The Test of Love. Irene Brand

been authenticated?”

      “Rose hasn’t mentioned it for several months, so I don’t know anything more than that.”

      They started checking the accounts again, and they’d almost finished when a knock sounded on the door.

      “Come in,” Kim invited.

      Joseph Caldwell stood diffidently in the open door. “I was a bit hasty in my departure, Miss Harmon. Perhaps we should have that talk.”

      Connie’s pulse quickened. She would have been disappointed to have had no further contact with this man. “By all means. Come in the office. Don’t interrupt me for phone calls, Kim.”

      She moved toward her office and Joseph followed. Watching the graceful sway of her shoulders, Joseph knew his decision to return had been influenced more by his desire to associate with NLC’s proprietor than by the services the Center could provide. He could find another rehab facility, but where else would he find a woman whose presence gave him a reason, not only to recover physically, but perhaps even to live again? Momentarily, he was seized with the desire to hold Connie close and never let her go—a thought that amazed him so much that he stumbled and almost fell.

      Connie turned immediately and grabbed his arm, a touch that electrified both of them, and for a moment, they stared incredulously into each other’s eyes.

      Connie released his arm, and striving to ignore the intimate moment they’d just experienced, Joseph carefully lowered his body into the chair and stretched out his leg.

      “I apologize for my rudeness earlier,” he said. “I’m not usually so short-tempered, but except for a few childhood illnesses I’ve never been sick, and for the past six months, I’ve been in and out of the hospital without gaining much help for my problem. That’s caused me to become irritable.”

      “I understand,” she said.

      “I’m only thirty-four years old, and it hurts my pride, as well as my hip, to move around like an old man. Dr. Melrose recommended you, saying you were my best chance for complete recovery.”

      “I know Dr. Melrose well. He’s sent several patients to us, including his own son. He was pleased with his son’s progress.”

      “I expected a conventional health center, not a religious spa,” Joseph said bitterly. “I don’t have time to go to worship services every day. I’ve been away from my ranch off and on for months, and with summer coming, I need to be at home. How long do you think this will take?”

      “I’m not a miracle worker, and if you expect me to use some mysterious hocus-pocus to bring about your healing, you may as well leave. God is important in the healing process, but it takes exercise, rest, proper diet, as well as spiritual commitment, to achieve a complete cure, and that takes time.”

      “I’ve just explained to you that I don’t have much time,” he said tersely, then he laughed. “We’re going in circles, Miss Harmon. Someone has to budge, and since I’m the one asking for help, I guess I’ll have to do it. What do you want me to do?”

      “I’ll take you on a tour of our facilities so you can see what we have to offer. Our physician will give you a brief exam, and you can fill out an application. We’ll need a copy of your recent medical records, too. Our review board will study your case and decide if we can give you the help you need. If so, we’ll assign a personal trainer to work with you and help implement a daily exercise program.”

      “Do you know how long it will take?”

      “Lacking any medical details of your injury, except what I’ve observed, I’d guess at least three months.”

      He shook his head and gritted his teeth, but he controlled his anger. “All summer!”

      “We don’t make prisoners of our therapy patients, but we do expect them to stay here five days a week, and they go home on weekends if they’re able. Those who live at a distance often stay until their program is completed.”

      “My ranch is a hundred miles from here, and I’d have to go home periodically to oversee the work. My sister lives nearby and checks on the place every few days, but there are some decisions she can’t make.”

      “Let’s take a tour of the buildings now, and you can see what we have to offer. We have golf carts available for our patients to travel if they aren’t able to walk. Are you up to walking?”

      He grunted painfully as he got out of the chair. “I walk as much as possible, but I’m slow, and after a short time, I have to stop to rest.”

      “We can take all morning because I don’t have an appointment until this afternoon. Let’s go.”

      They went first to the gymnasium, located near the administration building. In general, Connie stayed away from the gym as much as possible to avoid Ray Blazer, the manager of the exercise rooms, but since she found it expedient to dispense with unpleasant encounters as quickly as possible, she started the tour there.

      The gym provided the best exercise machines available. She and Joseph paused at the door of the fitness room to observe, and avoid the walkers who circled the indoor walking track, either cooling down after workouts, or getting their adrenaline pumping before strenuous exercise.

      One elderly woman waved to Connie and rushed on. Amusement spread across Joseph’s face as he observed the lady circling the track in a slow trot.

      “Isn’t she a little old for this activity?” he asked.

      “Not at all. Della Sinnet is in her eighties, but she’s a regular fixture around here,” Connie said. “Her home is in Colorado Springs, but she spends her winters in a warmer climate. She comes to NLC for several weeks each spring, and she challenges all of us with her vitality.”

      “So you have patients of all ages,” Joseph said as he observed the activities—people on treadmills, stationary bikes, stair-steppers, rowers and skate machines. In spite of the busyness, the atmosphere appeared calm, for quiet, classical, inspirational music wafted through the rooms. Videos provided soothing scenes of sunsets, towering trees, placid lakes, tranquil oceans and animals playing with their little ones. The room conveyed a pleasant feeling of exercising in the great outdoors.

      Joseph followed Connie into the free-weight room where men and women worked on the equipment, seemingly without effort. “It’ll be a long time before I’m ready for this equipment,” he muttered.

      “Not as long as you might think,” Connie said. She beckoned to a young man, who was coaching a woman on the horizontal calf raise machine. He ignored Connie for several minutes as he continued his instructions, then he sauntered toward them. Ray Blazer was a good advertisement for his profession. He had the build of a wrestler, and he kept in shape by exercising two hours each day on the free-weight machines.

      “Mr. Caldwell, this is Ray Blazer, manager of the gym and an expert on physical fitness. He’ll explain the various equipment to you. I’ll be on a treadmill while Ray gives you a tour of our exercise facilities.”

      A patient stepped off a treadmill and moved to a modified leg stretch machine, so Connie got on the machine and adjusted it to her pace. She faced the weight room, so she’d know when Joseph was ready to leave. Ray moved from one machine to another explaining their various functions to Joseph.

      Although Ray was an expert in his field, Connie wished he’d leave NLC. She’d been engaged to Ray until two months ago, and her disappointment in him still burned in her heart. When Ray came to the Center a year ago, it seemed the perfect situation—she could combine her work and romance. She’d thought she loved Ray, but when he disregarded her moral principles, which he’d known about before their engagement, she broke the engagement. But though she tried to avoid being alone with him, she couldn’t drop him from her staff, and it presented a problem.

      When Joseph limped in her direction, Connie stepped off the treadmill. “I must sit down,” he muttered. “This leg gives me fits when I’m on it too long.”

      “That’s