Page 29 of Heal Me
“Chase,” Ric began.
“Sorry, it’s been a bad week. I’ll try not to fuck up in the future.”
He hung up and Ric and Tyler exchanged somber glances.
“Maybe I could’ve handled it a little differently, but you know that I’m not wrong about this,” Tyler said. “Screwing up a launch date isn’t a little mistake.”
Ric blew out a breath. “Yeah. I know. Well, we’ve dealt with worse. It’s just a matter of doing some damage control. Speaking of which, I’ll book a flight to Seattle.”
As Tyler started discussing their strategy to save this deal, Ric had the feeling that it was going to be a very long weekend.
*****
As Kate rode home with Robert on Sunday afternoon, she looked at her cellphone for the hundredth time, but there was no answering text from Ric yet. They’d talked briefly Thursday when he’d called her, but she hadn’t heard from him since then, so she’d sent him a text that morning. He’d said that they’d been dealing with a work emergency, so she hoped that was the reason why he hadn’t answered her.
“No word from lover boy, huh?”
Kate narrowed her eyes at Robert. “Shut up. I was checking email.”
“Mmm hmm. Sure you were.”
“You know what you need, Robert?”
Robert glanced at her. “What?”
“A new girlfriend.”
Robert laughed and took the next exit, which would take them to the road that was the back way to Cooper’s Creek. “No, I think I’m better off single right now. I have to get my sea legs under me again before I get involved with someone again.”
“I know that feeling. But your situation is a lot different than mine. And you weren’t together very long before she bailed.”
Robert gave her an irritated look. “That’s not helpful. I realize that I didn’t hold her interest. I don’t need you to point that out to me.”
Kate rubbed his shoulder. “That’s not what I meant. She didn’t deserve you, Robbie. You’re a fantastic guy. You’re sexy, smart, and you have a kind heart. If she couldn’t see all that about you, then it’s her loss. You’ll find somebody much better.”
He shook his head. “How did my question turn into you consoling me, even though I don’t need it?”
Kate laughed. “Because I don’t want you lecturing me about Ric.”
Robert grinned. “I’m just practicing my Dr. Phil routine, that’s all.”
“Well, I don’t need you playing Dr. Phil any more than you need me to console you. Got it?” Kate asked.
“Yes, ma’am!” Robert saluted her.
Her text message alert went off and Kate almost squealed when she saw that it was from Ric. However, she kept her excitement inside as she clicked on it.
Ric: Hi Doc. Sorry I didn’t get back to you until now. It’s been a nightmare of a weekend.
Kate: That’s ok. Sorry to hear that.
Ric: Did you have fun?
Kate: Yeah.
Ric: Good.
Kate: Are you still in Denver?
