CHAPTER NINETEEN
Over the next week, the small household settled into a routine. Ash would wake up early in the morning, make his own breakfast, then rush out of the house and spend most of the day at work. Phoebe spent many hours transporting Reggie to appointments or working on improving Reggie's endurance. At night, Phoebe and Reggie would eat their dinner, and Ash would come home sometime after they'd gone to bed and eat his own supper.
Thus, it surprised Phoebe when Ash entered the kitchen around 10:00 am dressed in a checkered black shirt, gray t-shirt, and black cargo-style khakis. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, revealing fine, dark hairs on his forearms. His dark brown hair, with its bronze highlights, was swept away from his brow. His amber eyes sparkled with mischief as he walked to the fridge, opened the doors, and began to shuffle items around.
Phoebe came to stand behind him, curious to see what he was looking for. "Is there something I can help you with?"
"Nope," he said, pushing aside a carton of eggs. He twisted his body, extending his arm to the farthest corner, then smiled and withdrew his arm. He held a roll of double chocolate chip cookie dough. "I'm making cookies."
She watched as he pulled a baking sheet from the cabinet and removed a knife from the drawer. As she lurked near the sink, he sliced individual cookies from the roll and placed them on the sheet.
"Why aren't you at work?" she asked.
"I requested the day off after working seven straight days." There was a glob of cookie dough on his thumb. Sticking his thumb into his mouth, he sucked the dough off then said, "Reggie's physical therapist will be here in fifteen minutes."
That was a surprise to Phoebe. She wiped her hands against the back of her leggings, then glanced around the kitchen. "I thought he wasn't coming until Friday."
Ash shrugged. "I rescheduled the appointment for today."
"Why?" What she really wanted to know was why he didn't tell her.
He opened the oven door and pushed the cookie sheet inside. He set the timer, then grabbed the coffee pot and filled it with water. "Reggie mentioned that she didn't want a male physical therapist. I thought it a bit strange, considering she usually loves it when a younger man dotes on her." He poured the water into the coffeemaker and added freshly ground coffee. Finished with his work, he turned around and rested his hip against the counter. "So I asked for a female therapist, and they told me she wasn't available on Fridays. I asked for the next available appointment, and they told me today."
"When did you talk to them?"
"On Monday."
She bit the inside of her cheek. Judging from his smug expression, he knew he was annoying her. "Today's Wednesday. You could have told me that you'd changed the appointment."
He shrugged.
"Where's Reggie?"
He rested his hands against the edge of the counter and crossed his ankles. "She's watching television in her room. She's already showered and dressed, right?"
"Yes," she said, grabbing the empty cookie package and tossing it into the trash. "That's the first thing we do in the morning."
She heard a car pull into the driveway. Quirking her brow, she walked past Ash and went to the front door. She peered through the small panel window, waiting for the therapist to reach the door. Then Phoebe grabbed the handle, pulled the door wide, and stepped aside. "Please come in."
The therapist hovered in the doorway, looking at Phoebe with curiosity. Her eyes scanned the living room before she pulled a satchel from her shoulder and entered the room. "Are you Reggie?"
"No. I'm Phoebe." Phoebe extended her hand. The therapist looked down at her hand, then pulled her gaze back to Phoebe's face. After a moment, she grabbed Phoebe's hand and shook it. "I'm Leslie Keen. I'm from South Puget Sound Physical Therapy."
"It's nice to meet you, Leslie." With a smile, Phoebe pushed the door closed. She heard the confusion in Leslie's voice, and she wondered if Leslie thought she'd gotten the name of her patient wrong. "Reggie's in her bedroom." She motioned for Leslie to sit down, then she pointed towards Reggie's room. "Do we need to fill out any paperwork? Maybe we could do that first, or would you like to get started with the session?"
Leslie's green eyes narrowed as she looked at the staircase. "Is Reggie's room upstairs?"
Phoebe shook her head. "No. Ash converted his office into a bedroom. It's here on the first floor."
