The rest of the session went by in a blur. Bette guided Emily through a series of stretches, exercises, and gentle mobilizations, explaining each step as she went. Emily barely even felt the pain as she focused on Bette’s hands, her steady breath, and the way the soft lines beside her eyes deepened when she smiled.
“Time’s up,” Bette declared when Emily least expected.
She hadn’t been keeping track of time, hadn’t expected to feel so focused. Emily checked her watch and was shocked to see forty-five minutes had come and gone.
“Right,” she muttered, hopping off the bed a little too quickly. She fumbled with her shirt, pulling it over her head, careful not to irritate her shoulder, and was grateful when her head didn’t get stuck. She didn’t need that kind of attention right now. “I’ll do those exercises,” she added, not quite catching the woman’s eye.
“I hope so,” Bette said, pulling open the curtain.
Emily hesitated, a strange pang of disappointment settling in. She didn’t want the session to end. She’d expected it to drag on forever and ever, but somehow it had been almost enjoyable.
And that was the part that caught her completely off guard.
5
BETTE
It was a warm Saturday morning, and when Bette stepped out of the coffee shop, cradling her oversized latte like it was the Holy Grail, her agenda for the day was blissfully blank.
Maybe she’d do a grocery run later or a load of laundry. Or maybe not. Her day was wide open, and she wasn’t in any rush to fill it.
It wasn’t often that she found herself with a free weekend. Usually, she’d be buried under paperwork or tweaking exercise programs for patients. But Steven had graciously insisted on taking the weekend shift. “You deserve a break,” he’d told her, and Bette hadn’t argued. For once, she’d decided to let someone shoulder the load.
At first, she’d expected Jamie to fill up her weekend with his usual festivities, but her cousin was off on a getaway with his new boyfriend until Monday and she was left completely alone.
Given that Bette had only been in the area for about three months, she’d spent most of that time either at the hospital or decompressing in front of bad TV, and so of course, her social circle was non-existent. All those friends she’d had during her marriage had apparently shifted their allegiances to Reba. Butwho could blame them? It wasn’t like she had ever made time for them.
She sighed and sipped her coffee, watching what had to be some early-rising tourists making their way into the coffee shop. Otherwise, the streets were mostly quiet. Nothing beats the local morning peace. She set off on a walk, heading to the paved footpath that snaked along the beach and wound toward Centennial Park.
Above her head, palm trees swayed in the soft breeze, and with it came that familiar tang of salt and sunscreen. She relished in it. When she’d lived in Clairemont, she and Reba had rarely ventured to the beach. Bette’s days were filled with work and Reba preferred spending time in her studio, surrounded by canvases, brushes, and the scent of paint…and also banging their neighbor every chance she got.
Bette shuddered at the thought and then shrugged it off. Instead, she concentrated on her feet, on the passing joggers and dog walkers as she blanked her mind, thinking only of the warm coffee in her hands, the sun above her head, and the distant sound of waves lapping against the shore.
She rounded a bend near the shoreline and was just about to admire the glittery ocean when she almost didn’t notice a figure running right at her, that was until they were a breath away from colliding.
“Whoa!” a voice cut through the air.
A familiar voice that made Bette’s heart flip in her chest. She jerked her gaze up and blinked at none other than Dr. Emily Sharp, who had frozen-mid step right in front of her. “Shit…Sorry. I wasn’t looking where I was going.”
Emily looked equally as surprised. “Oh. Hi…I-I didn’t expect to see you here,” she said as if she couldn’t believe this encounter was happening either. Her green eyes were as wide as dinner plates.
“Well, I live here,” Bette replied. “Well, not here, on this beach.” She pointed back with her thumb even though she had no idea if that was even the right direction. “Just off Eighth Avenue. I’m staying in a cottage at the back of my cousin’s house.” As soon as the words were out, she regretted them. It could lead to a conversation about living arrangements and how she’d ended up there, and the last thing she wanted to talk to Emily Sharp about was her divorce.
Bette quickly veered the conversation. “How’s your shoulder? Managing during your run?” She glimpsed Emily’s tights, her tank top that left little to the imagination, and the slight sheen of sweat along her collarbone.
Emily rubbed her shoulder absentmindedly, a sheepish smile tugging at her lips. “It’s fine. Just a little achy. But as long as I don’t swing it too much, it’s manageable.” She shifted on her feet, her eyes flicking to the ocean and back to Bette. “I’ve been doing my exercises, by the way.”
Bette smiled, a strange warmth she wasn’t sure she even liked, unfurled in her chest. “Good,” she said, “I’d hate to think all my expert advice went to waste.”
Emily chuckled, the sound was as light as the wisps of clouds above her head. She shifted again, her eyes flicking over Bette’s shoulder. “Do you want to grab a coffee or something,” she asked, gesturing vaguely in the direction of the coffee shop Bette had just left. Then, almost immediately, she seemed to notice the steaming latte in Bette’s hand and winced. “Oh wait. Never mind. You’ve already got one. Obviously. That was dumb of me.”
“It wasn’t dumb,” Bette said quickly, wondering why she hadn’t already ended the conversation ages ago and continued on with her walk. Emily Sharp was an orthopedic surgeon. She was also one of Bette’s clients. This interaction felt wrong.
Bette lifted her half-empty cup, and was fully prepared to say no, thank you… But somehow the words that tumbled out ofher mouth were completely different. “This one is on its last legs already.”
Emily blinked, her lips curving into a surprised smile as if she hadn’t expected Bette to say yes. Great. Now Bette felt even more awkward. Why hadn’t she just said no? It would’ve been far simpler than this complication she had willingly walked into.
“Great,” Emily said. “Next one’s on me. It’s the least I can do after you helped me with my shoulder.”
