Just One Moment Read online

  Has she been in to see Shay? Chloe didn’t remember seeing her at all. A face like that she would’ve remembered. She must have slipped in while Chloe was out at some point.

  “The sooner I get back on my feet, the better,” Shay said.

  “Awesome!” Rachel slapped her hands together and rubbed them up and down. “I like a girl with spirit.” She glanced over at Chloe as though she were a second thought. “And you are?”

  “This is my wife, Chloe,” Shay said.

  Rachel gave Chloe a look she couldn’t quite read before she held out her hand. “Oh. Nice to meet you.”

  “You as well.” Chloe didn’t know what to think of Rachel other than she was way too cheerful for the beginning of this journey.

  “You may want to step out during Shay’s therapy, because it might be tough at first.” The hair she had trapped in the braid at the back of her head swung around as she turned, took the handles of the wheel chair, and pushed Shay to the end of the parallel bars. “Therapy works best when family members aren’t around interfering.”

  Interfering? She wasn’t about to leave Shay in a stranger’s hands until she knew what was going to happen. “I’ll stay unless Shay wants me to go.”

  Shay smiled at her and then glanced at Rachel. “I’d like her to stay.”

  “Okay, then. We’re going to measure your range of motion before we start. That will be our baseline and what we measure your progress against.” She helped her up and put her hands on the bars. “This may be a bit painful.”

  Chloe could see Shay’s jaw clench as she held herself up.

  “That’s good. Now see if you can take a step forward.” Rachel said.

  Shay did as Rachel instructed, gripping the rails tightly, and closing her eyes. She didn’t acknowledge it, but she was hurting.

  “Awesome.” Rachel sprinted to the other end and then between the rails to face Shay. “Now a couple more.”

  Chloe’s stomach twisted as she watched Shay move, her jaw clenched, redness in her cheeks, and beads of sweat forming on her forehead.

  The breath whooshed out of her mouth when she stopped and said, “I need to rest.”

  “Okay. Just a couple more.” Rachel steadied her as she wobbled back and forth.

  Shay got her balance and stepped forward more until only a little over a foot of railing at the end was left.

  “Almost there. You got this.”

  Sweat dripped down her forehead and off her nose. Chloe had to force herself to stay seated.

  Shay took a deep breath in through her nose and rolled her lips. She took the last few steps before she collapsed into Rachel.

  “You did it!” Rachel held her tightly.

  Tears sprang from Chloe’s eyes, and she shot out of her chair. As Shay leaned into Rachel, Chloe wrapped her arm around her and kissed her temple. “You okay?”

  “It hurts like a motherfucker.”

  She rushed to get the wheelchair and push it to the end of the rails. Then she tried to get between Shay and Rachel to help her to a chair.

  “I’ve got her,” Rachel said, holding her hand up before she spoke into Shay’s ear softly. “Come forward with me. Then we’re going to turn to your left, and I’ll help you into the chair. Okay?”

  Shay nodded and moved with her until she was seated. Rachel immediately grabbed a towel from the stack and blotted Shay’s face before she squatted down next to her. “You did great.” Her smile was broad and beautiful.

  Shay’s eyebrows rose. “Yeah?”

  “Yeah,” Rachel said softly. She held eye contact until Shay smiled and looked up at Chloe.

  “I did great.”

  “Yes, you did.” Chloe swiped the tears from her eyes. “Can I take her back to her room now?”

  Rachel’s focus didn’t move from Shay. “Yep. I’ll see you tomorrow. Same time.” She patted her hand.

  Shay’s lunch was waiting for her when they got back to the room. After Chloe situated Shay in bed and she’d eaten, it didn’t take long for Shay to fall asleep. Chloe took the opportunity to head back to the Physical Therapy Department. She was going to have a word with Rachel Taylor. She’d pushed her hard, harder than necessary for her first day.

  When she opened the door and entered the physical therapy room, Rachel wasn’t anywhere in sight. She asked the nearest person dressed in scrubs, who’d pointed her to the office. She could see Rachel through the window sitting behind the desk typing at the computer just as furiously as she had been earlier.

