Thank you for your awesome reviews that never fail to make me smile!
Reading this story back, the last few chapters seem to run through everything quite quickly so apologies if it seems rushed!
This is one of my favourite chapters I'll see if anyone picks out why before I tell you…
CHAPTER 10
"You hungry?" he asked as they headed out to the car, the tension between them almost visible as Gabi rubbed her lips together, thinking. She was hungry but she knew it wasn't the best idea to prolong the evening.
Not if she wanted to keep her job and her wits.
"No, I'm good, I should be getting back" she said carefully.
Troy followed her to the driver side of her car and balanced on one leg as he reached for her hand and let his crutches hang from his arms.
"There's lots of things you should be doing" he husked.
Her eyes widened, mis-understanding his meaning. "You have every right to request a new mentor" she sighed, accepting he could easily report her for her unprofessional behaviour. She may have done all of these things with other patients, apart from kiss them, but she had never felt like this about any of them, that's for sure.
"You should be letting me take you for dinner" he continued, undeterred and Gabi met his gaze once more, gently frowning as she finally got his meaning. "You should be relaxing and forgetting about work. You should be smiling instead of letting that frown take over your beautiful face"
Gabi's heart flipped over in her chest. Why did she feel like this was so, so right when it was blatantly, fiercely, earth shatteringly wrong?
"I think it's pretty obvious there's something on your mind. Why don't we go for some food and we can talk about it?" he offered.
"Because" she said, not actually finding a reason to deny him.
"We can be friends as well can't we?" he asked.
"Honestly? Not really" she said starkly, seeing his eyes squint as she hurt his feelings again.
"Why not? I'm a guy. You're a girl. Your work day is over. I'm offering you an ear" he shrugged, still stood in front of her, balancing on his crutches now that she'd taken her hand back.
She considered him and knew she would give in. She just couldn't help herself. An extra hour in his company was way too appealing to her right now.
"Okay get in" she relented, taking them to the pizzeria nearby and they were seated in a booth at the back.
"There you go, Mr. Bolton" the maitre'd said as he seated them and Troy looked back at him, not realizing he had recognized him.
"Popular guy" Gabi commented as they sat down and looked at their menus. She could feel his feet under the table and briefly wondered if he was playing footsie but he seemed to settle them on the outside of hers, after checking under the table where there was room.
He rubbed his forehead "Yeah, but only for basketball" he mused.
"You don't know that" she encouraged.
"Well that's all they know of me. That I could play ball" he shrugged.
"They might know more than you think. You're a fairly friendly guy" she said awkwardly.
His eyes flicked up to hers under his lashes and she felt her stomach flop. "I'm a miserable asshole" he said with a little smile.
"No you're not" she argued.
"Well, not now, maybe. But I was for six months before you came" he reasoned.
"Well they know you from before that" she insisted.
"And I was just a kid with a good jump shot."
"Troy, you really have got to stop being so negative" she said, her body tight with frustration at his continued put-downs. "You have so much going for you" she said softly.
"Really?" he asked, his eyebrow flicking a tiny inch as his intense gaze met hers and he chewed his lip "I don't see girls queuing up outside my door" he said pointedly.
"Life's not just about girls" she said back "Or maybe it is for you?" she checked.
He gave a wry smile "Obviously not"
"Do you really feel the way you feel because your girlfriend left?" she asked.
He shrugged "Maybe."
"You really feel like the only thing anyone could ever see in you is the fact you played basketball?"
"That I was athletic" he said "You know, that I had muscle and I was considered kinda attractive for it"
"And your personality?" she checked.
His eyes met hers again, thinking about her point here. Had he only ever dated girls who had liked him for his body? She was probably right. He had liked having a trophy girlfriend. But they hadn't been interested in him as a person. So the reason Steph had left was only because his body didn't work. He could still find love with someone who loved him for being him and didn't care about his physical appearance.
He thought about how Gabi had tucked her hand into his arm, despite his crutches, how she had looked past his beard and messy hair and rank clothes, how she had helped him without making a big deal of it and how she was still obviously attracted to him despite everything he had thrown at her.
"My personality" he said, considering his words, thinking some more as she smiled at the waiter, taking their drinks and sipping hers.
"Gosh Troy, who were you before I came?" she wondered suddenly.
"Obviously a total prick" he said, smiling at his realization.
Gabi giggled, her smile filling her face as she laughed at him and he liked that the tension between them lifted a little after that.
"You know that if you let it happen, someone will fall for you. When you're ready" she added, a little flustered at the thought of anyone falling for Troy.
