AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Before he could respond, the server returned with their food. The sight of the steak made her feel like a bucket of cold water had been dumped over her, but she pushed her concerns away. She refused to let them overshadow the evening.
“So, how is physical therapy going now that your cast is off?”
Steven shrugged. “I wouldn’t know. I haven’t had a session without it yet.” He cut a piece of steak and popped it into his mouth, closing his eyes. “Mm, this is delicious. Do you want a bite?”
And just like that, the cold water of reality washed over her again. “No, thank you.” Her appetite had disappeared as she struggled to rein in the emotional rollercoaster she’d unwittingly stumbled on. “What do you mean you haven’t had a session yet? You were cleared to begin more intensive therapy a few days ago.”
“Things have been busy at the office, and I hadn’t had time to make an appointment.”
Don’t make a scene. But the harder she tried to salvage their date, the worse she felt. Her feet ached from tiptoeing around the shattered glass of sore subjects for someone who refused to acknowledge that anything was broken.
He seemed to realize she’d stopped eating and set down his fork and knife. “Rose? What’s wrong?”
“I’m worried you’re still not taking your health seriously.”
His worried expression gave way to a scowl. “I’m not having this argument again.”
“It’s not an argument,” she protested. “It’s genuine concern.” Without thinking, she gestured to his wheelchair. “I thought you wanted to walk again as soon as you could.”
His eyes flashed with anger. “Of course I want to walk again. Do you think I enjoy being stuck in this thing? That it’s fun to have my dad chauffeur me to dates with my fiancée? To not know if I’m going to be able to walk with her down the aisle on our wedding day?”
She stared at him. “I don’t care if you walk, roll, or crawl down the aisle, as long as we’re together.”
“Well, it matters to me.” He waved his hand toward his back. “However, as I’ve yet to regain feeling in my legs, I can’t imagine a few days is going to make any difference in my recovery.”
Her clinical training clicked in. “It’s about muscle memory—”
“I know!”
His raised voice caused something in Rose to snap. “Don’t talk to me that way.” She took a deep breath to try to calm herself. “Look, I’m sorry if it sounds like I’m nagging you. I care about you, and I want you to get better. I want us to get better.” Tears welled in her eyes, and she furiously blinked them back.
That seemed to sober him. He bowed his head. “I know you do. I’m sorry.”
She swallowed around the lump in her throat. How did we get here? It seemed only yesterday that their biggest problem was Steven’s overworked schedule. In a moment, everything had changed.
With a sigh, he pushed away from the table and maneuvered his chair next to her. “I really am sorry. And I promise I’ll try harder to follow the doctors’ advice.”
How many more times is he going to make that promise? But she didn’t feel angry at his empty words. She felt hollow, like the fight had gone out of her.
“This isn’t easy for me either. I may not be the one in the wheelchair, but that doesn’t mean I’m not having a hard time with this too.”
He nodded. “And I appreciate you sticking it out with me.” A wry smile stole over his face. “Even when I’m being an insensitive jerk.”
“Isn’t that all the time?” she joked. While Steven laughed, the words had a ring of truth. Part of her wished she could chalk up his recent poor behavior to the accident, but the fact was, he’d been ignoring her pleas to take better care of himself for months.
After kissing her cheek, he made his way around the table and gestured to her food. “Let’s eat before it gets cold.”
Rose picked up her fork and knife and took a bite of her chicken, but the food, like her heart, had already cooled.
~*~
When Rose arrived at her condo, she didn’t immediately go inside. Though the sun was low in the sky, it hadn’t set, and the evening air hung heavy with warm humidity. Instead, she walked to the pond. She hadn’t been by to check on the swans since the injured one had been transported to the wildlife rehab center. But as she neared the water’s edge, only one swan remained.
The same man she had spoken to that first day with the swans was standing on the shoreline, watching the lone swan swimming in circles. When he heard her approach, he looked up with a grin.
“Coming back to check on them, are you?” He nodded. “My friend said the male is healing well and should be returned in the next few weeks.” Inclining his head toward the female, he continued, “She’ll be happy to have him home, I’m sure.”
“Does she know he’s still alive?” Rose asked.
