Jordan swept his dark hair from his forehead. He had a messy faux hawk going on, and Penny was certain that would be on Brett’s list of red flags. “Are you sure I’m not paying you for PR work?”
Penny grinned, then motioned for him to sit down on the chair she’d set up. “Is it okay if I feel things out?” Jordan nodded, so she put her hands on his shoulder and prodded.
Jordan winced. “It's not bad enough to need surgery, but they told me it'll be a few months before it's back to normal.”
Penny groaned. “Are you telling me that you're another hockey player who wants to force his body to heal faster by pretending I have magical healing powers?”
“Wait, you don't have magical healing powers? Because that's the only reason I came today.”
This time, Penny didn't hold back her smile. “Well, as long as we're on the same page.”
The aroma of rosemary and lavender drifted through the space from the essential oil diffuser Penny had set up on a small side table. She’d left the door open, and all in all, it was homier than expected.
Her equipment was neatly organized along one wall: resistance bands, foam rollers, and yoga blocks. A therapy table, draped in crisp white linen, stood at the center of the space, flanked by a couple of potted plants she’d picked up yesterday that added a touch of life and colour to the otherwise industrial setting.
"Okay, Jordan, let's start with a few basics." Penny stepped back and pulled her long hair into a bun at the base of her neck then motioned for him to sit on the edge of the therapy table. "Have you done the pendulum before?”
“Only in bed.”
Penny rolled her eyes. Apparently, it wasn’t only Brett who leaned on innuendo for stellar first impressions. “Just lean forward slightly, support yourself with your left arm, and let your right arm hang down. Then, gently swing it back and forth."
Jordan did as she asked.
“How does it feel?”
“There’s a twinge when I hit this angle.” Jordan nodded when his arm lifted to the right.
“Yep, that’s normal.” Penny started her timer. They worked through a set of stretches and mobility tests, then moved on to a few preliminary strength-building exercises.
They were deep in external rotation movements with the resistance band when Jordan asked, “What’s your ethnicity? Is that a rude question?”
Penny shook her head. “No, my grandmother is full Greek.”
“Your mother’s mother or father’s mother?”
“Mother’s.” Penny adjusted the band. “What about you?” Jordan had dark features. She wouldn’t have been surprised if he had a quarter of something in his blood.
“My great-grandfather was French.”
“So you’re more Canadian than all of us, is that what you’re saying?”
Jordan laughed out loud. “It was a power play.”
“That’s your move, right? Ask women where they’re from and then hope they—” Penny’s head snapped up as movement caught her eye. She frowned as Brett appeared in the open garage doorway.
His eyes trailed over Penny, then landed on Jordan, shirtless on the table. Brett cleared his throat. “I hope I’m not interrupt—”
“You are.” Jordan inspected him. “Bouchard, right? Snowballs?”
Brett nodded. He stalked along the far wall and opened one of the boxes then pulled out a power strip. “Sorry, just needed to grab this.” He caught Penny’s eye, and she quickly looked back to her hand holding the resistance band.
Brett had come into this garage exactly zero times since she’d moved in. What were the chances that he needed something so desperately that he had to come out and grab it right this second? “What’s the power strip for?”
“New lamp,” Brett answered without hesitation. He shot one last look at Jordan, then retreated down the drive.
“Sorry about that,” Penny murmured.
“He’s a neighbour?”
