Page 85 of Tainted Tempos

And certainly not for me.

TWENTY-FOUR

MAV

I spotAllegra from the corner of my eye.

“My friend is here.” I flip my chin toward A before glancing at the therapist.

Dr. Johnson lifts an eyebrow. “So you’re seeing your friends this week?”

I narrow my eyes. “I never stopped seeing my friends.”

“Just Mckenna, then,” Dr. Johnson presses.

I sigh and hang my head back. “I can’t handle seeing the regret, the pain, in her eyes. Not yet,” I say. “I’m not ready to confront her.”

“Are you sure?” Dr. Johnson asks. “You’ve made remarkable progress, Maverick.”

I straighten and meet his eyes.

Dr. Johnson and I are meeting in a more casual space today. A conference area with glass panels instead of his stuffy office. Today, I’m drinking a mug of mint tea. Today, I’ve marked off twelve days in the rehab’s detox program and have nearly completed my fourteen-day stay. “It hasn’t even been two weeks.”

“Still, your start to recovery is solid. I can tell you want this.”

“I do.”

“And Mckenna?”

I shake my head. “She’s better off without me, Doc. We all know it.”

“Do we?” He tilts his head.

“I know it.”

“Does she?”

God, I fucking hate therapy sometimes. “I imagine so since I’ve refused to see her.”

Dr. Johnson writes something in his notebook. I can’t imagine what. Is he even taking notes or doodling in the margins the way I do when the words don’t come. When the lyrics don’t make any goddamn sense.

“If it’s all right, I’d like to catch Allegra before she leaves. I’d like to talk with her,” I murmur.

Dr. Johnson nods. “If that’s what you feel is best, Maverick. Our time is up anyway.”

“Thanks, Doc. See you tomorrow.” I stand and don’t bother giving him another glance as I slip out of the conference room.

Allegra stands by the reception desk, looking worried. Her hair is pulled up into a high bun, there are bags under her eyes, and she’s chewing her bottom lip raw.

“Hey, A,” I say, moving toward her.

She looks up and relief flickers through her irises. “Mav. Hi.”

“I didn’t know you were coming.” I can’t hide the surprise from my tone. While my brother, Levi, and Reign have popped by a few times, I haven’t seen Allegra yet.

“Excuse me, Maverick,” a staff member, Marilyn, interrupts, giving me a knowing look.

Fucking rehab rules.

---