26
Sitting Out
Oliver
I step out of my rental car parked in my former clinic and realize that for a place I worked at for several years, building up a good reputation until I fucked it up, it now feels like a different world. When I left a few months ago, I hoped that someday I’d be back. Now, it feels like a loss to be back. Los Angeles isn’t my home anymore. My home is New York. It’s with Charlotte. But I fucked that up too.
I push that all aside and focus on getting my life back or blowing it to bits, as I enter the clinic. It’s Saturday so it’s quiet. One of the perks of being a doctor in a private cosmetically-oriented plastic surgery clinic is normal hours. Today, only Dr. Shaw and Hayden should be here. I wouldn’t say I am nervous, but I am on edge.
No one is in the waiting area so I head back to Dr. Shaw’s office. As I reach it, I hear Hayden and her father talking.
“I haven’t done anything illegal,” she insists. “But he can’t go around using women.”
“It’s been months now, Hayden. Maybe it’s time to let it go,” Dr. Shaw says, sounding tired.
“Why? So, he can do it to the next woman? He has another woman, you know. She should know what sort of man he is.”
I step into the doorway in time to see Dr. Shaw shaking his head behind his desk. If he can’t call her off, what hope do I have?
“How do you know that?” he asks.
“I just do.” She sees me, and straightens from where she’s been leaning against his desk. She’s dressed in dark skin-tight jeans, a low-dipped blouse, and a leather jacket. She looks fierce and strong which was an aspect that drew me to her initially. But she isn’t really strong. She’s insecure and a bully. Charlotte, she’s strong.
“You’re here,” Hayden says in an indifferent tone.
“I set up this meeting, so of course I’m here.” I nod to Dr. Shaw. “How are you?” I ask him.
“I’m ready to be done with all this. I don’t know why I’m here to begin with.” He looks as tired as he sounds.
I asked him to be here because I don’t trust her and I hope he can help me convince her to back off.
When she found me at my clinic in New York, we’d argued. I was pissed at what she was doing to me and she was dead set on ruining me. What we didn’t cover is what I have to do to make it stop. At first, she wanted me back, but I can’t imagine that’s what she wants now.
“What needs to happen for you to back off?” I ask Hayden.
She smirks at me. “Your dick shrivels up so you can’t fuck with women anymore.”
“Jesus, Hayden,” her father says, scraping a hand over his face. I get the feeling that this isn’t the first time he’s been through something like this.
“What’s the next option?” I ask.
She laughs derisively. “There is none. No matter where you go or what you do, I’ll be there to protect other women from you.”
“That’s bullshit. You don’t care about other women. You just want to ruin me.” I’m working hard to keep my tone even. I know she’ll get off on it if I act desperate and I don’t want to give her any satisfaction.
“Same difference.”
“Hayden. You’ve made your point. Let Oliver be,” her father says.
She stares at me with that evil smirk. “No.”
I shrug. “Fine. I’ll let my lawyer know that I want to file for a restraining order.”
Her smirk falters. “You wouldn’t.”
I laugh. “I want my fucking life back, Hayden.”
She steps toward me, her face contorted into hate. “I’ll post the video.”