Page 47 of The Refiner

Somehow, his answer doesn’t crush me. If my sister loved this man like that—like that unconditional, crazy type of love, she would have told me about him. She wouldn’t have been able to keep him such a secret. “So, you didn’t love her as a girlfriend?”

Cautiously, he moves his head to the left, before slowly moving to the right. “Like you, I have my issues too.”

“And also, like me, you’re an asshole?”

He barks out a laugh, easing the tension of our heavy topic. “Exactly.”

“So, you and Piper were truly just friends?”

He tips his chin. “Amongst other things.”

Heaven help me decipher this man’s explanations. “Other things like what? You being her Tuesday night hook-up?”

“Your sister wasn’t a one-night stand.” His voice holds finality. “Our relationship was more than when we… conceived Tatum.”

It’s interesting that he doesn’t want to admit he and my sister had a sloppy hook-up.

“I’m not judging,” I try explaining. “I’m proud Piper pulled a one-nighter. It likely was the only time she did.” A pain settles in my chest as I think of all the other firsts Piper won’t have. “There’s nothing wrong with having a standing guy friend for those lonely nights.”

Not that I know anything about that life, but if there were ever a man I could tolerate longer than five minutes, I would most definitely work out a similar agreement.

“But that’s not what our relationship was.” He pours another drink, like this conversation is too much for him to handle right now.

I take another bite of the casserole and give him time to settle himself before I add, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for it to sound like you were my sister’s whore. When I’m upset, especially at men, I lose my verbal filter—not that I was trying to be insulting. One-night stands are totally acceptable in my book.” Nothing is coming out right. “You know what? Never mind. I’m just an asshole, and I’m sorry. I’m sure whatever you and my sister had was beautiful.”

I stand. There’s no reason I need to stay here any longer. All I’m doing is offending this man, who has been very kind—to my sister and me.

“Your sister was my doctor.”

I pause.

“I, uh… I’m not ready to explain everything, but I want you to know that your sister was helping me through something, and we….” He shakes his head. “We had a few drinks, and things got out of hand.”

His forehead creases. I recognize that pain. I know that pain. “Well, that makes so much more sense than her just taking a ride on the Dr. Potter train for fun. I should have known she felt sorry for you.”

He barks out a laugh. “Are you saying I was her pity fuck?”

I shrug. “If it wasn’t a relationship or a one-night stand, as you said, it doesn’t leave room for much else.”

He nods, seemingly amused with my definitions. I’ll be honest. For some crazy reason, I’m relieved to know Astor and my sister weren’t a regular thing. “Okay, I’ll agree to that definition of what happened.”

I smile, but only because he is, and if I let the worry I suddenly feel about this man seep through, he might backtrack and never tell me more. What happened to this man that my sister would feel sorry for him? Not that I think it was a hardship to sleep with him, but why? Piper would never cross the doctor-patient relationship line unless she had good reason.

And that reason, I’m betting, is why they made a deal. The one he feels the need to follow through with even after my sister is gone. This man isn’t just a pretty face with an MD behind his name. This man has demons he’s ignoring right now by taking care of his daughter andme.

Maybe it’s time someone took care of him.

“It’s late,” I say. “Would it be okay if I just stayed here tonight?” The least I can do is let him get some sleep while he can. “I can help you feed Tatum throughout the night and leave in the morning.” Piper’s funeral arrangements aren’t going anywhere. “Would that be okay?”

He flashes me a smug grin.

“Don’t. If you make one sarcastic comment about how you were suggesting that earlier, I will walk home.”

He puts his hands up. “I didn’t say a word.”

“But you wanted to.”

“But I didn’t,” he counters. “See how that works?”

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