Brett closed the door behind her and ran a hand through his hair. "No, that used to be Tyler's job." He shook his head. "Sorry, you probably don’t know him yet. Emma finally made an honest man out of him.”
Penny stepped away from the door and folded her arms in front of her. "I met them at the barbecue. They seem nice." She wouldn't say it out loud, but the moment she saw Tyler, she'd drawn some . . . conclusions. Then she’d crumpled up those assumptions and tossed them in the bin. When Emma walked into the room, Tyler was a man crossing the desert, and she was a glass of fresh spring water. He’d barely been able to look past the stars in his eyes to find the toppings for his burger. That guy wasnota player. At least not anymore.
"You're serious about this, then?" Penny asked, relieved that she likely wouldn’t have to worry about a revolving door of weekend sleepovers for the summer. If she said yes to this, which was a bigif.
"Yeah." Brett fiddled with the hem of his shirt.Why wouldn't he be nervous?He’d barely said two words to her at dinner on Sunday before blurting out the idea of them rooming together.Afterhearing she was a physical therapist. "I'm serious. For sure."
He’d had a few days to think it through, so Penny decided to take his answer as truth. On Sunday, after Brett’s idea echoed around the back patio, he explained that he’d been looking for a physical therapist for weeks. The only ones he could find who had openings were down south and private pay.
She knew from personal experience that Danny’s office had been one of them. Brett had texted her a few weeks ago in the midst of her life crisis, and she’d given him the information to schedule. She hadn’t given it a second thought or connected that friend-of-Kelty’s-Brett and this guy were the same person until they’d been sitting across from each other at the Thompson home.
Penny scanned the living area, taking in the wood floors, clean decor, and updated kitchen. "This place is nice. You could get a lot more in rent than what I charge for physical therapy."
"You aren’t very good then?”
Penny’s eyes flashed. “Yes, I’m good. But one appointment a week isn’t—”
“I don’t want to do one session a week. I want to do three."
Penny considered that. "You're motivated." She glanced down at his knee. “Didn’t you just have surgery?”
Brett hobbled over and sat down on the couch. "It’s been a week.”
Penny blinked. “A week? So you were at supper on Sunday a day after you got out of the hospital?” He shrugged. “Those drugs must’ve been good,” she murmured.
“I didn’t take any drugs.”
“You—”
“I only have five months until the next season starts,” Brett cut in. “The doctor said it would probably take six months to recover, but I figure with more aggressive therapy—”
"That's not always how it works. Doing more to help your body progress can be helpful, but you can’t force your body to heal.”
"I realize that."
Penny crossed her arms in front of her. “You seriously didn’t take any pain meds?” A muscle flexed in Brett’s jaw, and he shook his head. “Before or after?”
“Why does it matter?”
She stumbled on her words. “I don’t know, maybe the fact that it’s insane not to take something after you tear through the inside of your knee, and then someone slices through your skin and muscle to fix it?” Her eyes narrowed. “Are you one of those people? Who refuses anesthesia and—”
“I was knocked out for the surgery, but I’m curious what you mean by ‘those people.’” Brett’s eyebrow lifted.
“I just meant . . . you know. The people who think they can cure cancer with crystals or something.” Her cheeks warmed. If he was one of those people, then she’d just done an excellent job of alienating her would-be roommate.If.
That word pulsed in her head, but it was becoming less insistent. Three PT sessions a week was a low price to pay for a private bedroom and bathroom in Northwest Calgary. She'd started her search for rentals three weeks ago when she decided to leave Danny, but it hadn't taken her long to exhaust the available options—at least the liveable ones.
“Maybe theycancure cancer with crystals.” Brett’s face was deadpan, and Penny was about to apologize when a wide smile split his features. “I’m kidding.”
Penny’s heart seemed to climb up into her throat.Had she seen him smile like this before the other night?She didn’t think so because she definitely would’ve remembered it. Penny dropped her eyes but couldn’t keep a grin from creeping onto her face. “First the cameras, then the crystals? A regular comedian.”
Brett exhaled and leaned back on the couch, lifting his left arm behind his head. More dark ink peeked out beneath the sleeve of his T-shirt. “I hang out with my hockey team, and that’s about it. I think I’ve forgotten how to have a filter.”
Penny held up three fingers. “Three brothers, remember? Once I’m convinced you’re not a creep, you can say whatever you want.”
Brett’s blue eyes sparkled. “How long will that take?”
Penny’s stomach flipped. “It took my brother Theo at least four years to convince me.” She walked into the kitchen and inspected the appliances. She'd been oblivious to the housing crisis when she moved out from Vancouver. Danny owned an apartment down south, and it had all seemed so idyllic.
