Chapter 26 #2
"I suppose there's only one thing to do then." Dr. Young leaned back in his seat and grinned. "Would you like to join my wife and I, and Paige of course, for dinner tonight?" He looked at the clock on the wall. "At Charity's Diner in an hour?"
"Excuse me?" Gabe's jaw dropped.
When Gabe walked into Dr. Young's office thirty minutes ago, he was certain he'd not only leave jobless, but he’d also be devastated, because Dr. Young would refuse to let him have anything to do with his daughter. A dinner invitation was the last thing he'd expected.
"Word will eventually get out that you're seeing my daughter, if they haven't already. People in small towns can be quite judgmental. The best way to combat the gossip about the new physical therapist dating a patient is to show that my wife and I approve of your relationship."
Approve.
Gabe sagged back in his seat and sucked in a deep breath. It was a good thing he was sitting, or he might have collapsed from the sudden weakness in his muscles.
Dr. Young hadn't fired him. He'd invited Gabe to dinner with his wife. And Paige would be there.
How could Gabe possibly say no?
"Thank you, I'd love to join you for dinner. But are you sure your wife will approve?"
James chuckled. "Oh, I have no doubt she will be tickled pink by this development. And I can't wait to hear you and Paige share the details of your fake relationship with her." He laughed again as he got to his feet.
Warmth crept up Gabe's neck at the thought of sharing how he fell in love with Paige in a busy restaurant. He rose as well. "I have to say, sir, you've handled this much better than I expected."
"Let's just say I've been in your shoes. I fell in love with Hope the first time I saw her." James clapped him on the back. "Right before I removed her ruptured appendix."
Gabe looked forward to dinner more than ever now. He couldn't wait to hear more about James and Hope’s romance. And he couldn’t wait to see Paige again. But he needed to go back to the office and finish some paperwork first.
Paige guided Honey, the gentlest horse she’d ever ridden, to the hitching post outside the stables at the Double Diamond ranch. She looked down at how far away the ground was and cringed. She didn’t relish trying to get her stiff, achy backside out of the saddle.
Her cousin Jake walked out of the stables, and she breathed a sigh of relief.
“Boy, am I glad to see you back in one piece.” Jake had been hesitant to let her get on a horse when she showed up begging to go for a ride.
She’d assured him she had approval from her physical therapist to ride if she didn’t trot or gallop. Thank goodness she’d remembered to ask Gabe about riding on the phone last night, because she was way too keyed up after breaking off her engagement to go home and face her mother.
“How was your ride?”
“It was great, but I think I need your help getting down.”
Jake reached up to her waist and help her off the horse. “Did you spend this whole time in the saddle? No wonder you’re stiff.”
Paige had no idea what time it was, but she’d been riding for hours.
“No, I got off and walked a little here and there. But the ride back was the longest stretch, and my muscles all tightened up.” She shook first one leg then the other as the pins and needles hit.
Paige had also spent nearly an hour at one of the prettiest spots on the ranch. Where she enjoyed the fresh air, listened to the water rushing over the small waterfall, and poured out her heart to God.
She prayed everything would go well when Gabe talked to her dad and Dr. Stoker. She truly believed Gabe was the reason God brought her home. Now, she needed to have faith that He would work everything out.
At least Gabe’s mom knew the truth now. She was certain her parents would be happy for her when she told them she was in love with Gabe, but she couldn't guarantee the doctor side of her father would approve. And she’d never met Dr. Stoker, so she had no idea how Gabe’s talk with him would go, but she’d prayed that both men would be understanding.
Jake started unsaddling Honey. “I was beginning to think I’d have to call in a search party to help find you. I didn’t look forward to telling your parents I let you go and hurt yourself.”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to worry you. I should have called or texted to let you know I was okay.”
“You probably wouldn’t have had any service, you know how the ranch is. Jake gave a sheepish grin as he shrugged. “And you know me, I would have worried anyway, even if you’d checked in.”
He managed it well, but Jake had always had anxiety.
Paige patted his shoulder. “I really appreciate you letting me ride. It was exactly what I needed today.”
“I’m glad to see you making a full recovery.” He studied her face for a moment. “You’re starting to look like your old self. You look happy.”
“I am happy.” Paige beamed. She couldn’t wait to tell everyone why she was so happy.
