Page 65 of Storm Bound
He pushed away from our hug to look me in the eyes with a warm, affectionate smile.
“L-let’s just forget about this whole thing,” he said.
I nodded.
For the rest of the evening, I had to keep reminding myself that I took him by surprise. That this was too soon.
But something tugged on the back of my mind.
Dad’s words from earlier today.
Maybe Adamwasrunning from something. But why wouldn’t he tell me? And what exactly was he running from?
Eighteen
Adam
Charlie’s proposal had been circling in my head all weekend.
It made sense that he’d want us to move in together. It made sense that he’d want to test the waters of our relationship before he made a big decision and left his job and his life with Benji, and whatever agreement they had, behind.
But as much sense as it made, I couldn’t shake the fear.
Last time I’d moved in with someone was with Justin, and my life and my mental health had gone down the drain as a result.
I knew Charlie and Justin had nothing in common, but last time I made a decision to let someone into my home, he’d turned it against me. So the way Charlie came out with it, out of nowhere, brought up everything Justin had done and how he’d done it. Things without asking, things without concern for me. Things just for his benefit.
“Oh God,” Charlie said, coming into my office with sheer shock in his face, shaking my inner, darker thoughts away.
“What happened?” I asked.
He looked away from me, talking to an object on the wall.
“You’re not going to enjoy your next patient. I mean, I knew this day was bound to happen, and I’ve been begging her since before I moved, but I was hoping no one would know about us so it’d be harmless.”
“Charlie! What’s going on?”
This time he did look at me. And he took a deep breath.
“My grandma is here for her routine check-up,” he said. “I mean, it’s long overdue, but I have a feeling she was more easily swayed this morning because she knows about us.”
I almost burst out laughing. Almost.
“Should I be scared?” I asked.
“I don’t know. She definitely doesn’t mince her words. I’m sorry. I’d have prepared you for her, but I didn’t think she’d come. I’ve been trying to get her to visit Dr. Becker for months.”
I got up from my desk and walked around it to put my hands on his waist.
“Well, don’t worry. She’s my patient now. I’ve got my ways of convincing stubborn people. And don’t worry. I don’t scare off easy,” I told him, even though that was exactly what had happened on Saturday.
He pondered my words for a few moments, smudging his lips from side to side, and then he sighed.
“Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
He gave my lips a peck and left my office. And since Charlie was worrying enough for the both of us, I decided to focus on her as a patient. Hopefully doing that would mean I didn’t worry about her impression of me.
I went back to my computer and searched through the database for Charlie’s grandmother. If there was at least one thing that my uncle had done right, that was digitizing the patients’ files so I didn’t have to go through piles of paperwork scribbled in his doctor’s handwriting. We’d moved to completely digital notes in my practice in Chicago and learning to decipher my uncle’s writing was not a desirable thing on my to-do list.
