Page 84 of Secret Submission

“Yes, that sounds fine.” There was a hint of exasperation in her voice. “You know, Julie?—”

“Mrs. Kim,” he interrupted her, keeping his voice professional but firm. His heart was pounding in his chest, knowing he needed to do this, even if it meant Julie’s mother became angry at him. Even if it meant she never liked him. It felt like the wrong thing to do, contrary to who he was, but he knew it was the right decision. “I’m very happy to help you with your shoulder, but that’s what we need to focus on. If you continue to bring up Julie, I’m afraid I will have to transfer you to another physical therapist. If you’d like, I can do that now.”

Julie’s mom looked up at him, obviously displeased, but there was begrudging respect in her eyes, too.

“I’ll stay with you, thank you,” she said primly.

“Glad to hear it.” He smiled at her because he really did think he could help her. And he’d like to help her.

As they went over to the massage table, he caught Sandra’s eye, and she gave him a thumbs-up, making him wonder how much she’d overheard. At least someone was approving. It did help with feeling like Julie would have approved of how he’d handled the situation, which eased some of the tension he was still feeling.

It shouldn’t feel this difficult to say no to someone or lay down a boundary, but it did. He wondered how Julie managed to handle it for so long. No wonder she’d been so wound up when he’d broken it for her parents. He couldn’t imagine how much harder it was to do with family.

That Mrs. Kim had taken it really well and they proceeded to have a good session, which she’d thanked him for at the end of it, also went a long way to helping him feel better. Even if she wasn’t happy about it, she accepted it, and she wasn’t mad at him.

That helped a lot when, twenty minutes after she left, Beth came up to ask him to take her last patient.

He said no. He couldn’t. He had a date.

And despite Beth’s disappointment, she was happy for him.

This saying ‘no’ thing was getting easier every time he did it.

33

Julie

Dinner date at Marquis, the downstairs restaurant, and Julie had something to confess. Though she wasn’t quite sure how to work around to it, or if she should.

Thankfully, it didn’t take Connor long to bring it up. Once they’d sat down and ordered, once the server had whisked away, he looked across the table at her very seriously. He had dressed up for the date in a maroon button-down shirt that strained across his broad shoulders and chest but fit him well enough, it didn’t look like buttons were going to pop off or anything. Julie rather liked it.

“I have something to tell you,” he said. It was clear he was nervous but determined. Even though she was already pretty sure she knew what he was going to say, Julie nodded.

“Okay.”

“Your mom came in for an appointment with me today.” His gaze was on her face, studying her reaction.

She smiled at him, reaching across the table with one hand, palm up. Connor slid his fingers into hers.

“Sandra called me when she got there and let me listen to part of your conversation.”

Connor blinked.

“Dammit, I should have known she was up to something. So, it’s okay?” He looked at her plaintively. “Your mom had a good session today. I’d like to keep helping her.”

Because he wanted to help anyone who needed it or because he wanted to make sure Julie’s mom kept liking him? And did it really matter as long as he held firm on the lines he’d drawn in the sand today?

Not really.

Her mom could use the help, and she felt reassured knowing that she was in Connor’s hands. Much better than John’s. If Connor couldn’t help, he would say so. He wouldn’t push his own agenda to salve his pride.

“It’s okay with me as long as you keep handling her like you did today.” It was a huge measure of trust that she was putting in him. It wasn’t like Sandra was going to be able to spy every time her mom came in. “I don’t want her going to you behind my back with things about me or us.”

“I will definitely not talk to your mom about you at all while she’s seeing me.” A sudden grin lit up his face, and he squeezed her hand. “Though I hope you can make an exception for her telling me childhood stories about you.”

Julie groaned, leaning back in her seat. “Oh God, which ones did she tell you?”

“I rather liked the one about how you ran through the house as a toddler yelling ‘naked baby, naked baby’ when your dad’s boss was over for dinner.”

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