Noah’s gaze cut to hers. “Tell me he’s kidding.”
She lifted her brows and tossed the spinach into her cart. “He tells me he’s quite the cook. Thought I might take the night off and let him feed you.”
“Uh-uh, you agreed to cook for me.”
She exaggerated a frown and rolled her eyes toward the ceiling feigning thought. “I don’t recall…”
“It was a verbal agreement.”
She took her phone back from Finn. “He’s had a rough day of contract negotiations. We’ll take a rain check on a group dinner. I’ll call you soon.”
“Perfect.” Finn turned to Noah and smacked his arm as he passed. “Later, dude.”
Before Noah took his bad mood out on her, she pushed the cart toward the back of the store. “I’ll have to give you a lecture on vegetables during therapy this afternoon. Right now, we’re headed toward the meat department. All you need to know about meat is three things: free range, grass fed, and wild.”
She glanced over to where he walked beside her, his gaze a little confused…but it could also have been the glaze of pain. “Hello?”
“I’m here, I’m here.”
She didn’t expect him to pick this stuff up first time around anyway. “Free-range chicken and eggs aren’t perfect, but on the whole, they’re more nutrient dense than those commercially raised. Grass-fed beef reduces inflammation-inducing grains in your diet. And wild seafood is higher in Omega-3 fatty acids, which you’ll learn more about in another lecture.”
“I really dislike the word ‘lecture.’ Just, you know, FYI.”
“Thanks for the update.” She slowed in front of the curved glass case enclosing meat and fish, and Noah’s phone rang. Julia leaned on the cart. “Tell your girlfriends you’re out of commission, please. If they keep calling and interrupting, I’m going to take your phone.”
“Like hell.” He tapped the face and put the phone to his ear. “Hello. Yep. Uh-huh. You sure? Okay. Thanks.” And he disconnected. He stuffed the phone away, grumbling, “PG&E fixed the line to the guesthouse.”
“It’s got power?” Her body released tension. She wouldn’t have to sleep downstairs from him tonight. Thank God. A woman could only be so strong. “Perfect. This day is working out pretty well, after all.”
“Funny.” He stared into the case. “I was just thinking how this day has been one screwup after another.”
“And it’s only half-over.” She waited for his scowl to turn her way, then hit him with her brightest grin. “Only five weeks and six days to go.”
Noah pulled into the garage, pushed the SUV into park, and sighed. Home. He was finally home. What a pathetic picture he made—one workout, one trip to the grocery store, and he wanted to slide into his hot tub and never come out
.
He hurt everywhere. His leg ached in ways he couldn’t even comprehend. Worse than it had in months. An uncomfortable shadow cluttered the back of his mind. Yes, Julia was a walking encyclopedia on nutrition and health, but his body was telling him he’d done too much. And he still had dozens and dozens of grocery bags to unload. Christ, the woman could shop.
“I’ll get the bags later,” Julia said, opening her door. “Right now I want you in the gym.”
“Whoa, wait a—”
Click. Her door closed.
He shut down the engine and pushed from the car. “I just spent a thousand dollars on food. I’m not leaving it out here.”
She paused on the threshold between the mudroom and the garage. “It’s colder out here than it is in your fridge. The food is fine; your leg’s not. The Tylenol isn’t cutting it today.”
He blew out a breath and started toward the house but had to take the stairs one at a time because his bad ankle would barely bend.
“Jesus Christ.” He stopped to shift his weight off his foot. “My leg hasn’t been this bad since my incision got infected. You’re supposed to be making me better, not worse.” He turned an openly angry look on her. “How much is Epic paying you to mess me up?”
She tilted her head and exhaled dramatically. “Normally, I would have explained up front that you would probably feel worse before you saw improvement, but nothing about this job has been normal. So, let me tell you now, rehab is not for wimps.”
His eyes narrowed. “Are you calling me a wimp?”
“I have to correct a potentially career-ending injury in addition to months of misuse. I’m sorry, but the reality is, there’s no easy way to do that. I may make you miserable, but I’ll also bring you relief, and the end result will be healing, strength, and balance.” She turned into the mudroom and passed into the kitchen, calling, “Change into shorts, and I’ll meet you in the gym.”