Page 146 of Counting On You

He’s not alone.

Sitting in a chair beside his bed is a woman, her brown hair falling into her face as she’s busying herself with her cell phone. She’s sitting so close she might be his girlfriend, or at least someone close.

I’m frozen to the spot, unsure whether to say something or head back out.

As if sensing my presence, she raises her head and frowns.

“I’m sorry,” I whisper, taking a step back. “I shouldn’t be here.”

She’s beautiful, I can’t help but think. We’re about the same age, but she looks glowing and sophisticated. Her skin is tanned, as if she’s recently been on vacation to some tropical island. And she’s wearing nice clothes.

Definitely girlfriend.

“Stupid,” I mutter, realizing I’ve just spoken out loud.

“Who are you?” a male voice asks behind me.

My body freezes. Slowly I turn around and look up, tilting my head back to meet the guy’s gaze.

Definitely hot.

Definitely not a doctor.

Definitely not Kade.

Of course, it’s not him.

But there’s something about this guy that has me on edge. For some reason, I feel a need to make him like me.

“I’m Victoria.”

“Victoria? As in Victoria Sullivan?” The guy asks, brows raised. I regard his expensive, fitted suit and the briefcase in his hand which makes him seem out of place here.

“Yeah, that one. Kade…” My voice breaks. “We met at the LAA Center.”

I force myself not to peer at the woman, even though I wish I could catch her expression. Kade had me convinced that he wasn’t into relationships, and I was stupid enough to believe it.

“I know who you are,” the guy says, drawing my attention back to him. “I’m Chase. Kade’s brother. He told me everything about you. I’m not surprised to see you here. It just took you a while.”

I don’t know why his statement throws me off. I meet his piercing blue eyes and the reproach in them.

“Therapy finished yesterday. I came as fast as I could.”

Chase frowns, and I realize that I might not be welcome.

“I should go.” My grip tightens around my handbag as I consider whether to wait for him to move aside or squeeze past him.

“Please stay,” Chase says. “There’s a cafeteria downstairs. We’d like to discuss something with you.”

We?

And what could there possibly be to discuss? I want to ask when soft footsteps thud behind me. I don’t turn to regard the beautiful woman, but I can smell her expensive perfume.

“This is my wife, Laurie,” Chase says.

I stare at her as she shifts past me, right into his arms. He places a soft kiss onto her cheek and for a moment all they seem to see is each other. There’s so much love in their gaze, I feel like an intruder.

That’s when realization finally descends.

---