Page 131 of Doctorshipped
My questioning gaze travels to Grant. His eyes hold a look that I’ve only seen one other time in my life.
Shane. When he was cheating.
My mind races to fill in the blanks.
Who is she?
Why is she here, in the kitchen?
She’s not a patient.
She’s not even from Bordeaux.
She’s not a relative.
She knows Grant—well.
He knows her too—too well.
Something between them feels incredibly intimate.
What is going on?
Grant looks from me to the woman, and back to me. The woman calmly studies me as though she has the upper hand in this situation, and I have to give her that. She definitely has the upper hand.
Grant says my name. But it’s not in the tone he usually uses. He lacks the fondness, the romantic anticipation, the warmth. He’s guarded, and maybe even guilty.
His voice comes out like a plea. “Jayme?”
My hand flies to my mouth as the realization of what I’m seeing right in front of me washes over me. I drop the vase, having forgotten I was even holding it. The sound of glass shattering is followed by the splash of water across my legs and the floor. The flowers spread in all directions.
The woman gasps. Grant starts to stand. He’s saying things like, “It’s okay. Leave it.”
I look down at the mess and then back up at Grant. His eyes tell me everything. He didn’t expect me. Maybe he lost track of time, but he never intended for me to see him with this woman, and he’s hiding something about their relationship.
I’ve never been one to make a mess and leave. I usually would even stick around to clean up after others.
Grant says something else. He’s walking slowly toward me, but I can’t stay here. I can’t make sense of what he’s saying. My ears and head feel like I’ve been dunked under water. Everything spins and throbs, the world around me blurs. I take one more glance at the floor and turn, running out of the kitchen.
“Jayme!” I vaguely hear Grant’s deep, resonant voice calling my name from behind me. “Please, wait! I can explain!”
The desperation in his tone feels like a punch straight to my gut. No one says those words, “Please, I can explain,” unless they’ve done something wrong. I don’t want to know what he did wrong. I don’t want his secrets, his half-truths, his betrayal.
My thoughts bombard me like pellets at rapid fire. I wanted us. More than anything I’ve ever wanted in my life, I wanted us. For some reason, my mind chooses this moment to expose every dream I had been holding at arm's length.
I’d be Fiona’s mom. She’d be my daughter. The three of us would make a home together. Grant and I would share a bed. I’d give him everything, body, heart, and spirit. He’d protect me and dote on me, and I’d love him so well. And now, all of that is gone because of the woman in the kitchen.
I fumble for my keys and fall into the front seat, slamming the door behind me.
The look Grant and that woman shared wasn’t a look between strangers. She’s someone he knows well. She’s someone he’s possibly shared more with than he’s ever shared with me. I’ve been so foolish. Gullible. Ridiculously optimistic. Do I even know him?
Grant’s running toward my car, a look of panic on his face. I stick my key in the ignition, well aware I shouldn’t be driving right now, unsure where I’ll go. I just know I have to get away—away from him, away from that woman, away from everything.
Turning the key again, the engine starts, and I take off before Grant can reach me. I speed down the street, and turn at the corner stop sign without even slowing to check for cross-traffic.
I feel tears coursing down my cheeks and realize I’m sobbing. My vision starts to blur, so I pull over on one of the country roads behind the neighborhoods. I’m halfway between Grant’s and Lexi’s. I can’t go home. I don’t want to face Lexi and Trevor. I’ll just drive to the outskirts of town and sit in my car.
I’m driving toward an abandoned property when I remember Lexi and Trevor are at work. I pull a U-turn and drive to the old Finch place, letting myself in and making a beeline for the guest room. I fall onto my bed and allow the tears to fall unhindered. I don’t know how long I lay there sobbing.