She helped brush Honey down before saying goodbye to Jake and getting in her car. Her phone dinged before she made it to the highway. She picked it up to find a text from her mom.
Dinner at Charity's at 6:30. Don't be late.
Paige glanced at the clock on her dash. It was already after six, and she had a twenty-minute drive to town. She’d make it, but she wouldn’t have time to go home and shower first.
It wasn't unusual for her parents to decide to go out to dinner at the last minute, but Mom demanding she not be late was odd. Had Gabe had a chance to talk to her dad already, or did he have to stay late with patients tonight?
She didn’t want to step on Gabe’s toes, but she vowed not to leave Charity's Diner without telling her parents the truth. Even though she didn’t look forward to it, she needed to come clean about everything.
She'd rather not do it in a public place, but she was committed to coming clean as soon as possible.
The closer she got to Providence, the tighter her stomach clenched. So much so, she lost her appetite which was surprising since she'd skipped lunch.
She was only a few minutes late by the time she parked beside her mother's car at the diner. She was almost to the entrance when she spotted a familiar blue car that looked like Gabe's.
Did he plan to talk to her dad over dinner in what was usually a crowded restaurant? The prospect made her stomach churn.
Maybe that’s a good thing. Dad will be less likely to get angry in public.
She hurried inside and came to a screeching halt. There was no mistaking the broad muscular shoulders and black, wavy hair of the man who sat across the table from her parents. A table smack dab in the middle of the restaurant. Where everyone could see them.
"Ah, there she is now." Her mom's voice rose above the low din of the diner as she waved at Paige.
Gabe stood and faced her. The broad grin on his face sent her heart racing. He winked at her, his impossibly long eyelashes dipping, as he closed the distance between them.
She put her hand in his outstretched one, letting the tension drain from her body. He used it to pull her into his arms.
"In case it's not obvious, my talk with your father went well." His breath against her ear sent shivers racing down her spine. "So far, I still have a job."
"Good." She leaned back enough to see his face. “He wasn’t angry?”
“I think he was more concerned about finding a new therapist than he was about the fact that I’d fallen in love with his daughter.”
She laughed and leaned in for a kiss. Tingles of electricity zinged through her body as Gabe tightened his embrace and claimed her mouth.
Her euphoria was interrupted, however, by her mom's not so quiet whispers. "What's going on? Did you know about this, James? Why am I the last to know?"
"Hush, they'll tell you everything when they come up for air."
Gabe pulled his lips from hers and laughed. "Your dad is looking forward to hearing us share the whole story with your mom."
"Right." A hint of tension returned to her shoulders.
She peeked around Gabe. At least her dad already knew, and he didn't look upset. Her mom should be an easy sell. She took Gabe's hand and approached the table.
"Surprise!" She gave a cheerful, if somewhat tense, smile as she and Gabe took their seats.
"Hope, our daughter has something she wants to tell us." Her dad gave her a pointed look that held only a hint of the disappointment she'd expected to see on his face.
"I do." Paige fiddled with the edge of the new menu she'd helped Amy design.
"But first, I owe you both an apology for lying to you over the last month.
" She paused, expecting a barrage of questions, but evidently her and Gabe's public display of affection had already answered most of them.
"I haven't been spending my Saturdays with Angie.
I've been spending them with Gabe and his family. "
"Why would you lie to us about that?" Mom's eyes were full of hurt.
Paige's stomach clenched as it dropped. That look. That was the look every child hated seeing on their parents' faces. Paige hated knowing she was the cause of it.
"Because I asked her to." Gabe took Paige's hand, easing her discomfort. "I knew there could be dire consequences to dating a patient, but I needed Paige to pretend to be my girlfriend, so I asked her not to tell anyone."
"Pretend to be your girlfriend?" Mom's disappointment changed to confusion, creasing her brow. "Why on earth would a good-looking guy like you need a fake girlfriend?"
"That was my thought too," Paige said. She leaned forward in her seat and looked her mom in the eye. "His mom has pancreatic cancer."
Her mother lost a good friend to pancreatic cancer two years ago. It was already well into stage four by the time it was diagnosed, and her friend passed away five weeks later. Mom understood how deadly the disease was.
Mom's eyes grew misty as she looked at Gabe. "I'm so sorry you and your family are going through this."
"Thank you."