Page 12 of Promised Secret
“You okay, boss?”
Frederick poked his head into my little office. He took one look at me, then closed the door behind him and claimed the seat across from me.
I crossed my arms. “Why does everyone keep asking if I’m okay recently? Do I have a sign on my forehead that says, ‘beware of Dan Yao’?” I spat out, my frustrations growing quicker than I could rein them in.
He raised an eyebrow.
Okay, maybe lashing out at my nurse wasn’t the best way to show people that everything was normal.
“Sorry,” I muttered guiltily. “I shouldn’t have taken it out on you.”
“Does this have anything to do with the awkward lunch we had with Clay yesterday?”
I winced. “Yeah, sorry for dragging you into that. I just…can’t be alone with Clay right now,” I admitted with another sigh.
Frederick studied me in silence for a few beats. “Is it because of your crush on him?”
His statement of fact almost had me falling out of my seat. I had to grip my desk to keep myself seated. “Am I that obvious?” I asked, trying to sound casual to hide the panic I was actually feeling.
Nobody else knew about my feelings for Clay—not even my best friends. That was how hard and deep I’d pushed them down over the years.
Frederick once again was silent for another beat. From working with him over the past year, I’d learned he did that a lot. He was always thoughtful of what he said, as if he had to be careful with his words.
“Maybe not as obvious as you think, but it’s easier to see when you’re in the same situation,” he replied.
“Are you saying you’re in the same situation as me? Crushing on your stepbrother?” I said bitterly.
That got a half-smile out of him that looked as bitter as I felt. “Well, not exactly the same. I don’t have a stepbrother, but I am familiar with falling in love with someone I’m not supposed to.”
My new nurse had always been a curious person, but he’d just turned downright mysterious.
“I’m sorry. It sucks, doesn’t it?” I joked to lighten the mood.
Frederick barked out a laugh. “Took the words right out of my mouth.”
We sat in somber silence for a moment, digesting the reality of our situations. I didn’t know what Frederick was thinking, but I felt lighter knowing I had someone who could empathize with my situation. Maybe I wasn’t entirely alone in this.
“All that to say, if you ever need an ear, mine are open,” Frederick offered.
“Same to you,” I shot back.
I smiled at him, and he smiled back.
There was still no solution to my current issue, but gaining a friend who had my side in it all? Now that felt like a win.
Chapter Four
DAN
Wednesday was family dinner at my childhood home.
After chatting with Frederick, I felt a little better about the situation. I hadn’t realized just how much weight I’d carried by having nobody to talk to about this.
It never occurred to me how much it helped to have someone share the burden with you, even if all they could do was listen.
Lunch with Clay today hadn’t been as daunting as it had been yesterday, and I thought dinner with the family would be the same.
I was entirely too optimistic.