An eager smile bloomed on Leslie's face. She bounced on her feet as she continued to look around the house. "I recognize the name, Ash. He's Reggie's nephew, right? I spoke with him over the telephone."
"And I'm right here." Ash emerged from the kitchen, carrying a tray with the freshly baked cookies and three mugs of coffee. His amber eyes homed in on Leslie, and it was at that moment that Phoebe wondered if this was more than a therapy session.
She pointed from Leslie to Ash. "Have you two met?"
Ash set the tray down, then extended his hand. "No. We just talked over the phone."
"I'm Leslie Keen." Leslie tossed her blond ponytail over her shoulder and eagerly took his hand. He pointed towards the couch, and she sat down on the center cushion while he sat down to the right of her.
There was enough room on the couch for three people, but it seemed awkward for Phoebe to join them. Instead, she walked to the armchair and sat down, never taking her eyes away from the pretty duo on the couch.
"Would you like some coffee?" Ash asked Leslie, lifting a mug from the tray.
Leslie scrunched up her shoulders. "I usually don't drink coffee." She looked in Phoebe's direction for the briefest moment. "I think we all drink too much coffee. I prefer green or white tea." In spite of her words, she took the mug from Ash's hand. A slight blush darkened her cheeks when her fingers grazed his hand. "But it's all about moderation, right?"
There was a pleased expression on Ash's face as he rubbed his hands against his thighs.
"I was just asking Leslie if we needed to complete the paperwork first," Phoebe said as she glared at the woman. Phoebe knew she should fetch Reggie from her room, but she was too afraid to leave these two alone. She also knew her fear was irrational; even though she and Ash were married, there was no expectation that they had to be faithful to each other. In fact, she'd told herself that she wanted him to see other people. This was only a temporary arrangement, after all.
Leslie pulled her satchel onto her lap, then she tossed open the flap. She pulled out a promotional folder, opened it, and removed a stapled packet. "Typically, I like to meet first with the client and talk about our goals and expectations." She handed the packet to Ash. "But I also like to meet with the family and get their views on the type of care Reggie is currently receiving and what goals you'd like her to reach." Then she turned in Phoebe's direction, the curiosity returning to her eyes. "I know Ash is Reggie's nephew," she said as she touched the small section of cushion that separated her from Ash, "but I don't think I got how you're related."
"I'm Reggie's caregiver."
"She's my wife."
They had spoken at the same time. Phoebe wiggled in her seat and shoved her hands between her thighs. Through her lashes, she peeked at Ash and found his dimples out in full force.
Leslie, on the other hand, looked visibly chilled. She reached to the side and grabbed her bag, using that movement to put some distance between herself and Ash. She then glanced at her watch, and hopped from the couch. "Actually, I should probably go meet Reggie. Time's flying."
Phoebe caught the laughter on Ash's face. She stood and waited for Leslie to walk past her, then she stomped on Ash's foot. "Behave."
The grin faded from his face, but the humor lingered in his eyes. He left the couch, following close behind Phoebe. Leslie walked to Reggie's door and knocked.
There was a thumping sound as Reggie walked to the door. The small smile on her face faded away when she saw Leslie standing there.
"Who in the hell are you?"
"Reggie," Ash warned.
Leslie shook her head, sending a silent message to Ash that she could handle it. "I'm Leslie. Your new physical therapist. I'm here to hel--"
Reggie slammed the door shut.
"I'm sorry about that," Phoebe muttered, knocking on Reggie's door. She looked directly into Ash's eyes, lifted her brows, and hitched her head back towards the living room. "Why don't you do that paperwork, and I'll talk to Reggie."
Leslie pressed up beside Phoebe. She placed her hand against the door. Judging from the wild look in her eyes, she didn't want to be left alone with Ash. "How about I talk to Reggie alone? It's not uncommon for patients to show some resistance."
"Okay," Ash said, grabbing Phoebe's hand. He pulled her away from the door and threw a wave over his shoulder. "We'll be right out here when you finish."
Phoebe squeezed his hand until he flinched and pulled away. Flashing her an ornery grin, he retreated into the living room as she considered whether or not to toss the cookies in his face.