Waiting for You (RightMatch.com Trilogy) (13 page)

Because Dana could hardly admit the wish to herself, as it was
so
not going to happen. She was forty years old. In a wheelchair. Both things conspired against getting pregnant and carrying a healthy child to term. Even more of a deterrent was her inability to care for a baby and toddler by herself. She’d given up on the dream of being a mother a long time ago.

Joe said simply, “I’ll wait till you feel you can tell me.”

When they finished with the questionnaire, Dana smiled at him. “I’m so glad we’re doing this. How will the rest work?”

“Cole said he’d expedite the processing. If we send it tonight, we’ll have some matches in a day or two. It’s all done by computer algorithms, but the psychologist oversees everything. The benefit to a smaller site.”

“What will we do with them?”

“I hadn’t gotten that far.” He submitted the application, put the laptop on the table, then turned to face her, sliding his arm around her shoulders. “Give it some thought.”

This close, he made her brain fuzzy and so thinking eluded her.

o0o

As his mouth covered Dana’s, Joe knew he should tell her about his father.

As she cuddled into him, opened up—literally and figuratively—he admitted keeping his dad’s condition and its effect on him unspoken was the wrong thing to do. Even if Ruth hadn’t given him an ultimatum, his conscience told him this was the time to confess.

And as she let him open her blouse, revealing blue lace that covered high, firm breasts, as she let him cup her and moaned with his ministrations, Joey knew he was making a big mistake in keeping his secret.

But when he unfastened the front closure of her bra, he nonetheless deliberately withheld the vital information and steeped himself in the pleasure her body gave him.

o0o

“Hey, look who’s here!” One of his buddies, a paramedic in the Rockland Fire Department, was about ready to serve the volleyball over the net when Joe reached the sandy square where he and his friends played every Tuesday night in the summer. He’d missed two sessions since he’d gotten hurt and once he’d become involved with Dana. It felt good to be back. “Hey, everybody.”

The game stopped and the members of The Sundowners, named so because they got together mostly after work, jogged over to say hi, inquire about his health, ask if he could play yet. Most of them had called after the shooting and some had visited. The group, in one form or another, had been together for ten years and played a variety of sports, depending on the season.

“I may try a game or two. Let me watch first.”

Joe had wanted to come here tonight to see his friends and he’d been hoping he could indeed get in some games. He needed more exercise. Fun exercise like the sports he played with these guys. Running and weights weren’t enough for him. He craved athletic competition in his life.

Sitting on a bench, letting the soft breeze off the lake soothe him, he greeted other people who would rotate in and out, as the club always had more players than they could field. It was then that he saw Evie Falk a few seats down. When she caught sight of him, she rose and came to sit beside him.

“Well, hi there, handsome.” Her smile was genuine, even though, when she’d asked to see him again after hiking, he’d explained he’d started dating someone around the time of the accident. Though he and Dana had only seen each other a few times, Joe had no desire to date other women and he believed she wasn’t seeing anyone else either.

“Thanks for putting me in touch with the Sundowners, regardless of…you know, your budding love life.” She was grinning, teasing him.

He appreciated her candor. “No problem.”

Evie looked around. “Where is she?”

Joe hadn’t asked Dana what her plans were for tonight when he’d picked up Kara from dance. Since he suspected she would feel uncomfortable here, he hadn’t told her where he was going. But she could have come to watch. He wouldn’t play that much, if at all, so she’d have company on the sidelines. The truth was, though, that he’d wanted to come alone. Hell, they didn’t spend every night together and he was entitled to have boy’s night out. She had said numerous times, she didn’t want him to give up any of his activities for her. As he’d told Shelly, he could still keep this part of his life. And why was he belaboring his decision to come alone?

“Joe?”

“She’s busy tonight.” He nodded to the court. “Man, I’m dying to get some action out there.”

“Your shoulder ready?”

“I’m going back to work next week, so I think so.”

“Evie, come on in,” Susan, a long-time member of the group and someone Joe had dated in the past, called out. “I’ll take a break and talk to our wounded warrior.”

“See you later, buddy. Watch that shoulder if you play.” Evie walked away with a sexy sashay, which he noticed.

