wouldn’t have to make excuses for her bruises and black eyes when she could no longer hide them. If her lack of complete honesty got her kicked out of class then so be it. She’d made her bed, she’d lie in it. The door to the classroom scraped the floor as it was partially pushed open and Donna poked through the crack. The hinges squeaked when she pushed the door completely open.
“Hey, there you are. We were worried about you.” Donna tilted right than left. “Where’s your partner? I thought you said he was back in the States.”
“Umm about that…” Hope swallowed.
“Hey baby, sorry I’m late. I got turned around.” A deep gravelly voice called out.
Hope’s head snapped up and she twisted her torso to see Lucas walking down the long passage. Her heart beat against her ribs like hands on a drum. He walked quickly with a slight limp and a wide smile on his face. She turned to see Donna beaming at him. No, no, no, what the fuck?
“Donna, listen.” Hope touched Donna’s arm to get her attention.
“Whoa, he’s a hottie.” The woman’s gaze openly perused his body. “No wonder you never talk about your boyfriend.” Then Donna’s face changed and her smile faltered. “I’m so sorry.” She met Hope’s gaze.
“Excuse me?” Hope felt a prick of irritation from the change in the instructor’s tone. The way her look turned from one of appreciation for a hard body to one of pity.