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Despite having a drill sergeant for a boss, I couldn’t get myself to quit––firstly because I needed the money, and secondly because the patients, the doctors, the nurses, and the rehab department were absolutely amazing. “Some days are better than others.”
Alex wrinkled his nose. “Massaging sweaty men with back hair will get anyone down—”
"You know we do a lot more than massage," I interrupted, sick of people and their misconception of what my profession actually entailed. Very little of what I did on a day-to-day basis involved massaging. We helped relieve pain and improve movement and used many different ways to do so, mostlywithoutmanual therapy. “I have a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree.Youshould be calling me Dr. Sophie Manning.”
The stunned expression on Alex’s face was tremendously satisfying. His jaw went slack and he grappled for the right words while his eyes widened, catching the light streaming in through the gaps in the vines. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to imply otherwise,” he said quickly. “I really didn’t mean to insult you, Sophie. I was just teasing.”
I smiled. It started slowly and crept into a grin. “It’s fine. I’m just pulling your leg.”
He beamed, and I found myself staring at his face, wondering how I could ever forget a smile like that. It wouldn’t be easy, that was for sure.
“Well, just so you know,” he said. “I’m an advocate for physical therapy. You guys are really phenomenal, not just in the work you do, but also in how you treat your patients with compassion and empathy.”
“Don’t try and suck up now, Alex. It’s not a good look on you.”
The edges of his lips tipped up more. But it didn’t stop there. Before I knew it, Alex was chuckling, a deep chuckle that rumbled from his stomach. In all honesty, I hadn’t expected a laugh like that to come from a man as controlled as he was. It was both endearing and fascinating.
“Fine,” said Alex. “I won’t grovel—”
“Next seminar is in five minutes,” interrupted a tall, willowy woman wearing a pencil skirt and a chiffon scarf around her neck. She looked more like a flight attendant than the medical rep I knew her to be. We’d met this morning when we bumped into each other on the way out of the bathroom. Her name was Erica. “Advances in Joint Replacements,” she continued. “The speaker is none other than Professor Orin Ventiko. It’s going to be a fabulous talk.”
Erica couldn’t take her eyes off Alex.
“Thanks, Ric,” said Alex, oozing charm.
Maybe if he’d spoken to me like that instead of crashing his car into my bumper, I too would’ve tripped over my feet to get his attention.
Thankfully, I had seen the light.
Wait . . . Was that a blush creeping onto Erica’s cheeks? It most certainly was. Her cheeks had gone a cherry pink. Shetouched her fingers to her face, her eyes widening momentarily, and then spun on the spot and hurried off, shouting over her shoulder, “Five minutes!”
“I think she’s got a crush on you,” I pointed out, standing up and smoothing out the creases at the front of my linen pants. This morning I’d taken ages to choose an outfit, sifting through everything I’d packed. Now, a part of me wondered if that had been for Alex. If I cared enough that I wanted to look good for him. Deciding that the reason for my indecision was something completely different, far simpler, I added, “A big fat crush.”
Alex shook his head. “Nah. Not true. She’s just friendly. You should learn from her, Sophie, take a page out of her book.”
“Her book probably smells like roses, and if you can’t see that she basically just fell at your feet, then you’re probably blind.”
“Are you just projecting your feelings on Erica?” Alex grinned. That grin was both crooked and cheeky and for some hellish reason, it made my heart beat just a little faster. An action I detested. “Are you actually the one with a crush on me, Sophie?” added Alex. “And don’t worry if you are, I find it very flattering.”
I gasped. Violent heat started at my feet and moved up to my chest. “Of course not. I would rather eat my own arm off than develop some sort of childish infatuation over a man who didn’t even apologize after he crashed into the back of my car.”
Alex didn’t lose his grin. “If you say so.”
“We need to go,” I added sharply, turning toward the stone pathway, desperate to get away before my cheeks and ears turned red. Not that there was any real reason for this physiological change.
Not a bone in my body was attracted to Alex . . . or maybe just my femur . . . maybe even both of them. “Before we’re late for the talk.”
CHAPTER 4
Alex
“For starters,” said a young woman with short cropped brown hair and a rose gold nose stud. “You will all enjoy a velouté of butternut squash, garnished with toasted pine nuts and embellished with petals of edible blossoms.”
A velouté of what?
Everyone around the table nodded as if delightedly impressed. If I knew what the word velouté meant, I might have done the same. But in all honesty, whatever food we were eating this evening would be wasted on my unadventurous palate.
It was the last night of the seminar. We were being treated to a five-course menu at the exclusive four-starNapa Vernon, a restaurant that apparently offered an unparalleled dining experience. I would’ve preferred a steak, medium rare, with a plate of cheesy fries, but that was off the table—I knew because I had asked upon arrival, only for the chef to look at me as if I had a horn sticking out of my forehead.
