Page 41 of Hollywood King
I folded my shirt for the second time lining it up with the pants edge. “I have a plan for that too.”
He dragged me around by the arm, gently. “I’m all ears.”
How did I say this nicely? Really no way to do it. “I’m going to lie.” Yeah, no nice way to put that.
“You’re going to lie to your boyfriend about where you’ll be for three months? What sort of lie covers three months of absence?”
And now I had to tell him he’d need to be my accomplice. “You are going on a Doctors Without Borders mission in one month. I could be going with you. I was supposed to apply to go right?”
He rolled away until his back hit the desk. “So not only are you going to lie, but you’re going to make me lie too. How did you think that would go over? Heath and I have never had an easy relationship. Too much history and jealousy there.”
I turned back to my already perfectly stacked clothing. “You guys hardly ever talk right? So I doubt there will even be a need to mention it. But can we talk about this when I’m dressed, because I don’t like making life choices while naked. It’s a rule I have.”
Without another word, he exited the office shaking his head as he closed the door behind him. I dressed quickly and sat back on the wrinkled-beyond-belief table. He knocked and entered again, but sat next to me this time. “Look, I’m your doctor, so I can’t legally tell him anything. So…we will play it by ear and hope I’m not the one who has to lie to him. He won’t take it well. Even I know that.”
I gathered my things and kissed him on the cheek. “Thank you. Please let me know if you have any other ideas, and I’ll make sure you are in my speed dial in case anything happens.”
He helped me hop down and followed me out the door to the hall. With a hug and wave, I headed toward the exit doors, but a magazine on a nurse’s station stopped me dead. I approached like it might attack at any moment. The front cover was Isobel, Eddy’s sister, walking out of Heath’s office, with a shit-eating grin splitting her face. The tagline speculated as to a potential relationship between them.
Way to go Cathy. Out of the ring for five minutes, and someone moves into your place.
I left the magazine leering at me while my stomach flip flopped inside my abdomen like a free ping pong ball with a forceful head start. Thankfully, I made it to my car before I let the tears fall.
Losing my job. Potentially losing my life. And those things seemed trivial to losing Heath again. It wasn’t an option. And I sure as hell won’t give him up for fucking Isobel.
I started my car and peeled out of the lot headed straight home. Seeing as I expected to spend the day at the hospital, I didn’t really do my hair or makeup. If I was challenging Isobel’s place in Heath’s life, I needed to bring my A-game. B and C-game for backup.
