"Yes, sir. But we've always spent that time with my mom and sister. We've never even been on a real date. Although we have held hands and kis?—"
James' hand shot up. "I don't need the details, unless you've crossed the line…by having sexual relations with my…with a patient." He pinned Gabe with a stare.
"No, sir. Of course not."
"Have you broken professional boundaries with Paige during her PT sessions?"
"No. Luke can vouch that nothing inappropriate has happened between me and Paige during PT."
He bit his tongue to keep from blurting out that he almost kissed Paige at the pool that one day. He felt the need for full disclosure, but he doubted Dr. Young wanted to hear how badly he'd wanted to kiss the water droplets from her lips.
"Good." Dr. Young slowly nodded.
“I’ll understand if you want me to step down from running the PT office here. I'm sure Dr. Stoker can recommend another therapist."
“Don't even think about leaving me high and dry with the physical therapy office. We need you too badly here for you to leave.” Dr. Young pointed a finger at Gabe. “Dr. Stoker said you’re the best Summit has to offer. I’m not interested in bringing in a sub-par therapist."
Gabe couldn’t hide his smile as he heaved a sigh of relief. "With this office being an extension of the one in Pasco, I feel obligated to inform Dr. Stoker of my involvement with Paige."
"That's your call." James waved a hand. "If he has concerns tell him to call me." Then he shook his head. “But I suppose it wouldn’t be appropriate for you to continue to work with Paige if you guys are seeing each other.”
“Paige has already scheduled PT at the office in Pasco.”
“By hiring you, I’d hoped to help her avoid having to make that trip multiple times a week.” Dr. Young grimaced and shrugged one shoulder. “But it’s probably for the best.”
Encouraged with how things had gone thus far, Gabe slowlynodded, sucking up the courage to ask for Paige’s hand in marriage. The older man beat him to the punch.
"So, I guess this is the part where I ask: What are your intentions concerning my daughter?" Dr. Young pinned Gabe again with another piercing, blue-eyed stare.
"I love her, sir." Gabe's gaze dropped to the front of the desk for a moment. "I told her a few weeks ago that I couldn't make her any promises because I need to devote all the time I can to my mother for as long as she's with us, but the truth is…I can't bear to face losing my mom without Paige by my side. I want to marry her."
"I suppose there's only one thing to do then." Dr. Young leaned back in his seat and grinned. "Would you like to join my wife and I, and Paige of course, for dinner tonight?" He looked at the clock on the wall. "At Charity's Diner in an hour?"
"Excuse me?" Gabe's jaw dropped.
When Gabe walked into Dr. Young's office thirty minutes ago, he was certain he'd not only leave jobless, but he’d also be devastated, because Dr. Young would refuse to let him have anything to do with his daughter. A dinner invitation was the last thing he'd expected.
"Word will eventually get out that you're seeing my daughter, if they haven't already. People in small towns can be quite judgmental. The best way to combat the gossip about the new physical therapist dating a patient is to show that my wife and I approve of your relationship."
Approve.
Gabe sagged back in his seat and sucked in a deep breath. It was a good thing he was sitting, or he might have collapsed from the sudden weakness in his muscles.
Dr. Young hadn't fired him. He'd invited Gabe to dinner with his wife. And Paige would be there.
How could Gabe possibly say no?
"Thank you, I'd love to join you for dinner. But are you sure your wife will approve?"
James chuckled. "Oh, I have no doubt she will be tickled pink by this development. And I can't wait to hear you and Paige share thedetails of yourfakerelationship with her." He laughed again as he got to his feet.
Warmth crept up Gabe's neck at the thought of sharing how he fell in love with Paige in a busy restaurant. He rose as well. "I have to say, sir, you've handled this much better than I expected."
"Let's just say I've been in your shoes. I fell in love with Hope the first time I saw her." James clapped him on the back. "Right before I removed her ruptured appendix."
Gabe looked forward to dinner more than ever now. He couldn't wait to hear more about James and Hope’s romance. And he couldn’t wait to see Paige again. But he needed to go back to the office and finish some paperwork first.
Paige guided Honey,the gentlest horse she’d ever ridden, to the hitching post outside the stables at the Double Diamond ranch. She looked down at how far away the ground was and cringed. She didn’t relish trying to get her stiff, achy backside out of the saddle.
