Page 97 of Bloom: Part 2

Despite my hesitation at seeing Dr. Simms again, I smiled and nodded. Logan had seemed happier since I told him my decision to resume my sessions. He’d called Dr. Simms right away and made an appointment with me at his office. Dr. Simms had recommended that I see him through his private practice. Given his past with Logan and me, the hospital would have assigned me to work with another psychiatrist. The thought of starting over and deciding whether to trust another person was too exhausting.

If this made Logan happy, I could make this one compromise. At least I knew what to expect from Dr. Simms.

“I’ll walk you in.”

Logan came around to open the door for me. Ben had parked his car next to Logan’s with Gunner’s motorcycle beside it. Since Sarge had left Smoky Vale, Ben had taken up most of the work whenever we went out in public, specifically shadowing Logan.

“I keep telling you I can handle this on my own,” Ben said. He had the front of Gunner’s shirt clutched in his hand, but Gunner didn’t seem to mind. “You don’t have to come with me when I’m doing a job. Don’t you have a club to run?”

“Business is slow. So what if I want to watch your six?”

“You’re infuriating, you know that.”

“I almost lost you a few months ago, Ben. Sue me if I’m not ready to let you out of my sight yet.”

Logan shook his head. Placing his hand on the small of my back, he walked me toward the entrance of the building.

“Do you agree with what Gunner’s doing?” I asked.

Logan held the door for me and glanced over his shoulder at where Ben and Gunner were locked in a kiss. Of course. Sometimes I had a feeling they argued as often as they did as foreplay.

“I don’t necessarily agree with it, but I understand it,” Logan said. “After you were shot, I didn’t want to let you out of my sight. Still don’t.” He dropped a kiss on top of my head. “By the way, did I tell you how much I like your natural blond hair?”

“You do?” I’d gotten tired of all the dyeing and had been growing it out. The blond wasn’t the same as before, but it would take time to complete the transition. A professional could have made it better, but I didn’t like other people in my hair.

“Yeah, you’re hot all goth, but the blond is going to be so sexy once it’s all grown out.”

“It’ll take a while.”

“No matter. Whatever your hair color, you’ll always be beautiful.”

Inside the building, the air smelled faintly of antiseptic and lavender. We rode the elevator to the third floor, where Dr. Simms’s office was. As we approached, a woman behind a desk looked up, smiling.

“Hello, welcome,” she said warmly. “You must be Bloom? I’m Lisa, Dr. Simms’s assistant.”

“Yes, that’s us,” Logan said. “I’m Logan. I called to make the appointment.”

“Yes, Dr. Collier. I thought you looked familiar. Dr. Simms will be a moment as he’s wrapping up his session with another patient. You can sit if you’d like.”

“Thank you, Lisa.”

Logan guided me to the small waiting area with plush chairs and a coffee table littered with magazines. Abstract paintings hung on the wall, and in the corner was an aquarium. The lazy back-and-forth motion of the colorful tropical fish did nothing to soothe me. I felt trapped. Just like the fish.

It’s just your mind. Breathe.

“You okay?” Logan asked.

“Yeah.” I leaned into his side, resting my head on his shoulder.

“Do you want to leave? I don’t want you to feel like you have to stay.”

“But you already paid for the session.”

“Doesn’t matter. If you don’t want to, I’m not going to force you to speak to someone.”

It was on the tip of my tongue to agree that we should go. I shook my head. He believed this would help me. Saint’s mother did too. She’d practically said the same to me that Logan had. That I would probably be in therapy for the rest of my life, though the visits might get fewer.

“No, it’s fine. We’re already here, and you’re right.”

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