Page 75 of The Unraveling

And then wait.

A couple passes by, on their way to or from dinner, maybe. A homeless man weaves out from an alley, takes one look at me, and staggers off. And finally, the sound of a phone ringing comes from the app. I press it close to my ear, all but holding my breath.

“Hello?” Gabriel’s voice comes through the line. I look back at the fourth floor. No flicker of light. No sign someone’s rolled out of bed to answer their phone or wandered from one room to the next. “Anyone there?”

I want to shut my eyes and soak in his voice. Soak in the sound of Gabriel. But I can’t. I disconnect.

So he didn’t lie. He’s not home. He must be away, out of town, wherever he’s gone. And of course he doesn’t owe me any explanation. It’s not like we’re together. I’m embarrassed for myself. What am I thinking? Stalking this man again. Just like Rebecca—Rebecca, who probably needs far more care and therapy than I’m capable of providing her these days.

I try not to think what that says about me.

I turn the corner, headed for somewhere besides home. The last thing I should do right now is go home, where I’ll drink another bottle of wine and probably drunk-dial Robert, or worse, Gabriel. If I’m going to do something stupid, I should at least do it anonymously, without repercussions in my real life. Maybe I’ll pretend to be someone else. A different kind of doctor, or perhaps not a doctor at all. I could say I’m a schoolteacher, or an accountant, or anything I want. I’ll find a nice bar and sweep in like I don’t have a care in the world. Like Rebecca did the night before she broke up with Steve. Find a handsome man to buy me drinks and I’ll feel young and desirable and—

And I look up. I’ve been walking, but I haven’t found a bar.

I’ve walked on autopilot, the way I always walked from Gabriel’s home. To the storage unit.

I stop and squint through the sparse light of the streetlamp. There’s a form crossing the road, away from the storage unit, toward me.

It can’t be him—it can’t be.

But when the man raises his head, brushes his hair back, and looks up, our eyes meet.

It is him.

Gabriel Wright is not out of town.

He’s right here, right in front of me. My stomach drops, and if there were time, I’d turn and run. But there’s no time. His gaze is locked on mine, and he’s headed my way, determination in his eyes.

CHAPTER 32 Now

Dr. McCall?” Gabriel squints as he approaches. But he isn’t questioning whether it’s me or not, he’s asking what the heck I’m doing here. And it’s a damn good question. One I should’ve asked myself before getting caught.

I blink a few times, reaching for the Academy Award–winning performance I’ll need to pull this off. “Gabriel? Oh, hello.”

He tilts his head, studying me. “What are you doing in this neighborhood? Do you live around here?”

“I, uh, not too far.” I point down the block and make up the first thing that comes to mind. “I was just at the cell phone store. My phone seems to be on the fritz.”

He holds my eyes. “Which one? The Verizon at the corner?”

I feel like a drowning woman who was just thrown a lifeline. “Yes, that’s the one. The Verizon at the corner.”

He smiles. Actually, it’s more like a grin. “Is it weird to call you Dr. McCall? You know, after our last… session.”

My cheeks heat. “About that…” He’s opened the door. I need to say my piece and slam it back closed. Lock it and throw away the key forever. Yet I struggle to find the words to tell him how wildly inappropriate our last session was.

Before my mouth starts moving, Gabriel reaches out and cups my cheek. He caresses it with his thumb. “I’ve missed you, Meredith.” He steps closer and brings his mouth to my ear. “Did you miss me?”

Goose bumps prickle my arms, and every hair on my body jumps for the sky. My mind races with so many thoughts. I should tell him I didn’t miss him and what happened between us was a colossal mistake. But that’s not the truth, is it? Well, maybe the last part is, but I did miss him. And my body’s reaction is proof of that. Though… something dawns on me, and I force myself to take a step back.

“You canceled your appointment again. I thought you were away?”

Gabriel’s hand at my cheek slides to the back of my neck. He wraps his long fingers around and squeezes. Not enough to hurt, but enough that it reminds me how strong he is, how he held my body flush to the desk with one hand while he took me from behind.

“My plans changed. I just landed a little while ago. I was going to call your office first thing in the morning to see if I could get back on your schedule for Friday.”

“Oh.”

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