Page 5 of Playing with My Heart

“You too. Let me give you a quick tour before everyone gets busy,” he suggested, gesturing toward the interior with a sweep of his hand. As we walked, staff members greeted me with smilesand words of welcome. It felt as though I’d stumbled into a family rather than a workplace, and the warmth of it wrapped around me like a blanket.

“Everyone’s pretty laid-back here,” Justin explained as we passed by a row of treatment rooms. “We work hard, but Travis makes sure we also take time to enjoy the little things. He’s big on balance.”

“Sounds perfect.”

“Ah, speaking of the devil.” Justin nodded toward the end of the hallway where a figure approached—tall, with the kind of athletic build that didn’t just hint at his relationship with sports but shouted it from the rooftops. He was blond with strikingly blue eyes and his skin was a gorgeous golden tan, like he’d just gotten back from some tropical vacation.

“Hey, Justin. Who’s this?” Travis asked casually, showing off a set of straight white teeth.

“Travis Brooks, meet Parker Reyes, our new physical therapist,” Justin introduced us.

“Ah! It’s nice to finally meet you, Parker.” Travis extended his hand, and I was momentarily caught in his warm gaze before our hands met in a firm shake. His grip was strong, confident, and something about it sent a ripple of electricity up my arm.

“Likewise,” I managed, hoping my face didn’t betray how taken aback I was—not just by his appearance, which was undeniably striking, but by the casual ease with which he stood there, exuding a sense of fun and spontaneity that I’d always envied.

“Are you settling into the city okay?” His brow lifted in genuine interest.

“Uh, yeah, getting there.” I chuckled, ruffling the back of my hair awkwardly. “Chicago’s quite the change from the small town I grew up in.”

“I’m sure. But you’ll love it here,” he assured me with an easy grin, and somehow, I believed him.

“Has Justin introduced you to the rest of our team?” he asked, nodding towards the small group of colleagues that moved about the therapy room.

“Yes,” I replied, the corner of my mouth lifting into a smile. “Everyone seems very friendly.” My eyes flicked over to him. “I suppose it helps when the boss is so—chill.”

“Chill?” He laughed—a rich, warm sound that made me want to hear it again. “I’ll take that as a compliment, Parker.” His gaze held mine, a twinkle of mischief dancing in those blue depths. “But don’t let the laid-back vibe fool you. I can be pretty intense, especially when it comes to helping our patients.”

“Guess I have a lot to look forward to then,” I said, feeling a strange sense of ease washing over me. Maybe it was his openness or the way he made me feel seen, but something about Travis sparked an immediate connection that I hadn’t anticipated.

“Speaking of which, why don’t we get started? Today, you can just observe if you’d like. Get the lay of the land so to speak.”

“Sounds good.”

The next couple of hours flew by, the clinic a revolving door of activity and at the center of it all was Travis. He was patient and understanding, treating his patients with compassion while also pushing them toward the next level in their recovery. Watching him was inspiring and I had a feeling I’d learn a lot from working with him.

“How about we grab lunch together?” Travis suggested when he finally had a break between appointments. “There’s a cafe just around the corner—best sandwiches in town, and it’ll give us a chance to chat outside of these four walls.”

Lunch? With Travis? The idea sent a surge of excitement—and nerves—through me. “Yeah, that sounds great. I’d like that,” I managed, surprised by my own eagerness.

“Awesome.” He rose from the stool he’d been sitting on and stood tall, his athletic frame imposing yet inviting all at once.

Taking advantage of the beautiful weather, we decided to walk to the cafe. Travis led us over to a booth by the window, the sunlight filtering through the retro-patterned curtains, casting playful shadows on the tabletop. “Best spot in the house,” he declared with a flourish, sliding into the seat across from me. “You get to people-watch without them realizing you’re doing it.”

I chuckled at his observation, settling into my own seat while taking in the atmosphere. “This place has character,” I said, appreciating the eclectic mix of vintage posters and local artwork adorning the walls.

“Wait till you try the food; it’s unreal.” His eyes sparkled with enthusiasm. As we perused the menu, conversation flowed naturally. We volleyed back and forth, sharing tidbits of our lives amidst laughter and light-hearted banter. Travis regaled me with tales of some of his more…colorful clients which had me laughing harder than I had in a long time.

“And what about you, Parker?” he asked curiously, leaning forward. “Tell me about the man behind the physical therapist.”

My mind danced back to the simplicity of home, and I found myself opening up more than I’d planned. “I grew up in a small town near Cincinnati,” I began, tracing the condensation on my water glass. “It was one of those places where everyone knows your name, and your business is never just your own.”

“Sounds cozy—and suffocating,” he mused, his eyebrows arching in understanding.

“Exactly,” I agreed with a soft laugh. “It was wonderful, but I always felt like there was a whole world out there waiting for me.” My gaze drifted out the window to the bustling Chicagostreets. “But now that I’m here, everything’s so fast, so loud—overwhelming at times.”

“Big change,” Travis acknowledged, nodding thoughtfully. “But hey, it’s also exciting, right? New beginnings, new possibilities.” His smile was infectious, and I couldn’t help but mirror it.

“Definitely exciting,” I said, my spirits lifting. “It will just take some getting used to, I’m sure.”

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