Chapter 30
Chapter Thirty
A fter a restless night, I take a quick shower and put shorts underneath my sweats. No need to get dressed nicely for the doctor, as he’ll probably want to examine me. I toss a new shirt over my head and walk out of the primary suite.
I stop in front of the room Jenna’s using, but can’t hear any noises from inside. Is she awake? Still coming with me? Dare I knock and ask?
During what passed as sleep—more like tossing and turning and punching the pillow—I decided I need to let Jenna make her own decision about me. I don’t want to strong-arm her into coming to NYC. No matter how bad it will suck if she doesn’t take the flight, I can’t force her to do something she doesn’t want to do.
Even if I believe enough for the both of us.
I force my feet to approach the stairs, longing for the time when I could bounce down them at a fast clip. Now, I take each step one at a time hanging onto the banister, careful not to fall or make a sudden movement. When I finally reach the landing, I enter the kitchen and set up the coffee maker. For some reason, I have a hankering for the brew this morning. I make enough for both of us, even if I’m the only one drinking it.
Too restless to do anything except walk in circles throughout the first floor, I count the number of steps it takes to complete one entire lap. One-thousand, five-hundred, thirty-seven. I bet if my gait were normal, it would be much less.
If my gait were normal, I wouldn’t have met Jenna again. Let her into my life. Seen what Darren saw in her—and then some.
Darren was head over heels for her, given how he showed her off at every possible moment. Whether the other ladies wanted to hear his gushing or not. If she were mine, I’d be the same. Yet, unlike when she was with Darren, we’re still in the middle of my PT and we’ve already kissed. Done much more. What does this mean? A new thought rears its ugly head—does she only want me because I’m in the same band as he was? This can’t be true.
Our conversations replay. I allow myself to believe her when she says I’m not a stand-in for Darren. My stomach knots. How can I make her believe I love her? Especially when we’re not talking?
The intercom linked with the gatehouse blares and the guard informs me my car service is on its way. My heart pounds louder than when Río starts the opening for “Refocused Destiny.” Is she joining me, like she promised? Should I tell her the car’s on its way?
Upstairs, a door opens, causing my entire body to sag. We can work things out so long as we’re communicating. As fast as currently possible, I race to the kitchen and prepare two to-go coffee cups. We meet at the front door.
I blurt out the first thing that comes to mind. “You came.”
“I did.” She eyes the mugs in my hand.
I pass one to her. “You’ve made me happy.”
“Thanks. Although, are you sure you still want me to come with you?”
I don’t let any space exist between her question and my affirmative answer. “Definitely.”
She points at me with her mug. “As your physical therapist, I’m living up to my promise to speak with your doctor about your remarkable progress.”
The motion sensors at the front of the house indicate a car’s coming up the drive. I let her precede me out the front door. I open the car door for her to get in then walk to the other side. The driver does a double take when he sees me.
God, I don’t want to have to deal with my annoying fame again. Slipping into the vehicle, I reach across to the front. “Hi, I’m Bennett. Thanks so much for taking us to the helipad. Will you be picking us up as well?”
He smiles. “Yes. You were booked both ways.”
“Great. How long does it take to get there from here?”
“It’s fast. Only ten minutes once we get out of your development.”
“Wonderful. Thanks for driving us.” Niceties over, I turn to Jenna, who’s busy watching the houses go by. I pick up her hand and kiss it. “Thank you.”
Her lips purse. She either doesn’t want me to touch her or—I’m hoping—doesn’t appreciate PDA. Before her, I never did either.
When I buy Secluded Rest, I’ll add a heliport on the side lawn. It’ll make life so much easier.
When?
We arrive and are escorted into the waiting lounge. “I’ve never been on a helicopter before,” she admits.
“It’s fast. You get to see Manhattan from a bird’s-eye view.”
She sips her coffee, all the while throwing off standoffish vibes. The need to set things straight between us gnaws. “Last night was a clusterfuck.”
