“A shit show. Mmmhmmm. Already working on it.” Rowan left quietly, pulling the door closed behind them.
I found Dr. Cole Vaughn’s name in the notes. He’d assessed the patient, provided intervention. The intervention failed.
He’d done his job.
But had he done enough? That was the question Diane Hart and likely a very expensive lawyer was asking. That was the question I had to answer.
My phone buzzed. A text from my sister flashed on screen:
Alicia:
Are you alive? You’ve been AWOL from the last two Sunday dinners. I miss your face.
I stared at the message, scrolling back in my mind. Had it been two weeks since I’d had dinner with my family? Probably.
Between work and the general exhaustion of being the only single person at a table full of couples and kids, Sunday dinners had become something I found reasons to avoid. Alicia would be with her partner. Aaron would bring his daughter. Even Naomiwould show up with whoever she was dating this month and swearing she was about to marry. She was the most lovesick person I’d ever met.
I’d be the only one fielding questions from my mother about whether I was seeing anyone special and getting looks from my father that said he worried I worked too much.
I did not need their damn help to get a man. I hadplentyof men.
Me:
My dry ass text message inbox says you ain’t missed nobody’s face. Lord willing and the creek don’t rise, I’ll be there this week.
Alicia:
Good! And would it kill you to pretend to be dating someone? It would make the ‘rents so happy in their golden years.
Me:
I will not be fake dating anyone to get a plate.
Alicia:
Fine. See you Sunday. And I do be missing your face! Love you.
Me:
Love you too, Leesh.
I returned to the file and started building a plan to make sure the Hart family didn’t sue the pants off of RMC. I was halfway through my second read when a Teams message popped up:
Rowan:
You in for Dr. Rice?
I frowned.
Me:
I don’t suppose I can hide from her.
Dr. Rice walked in and closed the door behind her, which meant this wasn’t a casual check-in. “Morning, Harper. I see you’re already digging into the Greene case.”
“Morning, Liz. Yes, I’m reviewing the file now.” I gestured to the chair across from my desk. “Coffee?”
“No, thank you. I’m already three cups in.”
