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Against my better judgment, knowing that fighting with what’s right and what I enjoy is also playing into this moment of self-doubt, I finish dressing and open the door for him. That smirk grows the moment our eyes meet. My legs wobble a little while my heart sighs for him.
“Took you long enough to open,” he says. I take a step backward, letting him inside the hallway. “I was beginning to think that you forgot about me.”
“Nah, I needed a quick shower.” I shut the door, turn around, and lead the way upstairs to my place. “Want some water?”
Matt closes the gap between us, and his emotional blues try to interlock with my eyes. I glance over at the coffee table filled with crafts.
He lifts my chin, achieving that eye-to-eye, soul-to-soul connection I tried to avoid only seconds ago.
“You okay, Butterfly? Something happened before you left that put that lovely smile out of commission for the night. It’s weird, but it’s not settling well in here.”
He touches his chest.
“I’m tired, and your story sounded… sad.”
Wow. You sound pathetic and stupid, Thea.
He releases my chin and scratches his head. “How so? I think we had a good time at the bar, and your earnings for the night were huge—not counting what they left in credit card tips. What happened, Butterfly?”
Those intense eyes dig inside my soul, and I must think fast before he learns more about me. That part I hide from everyone who doesn’t recognize me. The part I’m ashamed of, the part where he learns I’m not Thea Dennis by birth. That my full name is Agatha Catherine Levitz. The daughter of the former drummer of Dreadful Souls, Martin Levitz.
I disappeared from the world at seventeen. When I turned eighteen, and after leaving the rehab facility, I legally changed my name to Agatha Dennis. For now, I prefer to keep every little piece of my past hidden.
If he knew, I bet he wouldn’t give me a second glance. He’d hate me.
“Butterfly,” he insists. “Something has been bothering you all evening, but now… things are falling apart. I can feel it.”
“Dr. O’Neal decided to stop being my counselor supervisor,” I blurt out the first thing that comes to mind.
There’s only so much I can keep inside. It has nothing to do with his family or my past. “I need one hundred and fifty-three more hours before I can apply for my license.”
“Counselor?” He cocks an eyebrow as he tilts his head. “What kind of counselor, like a shrink?”
I nod.
“You’re a shrink?”
I bite my lip and nod.
“Are you able to counsel with a minor in psych?”
I let out some air, I’m so stupid. It’s like I can’t keep anything together anymore. “No. I have a master’s degree and a doctorate. I specialized in addictions.”
My entire body is covered with clothes, yet I’m bare, open, and scared that he can see through me. He rubs his stubble as he looks at me with that deep gaze, continuing to study me. I want to run away, push him out, or… for the first time, let someone into my life.
It’s so freaking cold inside that maybe if I allow him in, it’ll warm me up a little. It would be nice to have a friend to share shit with, wouldn’t it?
“My pretty butterfly is a smart chick.” There’s a hint of pride in his words. “So, you need another therapist to help you get some hours or something?”
I nod.
“Let’s focus on the Nexus Point series. I have an entire manuscript waiting on an MP3 file for you to type, edit, and make sure is ready to publish.”
We spend some time discussing what he wants me to do, how much he plans on paying me, and at the end, he says the strangest thing. “Email me your résumé. I might be able to help you or find someone who can help.”
“I—” He places a finger on top of my lips.
I laugh and push it off. “I don’t think it’s necessary. I can search for someone else. It’ll take me some time, but there’s always someone willing to give a hand to a young counselor.”
