Victoria
I glanced up from my computer as my eleven o’clock appointment strode into my office and sank onto the couch with an insolent sigh. Pasting on a polite smile, I swiveled my chair toward him. “Hello, Greg.”
“Hi, Victoria, how have you been?”
I tipped my head toward the man. “It’s Dr. Carr, but fine so far, thank you. How about you?”
Greg Andrews was known for taking liberties, and he was both pompous and overbearing. He was far too familiar sometimes, and it grated on my nerves. He’d first come to counseling about eight months ago when his mother had passed away after a long, difficult battle with cancer. He’d recently taken it upon himself to start calling me by my first name, which irked the hell out of me. I insisted on keeping a professional distance from my patients, and I didn’t encourage his familiarity. Still, he persisted.
He let out another beleaguered sigh and allowed his head to drop back on the couch. “Exhausting. I have to drive down to San Antonio tomorrow, and I won’t be back until the beginning of next week.”
“What are you working on this time?”
“I have a project for a new client.” His mouth kicked up in a haughty smirk. “He said my designs are the best in the state.”
“That’s fantastic. Work seems to be going well—what about everything else?” I bit back a sigh. He was the most self-important man I’d ever known, and I’d foist him off on someone else in a heartbeat if I could. Unfortunately, the weekly appointments paid well and put food in my fridge.
Nearly an hour later, Greg leaned forward and lowered his voice. “So, I ran into Ashley on my way in.” He emphasized her name with no little amount of distaste. “What a mess. How’s the transition coming?”
Despite the tension in my shoulders, I kept my face impassive as I responded. “You know I can’t talk about other patients, Greg.”
He rolled his eyes. “Oh, come on. Aren’t we past that?”
I merely blinked at him, unwilling to rise to the bait. “Is there anything else you’d like to discuss before we wrap up for today?”
Greg studied me for a moment, his eyes raking over me from head to toe, and a shudder of revulsion threatened to overtake me at his intense perusal. “You know, Victoria, you’ve really helped me these last few months.”
“That’s wonderful, Greg. I’m glad to know our sessions have been productive.”
“How about you let me thank you?” A sinking feeling gathered in her gut as he continued. “Let me take you to dinner tonight.”
“I appreciate the offer, but I don’t date patients.”
“What if I stop seeing you professionally? Would you go out with me then?”
Not in this lifetime. “I’m sorry, Greg. I just wouldn’t feel right about it.”
His face fell into a mulish expression, and I smiled as gently as I could. “I really am flattered, though. You’re smart and successful, Greg, and you’ll find a woman who’s perfect for you.”
His lips tipped up in a tight smile and he stood to leave. “See you next week, Victoria.”
“Can’t wait,” I mouthed silently as Greg strode from the room. I let out a little sigh as I jotted down a few final notes from our session to enter into the computer later. My mind whirled as my pen scratched against the old-fashioned notebook I used during sessions. Something about putting pen to paper was oddly cathartic, and it helped to seal details in my mind better than tapping letters on a screen.
I really had no idea why Greg kept coming back, except obviously to bother me. I hated to judge my patients, but he didn’t speak of anything of substance during our sessions. He’d initially opened up to talk about his relationship with his mother, but it seemed that her battle with cancer and subsequent death didn’t compare to his constant need to speak about himself—his job, his success, his wealth. Greg had basically spent the last few months bragging to me once a week.
I cringed at the direction of my thoughts. He paid well, and I really shouldn’t judge. He just made it so damn hard.
A faint stirring in the lobby caught my attention and I followed the litany of raised voices. My receptionist, Phyllis, stood between Greg and my next patient, Rachel Dawes.
“Good afternoon, Rachel,” I said warmly. “Is there something I can help with?”
Rachel turned a pained look my way. “This jerk”—she pointed a finger wildly at Greg—“needs to mind his own business.”
A cocky smile flitted across his lips as he held up his hands in a show of mock surrender. “I was just trying to be helpful.”
“You know nothing about my life,” Rachel shot back. “So feel free to keep your questions and ‘advice’ to yourself.” She glanced back at me. “He’s antagonizing me.”
I turned my gaze to Phyllis. "Did you happen to hear anything?”
