Page 15 of A Place Like You

Sutton glances at her phone before settling on my bed. “I have ten minutes to spare before hitting the road to Evergreen. Start talking.”

I scrunch my nose. “Right, your parents’ anniversary is this weekend.”

She grins. “I knew you forgot about it, but that doesn’t matter. Tell me what’s bothering you.”

I start with the dinosaur obsession. And how, to no one’s surprise, he unloaded all about it to Charles instead of saying hello. He mentioned wanting to visit dinosaur sites. Charles didn’t say no. Instead, he suggested some sites here in Colorado that they could visit tomorrow. They’ll even try to figure out if we—including me—can go to New York soon.

It’s challenging to establish boundaries and distance ourselves from Finn’s family when Milo doesn’t realize they’re not his blood relatives. Especially when they treat him so kindly, like family. Even Piper’s parents have become like grandparents to him—I couldn’t stop that either. How can I say, “Hey, kind stranger, don’t love my son?”

Then I delve into the whole situation with Drake’s visit.

“You like him,” Sutton states matter-of-factly.

“What?” I’m surprised by her bold statement.

“You’re afraid of what he makes you feel,” she adds with certainty.

I shake my head, attempting to dismiss her observation. “Were you rearranging the romance section or women’s fiction at the library?” I retort playfully. She thinks everything can become a happily ever after. She’s wrong.

I know because I lived in a Shakespearean tragedy—I’m not sure which one because I only read Romeo and Juliet during high school and chose never to read him again.

Sutton glares at me. “Neither one of them. After . . .” She trails her voice and swallows. “Have I mentioned that you need therapy to work on your issues?”

Due to my past experiences, I’m naturally cautious, but I doubt my animosity toward Drake is solely rooted in that.

“He’s part of the Endor program,” I explain, trying to shed some light on my reservations. “For all you know, he got paid to alter the appearances of the most wanted criminals. Someone stole his client list or . . . I don’t know. But because of his greed and stupidity, the entire family had to run before they got killed—hence why they’re staying for years.”

Sutton bursts into laughter, finding my theory amusing. “I’m pretty sure I read that book last year.”

I glare at her. “I’m serious. Finn mentioned something about the mafia earlier today.”

She becomes animated, her eyes widening with intrigue. “This is even more exciting than I anticipated. You have to hire Drake.”

“I’m not bringing someone dangerous to my clinic,” I state firmly.

“But you’re not attracted to him, right?” she teases.

I shake my head vigorously. She grins mischievously. “Okay, so we find Dr. Drake intriguing and want to pretend he’s a dangerous man.”

“Ugh,” I growl.

She’s so infuriating. Once Sutton gets an idea, there’s no stopping her. But she’s got it all wrong. I don’t actually find Drake attractive. Well, I mean, he’s tall, and his broad shoulders make him look like a Greek god, exuding strength and confidence. His face, with its chiseled jawline and piercing eyes, is like a masterpiece carved by one of the best sculptors in the world. Every feature seems perfectly proportioned, creating an undeniable charm.

Sure, if he wasn’t involved with Endor and if I were in a different frame of mind, I might have considered a casual fling with him. But right now, all I want is to steer clear of him until he’s out of town.

“No, we don’t find him intriguing, attractive, or any other qualifier,” I argue, hoping to dissuade her.

Sutton burst into laughter. “You can deny it all you want, but at the end of the day, I need you to consider hiring him. Not for yourself, but for Milo and the town. If there’s an emergency, you can rely on Drake Kershaw.”

“I’ll think about it,” I say without making any promises. “Don’t you have to leave?”

“I wish I didn’t have to go to my parents’. Little Ms. Perfect will be there, along with the prodigal son,” she grumbles.

“Your brother and sister can be quite annoying,” I sympathize. “But your parents are even worse for making them believe they’re God’s gifts to humanity. I’m sorry you have to deal with them.”

“It’s life. What can you do?” Sutton gives me a hug. “Call if you need me. I can’t promise I’ll be able to drive back, but I can hide in my old room and pretend that I’m having a library emergency.”

I see her out, and before she gets in her car, she makes me promise her that I’ll consider hiring Drake.

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