“Hey, hotshot.” Susan dropped down beside him and sipped from a bottle of water. She was sweaty and her cheeks flushed a pretty pink. “How’s it going?”

“It’s going great.”

“Want to come with us for a beer afterward?”

“Sure, I’d planned to stop at Pelican’s with everybody.”

Part of the fun of the group was hanging out after the game of the night. He pictured the bar on the waterfront. It had a ramp. Was one floor but really, really crowded. The john would have to be handicap accessible by law. Once again, Joe realized he’d be analyzing these things and a million more, whenever he went somewhere with Dana. Well, that wasn’t too bad, was it?

For a while, Joe sat and watched Evie leap and jump and spike the ball with the ability of a pro athlete. She was probably good at every sport she played. He felt twinges of guilt for appreciating her athletic ability, and they bothered him through the night. But he admired physical prowess in women. And he’d often dated women from the club, so they shared the proclivity with him.

The game ended and a set was called. He decided to try to participate in the next one. There was some dull pain in his shoulder, so he limited himself to two games and passed on his turn to serve. When playtime was over, they headed to Pelican’s.

Beer flowed and it felt good to be razzed by his buddies and even given sincere accolades for saving Evie from harm. The group teased him about sending him food from a nearby bakery and mocked that he looked like he’d gained some weight. Then the band began to play. Joe watched everybody head out to the floor. He loved to dance and usually went with them.

Not long after, Susan approached him. “Wanna dance, babe?”

Would Dana want him to dance with another woman? He pictured her shining eyes and glowing skin as he touched her intimately last night. But when he recalled how she’d trustingly cuddled into him, he decided he shouldn’t be dancing with someone else. Not, of course, that he’d ever get to dance with her. “Um, no thanks.”

Pretty little Susan shrugged and soon she was all over the floor. After watching for a few minutes, Joey got up and headed to the men’s room, feeling on edge, disappointed. And left out, he guessed.

o0o

“Oh, God, that feels good.” Dana lay on the table as Ruth massaged the knots out of her neck. The windows were open and a cool breeze fluttered in. Dana liked it best without the air-conditioning on. She’d noticed lately that she was enjoying physical sensations more than she used to. More than she used to
let
herself enjoy them. Like Joe’s hand on her skin, his lips brushing her hair, his breath fanning her ear.

Ruth brought her back to the present. “You did a lot of weights this morning.”

“Uh-huh.”

“Did you go to the track at the park? I noticed the sports chair had been used when I got back from grocery shopping.” Dana had a specially equipped chair for aerobic exercising. It was lighter and more easily manipulated.

“I did. It was fun because the air was a bit crisp and windy, so there was resistance.”

After a pause, Ruth said, “Don’t overdo.”

“Yes, Mom.”

“And I wish you wouldn’t go alone.”

She was about to scold Ruth for being overprotective, but that was stupid. “I’m careful, I carry my cell phone right on my body, and I’m used to wheeling alone, Ruth. Really, it’s okay.”

Ruth continued kneading her neck. This was the part Dana loved best. Ruth always took care of her legs first, both with massage and range-of-motion exercises. Of course, Dana could feel nothing, but she knew how vital the process was to limit atrophy. Often, Ruth went on to give Dana a full back-and-neck treatment. It was nirvana. “If your hands are tired, you can stop.”

Her friend snickered. “Now that was said with paltry enthusiasm.”

Dana laughed. She’d been doing a lot more of that lately, as Joe had suggested. “Just a few more minutes, then.”

Closing her eyes, Dana imagined Joe’s hands on her like they’d been last night, strong and muscular but so gentle as he’d touched her breasts and kissed the cleft between them.

“Kara looked good today when I peeked in.”

“The other girls aren’t even jealous. She’s so good, Ruth, it’s a joy to watch her. Even they can see that.”

“And Kaelyn’s a little doll. So pleasant.”

Dana shared Joe’s concern about his younger daughter with Ruth, and of course, Ruth had risen to the occasion. She was coming to care for both Moretti girls, too. “Thanks again for offering to let her help.”

“Are you kidding? She’s amazing. She straightened out all the drawers, dusted, and she’s a whiz on the computer—at seven years old. Imagine. Plus she has amazing talent for such a young girl. A budding Degas.”