Her eyebrow raises. “No arguments from me.”
I pull her into a corner, keeping my back to any entering passengers. “I meant what I said. I haven’t thought about Lissa in a decade. Not in that way. Whenever she did cross my mind, it was as a reminder not to get involved with anyone.” I glance out the window as the helicopter lands. “Until you.”
“Bennett, it’s fine. I’m your physical therapist and you’re leaving in a couple of days. I’ll wish you well and return to my normal life, and you’ll perform on stages across the world.”
“You’ve changed me. The thought of returning to UC performances yawns with emptiness if you’re not in my life.” I suck in all the air. “I don’t want to return to the status quo . I like who I am with you. Who you make me.”
Lids close over her grey eyes in rapid succession. “Lissa’s beautiful. She looks like the type of woman who belongs on your arm. Like the models usually there.”
Two of my fingers tap on her chin, causing it to rise. “I have been with models, true. But you know who caught my eye ages ago, yet was unavailable to me? I won’t lie and tell you I was jealous of Darren, but I did want what he had. I just didn’t realize I wanted exactly who was on his arm. Now you’re in my life, I can’t forget you and walk away.”
“Even if I were to agree, we lead very different lives.”
I frown. My idea about meeting up during breaks and her flying to concerts isn’t enough. “I’m not sure how, but I will do everything in my power to make things work between us.” The same two fingers that tapped on her chin, now rub my own nose. “Do you want that?”
The million-dollar question hangs between us.
“The paparazzi will be ruthless.”
“Tell me when they aren’t,” I counter. “Their job is to stir the pot. Mine is to not give a shit.”
She steps back from me. Always stepping away. “I don’t see how we could do this.”
“Luke is going to meet us at the doctor’s office. If you want to explore this with me, we should talk with him.”
“I don’t know what to think. You’ve pulled me off guard. Dragged me back into the pits of hell with all the media.” She takes a breath. “ Then swept me off my feet like an avenging angel and made me forget all of these truths.”
My knees bend so I can gaze directly into her eyes. “Sounds like you want to explore what’s between us.”
“I don’t know.” She shakes her head. “It’s a lot. You’re a lot.”
“When I see something I want, I don’t give up.”
“I’m starting to see that.”
The PA announces our flight to Manhattan is now boarding. Together, we take measured steps to the helicopter behind a few other passengers. Headsets on, we buckle up for the ride. Shortly afterward, we’re carried away by the beauty that is New York City from above. Densely packed skyscrapers and pavement with bits of green space interspersed. The concrete jungle is an apt nickname, yet the life teeming below us is what sets this city apart.
“The City looks beautiful from up here,” Jenna notes with a slice of wonder in her tone.
“So do you.”
She turns her head toward me and rolls her eyes. Score! I have to be making progress with her since she didn’t make any other comment.
Soon we land in Manhattan and are picked up by a black SUV, which takes us to the doctor’s office. Luke stands as soon as we enter the waiting room.
“B!” He gives me a bro hug. “You’re looking well. If I didn’t know you’d pulled a muscle, I wouldn’t think anything was amiss.”
I wrap my arm around Jenna, who stiffens. “All thanks to this woman here.”
Jenna disengages from my embrace and holds out her hand. “Luke.”
Our manager glances between Jenna and me a few times before shaking her hand. “Happy to see our boy’s been behaving.”
She snorts, then covers up with a cough. “He is a handful, to be sure, but I’ve managed to keep him in line with PT. He’s doing well.”
“Good to hear.” Luke turns appraising eyes on me. “I’ve already signed you in, so let’s take a seat in the private waiting room. I’m sure we won’t have to wait long.”
Luke’s prediction comes true as no sooner do we sit than I’m called in to get more tests. Soon, the three of us crowd the examining room where I sit on the table to give us some breathing room. Well, if Luke weren’t here, I’d have a bunch of other ideas.