  Rachel jumped when Chloe pushed open the door and said, “What the hell was that?”

  “That? You mean Shay’s therapy?” Rachel’s eyebrow rose.

  “You saw how much it hurt, yet you kept pushing her.” Shay’s pained look shot through her again, making her stomach revolt.

  “If I let her stop every time she says it hurts, she’ll never walk normally again.” Rachel sat back in her chair and crossed her arms. “You want that for her, right?”

  “Of course I want that.” She shook her head. “But it was her first day.”

  “First days are hard, and it’s not going to get easier until after the first week or so. That’s why we discourage family members from being in the therapy room.”

  “I’m not going to stop coming.”

  “Then you’ll need to keep your mouth shut.” Rachel’s voice was firm.

  “Just who the fuck do you think you are?” She’d never had any medical professional speak to her this way before.

  “I’m the person who’s going to prevent your wife from having pain in her leg for the rest of her life.” She clicked a few keys on the computer and then turned the screen around. “Do you see this fracture?”

  Chloe’s breath caught in her chest. She hadn’t seen the X-ray before. The rod and screws that had been inserted were clearly visible. She sank into the chair in front of the desk.

  “That’s what she has to overcome.” Rachel clicked a few more keys, and the screen changed to her chart.

  Chloe read the notes.

  There are visible impairments in range of motion, knee extensor, and hip strength, as well as gait. Focus on immediate weight-bearing and early progression of strengthening to address the observed impairments. Outcomes expected with improved impairments, patient should be able to return to normal activities within three to six months.

  “Three to six months?” Her neck heated, and the tingling sensation that accompanied her anxiety took over her body. She hadn’t even thought about how long it would take for Shay to get back on her feet. This process would require much more patience that she realized. Three months minimum of living together again.

  Rachel flipped the screen back around. “That’s a great prognosis, considering almost half of the patients treated for a leg fracture have some residual disability twelve months after the injury, and up to twenty percent of patients treated surgically are unable to return to work three years after the injury.”

  “That’s not going to be Shay.” She sucked in a deep breath.

  “Not if I can help it.”

  “I want her to be fully functional.”

  “Then we’re in agreement. You stay out of therapy, and I’ll get her walking again.”

  “Oh, I’m still coming to therapy with her, but I’ll back off.” Chloe pushed out of the chair and went to the door.

  Rachel let out a quick breath and shook her head. “If you get out of line, just once, I’ll have you removed.”

  Chloe didn’t take kindly to threats, especially when it came to the care of someone she loved. “If I get out of line, it will be for good reason, and I’ll have you taken off her case.” She pulled the door open, closed it gently behind her, and headed for the elevator. She had to get out of this place for a while.

  * * *

  When Shay opened her eyes, the room was empty. She was thankful for the silence. The physical therapy session had been tough, more painful than she could’ve ever imagined. She’d wanted to quit as soon as she�
�d let her weight fall on her leg and the pain had shot through her like a searing-hot branding iron. The bars weren’t that long, fifteen feet maybe, but that was fourteen more feet than she’d wanted to handle at that point. When Rachel had pushed her, the only thing keeping her going was her faith in her, along with her beautiful smile. Rachel had the expertise and she had to trust her, whether it hurt or not.

  Trying to keep her mind off the pain radiating in her leg, Shay flipped on the TV and found a comedy to keep her mind occupied. Just about then, the door pushed open and Rachel came in with the same dazzling smile plastered across her face as earlier.

  “How’s the leg feel?” Rachel asked as she clicked the button and let the bed rail slide down.

  “Hurts.”

  Rachel quirked her lip up to one side. “Still on the scale of motherfucker?”

  She chuckled. Her torturess seemed to have a sense of humor. “Down a notch to son-of-a-bitch.”

  Rachel smiled widely, apparently appreciating her humor. “I’m sorry about that, but if you want to get full motion back, we need to be aggressive.” She pulled the blanket from her legs.

