Page 54 of The Doctor's Simple Life

“This was just a dumb joke to you, wasn’t it? Come to some small town and show the locals who’s boss? God, I bet getting laid wasn’t even part of your plan at all. Was it? But I just happened to fall into your lap because I’m some stupid country girl. I bet that was really funny, wasn’t it? The way I fell for that one. Bet you’re all going to laugh that one out later.”

“Sienna.” He gasps like he’s been knocked on his back. He holds out his hands, opening his palms out towards me as if to try and calm me down. It has the opposite effect. “That’s not true.”

“Isn’t it?” I snap, leaning away from him. “Then explain what the hell this was tonight.”

His frown deepens, his eyebrows knotting in a confusion that tells me everything I need to know. He’s barely aware that he’s done anything at all. “This was just two buddies getting together, hanging out, you know. Fun.”

“No.” I sigh. I shouldn’t be letting myself get so emotional about this, but it’s too late to stop it. “Fun isn’t when you make a mockery of people. Fun isn’t pretending to care about someone just to laugh at them later. Fun isn’t making someone lo—” I cut myself off, choking back my confession.

I don’t want to say anything that might make him think I care. It’s too late for a clean break. All I can do now is stamp on it until it’s over.

His lower lip wavers like he’s trying to formulate what to say to make all this okay. He stammers out a few pointless syllables, but no words come. The truth is, I don’t think there’s a single word he could say right now to fix anything. Not to me.

The rest of the world moves behind us, people coming and going, laughing with their friends, clinking glasses together, but I barely hear any of it. All I can see is Reece and the horrid realization that he is exactly who he has always been. The only one who’s been stupid here is me.

I’ve gone and acted just like he thought someone like me should. I’ve fallen for the performance. Now I’m going to have to face the consequences.

“I swear it wasn’t anything like that,” he says at last. “I like you.”

“Really?” I scoff, swallowing back the lump in my throat. If I’m going to cry, it’s not going to be where he can see it.

“Yes, really.” His voice is so gentle that I can almost believe it, but I won’t let myself be weak like that again.

“Then explain, ‘Oh, small towns are so pointless, and all the people are so small,’” I demand. “Or am I special? Do I not count as one of the small people? Is it just all my friends you think are dumb? Am I some exception to the rule?”

His lips wobble again. It’s probably smart of him not to say anything. I don’t think there’s anything he can say that would satisfy me.

“I’m sorry,” is all he says. And that’s pretty good, but not good enough.

I sigh and my shoulders slump. I’m tired of this fight. Time to let him go. “Well, I guess you’ll have fun back in Miami, then, with all the girls and the smart people who can hold a proper conversation with you. You must be looking forward to it.”

“Sienna,” he says. I’m riling him up now. I can see it in the way he’s prickling, taking sharp breaths to try and calm himself. “It’s not like that.” He speaks more harshly than I think he means to, but a thrill runs through me at it.

It’s good. It means he’s engaging. It means that I still might mean something to him.

I shake my head. I’m letting him go. This conversation isn’t proving anything except his own self-centeredness. If I don’t end it now, I’ll be haunted by him. And I refuse to live my life like that.

Cutting him off is for the best. It’s not like he would have any intention of speaking to me when he gets back to Miami. This was a nice diversion for him. But I have to face facts. There was no way he was going to do anything but let me go and forget all about me.

I’m just preempting that decision. I’m trying to stop myself from hurting.

If I cut him down now, maybe it’ll hurt less.

I need this to hurt less.

“No, it is. I know exactly what this is like, and I don’t need you to pretend anymore.”

There’s a flash of hurt across his face, and I know I should feel bad about that, but I can’t. Seeing him react like this makes me feel like maybe I did mean something to him after all. Maybe not much, but something. Enough.

“You don’t belong here, Reece,” I say, my heart thumping in my chest. I was never designed to go head-to-head with people. I’m not good at it. I think I might throw up. “You don’t belong here, and you never have. Just go home. Go home and leave us alone. It’s what you wanted, isn’t it? To leave? Well, now you’re going to get it.”

He stares at me like he’s been slapped, and I choke back a sob. “Goodbye, Reece,” I manage to spit out, then stand up, shoving my chair back. It wobbles ominously on its legs, and for a second I think it’s going to fall over. But it doesn’t.

It allows me that little dignity, at least.

I try not to notice the girls at the bar looking at me. No doubt this will be gossip all over town tomorrow, but I don’t care. I need to get out of here. I need to leave Reece behind before this becomes a problem.

Before I lose my nerve and stay.

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