Page 29 of Broken

He grumbles but hands everything over and gives me all of his information. I complete the form then take it back to reception. Spotting a drinks machine I head over and get us both a cup of coffee, I don’t mind how I take coffee, so get one with sugar and one without.

When I turn back, Garrett is watching me. I can’t read his expression but figure he is going to be as surly as ever, so I paint a smile on my face telling him the options. He takes the one without sugar and mutters his thanks.

Then we sit in silence. He wants me to leave, but I won’t. Fortunately, Ruby has another staff member and told me not to worry about coming back. She heard about the accident from people coming into the coffee shop. If anything, she found the situation hilarious. Apart from us being hurt.

Ruby and Sin happily give me shit about Garrett. I don’t know what impression I give off but it’s not any kind of interest in Garrett. Sure, he’s hot, but he’s a jerk and I have no time for jerks.

As people are called in around us, I clasp my hands on my thighs, trying not to think about the news article. Someone else has completed my most recent job. A rival firm who figured it would be fun to taunt the ‘former architect’ when they paraded it's completion.

My heart aches at what I’ve lost. Watching my client, who raved over the designs and spent countless hours with me, fawning over James Finch, made me sick to my stomach.

I can’t fault them, the building needed to be completed. It kills me I never got to finish the project. Which brought back everything I’ve successfully shut out over the last few weeks.

With the help of Sin and Ruby and to a lesser extent, the group of friends I’ve made from Blackhawk Ink, my mind has been occupied.

One news article and it all comes racing back. Jared, my business…. My mom.

Memories cripple me. This is the wrong place and time. I side-eye Garrett, hopefully without letting him see. He’s so big and grouchy, and intimidating. People all around us are staring at him, stereotyping him. Probably all the tattoos, angry face and dark clothes.

I can’t help but remember how he took care of me, both immediately after the accident, and getting me back to the shop, dressing my injuries. Garrett has only given the impression he dislikes me. He’s a contradiction.

“What?” he asks.

“What?” I repeat.

“You’re staring.”

Okay, maybe I’m not as discreet as I thought. He looks pissed, like I’ve done something awful, other than curiously looking him over.

I’ve never been one to hide how I’m feeling, I prefer to face matters head on. Since the whole mess in San Antonio, I’ve lostthat a little. Something about Garrett brings it out in me again, the need to say I’m not fine with him talking down to me.

“Calli.”

Garrett is standing, and it looks like he’s been saying my name for a while.

He frowns at my reaction. “I got called in. You can go.”

“I’ve already told you I’m not leaving. You need someone to drive you home. I’ll wait out here.”

He draws the line at me coming into the examination room. Garrett walks away with no more argument.

People come and go as I wait. The temptation to get out my phone and search for more stories on what is going on in San Antonio is so bad. Sitting still is driving me crazy. Leaving the emergency room isn’t an option. Garrett could come back at any time, and I don’t want him to think I left.

I wonder what my mom is doing. Dad split when I was in my junior year of high school. He found a younger wife, barely five years older than me. It devastated mom and maybe it was wrong, but she turned to me to handle everything. Being the dutiful daughter I was, I did it. Taking on a lot of responsibilities around the house.

Mom was used to a certain lifestyle and made the divorce bitter. Dad wanted nothing to do with her. He paid for his cheating with an outrageous divorce settlement and high child support.

Although I didn’t see him often, he paid to put me through college.

It’s understandable how mom felt. Being dumped for a younger woman is difficult for anyone to take. When I met Jared, mom was happy because he came from money. Old money. She told me to dig my claws in and never let him go. Or let his eye wander.

Humoring her was the best way to handle that. I married for love, not money.

A shadow falls over me and I break out of my thoughts and turn to Garrett. His arm isn’t in a cast, which is a good sign. It is tightly bandaged though.

“What did they say?”

“Couple of days of rest and it’ll be good as new.”

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