The doctor enters the room and the smirk falls off my face. This is the moment of truth. After introductions, he dives right in. “How’s the groin pull, Mr. Hardy?”
“It’s a lot better. Physical therapy is really helping me heal.”
He nods his head. “Great. Miss Westfield, let’s take a look at his progress.”
Jenna moves around the room and stops next to me. “Sounds good, doctor.”
The doctor makes me do several movements, feels my upper thigh—I much prefer it when Jenna does this—and asks a steady stream of questions. While my muscle twinges, it’s not the searing pain from before, which has to be a good sign.
“Tomorrow night’s the kickoff of your tour, right?”
Luke answers for me. “Yes. We haven’t made a public announcement of his injury in the hope Bennett will be able to perform.”
The doctor nods and makes notes. “I need to go and get your test results. Ms. Westfield, would you like to come with me so we can review them together?” She agrees and they leave the room.
As soon as the door closes, Luke dives in. “What the hell is going on? You are hooking up with Darren’s ex.”
“We’re not hooking up.”
Really.
Not much.
Yet.
Luke gives me the side-eye. “Right. And I haven’t been UC’s babysitter for nearly a decade.”
I busy myself putting my sweats back on. I have more pressing matters to discuss with my manager. “Last night, my high school girlfriend appeared at the restaurant where Jenna and I were eating. She brought the paps with her.”
“Ah, fuck. Seriously? You brought not one problem, but two?”
“First, Jenna is not a problem, full stop. Second, I need you to put the PR team on alert about Lissa Baker.” I give him the rundown of what happened last night as well as our history. “She’s nuts if she thinks I’ve been pining away for her.”
“Crap. Please tell me you don’t have any more skeletons in your closet. I’ve had to deal with this sort of shit from the rest of the guys, but you swore you were clean.”
Images of my mother pop into my mind, but I shunt them away. She’s remained under the radar this long; there’s no need to think she’ll be media fodder now. “No, that’s it.”
Luke taps on his phone, then focuses on me. “Tell me about you and Jenna. Don’t try to say nothing’s going on because I have eyes.”
Luke is UC’s manager. If I have my way and she joins us on tour, he needs to be armed with the facts. I sigh. “I think I’m falling in love with her.”
His hand slaps his forehead. “Seriously, B? Even a grade three groin pull didn’t make you keep it in your pants?”
I growl, “It’s not like that, douche. She’s . . . special.”
“Didn’t we already go through this with Darren?” At the firm set of my jaw, he continues, “Love? You don’t do love.”
“Maybe I was waiting to meet the right woman.”
“How am I going to break the news to the guys? 007?”
“We can tell them the truth,” I suggest. “They’ll have to respect me.”
“What about her? Does Jenna love you back?”
His question stops me short. I think so. At least, I hope she does. “I’m not sure.”
“Great,” he mutters under his breath but loud enough for me to hear. “What am I going to do with this?”
Our conversation is interrupted when the doctor and Jenna return. The former looks satisfied while the latter wears a frown. What on earth did my tests show?
I don’t have to wait long for my answer. The doctor speaks his medical jargon—I only pick up on the words “groin pull,” “PT,” and “grade three.” Luke nods as if he’s following while my attention remains on a disgruntled Jenna.
When the doctor stops talking, I ask the only thing that matters. “Am I cleared to go on tour, doc?”
A smile tugs at his lips. “Your PT has gone better than I even imagined. You’ve made remarkable progress, Mr. Hardy. So, yes, you can return to the stage for tomorrow’s kickoff concert.”
My fist pounds the air. Next to me, Luke’s body sags.
“With one caveat.”
I sit straighter. This doesn’t sound ominous or anything .
The doctor continues, “You need to continue physical therapy while you’re on the road.” His prescription sinks into the room. “By this, I mean you must have a therapist with you on tour.”
Now I understand Jenna’s expression. However, instead of scowling, I’m wearing a huge smile. “I know exactly the therapist.”
