Addison:
I thinkwe can make that happen.
You know I respect you, right?
Addison:
Yeah…why?
Because later on tonight, it’s going to seem like I don’t.
Addison:
Looking forward to it, Adler. I could use a little disrespect.
I chuckled to myself and slipped my phone back into my pocket, taking a long breath before opening exam room two. I was ready for the day to be over so I could start my night with my girl.
I looked up from my clipboard once I entered the exam room to find Liz King, Laurel James’s best friend, waiting in a chair with her dachshund, Otto, at her feet. She looked up at me with a warm smile. “Hey, Dr. Adler, y'all sure are busy today.” Shestood up, grabbing Otto to put him on my exam table.
I smiled while running my hand down Otto’s back. “Yeah, that’s an understatement.” I chuckled. “So, I see that Otto is just here for his annual heartworm test and vaccinations?”
Liz nodded as I turned to the cabinets behind me to grab what I needed. “So, I hear you’re dating our girl Addi,” she said, immediately cutting to the chase.
This town.Always in everyone’s business, but I shouldn’t be surprised with Liz in particular, since she was basically my girlfriend’s second mother.
I cleared my throat and nodded, still focused on what I was doing with Otto instead of making eye contact with her. “Yup, I am.”
Liz chuckled. “That’s it? That’s all you’re going to give me?”
I laughed at that. “Well, what would you like?”
“I don’t know, for you to confess your undying love for her.” Liz smirks.
“Well, I think I should confess that to her before I confess it to you, don’t you think?” I winked at her, and a giant smile spread across her face.
“Fair enough. That’s what I like to hear. But in all seriousness, Dr. Adler…” She paused, clearly trying to find the right way to phrase what she was about to say.
I jumped in. “Please, call me Dean.” I began administering the vaccines to Otto.
“Dean, Addi has been through a lot, and I feel like her life is finally falling into place the way it was always meant to for her. Please don’t hurt her. She deserves the world.” Liz lookeddirectly into my eyes with a warning. “She doesn’t need another heartbreak.”
I nodded in understanding. “You have my word, Mrs. King.” I began cleaning up the room and grabbed the heartworm test, trying to distract myself from the guilt that rose in my stomach, sickening and lately all too familiar.
She smiled. “Call me Liz. And thank you.”
I returned her smile. “All right, well, Otto here looks good. You guys are all set.” Liz set her dog back on the ground and came around the exam table, pulling me into a hug.
“We all really like you for her, Dean. She’s different with you than she was with her ex. She’s herself again.” She held me at arm’s length, giving my arms a light squeeze, and smiled before grabbing Otto to walk out the door.
Those last words froze me in place. My limbs felt heavy, and guilt pressed down on me, suffocating and unrelenting, sitting on my chest and curling deep in my stomach. I was unsure how much longer I could keep my secret about Noah from Addison. Should I tell her and deal with the consequences? Was I really protecting her by not telling her, or was I just hurting her? Would she think differently of me if I told her the truth, especially now that I’d waited so long?
I scrubbed a hand down my face and decided to push all of this out of my mind for now. Tonight was about celebrating her, and I didn’t want to focus on the past right now.
I called in a favor from Addison’s parents to reserve the restaurant’s private room, where floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked their breathtaking vineyard. They’d opened a new farm-to-table restaurant this month that was already thriving, and I thought the private room would be the perfect setting for us to spend some time together at one of her favorite places.
I was finishing getting ready when my phone vibrated on my dresser. Ava’s name flashed across the screen. I answered, “Hey, Ava, what’s up?”
“Hey, Dean! So, my mom may have told me what you were up to tonight, and I may have done a little decorating of the private room.” I could hear her smiling through the phone.
