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TEN
Ken
“I’ve got it, Amy,”I say as she tries to restock the supplies. I cringe when she pours cotton balls into the tongue depressor basket and then throws away a nearly full box of gloves just because the top one was stuck.
She’s done something wrong in every room I’ve checked and I don’t have time to go around after her, double-checking her work. That’s the opposite of taking tasks off my plate, and I’ve just about had enough. Still, I try to maintain my professionalism. I’m trying real damn hard to give Amy the benefit of the doubt but look where it’s gotten me so far.
“Are you sure?” she asks. Amy looks a bit too eager to get out of here.
I nod, taking over her duties. It will push my own work back an hour or so, but it’s still more efficient than having to redo everything. “I’m sure.”
“Okay, see you tomorrow!” she chirps as she heads for the day. I roll my eyes when the door shuts, then take a deep breath and try to focus. I have to hurry up if I want to make it in time for my date with Gracie.
I finish restocking the rooms, grumbling the whole way. I’m about to head out for the night when I remember that I need to put in a few prescription renewals. I should have done it yesterday, but I was busy training Amy. Not that it did much good.
I head back to my office to take care of the prescriptions, then notice a stack of papers on my desk. Flipping through them, I see they are all the patient files from everyone I saw today. Fuck, Amy didn’t put these away. Upon closer inspection, I see she put the updated notes in the wrong folders.
I rub my temples, groaning in frustration. Great. One more thing for me to do tonight.
I get lost in the monotony of paperwork, and it isn’t until Graham calls and I see my phone that I realize just how much time has passed.
“Shit!” I shout as I scramble to grab my keys and race out the door, not bothering to answer the phone.
I barely remember to lock up the clinic after me. It’s almost nine and I’m so fucking late for my date with Gracie. I curse myself out the entire drive out to Pressed. I know she won’t be there, but I still have to try. I’ve tried to call her a couple of times, but she hasn’t answered.
God, I’m such an asshole.
I got so caught up in juggling all of the things around the clinic that I didn’t realize how much time had passed. That’s no excuse, though. It sounds weak in my head, even though it’s the truth.
I pull into the lot, trying to spot Gracie’s car but it’s not there. Still, I have to go in and check. It’s compulsive, this need to find her, to make it up to her. Fuck, she was already afraid of disappointing me, and here I’ve gone and stood her up. She has every right to be pissed, and I deserve that. What I can’t stand, however, is the thought of her crying.
“Hey, have you seen a dark-haired girl come in?” I ask the hostess. “It was for the Ken Coleman reservation.”
“Yeah, she was in a few hours ago,” the woman says, arching a perfectly manicured eyebrow up. She gives me a disapproving look, and I know she knows who I am. Or, at least, what I did. “Your date left a while ago, sir.”
“Shit,” I mumble as I turn and sprint back out to my car.
I call Gracie three more times on my drive to her apartment but she never answers. I start to get more and more anxious.
I really fucked up this time.
And the worst part? There’s absolutely no excuse. I hurt the most important person in my life because of my carelessness and messed-up priorities.
Panic grips me as I park the car and she still hasn’t answered. I take her stairs two at a time, nearly tripping on the top one. With one last fortifying breath, I raise my hand and knock on her door.
“Gracie? Gracie, please open up, Tinker Bell!” I wait a moment, but don’t hear anything. “Gracie, I’m so sorry. Please talk to me.” I knock again, louder this time. Pressing my ear to the door, I can barely make out some rustling from deep inside, then finally, footsteps come closer and closer.
The door swings open and I’m gutted by what I see. My heart shatters when I take in her tear-stained face and blue eyes filled with such hurt and betrayal. I did that. I caused the girl I love pain and it only drives the knife in my heart more. I need to make this right.
“I’m so sorry, Gracie. Please, just let me explain,” I beg her.
Gracie steels her look, her blue eyes turning hard and narrow as she glares at me.
“Save it.”
I’m taken aback by the coldness in her voice, but I know I deserve it.
“Please, hear me out. I just lost track of time. I’m so sorry. I promise it will never happen again. I should have set an alarm or something so that I left in time,” I explain but it doesn’t seem to be making a dent in the anger and hurt rolling off of her.
