“Hi, now stop trying to change the subject. Why didn’t you tell me the physical therapist was tall, dark, and handsome?”
“He’s not all that tall. I don’t think he’s even six feet.”
“You’re right, but two out of three isn’t bad.” Humor filled Riley’s voice. “Seriously, Paige, how did you forget to mention how gorgeous he was?”
Paige sighed. “Because I didn’t want you to act like my mom.”
“Why would I act like your mom?”
“She thinks I need to get to know Gabe on a personal level after I’m done with PT.” Full of restless energy, Paige continued to pace around her room.
“You absolutely should.”
“No way. I’ve sworn off men.”
"I don't blame you for being gun-shy.” Riley’s tone was full of empathy. “But by swearing off men you might missthe one."
"The one?" Paige felt her brows draw together as she paused to look out the window.
"Yeah, you know, your soulmate. The one you're meant to be with."
Paige believed in love, but she'd never believed everyone had a soulmate. That there was only one person in the whole world you could be happy with. Only one person you could ever love. As long as there was mutual attraction, respect, andfidelity, Paige figured she could be happy with any number of men. There should probably be more than just those three attributes, but Paige was confident love could grow from any relationship that was properly nurtured.
She paused at her own thoughts.
Phillip isn't the only man I can be happy with.
The thought was freeing, but that didn't mean she was ready to open herself up to the possibility of being hurt again.
"I know Phillip hurt you terribly, but that just means he wasn't the right guy for you.” Riley’s voice interrupted Paige’s thoughts. “You'll see, the right guy will come along when you least expect it and sweep you off your feet."
Sweep me off my feet? Didn't Gabe do that last week at the pool?
No. Technically, he’d put her back on her feet and made her feel safe and secure.
A part of her wanted to tell Riley Gabe almost kissed her, but she wasn't certain she hadn’t imagined that heated look in his eyes. The almost kiss could have been wishful thinking on her part.
She’d felt a keen disappointment when he wasn’t there for aqua therapy on Wednesday, and that feeling was amplified this morning when she showed up for PT to find another fill-in therapist.
She asked Gary, the stoic substitute therapist, where Gabe was, but all she got was a shrug. When Luke informed her Gabe left early on Monday for a family emergency, she peppered him with questions. But he didn’t have the answers.
Missing four days of work after leaving for a family emergency meant it was something serious. Knowing how close Gabe was to his mom and sister, Paige had prayed for both of them. Again, she wondered if his dad was in the picture.
“Hello? Paige are you still there?” Riley’s voice jerked her back to the present.
“Yes, I’m here.” Paige let out a heavy sigh. Her attraction to Gabe was as confusing as feeling she should stay in Providence with no prospects of a job.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to get preachy and sound like your mom. I just don’t want you to lock your heart so tightly you miss what’s right in front of you.” Her voice dropped to a reverent tone. “Every day, I think about the pain and trauma Daniel and I could have avoided if I didn’t walk away from him years ago.”
“You guys were meant to be together. It was only a matter of time before you found your way back to each other.”
Maybe I do believe in soulmates.
“You’re meant to be with someone special too, Paige.” Riley’s tone was adamant. “There’s a reason God brought you home, and there’s a reason He brought a good-looking physical therapist to our little town. Who knows, maybe those reasons are supposed to intersect for more than just PT.”
“Now you really do sound like my mom.” Paige let out a chuckle. “Fine, I admit I find Gabe attractive, but he's my physical therapist, Ri. I can't fall for him. That's like totally opening myself up to more heartache, because doctors don't date their patients."
“It’s frowned upon, yes, but you won’t be in PT forever.”
