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“HOW ARE THINGS GOING you ask?” Lisa propped her feet on the coffee table in Dr. Guzman’s office. “It’s been better than ever with Jake and finally solved the Gilbert case.”
“That’s nice.” Guzman’s glasses wobbled when she smiled. “You seem like something’s wrong though.” She stood from her desk.
“Things between me and Jake are fantastic.” Lisa picked at a tiny thread on the couch. “Couldn’t be better.”
Guzman sat on the couch across from Lisa, situating her notepad in her lap. “Yet you don’t seem happy.”
“I can’t fool you can I?” Lisa touched her smooth haircut. “Jake’s doctor suggested he have daily messages with a therapist.”
Guzman crossed her legs. “Makes sense with the pain he’s been experiencing.”
“I can’t stand her.”
“The massage therapist?” Little wrinkles jutted from the sides of Guzman’s mouth. “Why not?”
“She’s up to something.” Lisa wiggled her foot. “She’s so fake and sweet around Jake, but I don’t buy it.”
“Uh-huh.” Guzman tapped her pencil on the pad. “Is she attractive?”
“That has nothing to do with this.”
Guzman glared at her.
“She’s gorgeous.”
“Has she gave you any reason to distrust her or did it happen from the beginning?”
“The moment I met her she seemed shady. She brought Jake a cookbook claiming she was just being nice.”
“Maybe she is.”
Lisa scoffed. “Oh, please.”
“Could it be that you’re inventing things because you’re threatened by this woman?”
“Me threatened?” Lisa faked a cocky laugh. “She doesn’t scare me at all.”
“Is it guilt perhaps? Does this woman show interest in Jake?”
“Yes.”
“Is it possible that your guilt for your feelings for Winston might be why you assume this woman has other motives? If she hasn’t done anything to set this off, that’s a possibility.”
“See that’s why I hate coming here.” Lisa grunted, straightening a pillow underneath her. “You always turn stuff around on me.”
“No, I try to help you see things clearly. My job is to strip out the extra layers.” Guzman smiled. “So you can see things in a different way. Sometimes that’s what we need to do.”
“You’re saying I don’t trust Jake?”
Guzman watched Lisa from over her glasses. “Do you?”
“It’s myself I don’t trust, right? Isn’t that what you’re gonna say?”
“It’s human nature to be afraid that Jake might like another woman. You know that can happen because of how you feel about Winston. That has you afraid of losing Jake but you have to trust him. A relationship is nothing without trust.”
“He keeps throwing Winston up even though he says he knows nothing happened. It’s like he doesn’t believe that.”
“What if he throws it up? How would you feel if the situation were reversed?”
Lisa propped her elbow on the armrest. “The same.”
“You can’t put your fears on Jake and it isn’t fair to distrust him because of something you did.”
“So what do I do? Let this with Rayne go?”
“I’m not saying you don’t have just cause but make sure this is about Jake and not about you being ashamed of caring about Winston.”
****
“WOO, WEE!” DEE TWIRLED out of the movie theater later that night. “I love that movie.”
“I can see that.” Winston glided beside her with his hands in his pockets. “You had a nice time?”
“Oh, yes.” Dee straightened the spaghetti strap of her pink dress. “I haven’t been out since dating Grayson. Thanks again.”
“You don’t have to thank me.” They made it to Winston’s car, and he walked to the passenger side to open her door.
“Hey.” The nightly breeze soothed her bare arms. “You wanna get something to eat at that place in the next block?”
“Sure.” He held the door open, but she hesitated. “Something wrong?”
“How about we walk? It’s such a beautiful night.”
He looked up at the sky, his eyes shining under the security lights. “It is a nice night.” He shut the door and walked alongside her.
They eased down the sidewalk as cars came to a stop at the red light.
“I haven’t done this in a long time.” Winston’s curls blew in the breeze. “Feels good to get away.”
“Yeah.”
“At the risk of ruining the moment, did I take your mind off things?”
“And then some.” She welcomed the virile aroma of his cologne. “Not a lot of men enjoy a good love story.”
“I love romantic movies,” he said with abandon. “I love the classics because the women are so glamorous and sexy. A lot of these actresses today couldn’t hold a candle to Greta Garbo or Rita Hayworth.”
