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“But I dropped the spoon and it bounced under the bed.”

“Forget about the spoon!”

Once Rachel had managed to untie her girlfriend, Ainsley had asked where it hurt and then pressed the area gently, Rachel wincing as she did so.

She was certain it was nothing; just a pulled muscle but Ainsley had insisted they go to the ER, saying she was worried it might be a tear. And nothing could dissuade her.

“My first sex injury,” Rachel said now.

“How does it feel?” Ainsley asked, kissing Rachel’s fingers.

“Better, actually,” Rachel said. This was true. The pain had subsided quite a bit by now.

Ainsley cocked an eyebrow.

“You were supposed to go left, not right,” she chided.

“I thought you meant my left!” Rachel replied.

“Your left? While you were doing what you were doing with that toy? Did you even read the book?”

“Multiple times!” Rachel answered. “And it clearly states—”

Just then the door to the room opened and a very handsome African-American man walked in carrying a folder. Not for the first time, Rachel considered that just a few weeks ago, pre-Ainsley, this doctor would have been exactly someone she would have flirted with. Even now, she checked his left hand, noticing the lack of a ring.

Old habits die hard.

“She’s perfectly fine, Ains,” Dr. Evans said.

Ainsley got up and said, “Really?”

“Yep.” Dr. Evans opened the folder and took out two X-ray sheets which he then attached to a lightbox on one of the walls. He turned it on and let Ainsley examine the pictures. “See? No tear.” He turned to Rachel. “My guess is you just strained it. Easy enough to do if you’re not careful. By the way, that muscle is called the gracilis.”

“Gracilis,” Rachel repeated, trying out the new word with her mouth.

Dr. Evans nodded.

“It helps us move around,” he said with smile. “Put some heat on it tonight; try not to do too much and take it easy for a couple of days.”

“I don’t have to, like, stay bedridden, do I?” Rachel inquired.

“Nah. But take it slow when you do move about. You’ll probably be limping for a few days.”

Ainsley said, “No volleyball tomorrow.”

“Definitely no volleyball tomorrow,” Dr. Evans reiterated sternly, “or the next time you’ll be walking out of here on crutches.” He got a devilish twinkle in his eye. “Remember, you’re pushing thirty.”

Rachel stuck her tongue out at him, knowing he was the type not to be insulted by it.

“Thanks for reminding me,” she said.

Dr. Evans told Rachel he’d give her a prescription for painkillers in case she needed them. Before he left the room, Ainsley opened her arms for a hug and embraced him.

“You’re the best, Nate,” she said.

“Anytime, my friend,” he replied. “Nice meeting you, Rachel.”

“Thank you again so much!” Rachel said.