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He shrugged. “All I know is that I’ve never felt like this. Scares the shit out of me.”
Smiling, she slapped him on the back. “Yep, that’s love.”
TWELVE
The next evening, Vivi was knee-deep in paperwork when a knock brought her head up.
Amelia stood on the threshold with a bit more color in her cheeks and was only using one crutch. “What are you doing Thursday night at seven?”
“Um…” Vivi shuffled folders and books, searching for her planner buried underneath. She used the digital version for scheduling patients, but preferred paper for personal matters. “Ah, here it is. Let’s see… Well, that’s our big moving day, so I may be at the new compound setting things up. Rory will need my help.”
Amelia’s smile faltered at his name. “I’m sure he’ll have plenty of volunteers. Hannah is having a fundraiser for Leading Edge and I have two tickets. It’s for a great cause and I want you to go with me.”
Two tickets. One for her and one forRory, right?
Do I want to know what he’s done now to piss her off?
Unsure of what was going on, she decided it would be best if she got out of the invite. She scrolled down the digital calendar. “Oh wait, I have a client session that evening at six. I’m afraid I won’t be able to.”
Total lie, that, but there was no way she was getting in between them. Not more than she already was, anyway.
Amelia’s face fell the rest of the way. “Maybe Sabrina can go.”
“Are you up for it? There’s going to be quite a crowd. The press, the paparazzi, the whole shebang.”
Creases formed between her brows and her lips thinned. She straightened. “Of course I am.”
“Rory can’t go with you?” she fished. “Because of moving day?”
“That man! It has nothing to do with moving. He doesn’t want me to attend. He’s acting like I’m a fragile porcelain doll who’s going to break if someone looks at me the wrong way. I’m sick of it. He doesn’t want to go, so he’s blaming my injuries as a reason not to.”
“That’s not true!” Rory’s booming voice echoed down the hall and into the office. Amelia whirled as he marched up to her, his cane thumping on the floor. “I spoke to Jax this morning and he said it’s too soon. You’re not ready. It’s not safe.”
The two of them squared off and Vivi sat back, wishing she had a bowl of popcorn.
“Notsafe?” Amelia slammed the end of her crutch on the floor. “Your theories are out of hand. Dr. Sloan may advise caution due to my injuries, but you’re the one claiming it’s dangerous. Even if I believed that somebody purposely targeted me in the alley, how could I not be safe in a ballroom full of people, many of whom will have their own bodyguards present?”
“I was point-blank shot in a similar situation, so save your self-righteousness.”
“Ugh!” From the way she smacked her crutch on the ground again, Vivi worried for Rory’s well-being. He was going to be eating that thing before he knew it.
Maybe it’s time I intervene.
But this waswaaaaybetter than reality TV.
Amelia touched her chest. “This is my life, in case you haven’t figured that out yet, you thickheaded SOB. I decide what’s risky, and going to that fundraiser means the world to me. I need to get out of here. Go get away from—”
The way she stopped raised red flags and had Vivi filling in the blank. Amelia thought she needed to get away fromhim.
Rory was no dummy and his expression went blank. Purposely so.
Uh oh.
“I’m trying to take care of you,” he said through gritted teeth.
“You’re smothering me. I can take care of myself.”
He reached out to touch her arm and she jerked away. “Amelia,” he started.