Luke and I turn toward Jenna, who raises her hands as if in surrender. Her words belie her actions. “I can’t. I have a business to run, a new clinic to set up. Two, in fact.”
The doctor checks his watch. “I’d like to see you back here in three months, to check on your recovery. Will you be in town then?”
Luke responds for the both of us. “We’ll be on the other side of the country then, but I’ll make sure Bennett catches a flight out here during one of our short breaks.”
“Very good,” the doctor replies. “I’ll see you then. Keep up the great rehab.” He looks at me. “Do you have any questions for me, Mr. Hardy?”
“As a matter of fact, I do. When can I resume normal sexual activities?”
Luke barks a chuckle, while Jenna gasps. Hey, I just want to hear it from the horse’s mouth. So to speak. After all, he was the one who restricted me in the first place without so much as a peep.
The doctor doesn’t appear flustered. “I’d say you need another fourteen days, minimum, assuming no setbacks.”
I nod. Since setbacks are not in my vocabulary, I circle two weeks from today on my mental calendar. The day I can make Jenna mine.
Assuming she’ll have me.
When no one else raises any other questions, the doctor walks out of the room, leaving me with Jenna and Luke. I don’t waste any time. “Jenna, you have to keep up my therapy. You devised this strategy from the beginning. You don’t want to turn your patient over to someone else at this stage.” I bat my eyes.
“Oh brother,” Luke says. “This is a decision to be made between the two of you. All I will say is you were able to keep up Darren’s therapy by stopping in during the tour at various times. Maybe this could work now as well?”
“No, it can’t.” Jenna pulls her ponytail tighter to her head. “Bennett needs twice daily therapy, not bi-monthly like Darren did at when he rejoined the tour.”
“Which is why you have to do it,” I argue. “Why should I work with someone else when I have the best?”
“Bennett, I can provide detailed instructions for whoever takes over your therapy. You won’t even notice I’m gone.”
I shove my body off the table. “You’re the one who has overseen my rehab every step of the way. Remember when Austin had me do those skater steps? It was a complete disaster. I don’t want anyone else but you helping me.” Her chin wobbles. “I appreciate all you’ve done for me. Even the doctor complimented you on my progress. If you were to stay in Aroostook, all you’d be doing is working with contractors on your new clinic and scouting for your fourth location. King and Angie can help you with both things.” They’re real estate agents. Has to be in their job description.
“I do much more than that,” she complains.
“I know you do a lot of oversight, which can be done online or through the phone, email, and texting. You told me yourself you don’t see patients anymore, and how much you enjoyed working with me. Seems like you can do both things from the road.” Unless she doesn’t want to spend more time with a loser like me. Please say that’s not so. Resisting the urge to get into her space, I lean back.
She glances around the sterile office. “I guess I could do a lot of my At Your Service PT work remotely.”
Relief flows through me. Luke chooses this moment to insert himself. “Do you have a lot of employees?”
Her eyebrow quirks. “Enough.”
“So you’re familiar with the hiring process,” Luke notes. “We’re going to be interviewing a replacement for our guitar tech and could use your skills in deciding which candidate to hire.”
I refrain from slapping him on the back. This is perfect—give her more things to do on the tour besides my PT.
“Oh, I don’t know. I hate the interview process.”
“You’ll only have to sit in on one set of interviews. Because you know the rest of the band, your insight would be helpful.” Luke offers an apologetic laugh. “Especially when they flake out on me.”
“Hey,” I interject. “I said I’d be there for the interviews.”
“And I thank you for that, B. But another set of ears and eyes would be welcome.”
“I don’t know,” she says. “You leave tomorrow and there’s no way I could be ready so soon.”
“Join us as soon as you can.” I point to my thigh. “I can continue doing our exercises for a day or two. After that, I’d be lost.”
Her hands go to her hips. “You need to keep up your PT. I expect you to be able to do skater leaps by next week.”
My chest goes concave. Those things fucking hurt. “I won’t promise anything.”
