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“Thanks, sis,” Steven said with a stiff smile. “Would you mind giving us a minute?”
Before Lanie could respond, Rose said, “No, that’s okay. I need to go anyway.” She spun on her heel and practically ran to the door.
She didn’t stop moving until she was in the parking lot, the blinding sun blazing down on her head. But she would take the humidity. Anything was less stifling than being in that room.
“Rose, wait!”
Despite every bone in her body telling her not to, Rose turned and faced Lanie. “Why did you do that? Why would you give him false hope?”
“Is it false?” Lanie cocked her head. “In spite of your insistence to Steven, you haven’t canceled anything, have you? Instead, you’ve been dodging calls from both your vendors and Carissa.”
There was no point in denying it. If Lanie had spoken to Carissa, then she knew everything.
When Rose didn’t respond, Lanie took a deep breath. “I won’t pretend to know why. But I can’t help hoping that once you hear what I have to say, you’ll definitively decide not to cancel the wedding and give him another chance.”
Not likely. Rose crossed her arms with a frown but didn’t interrupt.
“You know Steven entered rehab of his own accord. But what you don’t know is he also offered the partnership to Michael.”
Black dots swam before Rose’s eyes, and she grabbed onto her car to steady herself. “He what?”
“Now don’t get too excited.” Lanie hurried on. “Michael received a job offer in DC, and he has to pass the bar before he can accept either opportunity.”
While Lanie continued talking, Rose barely heard her. Not only had Steven gone into rehab, but he’d also chosen to find a partner. Something told her if Michael didn’t work out, Steven would find someone else. He was listening and learning like she’d always hoped he would.
Is it enough, though? She couldn’t ignore that it had taken her breaking up with him and calling off the wedding to finally get to that point. If I give him another chance, how far will I have to go the next time he refuses to listen to me?
“This latest incident shook him,” Lanie was saying when Rose tuned back in. “I mean, don’t get me wrong, losing you was also a wake-up call.” She gave a weak smile. “But the reality that his health issues might actually kill him was ultimately the kick in the pants he needed.”
“I’m glad something did.” Rose tried to keep her tone neutral. She needed time to consider her next move—and whether she could trust Steven again. “And I appreciate you telling me.”
“But it doesn’t change anything?” Lanie’s face fell.
“I need more time,” Rose said.
With a reluctant nod, Lanie threw her arms around Rose and pulled her into a tight hug. “I understand.” She stepped back and gave a sad smile. “I’d say if you need to talk, I’m here, but I’m not sure I can play the unbiased third party.”
“Nor would I ask you to,” Rose said.
They hugged once more, and Lanie moved aside and let Rose into her car. She waved goodbye before heading back into the building.
As Rose left the parking lot, her mind raced. Steven had made many strides in fixing things, and the fact that he hadn’t told her all of them meant he wasn’t doing it for her. Or at least, he wasn’t doing it only for her. And that has to mean something, right? But whether it was enough for her to give him another chance, she didn’t know.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
“I’m here to spring you!” Lanie rushed into Steven’s room with a huge smile on her face.
“What do you mean? I thought I wasn’t leaving until the end of the week.”
“Call it time off for good behavior.” Dr. Myers grinned as he strode into the room, followed by Dr. Bhati. “Or more accurately, early release for massive improvements.” He flipped through Steven’s chart. “Your therapists think you can continue on an outpatient basis.”
The room was silent as if everyone was waiting for his reaction. He expected to feel excited, but that wasn’t the emotion churning away in his stomach. There were too many what-ifs. What if I relapse? What if I have another heart attack?
Lanie frowned and took his hand. “What’s wrong?”
The old Steven would have brushed her off and insisted he was fine, just in shock. But between his health scares and losing Rose, something had changed within him. He no longer wanted to push people away and pretend he was fine.
“I’m scared.”
