“Moody?” Tempe sounds baffled. “Tony? But he’s usually so easygoing.”
“I know. It’s strange, right?”
“Very.” Tempe seems as dumbfounded as me. “I have no idea what else could be behind it, sorry. Perhaps it’s just the injury. Maybe he got a call from Seth or the doctor with news he didn’t want to hear.”
“Maybe,” I muse. But I think there’s more to it than that. I get the impression he’s coming to terms with his injury, and this is another beast causing the problem. I could be wrong, though. Other than spending the past week with him, I don’t know the guy well. “Thanks anyway. I’ll let you get back to Madison.”
“I’m glad you called,” Tempe says. “Mercy and I miss you. Any idea when you’ll be home?”
I scowl. “Whenever the damn book is finished.”
She laughs lightly. “You can do it. We have faith in you.”
“Thanks, Tempe.” Sometimes I think she has no idea what her support means to me. I’ve never had many friends, and Tempe has quickly become like a sister. “Love you.”
She says her goodbyes and hangs up. I push the phone away and look out across the beach. Somewhere, Tony is no doubt doing something stupid to try to work through his emotions in a “tough man” way rather than addressing them properly.
My frustration simmers, and I turn to my computer to hammer out a scene where the hard-headed hero refuses to see the truth that’s right in front of him. Meanwhile, the long-suffering heroine encourages him even though she wants to cuff him over the head.
Maybe I’m projecting a little, but I have a feeling many women will relate.
Nearly two hours pass before Tony trudges back up the beach toward the cottage. His complexion is paler than before, and as he draws near, I can see he’s gritting his teeth. He doesn’t look good.
“Have a nice time?” I ask, not wanting to broach the subject of how unwell he appears in case he’s still in a surly mood.
“I overdid it,” he mutters. “My shoulder is killing me.”
No surprise there. I don’t think he knows how to take it easy.
“Are you going to do anything about it?”
He bites his lip, his expression sheepish. “If I call for an emergency appointment, will you take me to the physiotherapist? I don’t think I can drive.”
My eyes widen. He’s asking for help? What happened to the stubborn man I’ve been living with? I bite my tongue because I’d hate for him to get his guard up when he’s only just lowered it enough to be vulnerable with me.
“Absolutely.” I’m pretty sure the scene I’ve been writing will need to be struck from the story anyway. “Just let me know what time you need to be there.”
“Thanks.” He turns to the cottage entrance, then hesitates and looks back at me. “Sorry for making this your problem. I know I’ve been stuck in my own head lately, and you shouldn’t have to deal with the consequences of that.”
I give him a look. “I’d like to think we’re friends. Friends help other friends, even when those friends are behaving stupidly.” I can’t resist adding that last jibe, and he smiles, so I guess he forgives me for it. I shoo him away. “Go call the P.T.”
He heads inside, and I pack up my laptop, notebook, and the coffee mug I’ve been refilling all day. I lock the sliding doors and change into a pair of jeans and a tank top. When I emerge, Tony is waiting in the living room.
“I’ve booked an appointment for half past two,” he says, passing me the keys for the rental car he picked up recently. “We’ve got ten minutes to get there.”
“Perfect. Let’s get going.”
Chapter Six
Tony
When I leave the physiotherapist’s office, Lucia is waiting patiently on a chair outside, reading a book on her phone. She glances up and smiles. There’s no hint of strain or irritation in her expression, like many people might have at this point. She hasn’t chastised me about how I messed up, even though I can tell she thinks I’ve acted rashly. Somehow, the fact she hasn’t lectured makes me feel worse. Would she be so reserved if I hadn’t acted like an ass every time she showed concern?
“All done?” she asks.
“Yeah.” I wait for her to get up, so we can walk together. “She said to rest my shoulder for a couple of days and to not overwork it again or I might lose the progress I’ve made.”
“Uh-huh.” Lucia sounds dubious about my ability to follow instructions. “And what are you actually going to do?”
