Return of the Rebel Surgeon

Taking a breath, she asked, “Does your neck ache?”
“A bit.” The way his eyes darted away from hers, she could tell he hurt more than just a bit. Ironic how father and son communicated in the same way, even though they’d never met until now.

An arcing pain raced from his neck through his shoulder. His left hand felt thick and numb.
He shifted, regretting that he had to disturb Bella to ease his pain.

The way he held his neck and shoulders, the angle was off. She’d seen that posture before. It meant pain, physical pain. No doubt this emotionally painful conversation intensified it.

“Did David know before you married?” Cole twisted his neck back and forth and shrugged his shoulders, trying to stop the terrible ache that throbbed from the base of his skull, radiated down his arm and made his fingertips buzz. “Did he know you were carrying my child?”

Procedure complete, Cole stretched his neck from side to side and grimaced.

As Cole tucked the note in his pocket and turned away, a sharp pain arced through his neck and down his arm. He could use some pain management himself. Could Bella help him work through his pain?

Strained shoulder muscles took a while to right themselves. He’d give it a few more weeks before he had it checked out. Of course, that was what he’d told himself a few weeks ago. Maybe he should schedule a therapeutic massage soon.

While he’d rather head to the hotel to put a heat pack on his aching neck, he headed toward the classrooms instead.