“You’re seriously going to use the five whys to get to the root of why I want to be a doctor?” This is one of the strategies we use with the client to identify why they stay in toxic relationships. Because until you get to the root issue, you can’t fix anything.
“Yes, I am.” I expected her to laugh, but she doesn’t. Her eyes remain serious, and her jaw is set. “You don’t want to be a doctor. You love it here. You have a social work degree. You have a business degree. You’ve volunteered here since you were sixteen years old. Hell, I think you must’ve lied about your age and started in the kitchen at fifteen.”
Fourteen, to be exact. Yes, this is my passion, but passion doesn’t pay the bills or please my father.
The room spins, and the edge of my vision goes dark. Do I want to be a doctor? I swallow over the dryness in my mouth. No, I don’t. I want to help people, but being a doctor is my father’s dream for me. Not the one that keeps me up late. But it’s too late. Everything is in motion for me to go to medical school and join my father in his practice.
Hunter and Wren walk into the lobby and wave. “Hey, Daisy.”
“Hello.” I greet them both.
“It’s great to see you again.” Hunter clasps my hand and shakes it.
“You, also.” I smile and hug Wren.
“You’re as adorable as ever.” Wren squeezes me. Then she stands back and studies my face. “There’s something different about you.” She frowns and tilts her head sideways. “You look different. Did you cut your hair?”
“No.” I clasp my hands together. “Maybe I got more sun than I thought this summer.” My tan doesn’t make any difference. It’s the essence of falling in love and becoming….
Oh, shit.I’m going to be sick. I’m not in love with him. That would be the worst possible thing. No. I’m not. I straighten my back. It’s not possible. This is just fun for now. It has to be. Because falling for him is going to wreck me.
But what if it’s too late? What if I’m already wrecked? Warmth settles in my belly. What if he doesn’t get bored? What if he never changes his mind? I bite my lips together to keep from smiling. What if we’re forever? Undergraduate school won’t last forever.
“See.” She shifts her attention to Hunter. “She looks different. More confident. More….” Her eyes widen. “Never mind. You’re right. It’s the tan. The few times we’ve seen each other recently have been online. That makes everyone look green.”
“Wren, quit messing around,” Hunter growls at her. “We’re only here for a few hours, and we don’t have time for your whimsical fantasy woo-woo stuff where you read people like a book and piss them off by intruding in their perfectly finelives and convince them they need something more.”
“Bite me.” She glares at him.
“Let’s get on to more pleasant topics.” He braces his hands on his hips. “So, what’s it going to take?”
“To do what?” My heart thuds in my chest. I’m not going to lie. Having a guy like this one with so much power wanting you to run his business is a heady experience.
“To take on the program director role. Wren is ready to bring you down to Texas and train you. You just say the word.”
“I wish I could, but I can’t. You both know I love it here and the work we do. But I’m obligated to get my doctorate and practice medicine.”
“Fine.” He waves his hand dismissively. “But know, at some point, I’m going to stop asking and hire someone else.” He never pushes. If he did, it would go against the message we represent. You’re in a safe place to stand up for your rights, and no means no.
“I realize that.” The weight of the world settles on my shoulders.
Wren tucks a strand of hair behind her head. “Let’s focus on something important. I want to see where you were attacked. The last thing I want is for someone to get hurt here. We’re supposed to be a safe haven.”
“I wasn’t attacked. Exactly.” I spin on my heel and lead the way.
“You were cornered in a dark space. With no one available to come to your rescue and a client’s husband grabbed you.” Wren brushes past me and shoves the door open.
The warm breeze brushes against my face as we step onto the street. “It was easier to pretend it wasn’t that so I wouldn’t get scared.”
“See.” Wren squeezes my shoulder. “That wasn’t so hard, now, was it?”
“You’re right.” I chuckle at her antics. I love Wren’s spirit. It would be a blast to have her as my boss. But it can’t happen.
We spend the next half hour discussing security options. The awesome thing about working for a billionaire is that price is no object. And the only thing Hunter likes more than making money is keeping things safe.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Daisy