Chapter 19
Silence filled the car as Gabe drove Paige to his mom's house again. He and Paige had found no shortage of things to talk about during PT this week, but now, alone in his car—with her only a foot away—everything that came to mind felt too intimate.
As usual, the air between them fairly crackled with electricity, and he couldn't help remembering their kiss last Saturday as well as their near kiss earlier this week. His grip on the steering wheel tightened as he fought the urge to take her hand.
He'd have plenty of opportunities to do that later, while they were with his mother. He shouldn't be so excited about that, considering it only made it harder to fight his developing feelings for her, but he was.
"I told my parents the truth about Phillip this morning," Paige said, studying her hands in her lap.
"How did they take it?"
"About like you'd expect. My dad was quiet, but got that murderous look in his eyes, and my mom was appalled." Paige's hand started moving through the air as she talked, and Gabe had to bite back a smile.
"What made you decide to tell them now?"
"That whole thing with Phillip on Monday could have been avoided if I'd told them sooner." She went on when he gave her a questioning look. "Apparently, he showed up last Saturday while I was with you, and she told him to come back on Monday when she knew I'd be home alone."
Last Saturday.
And he was right back to thinking about their kiss again. He forced his thoughts back to the topic at hand.
Gabe nodded. "I'm sure if she'd known the truth she would have sent him packing."
"I feel like a coward for not telling everyone what he did. What I did."
"You are not at fault. Phillip is. He deceived you." Gabe grabbed her hand and gave it a squeeze. "You need to stop blaming yourself."
"My dad said the same thing." She looked up at him then. "It's just that… Well, you know how hard it is to admit you were wrong about someone. That the relationship you've devoted so much time to was all a mistake."
"I do. It's easy to blame yourself, but you can't take responsibility for something that isn't your fault. You'll never be able to move forward if you keep looking back at your mistakes.”
“Are you still looking back?” The question was quiet, but it struck him to his core.
Am I?
He was so focused on his studies during PT school that he'd hardly dated. Yes, he’d been afraid he'd end up neglecting any woman he dated, like he had Harper.
School was behind him now, so he had no excuse. Except that he hadn’t met anyone he was interested in dating.
Until now.
Enjoying the feel of Paige's hand in his more than he should, he let go and returned his hand to the steering wheel. Instead of answering her question, he changed the subject. "Has Phillip bothered you anymore since Monday?"
"No, thank goodness."
Silence again settled between them.
Gabe cleared his throat. "Are we okay?"
She cocked one brow giving him a questioning look.
"I feel bad about how we— I mean, the way I left things on Monday."
Paige burst out laughing.
He wasn't sure how he'd expected her to respond, but it wasn't like that.
"What's so funny?"
"You are." Paige chuckled again. "I think you've read—or listened to—too many romance novels."
"What do you mean?" Confused, he scowled at her. He never should have admitted to reading romances.
"The woman is usually the one concerned about defining the relationship."
"I'm not trying to define the relationship." His defensive tone made the words sound like a growl. "There isn't a relationship." But he wished there was.
"I know. There can't be, because there's too much at stake." Her voice was a combination of sarcasm and boredom. Then she grinned as she pointed a finger at him. "Except there is. It's fake, but there's a relationship."
"That's not what I meant."
"I know." Her eyes flashed as her voice turned defensive. "But unless you've changed your mind about being able to make promises, this fake relationship…" she circled her hand in the air, "is all there is. And as far as I'm concerned, it doesn’t need to be defined."
Meaning she didn't want to discuss it anymore. She'd put him firmly in his lane, which was where he needed to stay. He couldn't have a real relationship with her if he wasn't willing to tell his mom the truth and risk his job.
Would Mom be glad he'd finally moved on if he lost his job because of it?
Arrival at their destination prevented further conversation, but Gabe couldn't help wondering why he had to meet Paige now when his life was so complicated?
Why couldn't they have met years ago, before he became her therapist?
And why did the only relationship he could have with her have to be based on lies?
When Gabe opened Paige's door for her, he was tempted to pin her up against his car again and steal a kiss, but that was out of line in light of their recent conversation.
Neither Mom nor Grace met them at the front door this time, but Gabe took Paige's hand in his before walking into the house. The scent of savory meats and spices combined with hot oil greeted them. His stomach rumbled. He'd been too keyed up to eat much today.
