Page 146 of The Backup Plan

The way her eyes spark, say I have. “Yes. Mirna. I reached out to her and she put me in touch with a friend who runs the Phantoms program. So, I reached out.” She tilts her head to the side, eyes scanning the hallway before they move back to me. “What can I do for you?”

That’s a loaded question, if ever I’ve heard one. My smirk says as much. She levels me with a warning glare.

“I need help with something.”

“Oh?” Her eyebrows lift. “What’s that?”

“I have a place that’s offering me some state-of-the-art technology for shoulder rehab. I thought I should get you to approve it before I begin my treatments there.”

Her eyes narrow. “Lucas. You don’t need any state-of-the-art anything. You need—”

“I’m going whether you approve it or not.” Her sigh of frustration is there, but so is her desire to know more. I’m banking on that. I lift my phone and hit send on the text to her I already pre-wrote. “Just sent you a text of the address. You’re welcome to drive with me, but . . . bad optics. Meet me there in thirty?”

“I can’t just up and leave,” she sputters.

“I can’t change the appointment.” I take a step back. “I’ll see you there.”

And when I turn around and walk down the hall with her staring after me, my grin is full force because I know she’ll be there.

She’s too curious not to be.

“Lucas.” Emery gets out of her SUV and shields her eyes from the low-setting sun and looks around. “This isn’t any kind of rehab facility.” She turns around to take in the field to the right, the trees all around, and the small lake to our left. “What are we doing here?”

I love the little crease she gets between her brows when she’s confused.

“It is a rehab facility. My kind of one.”

Her eyes narrow, confused. “I don’t understand. I thought—”

“You work too much, and I’m being selfish. I wanted a few hours with you away from our apartments and work. In the daylight where we’re technically not hiding.”

“Lucas. I have work and charts and . . .”

“And you’re going to play hooky with me.”

“I don’t play hooky.”

I step forward, take her hand in mine, and brush a kiss to her lips. “It’s okay to break a rule every now and again.” I wink. “And check out a new rehab facility.”

Her shoulders straighten as she struggles with her strict work ethic and her desire to be with me. “A new rehab facility, huh?”

I can see the minute she gives herself the permission to bend those rules she normally wouldn’t break.

“Yes. The boat’s right over there. The fishing poles and a cooler are loaded in it, ready for us to take a few hours for ourselves.” I laugh as her eyes widen and her head shakes. “It’s good therapy.” I start walking toward the boat. “Just for a few hours. You can pretend it’s medical research. Stress reduction. Exposure therapy.”

“I don’t think lakes are therapeutic.”

“Clearly, you’ve never been fishing.”

She stares at me like I’ve just spoken another language. “Fishing?”

“See?” I grin. “Already educational.”

“Lucas, I don’t know about this.”

I extend my hand. “C’mon. I thought you came to Austin to live. Let’s live.”

Her lips twitch as she draws in a long breath. “Fine. Okay.”