“How is Gladys?” I asked when Dr. Cobb had left us again after listening to her heart.
I’d taken her blood pressure, and was now righting everything while she made sure her blouse was in order.
“Oh, she’swonderful,” she breathed, hearts in her eyes. “You know I loved my Edgar, but dare I say I love my Gladys even more.”
“Hey, there’s nothing bad about that. Different people fit us at different times. We change, they change, and sometimes someone comes along who surprises you.”
She gave me a shrewd look. “I have a feeling you’re speaking from experience.”
I smiled. “I might be, yes.”
“Do tell?” She lifted her hand. “But only if you feel comfortable doing so.”
“I got reacquainted with my first crush recently. It’s tricky, but I think we could be good for each other.”
She looked delighted. “I’m sure you will. Just make sure you’re friends first and everything else second, and you’ll be perfectly fine.”
“I don’t think that’s going to be a problem.”
* * * *
I was so excited to get home after work, that I didn’t even check my phone.
I parked the truck, then walked briskly to the front door, exhausted but happy as hell.
Lake’s office door was open, but he was sitting on the couch in the living room.
“Hey, you’re home,” he said, smiling a bit tightly.
I dropped my bag by the stairs and went to him. “What’s wrong?”
“You haven’t checked your phone?”
“No, why?” I immediately dug it out of my pocket. There were five messages from Ben. “What’s wrong?”
“His dad had to have surgery. The heart thing was worse than they thought and his mom is in pieces.”
Dread squeezed my chest. I nodded slowly. “So he left.”
“Yeah, he had to.”
“Of course,” I managed. “I’ll text him after I’ve showered.”
Lake looked at me, worry clear in his eyes. “You okay?”
“Uh…yeah, I’m…it’s just that I was looking forward to tonight. I wanted to sleep next to him again before he had to go, but it is what it is.” I shrugged, attempting casual. “Family, right?”
Lake seemed dubious, but nodded anyway. “Yeah, family.”
I gestured behind me. “I’ll…” And escaped.
By the time I got to the shower, I felt like I was shaking a little. The thought of Ben choosing his father over me seemed ludicrous. Logically I knew that wasn’t what was going on here, not at all. It didn’t matter to my overly dramatic brain. If it had been his mom, it would’ve been easier, but with the experience I had of his father, it was different. Very different.
And I still couldn’t tell him, because he loved his father, and I didn’t want to do anything to jeopardize that.
An evil being in my brain suggested that maybe the surgery wouldn’t go well, and the universe would solve my problem for me. I turned the water to cold to punish myself for such thinking. I knew it was one of those intrusive thoughts people had sometimes, and I only wanted the best for Ben. Sometimes, I hated my brain for being so petty and vindictive.
* * * *
