Page 23 of Ghost
“Right.”
“Look, Parker, I’ll call you if I need to, but otherwise, let me do my thing, okay?”
“Ghost,” I correct out of habit.
“Ghost,” she repeats.
“I’ll be back later to check in,” I tell her.
She shrugs. “Okay, if you think that’s necessary.”
I huff out a humorless laugh. “I have no intention of simply dumping her on you. I’m not sure what kind of families you’re used to dealing with, but I didn’t hire you because I don’t give two shits about her. I hired you because I love her, and I’m not stupid enough to think I can give her everything she needs.”
“Never thought otherwise.”
I stare at her as if I’ll find a lie in her expression, but all I see is sincerity. First pity, now this? I can’t fucking handle it.
“I gotta go,” I say, pushing past her. “Call me if you need anything.”
I kiss my mom on the top of her head as I walk past toward the door. Before I can close it behind me, I hear my mom ask Ember who the nice man who just left was.
Mom thinks Ember broke my heart, and she’s not wrong. But now she’s breaking it all over again.
CHAPTER 12
EMBER
I’m an employee, nothing more, nothing less.
“How are you, really?”
Tears threaten to spill over my lashes at the concern in Lori’s voice. We’ve been best friends for as long as I can remember, and she’s the only person in my life who knows how long it took to piece myself back together after breaking off my engagement to Ghost.
“I’m fine.” My voice cracks, giving away the lie.
“Bullshit. I know you, Em. Sometimes more than you know yourself, I’m afraid.”
Sighing, I swipe at the wetness on my cheeks. “Why did I agree to do this?”
My first day with Mrs. West—I can’t bring myself to call her ‘Mom’ no matter how many times she insists—has been torture. One minute, I’m the enemy, and the next, I’m her future daughter-in-law. I should’ve expected it, but I failed to realize how hard it would be to work with a patient who I’ve got a history with.
“There’s a reason doctors aren’t supposed to treat family members,” Lori says, echoing my thoughts.
“She’s not family,” I insist.
“Close enough.”
“How am I going to get through this, Lor?” I ask. “It could be years before the disease takes her. Years!”
“You can always tell Parker th?—”
“Ghost,” I correct her, hating myself for it.
“What?”
I heave a sigh and lie back on the bed in my temporary bedroom. “It’s Ghost now.”
“Oh, yeah.” She laughs. “I forgot he’s a big bad biker.”
