“Proceed with what, exactly?” Gabe asked protectively. “You just said you were done.”
A nurse walked in, having apparently overheard the conversation. “That’s okay, Doctor. Mrs. Evans has already signed everything.”
“Uh...” The doctor’s eyes shot to Pamela, confusion and something that looked like fear crossing his face. “Has she?”
He looked nervous to Jane, and now she was even more sure there was a lot more to this test than she’d first thought. “Can I look at the forms, please?”
“No, it’s fine,” the doctor said quickly, too quickly. “If the nurse said you signed everything, we have everything we need. We’ll let you know the results in a few days.”
“Okay, thank you,” Jane said slowly, but her suspicion was growing by the second. She could see that Gabe was equally wary, his body language tense and protective.
“Will you all leave and let Mrs. Evans get dressed, please?” the nurse said, shooing them all toward the door.
Gabe and Pamela walked out, leaving Jane alone with the nurse.
“What forms was the doctor trying to get me to sign?” Jane asked directly.
The nurse’s smile was pleasant but revealed nothing. “I’m not sure. It was probably just a miscommunication.”
Jane smiled back but didn’t believe her for a second. She quickly dressed after the nurse left, her mind spinning with questions and suspicions.
When she came out of the room, only Gabe was there, leaning against the wall with his crutches.
“I guess it’s no surprise that Pamela is not here,” Jane said dryly.
“She said to tell you she will be in touch for your mother-daughter day,” Gabe told her, and Jane could hear the skepticism in his voice.
Jane rolled her eyes. “Nope. That’s not going to happen.”
“Maybe you should go,” Gabe suggested as they walked toward the exit. “Just to see what she’s really after.”
“Maybe,” Jane saidnoncommittally.
As they walked through the parking lot, Gabe misplaced his crutch on a slight curb. Jane reached out to help steady him, and their hands entwined. Their eyes met, and suddenly the world seemed to narrow to just the two of them.
They started to draw toward each other, pulled by some invisible force, until a horn honked in the distance, startling them apart.
“Uh... are you okay?” Jane asked, her heart pounding.
“I’m fine,” Gabe’s voice was hoarse. “Thanks.”
They stared at each other for a long moment and then turned awkwardly toward the car. “We’d better get back.”
“Yes,” Gabe agreed, and they walked toward the car in charged silence.
As they reached the car, Jane was about to unlock Gabe’s door when he stopped her.
“Jane...” Gabe’s voice was soft, hesitant.
She turned. He was so close she could feel the warmth radiating from him.
Then he grabbed her and pulled her to him, crushing his lips to hers.
At first, Jane was startled, her mind going blank with shock. But then she melted against him, her arms coming up to wrap around his neck, returning the kiss with everything she had been feeling for days.
A few minutes later, they drew away, both breathing hard.
“I... I’m not going to say sorry for that,” Gabe said, his voice rough. “I’ve wanted to do that since the moment we met. I’ve never wanted to kiss anyone so badly in six years.”
