Page 33 of Hers to Hold
Dr. Rafferty uncrossed his legs and switched them. “Now, have you been resolute in your other goal?”
“Which one was that?”
Dr. Rafferty’s stare made Wes’s back sweat. “You’re supposed to be avoiding a certain baker’s assistant.”
Kady.“Yeah, that’s easier said than done.”
“Explain?”
“Well, she works at the bakery I frequent. She was a guest for dinner at Wes and Kat’s home—and I’m there a lot.”
“Have you been spending time with her alone?”
“No.” Which was true. His daughter was always there. “Chastity has always been with us, except that first day. My daughter likes Kady, by the way. They seemed to bond almost instantly.”
“You don’t really know this woman.”
“Ifeellike I do. At least better than my ex, Caroline. No way I could’ve predicted she’d run away andleave her own daughterbehind.”
“Yes, I agree with that. I don’t think any of us could’ve seen that coming.”
“I have to be both parents to her.” His chest shuddered slightly. He’d been doing well and Chastity easily adjusted to living with him. But Wes would be lying to himself if he said finding a mother for Chastity wasn’t on his mind. “I can’t claim Kady will be around forever, but I have a good feeling about her. She’s…honest. Caring. And she’s good with Chastity. I can trust her.”
Dr. Rafferty’s stylus pen furiously darted across his iPad. There was no fooling him. “Okay, Wesley, I’m going to be blunt.”
“Hit me, Doc.”
“You are in danger of relying on Kady.”
“For what?”
“To be a crutch. The feelings you’re experiencing are false. You’ll begin to rely on…that high to feel better about yourself.”
“You’re saying Kady is my drug of choice.”
“Exactly.”
Wes crossed his arms over his chest. “It’s more than that, Doc. I’m handling what I need to, but she’s not a drug. She’s…motivation. Like my daughter. I want to be a better man. A betterfunctioningman.”
“And until you get there—”
“She’s not a crutch,” Wes stated firmly.
Dr. Rafferty’s pen moved.
Wes curled in on himself and looked away. He’d never been this combative or unyielding.Maybe he’s right.Maybe he didn’t want to give her upbecauseshe was a crutch.
No. No, she isn’t. She’s amazing. She’s…
His phone buzzed. Wes broke the session’s number two rule and snuck a peak at the phone. Kady wanted to have dinner.
Sure. My place? I’ll get Kat and Drew to babysit.
He slipped his phone into his back pocket as Dr. Rafferty lifted his head. “Can you prove she’s not a crutch?”
“Can you?”
“Can you limit your interaction with her for, say, two weeks? Test how intense your attachment is to her. If after two weeks your anxiety levels are either the same or decreased, then we can revisit how deep your dependency on her is. Agreed?”
