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 thrusts it at me, and Bethany stands up and pats Chrissy on the back. “Smart woman. If she looks at the file, there’s no way she’ll say no. I’m heading back, ladies. See you later.”
“Bye,” I mumble as I flip through the pages of Holden Gray’s file. I can do this. I can help him. I close the file. “I’ll see what I can do.”
“Yes!” Chrissy yells, pumping her arm in the air.
She jumps up and comes around to hug me. As she squeezes the life out of me, I try to not get her hopes up even higher. “Stop. I said I’d see what I can do. I have to talk to the hospital and get it approved by them, and then I’d have to move my workload. I would like to meet him and get a feel of him and his attitude. There’s a lot of moving parts here, and we’ll just have to see what happens.”
She pulls away and sits down in the chair next to me. Her whole body shudders as she takes a deep breath and lets it out. “I know it’s a lot to ask, Catherine, but you’re the best, and Holden… well, let’s just say that he’s a hard case. He’s having a hard time with it all, and he feels like his career is up in the air… it’s just…”
I pick up the file and tuck it under my arm. “I get it, Chrissy. I know… I promise, I’ll do my best… okay?” I pick up my tray. “I’ll call you this afternoon.”
She’s holding her hands together in front of her, and she doesn’t have to tell me how much this means to her. I can see it on her face.
As I’m walking back to my office, I think about everything I know about Holden Gray. Not a lot in the grand scheme of things. I know he’s one of Cole’s favorite players, and I know he’s one of Chrissy’s foster brothers. I can imagine what it means to him to be injured and unable to play. This isn’t a hobby for him; this is his career. The pressure has to be immense, and like I told Chrissy, I’m going to do what I can. I just need to convince the hospital to take this on.
3
HOLDEN
I’m sitting across from Catherine and should be focusing on what she says instead of the way her lips are big, puffy, and pink, as if they’re begging to be kissed. She’s talking, using her hands as she tells me about the plan she’s come up with, and all I can process is the fact that this is going to be my physical therapist and I’m going to be spending a lot of time with her. Now the whole idea Chrissy had about the therapist living here is sounding better and better.
“Mr. Gray… what do you think?”
All I can do is stare at her and try to form a sentence. “Sorry, what?”
She smirks at me, and I’m not sure if she realizes that I’m attracted to her or what, but she has to be used to getting reactions like mine from men. Catherine Maples is the most beautiful woman I’ve ever laid eyes on. Her blond hair is in a high ponytail, and her clear blue eyes are looking at me like she can see into my soul. She showed up in a pair of black pants and a polo shirt with the hospital’s logo on her chest, but the plain uniform does nothing to hide the luscious curves of her body.
She lays the open file on the table between us. “Look, I know this is hard, Mr. Gray.”
“Holden,” I tell her, wanting to hear her say my name.
“Holden,” she repeats softly and then puts her palm flat on the file. “I know this is hard for you, but I think it’s doable.” She looks around the room. “Do you have somewhere that I can do an evaluation before we get too far into it?”
I shove my chair back and stand up. I’m not sure how I’m going to do with this woman’s hands on me. “Sure, I have a therapy room next to the weight room.”
That seems to perk her up. “You have a therapy room?”
I grumble because how else can I explain it? “Yeah, when you’re a thirty-eight-year-old professional catcher who’s played for as long as I have, you need help more days than not.”
She leaves the file on the table and follows behind me. We go to the basement, and I show her the gym and then take her to the therapy room. I point out everything I have. “If there’s anything else you’d need, I can get it.”
She looks around the room in awe. “It looks to me that you have everything we could possibly need.” She points to the place in front of her. “Stand here.”