Free Working It Out by Rachael Anderson Page B

full-on
smile, or better yet—laugh. Wouldn’t that be something.
    “Up you go.” Grace patted the table.
    As Seth allowed Grace to check on his progress, his mind
started churning. He thought of Grace’s brother and how quickly Alec had gotten
into his car—about what life would be like for Seth if he’d done more damage
than tear his ACL. Would Seth be the type to shut out the world, or would he embrace
his new life and seek out the possibilities? He wanted to believe the latter, but
who knew for sure? Hadn’t he moped around his apartment just the other day
because all he could do was play video games?
    Just then, an idea struck. A brilliant idea. Seth could
rent a bunch of wheelchairs, take them to the gym where he and his friends met
to play basketball, and get his friends to play wheelchair ball. It was the
perfect solution. Why hadn’t Seth thought of it before? Maybe Alec would want to
join in as well.
    Grace had Seth stand to do some calf raises, and as he
lifted his body up and down, he said, “Hey, you think your brother might be
interested in playing wheelchair basketball with me and some of my friends?”
    Grace’s eyebrow raised. “Are you serious?”
    Seth shrugged. “Why not? It’s a Paralympic sport, isn’t
it?”
    “But you’re not a paraplegic.”
    “No, but according to you, I’m not allowed to play
regular basketball yet, so why not wheelchair ball? Unless, of course, you
won’t let me do that, either.”
    Grace’s expression turned thoughtful. She raised her arm
and rested it on the exercise bike next to him. “So what, you’re just going to
rent a bunch of wheelchairs?”
    “That’s the plan, yes.”
    “And your friends are on board with this?”
    “Yeah. They think it’s going to be a riot.” At least they
would once Seth told them about it.
    Grace drew her lower lip into her mouth and worked it
back and forth before releasing it. “You sure you have room for one more?”
    “There’s always room for one more.”
    Grace smiled—actually smiled. It lightened her eyes the
way Seth knew it would and made her that much more beautiful. Seth wanted to
fist pump the air. Evidently today was a day for miracles.
    “I’ll see if I can get Alec to come,” she said. “When are
you meeting and where?”
    Oh, um . . . Hopefully the gym at the junior high
where they usually met, but he’d have to call a friend to make sure. Then there
were the wheelchairs to procure. “If you give me your cell number, I’ll text
you the details once I get them nailed down.”
    She hesitated a moment, then scribbled something on a pad
of paper and held it just out of reach from him. “I only want one text from
you, okay?”
    “But what if plans change?” Seth asked innocently. ”How
will you know if I’m not allowed to text you again?”
    She rolled her eyes. “Okay, fine. I only want to be
texted about basketball, and that’s it. No saying things like your lips need a
workout or anything like that. Got it?”
    Seth suppressed a smile, or at least tried to. “Fine. Basketball
talk and that’s it. Promise.”
    She hesitated a moment longer before handing over her
number. Seth examined her tiny scrawl, thinking that he might have to frame it
and put it on display as a sort of hard-earned trophy. Then he stuffed it into
the pocket of his hoodie and grinned. “Do you typically give your number out to
patients, or am I just special?”
    Her eyes narrowed, and her gaze dropped to where his hand
was clamped over the pocket.
    Seth laughed. “Don’t worry. I always keep my promises.
Basketball talk only.” Little did she know that basketball could be applied to
pretty much everything.
    “Somehow, I’m not feeling very reassured.”
    Seth laughed again. How well she knew him already.
     

     
    G race
waltzed into her brother’s home office and set a takeout box containing
his favorite fast-food hamburger and fries beside him. She was on a mission,
and she refused to leave before that mission