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The sound of sirens hit and I smiled, watching as the familiar car pulled up outside. I waved them in. At the head of the pack was a tall, blonde woman, her face set in a severe expression as she glared at my current problem.
“Is she the troublemaker?” She asked, and I nodded.
“I have the camera’s footage if you need it?”
She hummed as she cuffed the now whining woman. “We will. Be sure to drop that off as soon as possible. For now we’ll bring her in and go through all the channels.”
“Get your hands off me. Don’t you know who I am?!” She screeched, apparently not happy with us ignoring her.
The officer scoffed at that. “If I had to guess, some politician's daughter. I don’t care. You can huff and puff all you like, but you’re not above the law. Now come quietly or I’m sure the news stations will get word of this and something tells me you don’t want that.”
Apparently not because the woman went deathly pale, finally stopping with her screeching. Once she and the officer were gone, I slumped into my desk chair with a sigh, eyeing the busted equipment on the ground I’d need to replace at some point.
Thankfully it wasn’t something I needed often, and now I’d probably be getting a far better version, but that didn’t make me feel much better.
That woman was the newest in a long line of William’s old ‘exes’ and I was having to take deep breaths to not snap at someone.
As if he could sense my foul mood, my phone vibrated with a text from Will.
Is everything alright? One of the clients said they heard the sheriff was called for an incident at your clinic on their scanner.
Wow, the town’s gossip vine worked quick. I knew that, of course, but sometimes it still shocked me with its speed.
Letting the irritation go, I answered.
I’m fine, it was just a little scuffle with a walk in. I only have a scratch on my cheek to show for it, and they’re being escorted to the sheriff to be dealt with. They broke some of my equipment but I don’t need it right now. How is your day?
I threw in the last bit in an attempt to change the subject, but William was having none of it.
It’s fine, less so now that my girlfriend is being–yet again–harassed by the women I’ve slept with. When were you going to add that bit?
Damn it, Neal must have mentioned that on the radio, and now it’d be all over the town. Groaning audibly, I scrubbed a hand over my face and chose my response carefully.
I wasn’t going to, because it doesn’t matter. There’s nothing you can do about it. She’s handled and out of my hair. You shouldn’t feel guilty over something someone else did.
This time his response took longer.
You wouldn’t have to deal with it at all if it weren’t for me. I’m allowed to be frustrated that my history is causing you issues.
I sighed, knowing a losing battle when I saw one.
You’re worth it, though, and if you want to make things better, just give me a really tight hug when you get off work and come see me. It does wonders.
If nothing else it was better than him drowning himself in guilt.
The phone stayed silent after that and I didn’t message again, knowing it was time to give him space. Instead, I focused on the steady stream of clients for whom I had appointments.
By the time I finished with the last one my feet ached but I was in a far better mood. I’d gotten a few new people in who would probably be regulars and soon I’d be able to comfortably afford hiring someone to help.
Baby steps, but they made all the difference.
The drive home felt longer than normal and Devin’s car wasn’t in the driveway when I pulled up but William’s was, and my mood instantly picked up.
He was waiting for me, sitting on the steps outside the apartment, and I laughed a bit at the picture he made.
A hulking man hunched over with his knees nearly to his chest with a smile that warmed me from within.
When I got closer he rose, pulling me into the hug I’d been dying for since earlier. It was tight and comfort seeped into my bones like hot water.
