Page 69 of Privileged (Adrenalin)

“Um, wow. In theory, I suppose I could, though it’s more complicated than that. I’d need a location, equipment, staff to handle billing and insurance. It wouldn’t be cheap.”

“What isn’t cheap?” Beck asks as he barges in. Good thing he’s sweet cause he sure doesn’t respect any boundaries.

“How many times do I have to tell you to knock when the door’s closed?” Lennon scowls at him.

“I did,” Beck retorts, rapping the frame with his knuckles the way he technically did right as the door swung open.

“Knocking as you push your way inside doesn’t count. You have to wait for me to ask you to come in.”

“My bad.” He smiles and plops down into the chair next to me. “What’s expensive? And why are your eyes red?” he asks me.

“Opening his own physical therapy practice is expensive,” Lennon answers for me. “And he’s got allergies.”

Beck rolls her eyes. “Nice try. I’m young, but I’m not that gullible. This is about Carter, isn’t it? I can’t believe you would keep that secret from me. I knew he was Mr. Tent Pole.”

“Beck, now really isn’t the time,” Lennon says. “Do you need something? If not, we’re right in the middle of solving Sloan’s work dilemma.”

“Opening your own practice?” Beck ignores him and turns to me. “Yeah, that’d be pricey and a lot of work. You should just partner up with someone, like Dr. Malcolm. Pretty sure he’s got some open space in his family medicine practice, and then you two could share a receptionist.”

“How do you know that?” Lennon stands above Beck and crosses his arms.

“How do you not?” Beck fires back. “He and Dr. Boarst worked out of the same building and shared a receptionist up until Dr. Boarst retired three months ago. His offices are still empty. I bet Dr. Malcolm would love to rent it to someone.”

“That could actually work.” I look to Lennon for reassurance just in case I’m too frazzled to be thinking clearly.

“It does sound promising,” he agrees. “And there are enough amateur athletes in this town you’d most likely still be helping people get back to doing the sports they love. I actually can’t believe we didn’t think of this sooner.”

“I was too focused on the ski team option. And then everything with Carter…” I trail off.

“Are you guys going to tell me what that’s about?” Beck darts his eyes between us.

“No,” Lennon and I say in unison.

He gets up and stomps away, grumbling about being left out of the loop. Part of me feels guilty, but I don’t have the energy to dwell on his feelings right now. Not when I’m pretty sure I’m about to destroy Carter’s. Even if this solo practice thing could work, that doesn’t change the fact that the only way to guarantee he retains his position is to give him up, for the good of the town.

“Earth to Sloan.” Lennon’s hand waves in front of my face, jolting me out of my head. “This solves your problem, right? You can stay with Carter now. He doesn’t have to pick between you or the resort.”

“It’s not that simple.” I give him a sad smile. “His dad told him being with me is asking to get hit with a sexual harassment lawsuit. I doubt he’d think any differently whether I have a job at the resort or not.”

“Who cares what that stodgy old man thinks.” Lennon flings his arms out wide before letting them fall to his side. “If you two want to be together and you remove the employer/employee conflict, I don’t see the problem.”

“The problem is if I stay it’ll look like Carter’s picking me over his dad, and his dad still has the final say for all things related to the resort. If the man is callous enough to give his son an ultimatum concerning me, do you honestly think he’d change his mind if we stay together? Even if I change jobs, it’ll still look like Carter defied his dad. The only way to truly save Carter’s position and keep his plans in place is to stop seeing him.”

“Are you sure? Have you even talked to Carter about this?”

“I don’t have to talk to him to know what he’d say, and trust me, knowing what he’s willing to give up for me makes me love him that much more.” I hug my arms to my chest, feeling suddenly chilled and alone. “But his dad wouldn’t even let Carter explain what’s going on between us, and if he’s so determined to believe the worst about me, I don’t want to be the reason he decides Carter isn’t the right man to run the resort.”

“Damn. His dad sounds like a real douchebag.”

“He’s certainly not on my list of favorite people.” I try to shrug off the whirlwind of feelings, rampaging through me.

“You’re sure playing martyr is the only way?” he asks.

“It’s the only way Iknowwill work,” I sigh. “I just hope Carter doesn’t hate me when I tell him.”

Chapter twenty-two

Carter

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