Page 31 of Chains
Club girls?“So he tolerated it?”Don’t ask any personal questions. This is a business call.
“Yeah. Whatcha got going on?”
“I just got home from dinner. I’m sorry I’m calling so late.”
“It’s not even ten. Damn, you need to really get out.” A small pause. “Anyway, it’s all cool. I’ll let you get back to yourfiancé.” Chains sounded casual and jovial, and it bugged the hell out of her.
“He’s not with me. I mean we don’t live together.”Why the hell did I saythat?
“Okay. Are you trying to tell me something?”
“I don’t know why I told you that.” She took a gulp of wine.
“I do… and so do you, but we’ll play like we don’t.” His low chuckle rattled her nerves and sent shivers up her spine.
“I have to go. I’m glad Thor’s doing well. Call the clinic if things change. Bye.” Without waiting for his response, Autumn clicked off.What the hell’s wrong with me? Ugh!
Picking up the phone, she stared at the screen then called Sadie.
“It’s about time you returned my call,” her best friend said.
“I’m sorry,” Autumn groaned. “We’ve been swamped at the clinic for the past two days. How’re you doing? How’s it going with Mitch?”
“Doing great, and Mitch and I are still dating, so that’s a good thing. What’s going on with you?”
“Bret got stinking drunk at dinner tonight. We ate at Flanigan’s, and he insisted on driving home.”
“Tell me you didn’t go with him.”
“I didn’t. I called a Lyft but he refused to go with me. I was scared the whole time until he finally got home. I don’t understand him sometimes.”
“Drinking too much is one thing—we’ve all done that more times than we’d like to confess, but driving home drunk is stupid and selfish. What about the innocent people on the road?”
“I know… I agree with you, but Bret can be so fucking stubborn.”
The conversation turned to planning a shopping weekend in Denver at the end of the month. While they talked, Autumn wrestled with telling Sadie about Chains, but in the end, she decided not to say anything. What was there to say? That she was attracted to a hot-looking guy? That was really the extent of it, wasn’t it? Anyway, Thor was back home and doing fine. When a patient returned home, her protocol was to call the day of to make sure all was going well, then to close out the case.
Well, Autumn had made the obligatory call and it was time to move on. She walked into the kitchen, washed the wineglass, then ascended the stairs.
She probably wouldn’t see Chains or his dog again for at least six months when Thor was due for his shots, and by then she’d be blissfully married to Bret. Happy that the rugged biker would be nothing but a memory, Autumn slipped on a nightgown and slid under the sheets. In a matter of minutes, she was out like a light.
