Page 2 of Unraveled

The lines of his face were sharp, almost angular, with high cheekbones and the tiniest hint of a cleft in his chin. Coffee-colored eyes stood out from his lightly tanned skin, and his thick, dark brown hair was cropped short. He left just enough at the top for a woman to run her hands through, to play with the silky-looking strands. At a couple inches over six feet, he was every fantasy come to life.

Heat raced through her blood, and she forced herself to swallow and respond. “No, thank you.”

He studied her for another moment before turning away to pour himself a glass of water. He made his way around the table, then unbuttoned his suit jacket before sliding into the seat next to her. She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. This close to him, she could smell the unmistakable scent of his aftershave, or maybe his cologne. It was musky and masculine, an apt fit for the man sitting only inches away.

She glanced over her shoulder as Richard Patterson entered the room, thankful for the distraction. He slipped into the seat next to Scott and flashed a smile in her direction. He was a nice enough guy, but since he was Scott’s lawyer, she kind of disliked him on principle. “Good morning, Audrey.”

She nodded politely, eager to start the proceedings. She was tired of this dragging out. All she wanted was an expeditious resolution so she could get on with her life. Whatever that meant. Ever since the incident at the health center, she’d been seriously contemplating her future. Maybe it was time to leave the past where it belonged and start something new.

Carter spoke up. “All right, are we ready to begin?” After a quick check around the table, he launched into his discourse. “So, we’ve decided that Mr. Gerber will retain the house and my client will receive compensation for her portion upon completion. Now we have the matter of the office at the health center. In light of Mr. Gerber’s infidelity, I feel that Audrey should be awarded the business and⁠—”

“Actually…” His head snapped toward her as she laid a gentle hand on his arm. “I’m strongly considering selling out. Would you mind if Scott and I spoke alone for a moment?”

Carter’s eyes blazed with fury. “Audrey, that’s not⁠—”

“I think that’s a great idea,” Scott spoke up from the opposite side of the table.

Carter threw a glare his way, then swiveled toward her once more. “As your lawyer, I strongly advise⁠—”

She curled her fingertips into the fabric of his suit jacket and felt the muscles of his forearm tense beneath her touch. “Just give us a minute. Please.”

He searched her eyes for a long moment, then finally seemed to accept her need for privacy. He didn’t look at all happy about it, but he shoved his chair back from the table and stood, nodding to Richard as he did so. “We’ll give you two a moment—but we’ll be right outside.”

She couldn’t decide if it was a warning or… something more. There was something in his tone that she’d never quite heard before. As soon as it flitted through her mind, she shook the thought away. It wasn’t like she knew the man well enough to make any assumptions about his behavior. He was her lawyer—he was paid to act in her best interest. And right now, this sudden change of plans was like a train derailing that he couldn’t stop.

She waited until the door latch clicked into place, then she met Scott’s gaze. For a long moment, they just stared at each other, separated by the table between them and a mountain of lies. How had they gotten to this point? She’d loved him once; now there was far too much to overcome.

She cleared her throat. “As I’m sure you can imagine, I have no desire to work at the health center.”

He dipped his chin, and his eyes swept over her face again. “I’m glad you’re okay.”

She offered a tight smile. “Thank you.”

“Libby and I are getting married.”

The words exploded from his throat, and her heart seized in her chest. All of a sudden, she knew exactly how a deer felt in its final seconds before being splattered all over the highway. Scott looked uncomfortable, his gaze fixed on the table, and she forced herself to draw air into her lungs.

Their divorce wasn’t even finalized, and he was ready to sprint to the altar with her the second the ink was dry? It wasn’t totally unexpected considering the circumstances, but… hearing those words hurt.

“Congratulations.” Hot tears stung her eyes, and she quickly blinked them away.

Silence fell again before he finally let out a harsh sigh. “Look. I’m sorry.” She quirked a brow, and he continued. “I want to do what’s right. You deserve better. I should have done things... differently.”

No kidding. She almost snorted a laugh but managed to smother it before it could escape. She didn’t trust herself to speak, so she just nodded.

Scott studied her. “What are you going to do?”

She shrugged. “I haven’t decided yet. But I think it’s better for both of us if I bow out.”

“What about your patients?”

“I’ll finish out the month, if that works for you. That’ll give you some time to bring in another physician, or… whatever you want to do.”

“So, you’ve really thought about this?”

She nodded. “I have. Ever since…” She trailed off, and he nodded sympathetically.

“I understand.” He took a deep breath. “If you truly want out, I’d be more than happy to buy you out. At a premium.” His mouth quirked into a small smile at her look of skepticism. “I don’t want to fight over this anymore. When you got hurt…”