“Rita was one of the prettiest women I’ve ever seen.” Dee moved her hair from her face as another draft came through. “I agree about the sexiness part. I like westerns too. Do you?”
“Oh my god.” He stopped. “You got me acting like a fifteen-year-old girl. I love westerns.”
Dee guffawed. “Really?”
“Hell yeah, man.” He strutted beside her. “Clint Eastwood’s my favorite.”
“Stop.” She pulled on him, closing her eyes. “I love the spaghetti westerns too. Clint was such a fox.”
“He was so smooth. One of the reasons I became a cop. I wanted to be just like Dirty Harry. What’s your favorite western of his? Mine is Hang—”
“Hang ‘em High?” She hit his arm. “That’s my favorite too.”
He blushed. “Bullshit.”
“No, it is.” She walked, swaying her arms. “I’ve seen it a million times.”
“Hm.” He looked at the sidewalk, smirking.
“What?”
“Isn’t it funny how you can work with someone every day and not know them?” He stopped her when they got to an intersection. They waited until the light changed then walked across the street.
“You were saying?” she asked.
“I guess I assumed stuff about you.” He rubbed his hands. “I never took the time to know more.” He brushed up against her as they got to the street of the restaurant. “You’re definitely interesting, Dee.”
“You still doing your art?”
“Yeah.” He fidgeted, acting bashful. “I’ll show you something sometime. You can come to my place.”
“That uh...” She cleared her throat. “Sounds very nice. When?”
“Oh?” He shrugged, looking back. “Any time you want.” He smiled.
“Tonight?” The word flew out her mouth before she realized it.
Shit.
“Sure, you can come over tonight.” He cleared his throat. “If you want.”
“I wouldn’t have asked if I didn’t want to.”
He nodded. “You’re okay with that? This won’t be awkward would it?”
“Why would it be?” She moved closer to him. “We’re just friends, right?”
His face contorted. “Yeah.” He watched her as they entered the parking lot of the restaurant. “You look great. I like your hair like that.”
She touched it. “Just a ponytail.”
“I like it when you wear your hair up.” He exhaled. “You have a beautiful neck. I notice things like that.”
“Because you like to draw women?” She stopped in front of him. “You can draw me.”
He gaped.
“Lewis!” Grayson flew out the wine store on the corner. “You son of a bitch.”
“Grayson?” Dee shouted.
He shoved Winston.
“Hey!” Winston tumbled into Dee.
“Grayson, how dare you?” Dee screamed. “What is your problem?”
“He’s my problem.” Grayson shoved Winston again. “Trying to steal my woman?”
“You better back off, man!” Winston bucked up to him. “You’re lucky I’m a cop or I’d waste your ass right here.”
People watched as they got out of their cars.
“I can’t believe you’re acting like this, Grayson.” Dee panted. “You should be ashamed of yourself.”
“Come on.” He grabbed her arm.
“Let go of her.” Winston pushed him.
“Dee.” Grayson’s heavy breathing could’ve knocked her over. “We need to talk.”
“I got nothing to say to you.”
“I love you.” He beat his chest. “Winston doesn’t give a shit about you.” He turned to him. “Why can’t you go get your own woman?”
“For the last time I’m not your woman!” Dee stomped her feet. “You stay away from me, Grayson.”
“Never. No man will ever love you like I do.”
Winston got in between them. “Just leave her alone.”
“You stay out of this.” Grayson punched him.
“Oh!” Winston stooped over, holding his face. “I’ve had enough of you!” He grabbed Grayson by the shirt.
“Stop it!” Dee tried to pull the men apart as they tumbled on the pavement. “Grayson, stop!”
More people gathered around.
“That’s Grayson Paul,” a woman whispered. “The famous novelist.”
“Fuck this,” Dee screamed. “You wanna fight like kids then go on.”
“Get off me.” Winston pushed Grayson off and stood. “Dee.” He straightened his pants. “I...”
She held her hand over her eyes. “Just take me home.”
Winston fixed his shirt. “But—”
“I’ve had enough for one night.” Dee stomped past Grayson as he struggled to get up.
“Dee?” he shouted. “Wait!”