  “Okay,” Shay said.

  “Does it bother you to have your wife watch?” Rachel assessed her undamaged leg before focusing on the two three-inch incisions on the thigh of her broken leg—one incision on the upper part of her leg, the other closer to her knee on the inside.

  “No. I want her here. I need her strength.”

  Rachel drew her eyebrows together. “She wasn’t very strong today.”

  “She’ll get better. If not, she’ll cry, and I’ll be stronger because of it.” It had been hard to see Chloe cry, but it had made her want to succeed even more. Seeing Chloe unhappy was one of the things she hated most in life.

  “That’s certainly a unique way of thinking.” Rachel moved to the bottom of the bed and flattened her hand on the bottom of her foot. “Push for me.”

  She did, and a shot of pain coursed through her. “Back to motherfucker.”

  Rachel grinned again. “Yep. It’s gonna hit MF on the scale a lot at first. It’ll get better in a week or two. The incisions are healing nicely.” She pulled the blanket up around her. “If your wife becomes a hindrance rather than a benefit to your recovery, I’ll ban her from your sessions. Understood?” The words tumbled out of Rachel’s mouth matter-of-factly, but Shay knew she was dead serious.

  “Understood.”

  Rachel went to the door and opened it before glancing back with a smile. “I’ll see you tomorrow, then.”

  “I’ll be ready.” She wanted to get out of this place and back to her own bed as soon as possible. The warmth of Chloe’s arms was all she dreamed about, all that would get her through this.

  Chapter Nine

  Somehow Chloe had made it to the parking lot, found her car, and driven on autopilot to the apartment. She needed a shower and a whole lot of coffee to make it through the rest of the day. She grabbed a towel from the hall cabinet and threw it over the top of the shower door before she stepped inside and let the hot water run over her face. This seemed to be the only place she had any peace and quiet to think anymore, the only time she was truly alone.

  The beach house was no longer a safe haven because she was afraid of running into Erica. She had no idea how she was going to handle her, hadn’t even begun to figure out how to explain the situation to her. Erica would hate her decision and try her best to convince Chloe that it was a bad one. But she’d made up her mind that anything with Erica was off the table until Shay recovered and was well enough to take care of herself…or until her memory came back.

  The phone was on its fourth ring by the time Chloe heard it. She didn’t know how long she’d been asleep. After the shower, she’d wrapped herself in a towel, lain on the bed, and closed her eyes. Pure exhaustion had taken over. Still in a drowsy fog, she picked up the phone to see four missed calls from her mother on the screen. Thinking the worst, that something had happened to Shay, she immediately called her back.

  “Hi, Mom. Is Shay all right?”

  “As far as I know, she’s fine. Where are you? You’re not with her?”

  She swiped at her eyes to clear the fog. “I’m at the apartment. I came home to shower and guess I fell asleep.”

  “Good. You need some rest. You’re looking a little ragged.”

  “Thanks, Mom. Just what I wanted to hear.” Her mom had a way of always making her feel worse than she already felt.

  “I didn’t mean it that way. I’m just worried that you’re not taking care of yourself.”

  “It’s kind of hard with Shay in the hospital. She started physical therapy today, and it wasn’t pretty. The doctor and her therapist both agree that the sooner she gets mobile, the sooner she’ll be able to come home.”

  “I know that’s hard, but I have to agree. Speaking of home. Shay’s mother called me. She wants to take her to her house when she’s released.”

  “I hope you told her no. She’s going home with me.”

  “With everything that’s happening with your art career, it might not be a bad idea for her to stay with her parents.”

  “No. Absolutely not. I’m not letting Shay go back into that environment.”

  “It can’t be that bad. They’re her parents. Besides, are you going to have the time to care for her?”

  “It is that bad, and I’ll make time.” She refused to go into detail with her mother over the phone. All she needed to know was that Shay was coming with her. Why she was questioning it was a mystery. “You love her like she’s your own daughter. Why would you even think to send her home with them?”

