"It's too advanced." Gabe swallowed the lump in his throat before continuing. "The doctor couldn't tell us how much time she has left, but he said probably three to six months. Maybe longer, maybe—" Emotion clogged his throat, making it impossible to finish his sentence.
"I'm so sorry." Paige leaned into him again, and Gabe couldn't help himself; he wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close.
He buried his face in her sweet, floral-scented hair. He shouldn't encourage what was supposed to be a fake relationship, but he needed this. He needed to know he wasn't alone. Sure, he had Grace, but he felt like he needed to be strong for her even though she was an adult now. Sometimes though, he needed someone to comfort him.
He held Paige until the tightness in his chest eased. With her in his arms, he felt like he would somehow survive this nightmare. He kept his arm around her when he finally relaxed his hold.
For several long minutes, they watched the sunset in silence, enjoying the way the golden rays of sunlight pierced the scattered clouds. The sounds of the city surrounding them grew gradually quieter.
"I know I shouldn't have lied to my mom about having a girlfriend, but her biggest regret is that she never got to meet our spouses and see us married."
"Married?" Paige's voice squeaked as she pulled away.
"Don't worry, I don't plan to carry the ruse that far. I just wanted tobring her a little peace and happiness. I want her to see that Grace and I are going to be okay." That was a bigger lie than telling his mom he had a girlfriend.
"Is Grace bringing home a fake boyfriend too?"
"No." Gabe laughed. "Like me, Grace doesn't date much. She has trust issues. If we both suddenly announced that we were dating someone, Mom would have seen right through that."
"Do you think she bought our act today?"
"I think so. She sure looked happy. Happier than I've seen her in a long time. I know you hate lying to your family and mine, but I need you." He turned imploring eyes on her. "At the risk of sounding like a teenage boy, will you please be my girlfriend a while longer?" He rushed to correct himself. "I mean fake girlfriend."
He needed to remember their relationship wasn't real, no matter how much he wanted it to be.
Indecision filled Paige's face, and Gabe's lungs burned from the breath he held there. Finally, she nodded. "I do hate lying to your mom and my parents, but at least now I understand why this is so important to you."
"We can't let the truth get out, not just with my mom, but at the office." Gabe shifted on the bench. "The only reason I got a full-time position as a therapist as quickly as I did after graduating was because the doctor I replaced was caught with a patient."
He'd reportedly slept with his patient, which Gabe had no intention of doing with Paige, but after that amazing kiss this afternoon, he was reminded how strong temptation could be. Besides, rumors had a way of convoluting and polluting the truth. His career might not survive scandalous rumors.
Nor did Paige deserve that kind of scrutiny.
CHAPTER 16
"So, how did it go?" Nikki asked as she walked through the door to PT on Monday.
Paige winced. Nikki needed to learn some decorum. That and to lower her voice.
Thankfully, Gladys wasn't here today, but Sam was. Not that he was able to communicate well enough since his stroke to gossip about Paige being Gabe's fake girlfriend.
Gabe looked up from where he propped Sam's feet on the stepper. "How did what go?"
He acted as though he had no idea what Nikki meant.
Paige knew exactly what Nikki was talking about, and it twisted her stomach into a knot. She hated lying—to her parents, who asked how the birthday party went, and to Gabe's mom, who hugged Paige like she was her own daughter.
"You promised you'd tell us how it went when Paige met your mom." Giddiness filled Nikki's voice as she plopped down on the middle table.
"That's right," Luke said over his shoulder as he prepared a heat pack for Nikki. "I forgot to ask about that."
Paige exchanged a quick glance with Gabe. Surely, they didn't needto tell themeverything. She’d like to keep the knee-buckling kiss and heart to heart with Gabe between just the two of them.
She'd done well pretending nothing had changed between her and Gabe since arriving today. It helped that he was busy with Sam. But after that kiss, and knowing what he was going through, she'd never be able to see him as just her physical therapist again.
"Who said she met my mom?" Gabe's expression remained neutral.
Paige didn't know how he did that. One minute he was joking, the next he looked dead serious even though he was teasing. Although Paige didn't think he was in a joking mood at the moment.