Gabe guided Paige toward the kitchen, where they found his mom and sister up to their elbows in flour and dough.
"What? No welcome committee today?"
"Ah Mijo," Mom threw her flour-dusted hands in the air. "We got caught up in our preparations and lost track of time." She quickly cleaned her hands and greeted them with hugs.
Gabe hadn’t always welcomed his mom’s hugs, especially as a teenager, but nowadays, he cherished every single one.
Mom wrapped Paige in an equally tight hug, and like last week, Paige's eyes squeezed shut. Her expression looked both pleased and pained.
She hates lying to my mom.
He did too, but he couldn't recall the last time he'd seen her look so happy. He couldn't bear to take that away from her. Even though the shadows of fatigue under her eyes were ever-present, excitement filled her face on Saturdays when he brought Paige over.
"Okay, you two wash your hands." She pushed them toward the sink then clapped her hands twice. "It's time to get cooking."
Paige laughed as they bumped elbows at the sink. "Is that where you get it from?"
Gabe looked at her beside him. Eyes alight with laughter, she looked radiant. His heart stuttered. He regretted not stealing that kiss when he had the chance.
"Get what from?" His voice was gruffer than a moment ago.
"When you want your patients to get to work you always clap your hands like your mom does. Except you've added your own flair by rubbing your palms together afterward."
Gabe had never thought about how closely his desire to be upbeat and encouraging mimicked his mom's habit. He couldn't think of a better person to model his life after.
"He doesn't only do that with his patients." Grace piped up behind them. "He does it every time he takes charge and gets bossy."
Gabe turned and pulled a face at her as he dried his hands.
"We all have our quirks." He pointed at Grace but looked at Paige.
"For example, Grace often makes humming and moaning noises while she eats.
" Ignoring his sister's scowl, he wrapped his arm around Paige's shoulders.
"And Paige here likes to talk with her hands.
The more excited she gets the faster they move.
" Paige gasped and started to pull away, shooting him a scowl of her own, but he kept his arm around her. "It's very cute."
Her outrage morphed into an adorable grin. "Not as cute as you having push-up contests with Luke at work." She poked his stomach.
Gabe tensed, fearing Mom would remember that Luke was his current assistant and pick up on the fact that Paige was a current patient, not a former one. Paige must have realized her mistake, because her eyes widened, and she went as still as a statue. Even Grace gave them a wide-eyed look.
"Are you boys still doing silly stuff like that?" Mom tsked as she attacked the dough in her bowl again. "May as well be walking around like a couple preening peacocks." Thankfully, her head was down so she didn't see the panic on their faces.
Paige grimaced then gave him a tight smile. "Do you still make that face when you rub out your patients?"
"What face?" Gabe was too surprised by her question to appreciate the save.
"You know, the one where your lips are half-pursed to the side. Sometimes you push your tongue into your cheek."
"Yes!" Grace pointed at him and laughed. "He does that all the time when he's concentrating or deep in thought."
"Concentrating, huh?" A pensive look covered Paige's face as she stared up at him with those expressive blue eyes. "What are you thinking so hard about all the time?" Her voice suddenly sounded seductive.
Or maybe it was just his imagination. Regardless, a curl of desire flickered in his stomach.
"In your case, I was totally not letting my mind wander in inappropriate directions while I massaged your backside." He wiggled his eyebrows at her.
When her eyes widened, he couldn't resist any longer.
He brought a hand up under her chin and dipped his head until his lips met hers.
Even though he desperately wanted to thoroughly explore her mouth, he kept the kiss brief and mostly chaste, which wasn't easy considering the desire that surged through him the moment Paige responded.
And when her hand found its way to his chest, it was all he could do to not crush her in his arms.
After he ended the kiss, he looked pointedly down at her hand. "You really do have a fascination with my chest, don't you, mi amor?" He kept his voice quiet, but not so quiet Mom and Grace couldn't hear.
A rosy tint colored her cheeks as her eyes widened again. Then she poked him in the side. He wasn't ticklish, but the pressure was firm enough to make him squirm away.
"Okay, you love birds,” Mom said in an amused tone, "it's time to get to work."