  “We do love her. She’s certainly grounded you. I wasn’t quite sure where you were going with your life until you met her.” Her mother’s voice was a little light for the passive-aggressive statement.

  Shay shook her head. “Well, thanks for the confidence, Mom.” The line was silent for a moment as a flash of heat rushed her neck, her anxiety kicking in at full force. Living up to her parents’ expectations had always sent her stress level over the top.

  “I didn’t mean to make you feel bad, but you have to admit you were pretty wild for a while. I had some sleepless nights worrying about you.” Her mother was right. Before she’d met Shay, she’d been with several women who’d had no boundaries. They’d partied hard and spent lots of money. Her money. Unfortunately, some of their habits had remained with her after they’d split up. Shay had changed all that.

  “I’m sorry, Mom. That part of my life is over.” She was thankful to Shay for giving her a place where she felt safe to be who she was and who wanted her for more than just her trust fund, which had been almost drained.

  “Okay, then. How can we help? Do you want to bring her here to our house, there, the beach house?”

  “The beach house. When she’s ready to leave the hospital.” She went into the bathroom and looked at her hair, which had been smashed on one side, and scrunched it with her fingers. “I can care for her and still have access to my studio to paint.”

  “That was sweet of her to set all that up for you,” her mother said.

  “Yes. It was.” Incredibly sweet, and she’d repaid her by getting so wrapped up in her art that she’d ignored Shay’s needs. Could she have been any more ungrateful? “Listen, Mom. I need to get dressed and go back to the hospital. Shay’s probably wondering where I am.”

  “Okay, love. Check in with me later and let me know if you need anything.”

  “Will do. I love you.”

  “I love you too, honey.”

  She touched the red button, flopped down onto the bed, and stared at the ceiling. Her life had been a figurative train wreck before she’d met Shay, and now she seemed to be right back where she’d started. She didn’t know how she would get all the pieces back on track, or if she even could manage it at this point.

  As she gathered the things she’d picked out to take to Shay, she realized she didn’t have anything appropriate for ph
ysical therapy, so she’d have to stop at the mall on the way and pick up a few outfits. She stuffed a few usable items into her canvas bag, and when Shay’s journal spilled out, she picked it up, laid back on the bed, and opened it to the spot where she’d left off. After the phone call with her mother, she needed something to make her feel good about herself, and so far, Shay’s journals had reminded her of a happier time in her life.

  Our first time…

  We made love last night, my first time. The intimacy and the connection we shared took me to a magical place I’ve never been before. Her hands—her mouth. Sweet Lord, she knows how to use them. She took me there again and again, touched me in ways I’ve never even imagined. She was so beautiful—is so beautiful. Her curves and swells are all perfect, and she has the softest skin, I can still feel my hands gliding across her stomach. I could’ve touched her for hours. I think I did, although it only feels like a few moments. Her scent, her taste are incredible. I couldn’t get enough of her. Feeling her tremble beneath me as I pushed her over the edge is something I’ll never forget. I want to do it a thousand times more. Loving her is the most exquisite gift I’ll ever receive.

  Chloe let the journal fall to her chest. She hadn’t realized she was Shay’s first. Just how old was she? How many women did she date before me? Was I really that special?

  She remembered the night clearly. They’d gone to the movies to see some romantic comedy and then back to Chloe’s place afterward. The movie was funny and had a happy ending, the kind she liked. The movie theater was packed, and she remembered that during the whole movie, all she’d wanted to do was go home so she could be alone with Shay.

  Apparently, Shay had wanted that as well. They’d barely stepped inside, and Chloe was pulled into the most erotic kiss she’d ever had. Shay had seemed to know exactly what she was doing. The thought never crossed Chloe’s mind that she was a virgin. She’d found every erogenous zone and played it perfectly. Just thinking about it had her ridiculously wet. Chloe had been with several women before, but none that took their time, touched her the way Shay had. She never knew sex could be so wonderful when you connected emotionally as well. It was Shay who had made that connection with her. Shay had taken her heart that night and kept it safe until now.