Page 40 of The Doctor's Truth

“Jesus.” She exhales the word. “You have the memory of an elephant.” She rolls her hands over her thighs uncomfortably as she looks everywhere except at me. She’s looking for an exit.

“I get it,” I say, because I have to say something to keep her here. “Eighteen. Pregnant. I’d run, too. Does he know?”

She looks back at me, and I see it now—the fear in her eyes is raw. Palpable. “You can’t say anything,” she says, her voice a rushed whisper. “Please. It’s complicated, you wouldn’t understand—”

“Wouldn’t I?”

Her lips seal at that. The look in her eyes, it’s that of a cornered animal.

“Please, Donovan,” she repeats. The urgency in her voice is sharp, metallic. It’s that feeling of having a razor pressed to your skin—not deep enough to draw blood, just enough to make a dent the flesh. The chilling anticipation of pain.

She thinks I have her heart in my hand. She has no idea that the opposite is true.

“I won’t tell him.”

Her eyes brighten a little bit. Or maybe it’s the Christmas lights twinkling in her irises.

“But…” I add, “as…lovely as the other night was, I think we should stay just friends while you’re here.”

The light in her dims. But her smile remains intact. “Of course. Whatever you need.”

“That’s what I need.”

She extends a hand. “Friends?”

“Friends.”

We shake on it.

“Also. Whatever is going on with you and Jason…”

“It’s stupid,” she says quickly. “Insane. With…you know. Otto. It makes no sense. I know I need to step away.”

“Don’t,” I tell her. “I haven’t seen him this happy since Nadine. I think he needs this as much as you do.”

“Right.” She’s looking off to the water again. That ten-mile stare.

“Anyway,” I add, “maybe Jason and his big dick will convince you to stay.”

She laughs at that. It’s a beautiful sound. “Asshole.”

“Slut,” I retort.

She rests her head on my shoulder, and the both of us look out into the limitless inky black of the ocean, the smattering of stars.

“I missed you,” she says, so quietly I almost don’t hear it.

My heart kicks. “Missed you, too.”

A flurry of movement lands in Kenzi’s lap. “Mum!” Otto grabs at her arm, tugging her. “I got to steer the ship!”

Kenzi gasps audibly. “What? That’s so cool!”

I can’t lie—seeing her in mom mode makes a smile tug at my lips.

Pearl and her fur coat step beside Kenzi and lean over. “It has Fireball in it,” Pearl whispers fugitively as she extends a paper cup.

“Pearl, seriously?” Kenzi complains.

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