Page 80 of One More Chance
He wore navy scrubs and a quiet authority that compelled the other staff to nod as he passed. Tall. Broad-shouldered. Confident.
I knew this man from my previous life. Blonde, early 40s, eyes a calm steel-blue that flicked across the room until they landed on Sloane. My stomach churned and my world spun.
Charlie.
The man that Sloane had remarried after our divorce.
Why the fuck is he here? Now?
I racked my brain and scoured my memories from my previous life. Had Sloane and Charlie already met by the time the Old Me left? I remembered that they both worked here at the clinic, but I never knew when precisely they'd met; I'd always assumed it was after our divorce.
Based on the brief exchanges I had with him in my previous life, I knew Charlie was a kind, dependable, faithful, secure rock for Sloane after everything I put her through. I hated him for it… and respected him, too. Because I hadn’t been those things for her. Not for a long time.
“Sloane,” he said warmly. “You are in awfully early. We were not expecting you for hours, yet. Is everything okay?”
Fuck me. There's no way she doesn't already have feelings for this guy.
What woman wouldn't? He looked like a Greek god.
I saw the blush rise on her cheeks as she said, "Char- I mean Dr. Monroe. Our dog, Rufus, has been through a traumatic event. Blunt force trauma with a metal pipe. Is it too busy to rush him in for an emergency exam?"
Charlie glanced down at the dog, his expression shifting from concern to quiet resolve. He crouched beside Rufus, gently offering the back of his hand. “Hey, big guy,” he murmured, then looked up at Sloane. “Of course. We will get him registered under the nonprofit.”
Sloane started to say, "Oh, you don't have to do-"
"It is done," Charlie said with firm finality.
"Thank you, doctor." I saw tension melt from her shoulders as relief touched her face. I hated that I was not the one to make her feel that way.
He stood and his tone softened. “Well, he is part of the family, right? That makes him our priority, okay?”
Sloane nodded, her lips pressed together. I could tell she was trying her best not to cry again.
Then Charlie, always one for lightening the mood from what I remembered of him, said with a half-smile, “But to be clear, Rufus is not allowed to unionize with the other animals. We are already dangerously close to a goat rebellion in the barn.”
A small laugh broke from Sloane as she looked down at Rufus. “You hear that, buddy? No starting revolutions.”
Rufus gave a single, low tail thump, which Charlie pointed at dramatically. “That will be one warning.”
The technician took Rufus and began heading towards the back.
Charlie's gaze shifted over to me as I stood and forced myself to appear as calm and affable as possible under the circumstances.
Time to play nice.
I offered my hand and said, "Levi. I'm Sloane’s-”
“This is Levi," she interrupted me. "The kids’ dad.”
Right. Not her husband. Not her partner. Just the kids’ dad.
It hurt. It hurt far more than it should have, but I managed a tight smile anyway.
Charlie’s face didn’t change. He just offered a single, polite nod, his body language calm and unreadable. “Dr. Charles Monroe." Helooked away, already dismissing me, "Sloane, let us go take a look at Rufus, okay?”
He turned without waiting, and she followed. I watched as he adjusted his pace to match hers; subtle but unmistakable.
What a considerate, perfect-ass bastard.