What was she saying? She was saying the same thing she said to all of her patients, but she didn't want anyone else to fall for Troy. She suddenly felt very possessive over him and she didn't know why.
"Does someone love you?" he asked and Gabi was shocked by his gentle question.
"I don't know any more" she admitted quietly, flicking her eyes up to his, unsure she should continue.
"I won't tell anyone" he promised and she could feel her resolve weaken. Just to have this one night, free of work, free of their patient-doctor type relationship, to just talk to a friend was too great a pull.
"I'm engaged to be married" she said, continuing her story "But I feel like I said yes and I shouldn't have. And since I got on the plane to come here, all we do is argue. And I'm wondering why I ever made the decision to leave my home" she sighed, realizing it was too late to go back and erase her words. She had just let him into her heart that little bit more and he wasn't going to leave easily.
"Wow" he husked, his brows slowly lifting into his fringe. He cupped her feet with his to bring her gaze up as he leaned across the table, playing with a spoon as he attempted to take her hand but ran out of courage.
He dropped the spoon, his blue eyes steady on hers as he stretched his fingers out and Gabi put her small hand into his, the contact causing an electric zip just like his kiss had, but after that she just felt warm all over as she relaxed, realizing that she could trust him with this.
"It sounds like you're having second thoughts" he swallowed, hoping he was some tiny part of why she was feeling this way.
"I left all my friends so quickly and all I had was him. It's not enough anymore" she added, still nervous about revealing her private feelings.
"Do you love him?" he asked, his tummy tight as he waited for her answer
She pressed her lips together, already knowing the answer but she didn't want to say it out loud for fear of huge repercussions.
"I'm not sure any more" she said quietly.
The waiter brought over their pizza's and Gabi broke their hand contact but was bolstered by his feet hugging hers and she bit into her food, taking a breath as she tried to pull herself out of the quagmire of confusion that was drowning her.
"Maybe you should see him" Troy suggested lightly.
"Mm?" she questioned.
"Maybe, if you saw him, you'd know how you felt and be able to talk things through" he said again and Gabi realized he was right.
"I can't face him right now, but I think you're right" she conceded.
"Well you know, rumour once had it I was a very intelligent guy" he joked, his smile threatening to break free but waiting for her permission.
She peeked at him, her mouth pursing as she fought off her own grin "Really? When was that?" she asked .
"Wooah!" he called loudly "That was harsh!" he grinned then and Gabi loved the lines that crinkled at the corners of his eyes, the way the blue depths lit up, how his teeth flashed against his lips.
She laughed gently at his apparent offense "You did say you're a good listener" she allowed.
"And am I?" he checked, leaning his head toward her over the table as he sought her gaze.
She reached over and swapped a piece of her pizza with his "You'll do" she smiled.
"Oh I see. I lend my considerably sympathetic ear to you for the night and all I get is abuse" he carried on, trying the piece of pizza she had laid before him, smiling at her for doing the swap.
"Thank you" she said suddenly and he looked at her, taking in her small features, her pouty mouth which he knew now just how soft her lips were.
"Any time" he said easily "And I mean it" he added, going back to his pizza.
Gabi paid for the bill even though Troy tried to and she followed him back to the car as he took large strides with his crutches.
They got in and Gabi drove off, getting a little nervous at what she had to tell him.
"I have a new case to take on while I'm here" she broached carefully.
"Oh?" he asked.
"I'm going to be splitting my time between you both and seeing as you're doing so well, you won't need me around as much" she added.
Troy frowned "Okay"
"I'll be coming over on Tuesday, we should go shopping" she suggested.
"We went shopping last week" he gruffed, annoyed that he wouldn't see her on Monday and he had nothing to look forward to.
"How about clothes shopping?" she suggested.
He shrugged moodily "I guess"
"Its kind of how it works for me" she said gently "My boss asked me to stay in Albuquerque longer to look at this case"
He sighed a little, realising she wasn't just doing this to get away from him. And that she had just said she was staying longer than planned.
"Okay" he said "We'll go clothes shopping. You're obviously trying to tell me I dress like a hobo and need new clothes" he joked again.
"Of course" she agreed.
"And you might buy something?" he checked.
"Might do" she agreed.
"From Agent provocateur?" he said hopefully.
She rolled her eyes at him as she pulled up outside his house "You can dream, heartbreaker" she said sarcastically.
"Is that my new nickname?" he asked as he undid his seatbelt "Heartbreaker?"
She scrunched up her face in thought "Sure."
"Okay. See you Tuesday Miss. M" he said, climbing out and heading up to his door unaided.
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