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“Yeah. I don’t know why you put up with my bullshit.” She pulled the blanket up over her shoulder.
He seemed about to say something, but then changed his mind, simply wishing her good night and going out.
CHAPTER10
Over the first few weeks following surgery, Ryan watched Georgie bloom. There was no other word for it. Her attitude to the exercise regime he’d given her in the clinic transferred to Blessed Inlet. She did absolutely everything he told her to. To the letter. Every now and then she’d try to push herself too far and he’d have to pull her back, but most of the time she took that pretty well. She’d be happy with today, though, he thought to himself as he knocked briefly on her cabin door before stepping inside.
“I’m very spoiled,” she said with a smile, putting the last forkful of lunch into her mouth. She was sitting in the recliner with the wheeled table in front of her. “Rafe makes amazing paella.”
He smiled back at her. Her appetite had returned with a vengeance. To the point that he’d had to arrange with Juniper to increase her portion sizes and Brandon to provide a lot of snacks. She was well fueled and it showed. She had a glow about her now that was hard to resist.
“What’s on for this afternoon?” She pushed the table away and lowered the recliner.
“Walking.”
“Just walking?” She seemed disappointed.
“You’ll like this, Georgie May.” He helped her to her feet, making sure she was steady before taking a few steps backwards. “To me.”
She bit her lip, frowning in concentration as she moved forward. It was more of a shuffle than a walk, but her gait was relatively even and reasonably stable. She reached for him when she was close enough, holding on to his upper arms. Smiling up at him with pure joy, she stole the breath from his body. God, he wanted to kiss her. He stepped back, holding her hands to steady her again. “Once more.” She did it again, pouting at him when he told her it was enough, but she didn’t argue. “What are your plans for the afternoon?”
Georgie shrugged. “Not much. Leah has a doctor’s appointment, Mikayla’s working and Juniper has a business meeting to go to.”
“I was thinking on getting my easel out. Would you sit with me?”
“Yes, I’d like that.”
Ryan had Georgie set up on the recliner and his easel out in no time at all. There was a cold wind blowing in off the ocean and the early winter sun couldn’t seem to dredge up more than a weak, cold light. “What do you think you’ll do, once you’re better?” He asked, settling himself on the stool and turning his gaze up to the sky. When Georgie didn’t answer, Ryan flicked her a glance. She was looking out over the ocean, the blanket up around her shoulders, a thoughtful frown between her brows.
“I don’t really know, to be honest. It’s weird to think that in the not-too-distant future, the holding pattern I’ve been in will be over.” She toyed with the hem of the blanket. “I’m not really qualified for anything. I barely managed to finish high school and headed straight out to work after that.”
“What work did you do?”
“Office admin, mainly. I was a legal secretary for a while. I didn’t mind that, but I’m not sure it would be fulfilling long term.”
“The world’s your oyster, Georgie May. You can do whatever you like.”
She laughed. “True. Maybe I’ll take up belly dancing.”
God, imagine that. Georgie in a long flowing skirt and one of those sequined tops, shaking her hips. Ryan shifted on the stool, suddenly hot and bothered.
She grew serious again. “I think I’d like to do something that gives back. Because I don’t need to work for money.”
“That sounds good. What kind of thing?”
“Not social work. It would hit too close to home. But I could be a coordinator of something. Youth Camp, maybe. I don’t really know.”
“You’ve got plenty of time to figure it out.”
“I do.” A comfortable quiet settled over them. Georgie broke it after a while by asking, “Do you ever paint people?”
“I tried to, when I first started out.”
“What happened?”
He thought about it for a moment. “I felt like there was something missing. I could paint the image of the person, but I could never capture their essence, so I was always disappointed.”
“Fair enough.” More quiet stretched between them. “Can I ask you something else?”
