Page 4 of Healing Conviction
And he wouldn’t be lonely for too long. Hawk said he’d be moving back after he closed up his apartment. Soon, the facility would be good as new, and hopefully the rest of his teammates would come back, too. Although he doubted it. It seemed like everyone was moving on but him.
“Hey, you know what?” Melly tossed a towel at him, breaking him from his thoughts. “Be patient. Keep working every day and don’t slack off.”
“I’ll make sure he doesn’t. I’ve got my eye on him.” Nora waltzed into the physical therapy room with a coffee carrier and a bright smile that made Draco’s heart stutter. Her black, shoulder-length hair was pulled back into a half bun, showing off her many ear piercings. “How’s the session going today, handsome?”
God, he loved when his little pixie called him that.
“He’s doin’ good,” Melly answered. “Not able to climb to the top of Mount Ash yet, but he’d probably be able to go on a hike with some rests in between.” She clapped him on the shoulder before tidying up the elastic bands and other equipment they’d been using.
“Oh, I have no doubt he’ll be able to do the whole dang Appalachian Trail by next fall.” She winked a sparkling green eye at him and he couldn’t help the grin that spread on his face.
“It still weirds me out when you smile, Draco.” Melly gave a dramatic shiver. “Good thing it only happens at theendof your sessions. Until then, you’re as surly as ever.”
Melly gave him a knowing look and he thanked his training for the stoic face he was able to maintain. If not for that, an embarrassing blush would’ve crept up his face. He knew exactly what she was implying.
Nora always visited at the end of his PT, sometimes even helping. She’d apparently been by his side nonstop while he was in a coma, carrying out exercises his nurses had shown her, making sure his muscles were loose. During his first PT appointment, Melly had even remarked on how mobile he already was. He liked to think if it weren’t for Nora, he wouldn’t be anywhere near as successful with recovery, even without the meds.
“Drake, why you gotta give our Melly a hard time?” Nora teased as she passed out their cups.
“Yeah,Drake, why is that?” Melly asked with a smirk.
He scowled at her before taking a sip, eager for his peppermint tea. That first week after waking up, Nora had asked him once for his coffee order. He’d ordered black coffee, per his usual. Expecting the sludge he usually drank, he’d been pleasantly surprised when she’d returned with this not-too-sweet concoction, saying, “Trust me, babe,” with a wink and a smile. He had. He’d loved it. And he hadn’t doubted her since.
“Gotta get my tea in, is all.” He narrowed his eyes at Melly as she hummed.
“Mmhm, I see.”
Damn it, Melly. Shut up.
The woman had been trying for two damn months to get him to tell Nora how he felt. But Melly didn’t understand the reasons why he held back. There was only one, really, and ifhewas ever out of the picture, Draco wouldn’t think twice before making his move. It’d never been in his nature to give up, and he certainly wouldn’t do it without a fight.
“So what’s the big guy being grumpy about today?” Nora took a sip of her drink and hummed. “Mmm, nothing like sugar in the morning.”
Her moan made him grind his teeth to the point of pain and concentrate really hard to keep his cock from standing at attention. She took another sip and made the same noise.
What I wouldn’t give to be that cup right now.
“Don’t you mean coffee?” Melly asked.
“Nope, she means sugar.” Draco pointed to Nora’s cup. “There’s probably only an ounce of coffee in that drink.” Nora nodded enthusiastically and the corner of his lips tipped up in response before relaxing into their usual line as he answered her. “I’m notgrumpy. I’m frustrated. I want to be back to what I once was. It makes me afraid I’ll never get there.”
“You’ll get back in no time. You’re a friggin’ Viking, Draco Malfoy, and don’t you ever forget it.”
He huffed a laugh. “If you say so, Pix.”
“Iknowso. I’m brilliant, too, so don’t question me, handsome.” At her wink, he opened his mouth to say something else, but Melly’s voice called out in excitement.
“Oh, Matt, hey! It’s so good to see you.”
Draco’s lip twitched behind his cup as he followed Melly’s gaze. He wasn’t the only one pining over what they didn’t have. Her eagerness would’ve been sweet if the guy she was into wasn’t trying to datehisgirl.
“Hey, Melly.” Matt grinned back at her before reaching for Nora. “Hey, babe.”
CHAPTERTWO
Draco noted Nora’s feeble smile, right before she dropped the empty coffee tray she’d been holding. “Whoopsie-daisy, uh, hey Matt.”
Everyone simultaneously bent to get the tray, but Nora shooed them away. When she stood back up, she was a few feet from Matt and closer to where Draco sat on the PT bench.