Page 9 of Her Wicked Plan

“Oh, like you haven’t done worse.” I push off the door and head into the kitchen, Myles hot on my heels.

“What crawled up your ass and died?”

My headache worsens when I think about leaving tomorrow when I open and close the cabinets in search of Tylenol. “Where is the damn pain reliever?”

“Cabinet to the left of you,” Myles answers from behind me. “Seriously, dude, what gives?”

Finally finding what I’m looking for, I twist the lid off and spill three white pills into my hand. The dirty glass on the sink's side will do just fine. I fill it with water and throw back the pills all at once.

Swallowing hard, the glass lets out a loud clunk when I set it back down. My hands grip the counter's edge, and my head hangs low.

“I have to leave tomorrow.” My voice remains low.

“You what?”

“The main doctor at the asylum called me this morning.” I turn to face my best friend. “Instead of leaving at the end of the week, they need me tomorrow.”

“Shit,” he curses.

“I haven’t even told all my current patients I’m leaving yet. How will they take it when they come in for their session at the end of the week, and I’m not there? What if some of them relapse from the news?” I snap my head up and begin pacing. “And Christmas! Myles, I was supposed to go home and see everyone this year! I promised, and now? How will I explain to my parents that I won’t come because of work?”

“Leo, calm down.” Myles’s hands rest on my shoulders, stopping me from pacing. “Call your boss and let him know what is going on. I’m sure he will be happy to work things out for you. It’s the least he can do since he put you in this position in the first place. As for your family, they will understand. Don’t beat yourself up too much about it.”

He’s right. I know Gavin will handle things for me, but that doesn’t make it any better. The patients should have heard the news from me that I’m leaving, not from my boss.

My family will tell me it is okay that I won’t be making it to Christmas, but that doesn’t stop me from feeling like a huge disappointment.

“Go take a shower. You look like you’ve been through the fucking ringer. What did you and Priscilla do last night?”

That’s her name. I thought she looked more like an Abigail.

“I honestly don’t remember.”

“You look like you’ve been dragged through hell and back. Get cleaned up, then call your boss and your mom. Everything will be all right.”

“And you? How will you manage to survive without me here?” I crack the joke to lighten the mood.

Myles grins and pats my shoulder. “I did just fine the eighteen years of my life before I met you. Now, go.”

He steps aside, allowing me to head off to the shower.

When I close the bathroom door to turn the water on, his words continuously ring in my ears.

Everything will be all right.

But will it?

CHAPTER 4

Leo

Saying goodbye to Myles was harder than I thought. Ever since we were in college, we have spent no time apart. We were attached at the hip.

Wherever he went, I followed, and vice versa. I’m not one of those men who hides his feelings regarding the important people in my life.

I never understood why men couldn’t express their feelings for their guy friends. It’s not that big of a deal to show you care about someone important in your life.

Especially when he’s been the only family I’ve had for the past couple of years. My parents live deep in the suburbs; I rarely see them or my sister, except if it’s a FaceTime call. Those are scarce.