“Don’t call me that.” I shove him with my shoulder, but he’s sturdy and doesn’t budge. “Please move.”
“I’m just trying to be nice.”
I hope the glare I shoot at him incinerates his retinas. “If you wanted to be nice, you would move and never speak to me again.”
With an obnoxious huff, he steps to the side, only giving me enough space to squeeze between him and the doorframe. I shudder as I pass him. I’d rather rub my naked body against sandpaper.
“Bitch,” he whispers, but I don’t dare look back.
“Claire.”
My stomach churns. God, how is this happening?
“Claire?” Dr. Elliott’s deep voice pulls me from my chilling memory.
“Sir?” I follow his line of sight to Leo, who is still offering his jacket to me. “Oh, um, no. Thank you. I, uh… I’m sorry, but will you excuse me for a moment?”
While the two men volley a look of confusion, I stand and snag my purse from the table. Once I’ve located the restroom, I lock myself behind the single stall, my heart racing, and press my palm to my eyes.
Breathe.
It will all be fine. I’ll simply inform Dr. Elliott that his son sexually harassed me. He’ll believe me, right?
My heart plummets. Oh, fuck, what am I saying? Why would he believe me over his own son? This cannot be happening. This is so fucked up. I love my job, but I cannot imagine working with that man. What the hell am I going to do?
Praying Joey will answer this time, I tap her name in my favorites.
Her cheery voice startles me when she answers, sending my pulse racing again.
“Joey,” I whisper-shout into the speaker.
Her tone instantly shifts to one of concern, the volume lowering to meet mine. “What’s going on?”
“Fuck,” I sigh. I’ve never told anyone about Leo. I wanted to leave that incident in the past and move on. But Joey is the closest thing I have to a sister, so I dig deep and garner all my courage. “Um. I’m in a bit of a situation and I’m kind of freaking out.” As quickly as my adrenaline spiked, it crashes, my extremities beginning to shake.
“Okay. What’s going on? Where are you? Do you need me to come get you?”
“No. Yes? I don’t know,” I sob.
“Send me your location,” she commands in a calm voice.
Joey’s pretty great under pressure; I’ll give her that.
After nearly dropping my phone in the toilet, I share my location with my future sister-in-law, my hands trembling. Then I return the device to my ear.
“I’m at this work dinner thing with my boss and his son. And…” I inhale deeply and say the next part all in one breath. “And his son is an old classmate who sexually harassed me in med school.”
“The fuck?” a deep voice booms through the phone, nearly bursting my eardrum.
My heart races all over again. My brother. Shit. I didn’t want him to know.
“Hey, Cam,” I mumble, squeezing my eyes shut. Ireallydidn’t want him to know. He’s the definition of overprotective. And now I’ll never hear the end of it.
“Are you safe? Where are you?”
“Yes.” I exhale. “I’m in the bathroom. You know what? Nevermind. I’m fine. I’m overreacting. I’ll just go back out there and finish the dinner.”
“The hell you will,” he snaps.
