Chapter 24 #2
"What could be disastrous?" Despite the confusion filling Damon's face, he looked like he was on the verge of laughter.
He and Daniel had often accused her and Riley of being melodramatic. But Paige didn't feel like she was being overly dramatic. She was in love, and she wanted to shout it from the rooftops. Keeping it a secret was killing her.
She sucked in a deep breath, then blurted, "I'm engaged, and I can’t tell any—”
“Whoa. Back up. You’re engaged? I didn’t know you were even dating anyone.”
“I’m not. Not technically. I mean, we can’t go out in public or anything.” Paige couldn’t help motioning with her hands.
“How did you get engaged to someone you haven’t even dated?” Damon’s brow furrowed. “And why can’t you go out in public?”
“Because he’s my physical therapist, and he could lose his job over this.” She threw her hands up.
Now Damon’s brows hiked up, his eyes wide. He opened his mouth to speak then closed it again.
“It was supposed to be fake, but then I fell for Gabe.”
“I take it Gabe is your physical therapist?” When she nodded, he asked, “Why was it supposed to be fake?”
She was about to explain that Gabe needed a fake girlfriend because his mother had cancer, but Damon stopped her. “Paige, I need you to sit down and prop up your phone. You're talking with your hands while you pace, and you're making me dizzy."
"Fine." Paige dropped into the chair at her desk and propped her phone against the stack of overdue library books she had yet to read.
"Okay. Now start at the beginning." He barely glanced at his phone now, which meant he was driving.
Paige told Damon how she’d been attracted to Gabe from day one, about his mother’s diagnosis, and her desire to see her children married. Then she went into Phillip showing up, trying to win her back.
"Let me guess, you had your physical therapist in mind when you told Phillip you were dating someone.” Damon shot a lengthy glance toward his phone.
"Well, of course. I'd only been out of the rehabilitation center for a couple weeks by that time. It's not like I'd had a chance to meet anyone else. Especially in this small town."
“Okay, so you agreed to be Gabe’s fake girlfriend. How did you go from that to being engaged?”
Paige continued with her story, sharing more personal information than Gabe would have liked, so Damon would understand why she'd fallen head over heels for her therapist.
“So now we’re engaged, and I can't tell anyone." She dropped her head into her hands.
“Because it’s taboo for doctors to date patients?”
“Yes.”
"Your dad did." Damon shrugged.
"Technically, my mom was no longer his patient when he took her out."
"Only because she bailed on what was supposed to be their first date."
"She was vomiting.” Paige defended her mom. “Her appendix had ruptured."
Their love story had a unique beginning. Her mom canceled on her blind date because she was throwing up, then two hours later, the doctor called in to remove her ruptured appendix turned out to be the man she’d stood up.
"What I'm saying is everyone in the small town of Providence got over it. Even the pious little old ladies, who like to gossip over everything and nothing at their book clubs and tea parties. They’ll get over this too."
“But what if Gabe gets fired?”
“Then you’ll weather the big storms early on in your relationship. If you love this guy as much as you say you do, then you’ll stick by his side and find a way to make things work.”
"I do love him. I've never felt surer about anything in my life.
Even when I was hoping Phillip would propose there was always something in the back of my mind that made me question if he was the man for me.
" She spread her arms wide. "There is none of that with Gabe. I feel complete when I'm with him."
"So, find yourself a different therapist and marry this Gabe guy." Damon made it sound so simple.
"That means driving to the Tri-Cities area multiple times a week." She could get stuck working with Toa. That thought made her shudder.
"So?" Damon gave her a look of annoyance. "Do you want to marry this man? Or would you rather just keep pining after your physical therapist and risking his job?"
Paige dropped her gaze. "His life is really complicated right now.
We decided not to rush the wedding for his mother's sake, because we really haven't known each other that long.
But we don't know how long she'll be with us, and if she passes soon…
" She shrugged one shoulder. "He's going to need time to grieve. "
Damon shook his head. "I get that this is an inconvenient time to fall in love, but if it were me, I'd want the woman I love by my side through it all."
Gabe had said something similar last night. She'd agreed to the engagement for her own selfish purposes, knowing it would give her an opportunity to convince Gabe they could weather the loss of his mother together. But it touched her to know he wanted her by his side through it all.
A knock sounded on her door before it cracked open. Paige looked over her shoulder as her mom stuck her head into the room.
"Do you have a minute?"
"Uh…sure." She glanced back at her phone. She should let Damon go. She'd been talking to him for over an hour.
He'd given her a lot to think about. Could it be as simple as finding a new therapist?
"Hi, Aunt Hope," Damon called.
"Oh, you're chatting with Damon?" Mom walked into the room and stood behind Paige. "Hi, Damon. How is North Carolina?"
"Hot and muggy." His gaze shifted back. "Think about what I said, Paige, and keep me posted, so I can request leave.” He winked at her. “Keep in mind, I'm scheduled to deploy again this fall."
The screen went dark.
"Head's up for what? What does he need to take leave for?" Curiosity filled Mom's voice.
"Nothing." Paige laid her phone face down as if that would make Mom forget what she'd just heard. "I was just wondering when he was going to come home again." She swiveled her chair to face her mom. "What's up?"
"How's your headache?" Concern lined Mom's face.
"It’s letting up." Paige hated how accustomed she'd become to lying to her parents.
Mom's face morphed into a smile as she perched on the corner of Paige's bed.
"I visited with Principal Jones' wife after church.
" Her grin grew as she clasped her hands together.
"A position teaching fourth grade at the elementary school just opened up.
Jenny Langston's husband got a big promotion that requires them to move to San Francisco. "
"Are you serious?" Hope flared in Paige's chest, stealing her breath.
Could she really be so lucky to have a teaching job land in her lap just as the rest of her life was falling into place—except the part where she needed to keep her engagement to Gabe a secret, that is.
“I know you love teaching second grade, but if you're interested in making the shift to fourth…” Her mom gave her a hopeful look. "I think Mr. Jones would hire you in a heartbeat."
Paige couldn't believe Mr. Jones was still the principal at the elementary school. The man had to be pushing seventy.
“I do love teaching second grade, but…" Paige suppressed a squeal as she grinned. "I'm open to change."
“It’ll be so nice to have you home for good.” Mom clasped her hands. “You don't have to live here with me and your dad, of course. I'm sure you'd rather have your own space, but it will be so good to have you back in Providence."
"I want to move home, Mom. For now, anyway. It’ll probably take me a while to find a place of my own, what with the housing shortage around here.”
“It’ll be so nice when Debbie and Austin Reed get those new apartments built.
” Mom’s face grew thoughtful as she studied Paige’s face.
"You seem so happy lately. Being at home and rebuilding old friendships has been good for you." She put her hand on Paige’s knee. “I’m so glad you didn’t let what happened with Phillip keep you down. ”
"I am happy.” Paige was dying to tell her mom the reason she was so happy. The fact that she couldn't tell her mother, whom she’d always been close to, about the best thing to ever happen to her put a damper on her day.
She was so tired of keeping secrets.
Her mom's grin widened. "Isn't it wonderful how the Lord guides us to the path we're meant to be on?" She gave Paige a quick hug then pointed a finger at her as she walked to the door. "Call Principal Jones while I tell your dad."
“But it’s Sunday.”
Mom waved a hand as she tapped on her phone. “I just sent you his number. His Sabbath will be more peaceful if he knows he has a teacher to fill Jenny’s position.”
Paige's own smile lingered. Yes, it was great how the Lord had guided her and remodeled her life. Now if only she and Gabe could announce their engagement, before it blew up in their faces.