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“You broke his fucking heart,” his best friend answered bluntly. “Time doesn’t necessarily heal all wounds.”
Dropping his head, Micah carded his fingers through his messy curls and groaned. He hated when Ian was right—about anything, ever—but the beta made a legitimate argument. Winning back August’s love, his trust, would take something beyond a miracle.
August had no reason to forgive him and every right to hate him, especially after the way Micah had ended things. Gods, he’d never want to see himself again, either. Professing youth and stupidity sounded like a lame argument, and one that likely wouldn’t get him too far with his mate, but he couldn’t tell August the truth.
Covering his face with both hands, Micah groaned again as he rubbed at his tired eyes. Nothing in life worth having was ever easy, but at the moment, he felt like he was facing down the impossible.
Chapter two
August gently closed hispen inside the notebook in his lap and smiled at his patient. “That’s our time for today, Callum.”
He managed to stay seated out of sheer willpower. With the last appointment of the day finished, he could now look forward to an entire week of freedom.
Standing, Callum Finn smoothed the wrinkles from the front of his charcoal-gray slacks and buttoned his jacket. “Next week then, Dr. Tucker?”
“We’ve discussed this.” August set the notebook down on the end table and swallowed his frustrated sigh. “I will be out of town next week. Of course, if there is an emergency, you cancall Dr. Croft in my absence.” They’d been having the same conversation for almost four weeks.
Jerking his head up, Callum narrowed his eyes as his nostrils flared. “I don’t believe I’d feel comfortable speaking with another therapist.” He removed his wire-rimmed glasses, cleaned them with a handkerchief, and then repositioned them on his nose. “I don’t like that plan at all, to be honest.”
“I only said youcouldsee Dr. Croft in an emergency, not that you had to see her.” August managed to keep his voice calm and even.
With a case like Callum’s, a lot could happen in a week. He’d been making progress since their sessions had begun, though, and he’d certainly be able to survive a week on his own.
“Now, I’ll be gone for a week. That’s only one session, right?” August moved to his desk and retrieved a cream-colored business card, which he offered to Callum. “If it’s a real emergency, call my answering service. They’ll forward you straight to me.”
Callum tilted his head to one side and then the other, clearly weighing the pros and cons. Then he tucked the card into his inside pocket, nodded once, and folded his hands together at his waist.
“Right then. Have a wonderful vacation, Dr. Tucker. I will see you in one week’s time.” His subtle Scottish accent was thicker today, a sure sign distress bubbled just beneath his calm façade.“I wish you many blessings for your birthday.” Then he turned and swept from the room, closing the door quietly behind him.
August frowned. He didn’t think he’d mentioned why he would be out of town. As a general rule, he didn’t discuss his personal life—not any aspect of it—with his patients. Since he’d discussed his upcoming absence with Callum several times, however, he could have divulged that harmless bit of information. Probably. It made more sense than any other explanation.
Shrugging, August twisted one way and then the other, stretch the muscles in his lower back before hurrying over to the door to flip the deadbolt. In the interest of saving time, and with his apartment twenty-two miles in the opposite direction, he’d packed his bags and loaded his car before leaving for work. Now, he just needed to change out of his dress pants and polo shirt, and he’d be on the road well ahead of rush hour traffic.
Clothes changed and laptop packed away, August slung the strap of his messenger bag over his shoulder and stepped out into the hallway. While he waited for the elevator, he pulled his cell phone from the back pocket of his jeans and hit the speed dial from his most recent call. Holding the phone between his ear and shoulder, he counted the number of rings while he attempted to pull his long hair into a ponytail at his nape.
“Hel-lo,” Meredith sang into the phone when she answered. “Please tell me you’re already halfway here.”
“Hey back.” August laughed as he finished securing his hair with a rubber band and stepped into the elevator. “I just finished up, and I’m on my way. Do you want me to call when I get close?”
“Yeah, I’ll be up waiting,” Meredith answered. “The shop doesn’t open until noon tomorrow, so I don’t need to be up early for any reason. What time do you think you’ll get in?”
Stepping into the atrium on the bottom floor, August hung a right and exited the building into the parking garage. “With the time difference, around one o’clock in the morning, I’m thinking.”
“I’ll order a pizza, and we can heat it up when you get here.”
“Don’t go to any trouble on my account. I’ll probably grab something on the road.”
“Okay, we’ll play it by ear. Drive safe, and call me if you get tired or bored. I’ll see you soon.”
“Yep.” August dropped his bag into the backseat of his car before sliding in behind the wheel. “See you soon, love.”
Exiting his car, August stood in the circle of light that illuminated Meredith’s driveway and stretched his arms overhis head with a groan. His silver 2011 Lotus Elise had been an impulse buy, a luxury he neither needed nor could really afford at the time. He loved that car, though. She was smooth, sleek, powerful, and damn, she was fast. Even with all the construction along I-70, he’d still managed to make it from Tulsa to Indianapolis in only nine hours.
Extracting his messenger bag and backpack from behind the driver’s seat, August locked up his baby and trudged along the walkway to the front door. Taking in the manicured lawn, the colorful flower garden, the ivy-wrapped mailbox on its white post, August couldn’t help but smile. Meredith lived in an upscale, gated community in one of the nicest parts of the city, and she absolutely hated the conformity of it all.
August also knew Meredith put up with it because she loved her son more than life. Everything she did was for Lucas, to give him the best—better than she’d ever been offered—and make sure he had every opportunity available to him. There wasn’t anything she wouldn’t do for her child, and August loved her for it, admired her in ways he could never accurately explain.
Before he could make it up the whitewashed porch steps, the front door swung open, and a loud squeal echoed through the yard. “You’re here!” Launching herself off the porch, Meredith jumped at August, wrapping her arms around his neck with more trills of glee.
