Page 74 of Rather: The Therapist

“But, in our presence, you will respect every single one of us. Both Killian and Kleigh are right. For once, get your shit together. A woman’s heart is at stake. Treat her right, Kofi.”

Or I will.

I stood and headed for the door, leaving the three of them to converse amongst themselves. I had somewhere to be and the clock couldn’t strike ten before I got there.

On my way to my car, I dialed the number I knew best of them all.

“How is he?”

“He’s asleep,” Nikola informed me.

“How long?”

“About twenty minutes. He’s all tired out. Tonight might be the night he gets his rest. I’m hopeful, Mr. Valentine.”

“So am I. He needs it.”

“He does.”

“Alright.”

“Goodnight, Mr. Valentine.”

I stopped just short of changing gears.

“Goodnight? What makes you believe I’m not coming home?”

“Because you would’ve been here instead of calling.”

“Goodbye, Nikola.”

I ended the call, knowing she had a point, but I wasn’t sure if it was accurate. In fact, her point of view stuck with me on the entire ride to The Mansion. When my wheels came to a halt at the booth before gaining entry, my plans quickly shifted.

As the gates opened, I reversed my car, high-tailing out of the lot. I maneuvered the gear into Drive and unlocked my cell simultaneously. My nights of waiting had ended.

“Ursula,” I called out the moment she answered.

“Mr. Valentine.”

“Has a reservation been made for the night under her name?”

There was a moment of silence before she responded, “Not for this week.”

Her words threw me for a loop. “This week?”

“Yes. There was a reservation made for nine-thirty last week. Monday, it seems.”

“And, I wasn’t notified.”

“Because that’s not what you asked of me. You didn’t say to inform you if she reserves. You said to inform you if she returns. She hasn’t. She didn’t make it Monday night.”

Yet and still, she wanted to.

The lone fact led me to my rolodex where all things Rose was stored. The comments Kleigh had made about popping up at her house Monday night replayed. She was the reason Rose hadn’t made it. But, the smile on Kleigh’s face as she told us about their night together was far more precious than a night at The Mansion, no matter how long I’d been waiting.

Nine-thirty. I chuckled at the thought. Surely she was trying to make the ten-o’clock deadline.

“Thank you, Ursula.”

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