“I caught a glimpse of the ballet scenes she did while she was at the studio. She’ll have a career in art if she wants it.” Dana lifted herself up and braced her torso on her arms. “That’s enough. You’ve been at this a long time.”

“I can do more.”

“No.” Dana eased herself over and, wrapped in a sheet, sat up. Ruth crossed to the small fridge they’d installed under a counter and got them both water. People with disabilities needed to drink a lot of liquids to keep their bodies hydrated and blood flowing. Dana slid into a robe, then lowered the table so she could transfer into the chair.

“So,” Ruth said not-so-casually. “We didn’t have time to talk after last night. How’d the date go?”

Once again she thought of Joe’s intimate caresses. “It was fun, Ruth. Like those first few weeks in a relationship where everything is new and exciting.”

“You need more of that in your life.”

Dana remembered the profiles Cole had sent to her just before she left the office. Though she hadn’t had the opportunity or privacy to view them, Dana was tickled about what they were doing. She and Joe planned to spring them on her after work tomorrow. “So do you, Ruth.”

“Don’t start.” She waited. “We were talking about Joe.”

“He’s such a kind man, thoughtful, and funny, too.”

Leaning against the table Ruth quipped, “Not to mention hot.”

Dana giggled.

“I thought he might come over tonight.”

“No. We won’t see each other every night. I suspect he has other things he does, you know, that I can’t do.”

Ruth stilled, then set down the bottle and began tidying up the massage table.

“It’s okay, Ruth. I don’t expect him to give up his physical activities because I can’t do them with him. They’re a big part of his life.”

“Sometimes, that worries me. Your attitude is healthy, but the issue could be a stumbling block. Maybe you should talk about those things.”

“We did, a bit, after I saw Craig.” But in truth, Dana had wondered, too, why he hadn’t even commented on what he was doing tonight; she banished the concern. “Don’t worry. For now I’m happy.”

Ruth faced Dana when she asked, “Did you two talk about
anything
serious last night?”

Dana took a sip of water. “We tried not to.” The concern on Ruth’s face made her ask, “Why, are you referring to something specific?”

“No.” Ruth crossed the room and put the laundry in the wicker basket. “Why don’t you go take a whirlpool bath?”

Dana hadn’t made a lot of changes in the house after she’d bought it, but she did have a Freedom Tub put her bathroom. She was able to wheel in, transfer to a bench the width of the tub, push the chair out and fill the three-foot-high tub with water and turn on the jets.

“That sounds heavenly.” She glanced at the clock. “I’ll be done in time to watch that new cop show.”

Ruth shrugged, seemed distracted.

Dana wheeled out of the room, wondering what TV programs Joey liked, what he thought of police procedurals. There was so much she didn’t know about him, and she couldn’t wait to find out every little detail. At the same time, she’d meant what she’d said when she told Ruth she didn’t expect him to give up his previous life for her.

Still, as she luxuriated in the warm water, let the jets soothe her aching muscles, she wondered what he was doing tonight.

Chapter 8

Thinking about Joe, Dana couldn’t fall asleep and consequently woke up well past the alarm, which she’d shut off. Ruth often went into the studio early and so she hadn’t awakened Dana before she left. Also, Dana needed more time than able-bodied people to dress. And she never skipped breakfast. A healthy diet was crucial to independence. At one time, she’d been bitter about limitations like this, but thank God she’d gotten over those resentments.

Figuring it was too late to catch Joe when he’d dropped Kara off, she was surprised to see his van in the lot when she arrived. Pleased, she wheeled in through the back door and heard voices coming from the office. Dana stilled. The tenor was hostile. More angry parents like Elyssa Langston? If so, Ruth shouldn’t have to deal with them. And Dana certainly hoped Kaelyn wasn’t witnessing a scene like that.

Rolling to the doorway, she saw that Kaelyn was not in the office. Instead, Joe and Ruth were so intent on each other they didn’t notice her arrival. Ruth had her arms crossed over her chest and was glaring at him. Joe’s stance was impossibly tense. Alarm bells went off in Dana’s head.

Was Ruth mad at him? Oh, dear, could she have found out about their search on RightMatch? Would she be
this
upset?