Page 42 of What the Doctor Ordered
“Oh, I think I know exactly what is going on here,” he said through his teeth.
Before I could react, he was stalking out of the coffee shop with Theo and I staring after him in disbelief.
CHAPTER 19
Kiley
I stared at the spot where Simon had been just seconds earlier, shocked that he just left like that so abruptly. Despair slammed into me. Things had already been going badly between us and now everything was even worse. I met with Theo hoping to learn more about Simon and figure out how we could improve our relationship. Now Simon thought that I was cheating on him with his best friend.
I jumped a bit when Theo stood up next to me. He set a hand on my shoulder and gave me a grim, determined look. “Let’s go,” he said.
He didn’t have to tell me where we were going. We were clearly going after Simon to explain that nothing was going on. I shook myself out of my stupor and followed Theo out the door and into the nippy night air.
Simon wasn’t able to get very far thankfully. He was just rounding the corner when we stepped out onto the sidewalk. Isprinted after him. “Simon, wait!” I called, trying to quell my panic.
I thought I saw some brief hesitation in Simon’s form, but he seemed to snap himself out of it and continued down the road, completely ignoring us once again.
Theo rushed after him. “Simon, stop being an idiot and listen to us,” he snapped at Simon’s retreating form. “You’re being a complete ass!”
That was apparently what Simon needed to hear because he froze completely, his entire body stiff with unbridled anger. He whirled, his icy eyes pinned on Theo.
“I should have known that you would be after her,” he seethed, his hands curled into fists at his sides. “I thought you were taking far too much of an interest when I started to tell you about her.”
I looked between the two, my panic rising as I sensed the tension only getting thicker by the second. My heart pounded with the fear that I was causing a fight between best friends.
Theo’s mouth thinned as he stared wordlessly at Simon. Then his eyes narrowed. “I know you can’t actually believe that,” he responded calmly. “If you really thought that you would have kicked my ass weeks ago.”
I stepped forward, intent on getting in between them before a fight broke out but Theo shot me a look that was filled with warning and held up his hand to stay my momentum.
Simon didn’t look appeased by his friend’s words. If anything, he seemed even more peeved by them.
“Then why were the two of you together,” he asked through his teeth, staring between the two of us like this whole situation was against nature’s design.
I didn’t like the way Simon looked. He was normally so cool and controlled. Something seemed off about him. He wasn’t himself and not just because he was angry.
Theo squinted at him and then shook his head. “Are you actually drunk right now?” he demanded. “What happened to you, man? You were finally figuring things out!”
I looked at Simon too, to find that what Theo said was true. Simon might not have been completely intoxicated but it was clear from the flush on his cheeks and the way his eyes were slightly glazed over that he had been drinking. It was not immediately obvious when we were in the cafe since he had been so angry and Theo and I were so surprised.
I felt concern flow through me, and I stepped toward Simon, reaching my hand out to him. “What happened, Simon?” I asked. “Why were you just out drinking?”
Simon looked down at me and his expression was almost one of physical pain. His jaw was clenched, and he couldn’t quite meet my gaze as I peered up into his face.
“He drinks more heavily when he’s in some kind of crisis,” Theo answered with another shake of his head. “I haven’t seen him like this since his father passed away. I had to carry him home from the bar that night.”
“Shut up,” Simon snapped.
I reached for Simon’s hand. “Simon, you’re kind of scaring me,” I told him. I attempted to slip my hand into his, but he snatchedit away. I was too slow to keep the hurt from flitting across my face. Even in this state, Simon noticed and actually winced.
“I’m going home,” he announced.
“No, you’re not,” Theo declared, stepping forward. “You are in no state to drive, even if you’re not falling down drunk.”
Simon was clearly tipsy but not drunk. He was able to walk with the same sure confidence he always did. Only those who knew him well could probably tell he’d been drinking.
“I’ll take a taxi,” Simon snapped, trying to push past us. His voice was cold when he finally succeeded. “I wouldn’t want to interrupt whatever is going on between you two.”
“There is nothing going on,” I protested, my throat feeling like it was going to close up from the panic. “Simon, please! Theo recognized me on the sidewalk. We just met! We were just talking.”
