Total pages in book: 58
Estimated words: 54966 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 275(@200wpm)___ 220(@250wpm)___ 183(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 54966 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 275(@200wpm)___ 220(@250wpm)___ 183(@300wpm)
Chrissy looks remorseful. “You’re right, Catherine. That was wrong of me, especially since I know you have a sensitive stomach.” She looks down at my plate. “Uh, spaghetti probably wasn’t the best choice for today.”
I’m about to grab my tray and leave when Chrissy stops me. “I’m sorry, okay? Seriously, though, I need to talk to you about something.”
I can only imagine what’s about to come out of her mouth. “What do you need to talk to me about? And please, don’t make it gory.”
Chrissy nods, and with a serious expression, she pulls out a file that was under her tray. “I need a favor, and I know when I say it, you’re going to say no, but I need you to hear me out.”
Intrigued, I look between her and the file she’s gripping tightly in her hands. I can’t read the name on it from where I’m sitting. “Tell me about this favor.”
Her eyes light up with hope. “Okay, it’s my brother, Holden, the baseball player. He has a rotator cuff strain, and he needs a physical therapist for the next two months.”
I’m not sure what the problem is. “Well, have him make an appointment. You know the hospital will fit him in.”
She points at me. “But I want you… I want him to be seen by you.”
“Chrissy, you’re an employee, they’d pull strings for you. Plus, he’s a professional baseball player. The hospital will eat it up and love the publicity around it.”
She fidgets in her seat and scrunches her nose up. “That’s the thing. In order for him to get back in the game in two months, the therapy will need to be intense. We need someone that can come to him.” Before I can object, she holds her hand up. “His house has everything you’d need. He has a whole weight room, therapy table, bands, ice bath, hot tub, the works.”
I can see how desperate she feels about this. I’ve known Chrissy for a little over a year now, and even though I don’t know her whole story, I do know that she loves her foster brothers and would do anything for them. “Look, I get it, I do. But I have a case load right now, and there’s no way I can do it and drive back and forth to—where does he live?”
“Whiskey Run. He lives in Whiskey Run.”
I’m startled because I live in Whiskey Run and had no idea that Holden Gray from the Jasper Bears lives there. If Cole knew, he’d flip. Heck, he’d also flip if he knew I was turning down an opportunity to heal one of his favorite big league players. “Right, I can’t drive back and forth to Whiskey Run.”
Chrissy’s face is set in determination. “But that’s the thing, you wouldn’t have to drive back and forth. You could stay with him. He has four guestrooms.”
I sit back in my seat, and my mouth drops. If she was making this offer to any of my colleagues, they would drop everything to do it. I mean, what woman is going to say no to staying at the home of the Holden Gray? Ugh, me, that’s who. “I can’t stay at his house. I have Cole… and Jeremy.”
Bethany lets out a snort. “Yeah, like Jeremy’s going to care. He’s gotta put some work in before he can have a say in where you spend your time, Catherine.”
I stick my tongue out at her. It’s not very ladylike, but it’s all I’ve got. It’s not like I can flip her off in the middle of the cafeteria. But the sentiment is the same because I know she’s right. Quite honestly, Jeremy probably wouldn’t care if I stayed at Holden Gray’s house. He would find some way to compute the overtime and how it’s good for my business or something.
I hold both hands up in front of the two women that are looking at me expectantly. “I’m not staying at Holden Gray’s house.”
“But—” Chrissy starts, and I shut it down real quick.
“Nope, it’s not happening. I cannot stay at his house.”
Chrissy deflates a little, but she’s not giving up. “Okay, fine. Well, you live in Whiskey Run, too, right? You would be close anyway, so surely we can work something out.”
I’m about to say no. She has to see it, and she leans over and wraps her hand around mine. “Please, Catherine. Baseball is his whole life, and I’ve never seen him like this. You can help him, I know you can.”
Bethany’s looking at me like she already knows what I’m going to say. Chrissy is giving me the most pleading look, and I’m pretty sure she’s going to cry if I say no. The truth is, I don’t want to say no. I feel stuck lately, and maybe this is what I need. It would be a challenge, for sure, but I could do it. “Let me see his file.”