Page 36 of Wrecked
Chapter Twelve
The leather under Cole's ass was cold, and the seat creaked as he bounced his knee, waiting for his shrink to fucking say something.
The office was all dark wood, brown leather, and deep reds. The decor choice seemed odd for central Miami. Most offices went for light and airy, the ones he’d seen anyway, but not this guy. It always felt like he’d walked into some Gothic horror movie, especially with the deer antlers, low lighting, and slight musty smell that always seemed to linger.
Dr. Cumberland…John. The guy had told him to use his first name, because despite the ancient feel of his office, he was heavily into all that New Agey crap. He was also younger than Cole. It had definitely felt weird at first, talking to someone who looked like he still ate Fruit Loops for breakfast. But he’d gotten over it. Wasn’t like he had much choice. After he’d finished his mandatory trauma counseling through the force in New York and it became clear he’d need ongoing help, they’d referred him here since he was moving back to Miami.
The thought of finding someone else on his own hadn’t been high on his list of priorities. He may be stubborn, but he knew, for now at least, he needed this.
“How has your week been, Cole?” John finally asked, sitting forward on his pink exercise ball and staring at him over the top of his thick, black hipster glasses. The ball made Cole think of Piper. She liked pink. Her room was full of the color.
“Unsettling.” Did he want to talk about Piper? He got the feeling saying what happened out loud, admitting to what he did, would make it all too real.
“Do you want to expand on that?”
“Not really.”
John rested his elbows on his knees. “How’s the job going?”
“There are still a few teething problems, but it’s going good.”
“I know you were worried about working for your friend. Have any issues come up?”
He shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “Not…yet.”
John scratched something down in his notebook. “You sound like you expect issues to arise? Is there something in particular you’re concerned about?”
He didn’t know why, but suddenly he couldn’t hold it in, he needed to get what happened with Piper off his chest. And yeah, if he was honest, he wanted someone to tell him not to go there with her. To tell him to stop this now, before it was too late. Maybe if this guy, with all his degrees and shit, told him what he was doing was wrong, he could find the strength to walk away. If anyone knew how fucked-up he was, it was his shrink. “Yeah, there is something.”
“Okay.” John sat poised on that stupid pink ball, gaze fixed on him, waiting for him to spill his guts.
Fuck.
“My friend?” He released a harsh breath. “I slept with his sister.”
The guy nodded, didn’t flinch, didn’t bat a goddamn eyelash. “And does your friend know about your relationship with his sister?”
“No. And it’s not a relationship. It was sex. End of story.” He wasn’t even fooling himself with that shit. Did he really think he was fooling a professional?
John arched a brow. “You don’t have feelings for this woman, beyond sexual?”
“I’ve known her since we were kids. Of course I have feelings for her.”
“Can you tell me about those feelings? Friendship, affection?”
“Yeah, all of that.” And more, so much goddamn more.
“I don’t see the problem. You’re both consenting adults, and you obviously care for each other.” He shrugged. “Your friend gave you a job, has supported you in many ways during your recovery. Why do you think he wouldn’t approve of you and his sister getting together?”
Cole stared at the guy. Was he for real? “You fucking know why.”
“I think you need to enlighten me, Cole.”
“Have you listened to anything I’ve said these last few months? Anything at all?”
“Every word.” John sat back, resting his hands on his knees. “Do you know what I think? I think you were hoping I’d give you a way out. An excuse to turn your back on this woman you care about. You’re afraid of what might happen if you allow your emotions to lead you. You’re afraid of letting her in, afraid that once she gets to know you, the real you, she’ll discover you’re all the things you believe yourself to be and will turn her back on you.”
Cole sat frozen in his chair. Everything he said was true, one hundred percent. But the problem was, this guy thought he could be fixed—beyond just getting through one shitty day at a time—and he was wrong. So fucking wrong.
