Page 123 of Sing For Me

I grit my teeth, hard, and manage to get out, “what does Marissa say about the new doctor?”

She looks away. “I haven’t told her.”

“Why the hell not?”

She looks up at my snappish tone, frowning. “Marissa can’t stand Dennis. She’s not going to go for anything he suggests, just on principle.”

I’m starting to think Marissa is pretty damn smart.

“And what was that shit he said about you not talking to your doctors?” I press. “That’s a red flag, Eva.”

“A red flag about what?”

“That he doesn’t have your best interests at heart!” I know I need to calm down—I’m yelling. But I can’t stand the idea of this guy pressuring her. Forcing her into situations that aren’t good for her.

I’ve been down this road before.

When she speaks, it sounds like she’s struggling to keep calm. “You don’t know him, Will. We’ve been together for a long time—”

“I know you aren’t ready to go back to work,” I shoot back.

She watches me for a long moment. “Maybe we shouldn’t talk about this. It obviously isn’t your favorite subject.”

My fear only grows. The idea of her keeping things from me, things she knows I won’t like—yeah, I’ve been there, too. It didn’t work out so well last time.

It’s everything I can do to keep from blowing up at her. “Will you please promise me that you’ll talk to Marissa before you make any decisions about the doctor?”

She nods. “Sure. I’ll talk to her.”

I release a breath. I’ll just have to trust Marissa to advise her in the safest direction.

But what if she doesn’t?I find myself thinking all through the rest of the night. While we make dinner and watch another episode ofRaiderand long after Eva has fallen asleep in my arms.

What if Eva doesn’t do the smart thing? What if she gets back into that world, into that life, and everything changes?

I stay awake late into the night, listening to the sounds of her even breathing, too scared to do anything but hold her as tightly as I can.