Jenna looks between the two of us, and I read so many opposing emotions on her face—annoyance, excitement, fear—I honestly don’t know which direction she’s leaning. “Excuse me, I need to use the washroom.” With that, she hustles away .
Luke and I walk out to the waiting room. “Don’t take this the wrong way, B, but are you sure about this?”
“I definitely want Jenna with me. I know this will be a shock to the guys, especially 007, but she’s a fantastic therapist.” I duck my head. “Outside of PT, she’s amazing too. I need to see where this goes.”
Luke pauses for a moment. “Then we need to get her on the UC tour.”
My head pops up and I meet his coffee-colored eyes. There’s no guile in them. “You mean it?”
“Of course. If she’s important to you, then she’s important to me and UC. Give me tonight, though, to sort it out with the band.”
“Thanks, man. We’ll be joining up with you in the morning.” I rub two fingers over my nose. “At least I will. I’m not sure where Jenna’s head’s at right now.”
He puts his hand on the top of my shoulder. “She’ll come around. I mean, what woman can resist the Bennett Hardy?”
I bark a laugh. “I’m positive she can.”
“Then you better put your powers of persuasion into hyperdrive tonight.”
The object of said powers reappears. “I haven’t made up my mind,” she cautions. “I need to talk with Court, my manager, to make sure this plan might work. I also have to discuss this with Ma. I honestly don’t know what I’m going to do.” She tucks her hands into her pockets.
I stand straighter. “I’ll take indecision over a ‘no’ any day.” My manager and I chuckle while Jenna shakes her head.
“Well, I’m heading back to the hotel,” Luke announces. “Make sure you get plenty of sleep. The helicopter will be in the Hamptons tomorrow at noon.” He slaps me on the back and surprises Jenna by giving her a hug. He whispers something in her ear, then walks out of the office.
After we collect my paperwork from the nurse, I ask what Luke whispered. She makes a zipping noise across her mouth. I’ll get it out of her—or him—soon enough.
On the helicopter, Jenna twists toward my body. Into the headset, she says, “You’re wrong, you know.”
Okay. Many ideas flit through my mind but I simply don’t know to which of the plethora she’s referring. “Care to be a bit more specific?”
“Luke is your friend.”
“No. We’re acquaintances, nothing more.”
Her lips purse. “You may think that, but I’m sure he doesn’t. He gave you a hug and you reciprocated. That alone shows you’re more than mere acquaintances.”
“So? You hugged him too.”
She continues as if I hadn’t spoken. “He even has a nickname for you. ‘B.’ Again, friends.”
“Nope. He doesn’t know me beyond being the lead singer of UC. He knows what I tell him to handle media fallout. But not the real me.” I point to my heart. “Not what’s inside.” Truth is, I’ve shared more with Jenna over less than two weeks than with Luke or all of UC in over a decade. I keep this factoid to myself as well.
“You have to let him in.”
I shut her down, “No. I don’t. The last time I did something as foolish as that was when I was back in high school and look how that turned out.”
She swings her foot. “I’d like to be your friend.”
She’s said something like this to me before, and I distracted her. This time? I want her friendship more than a private jet taking us to UC concerts all over the world. I find my voice. “I’d like that.”
We ride in silence until the helicopter lands. After unbuckling and depositing our headsets onto the seats, Jenna gets out. I take my time, holding onto the grab bars like an old guy, but without betraying my injury.
We walk through the waiting room and step out onto the sidewalk, looking for the car service to take us back to Secluded Rest. I have some decisions to make. So does Jenna.
A crowd rushes us, screaming unintelligible questions. I hear, “Are you getting back together with Lissa?” and “Have you been pining for her all this time?” and “Why are you with the Black Widow?”
It’s the last one that draws my ire. I spin on my heel and would come crashing down on the pavement if not for Jenna’s being at my side. She wraps her arm around my waist. “Ignore them. Let’s get in the car.”