My receptionist nodded. “Mr. Andrews here”—she narrowed her eyes at the man, who in response just rolled his own—“was asking Ms. Dawes personal questions.”
The way Phyllis stressed the word sent a niggle of worry down my spine. “Mr. Andrews, may I please see you in my office for a moment?”
With a smirk at the two other women, he preceded me into my office. Trying to give him the benefit of the doubt, I tipped my head at him. “I’d like to hear your side of things, please.”
He lifted his hands in a shrugging motion. “I was merely offering some advice.”
“Such as?”
He clasped his hands behind his back. “Rachel’s a bit high-strung, don’t you think? I mean…” He began to walk a circle around her office. “Don’t you ever think that she just keeps coming here for the attention? Do you really think she’s depressed?”
“I don’t believe that’s any concern of yours,” I bit out. “I am your doctor as well, Mr. Andrews, though one could argue that you need me as little as you seem to believe Ms. Dawes does.”
His eyes jumped to mine. “Maybe I keep coming back because I want to see you.”
Unease caused the hairs on the back of my neck to lift, and I stiffened. “Mr. Andrews, I believe I’ve been quite clear on the matter. I cannot in good conscience date patients, either present or former. Regarding other patients,” I ground out, “you may not interrogate them or pry into their lives.”
“I merely suggested she take a chill pill,” he laughed. “A Valium, actually. I think it might help mellow her out a little.”
At his flippant statement, a red haze filled my vision. “You are in no position to counsel my patients on any matter. In fact”—I strode to my desk and rifled in the top drawer for a moment before extracting a card and holding it out to him—“I believe you will find Dr. Martin more helpful than myself.”
His mouth dropped open in shock. “You’re… dismissing me?”
“I’m recommending you to a colleague. In lieu of today’s events, I believe it’s best if someone else were to treat you.”
His face flushed with anger, and he ripped the card from my hand, knocking it to the floor. He took a step toward me, his gaze dark and menacing.
Despite my heart racing in my chest, I squared my shoulders and stared up at him. “I strongly advise you step away before you do something you’ll regret.”
“You can’t do this.” His eyes burned into mine and I almost shivered at the hostility lurking in their depths.
“Please, Greg, take my advice and speak to Dr. Martin.”
He stared at me for another moment before spinning abruptly on his heel and striding for the door. “You’ll be the one who regrets this, Victoria.”
With those final parting words, he swept from the room and seconds later I heard the outer door slam, punctuating his dramatic exit. With a shaky breath, I sank into one of the plush armchairs and dropped my head into my hands. A soft touch to my shoulder made me jump.
Phyllis stared down at me, concern etched into her features. “You okay?”
I patted her hand where it rested on my shoulder. “I’m fine, thank you. Just a bit shaken up.”
“Do you want me to have Ms. Dawes reschedule?”
I shook my head. “No. She probably needs to speak with someone now more than ever. Can you please just give me a minute before sending her in?”
“Of course.” The receptionist offered a soft smile and retreated soundlessly from the room.
I closed my eyes, allowing the warmth of the sunlight filtering through the window to wash over me and thaw the ice streaming through my veins. I’d dealt with disgruntled patients before, but for some reason, Greg Andrews had gotten to me on a more personal level. There was something about him that made me uneasy, reminding me of someone long ago. Looking around the room I contemplated my present—and my past. This was a far cry from the place I’d come from, and I was no longer the naïve young girl who trusted too easily. I had to wonder sometimes, did people like Greg even want help? Or was he here for something else?
Pushing the thought from my mind, I rose from the chair and walked to the doorway just in time to meet Rachel.
I shot her an apologetic smile. “I’m so sorry about that.”
The young woman made her way over to one of the chairs and sat gingerly. “It’s fine. He just… put me on edge.”
I closed the door then settled into the seat next to her. “I know, and I truly apologize. Just so you know,” I continued as Rachel opened her mouth to speak, “Mr. Andrews will not be back. What he did goes against our ethics here, so I’ve recommended him to a colleague of mine.”
A watery smile lifted her lips. “Thank you. You have no idea how much you’ve helped me, you know?”
I smiled. Rachel had struggled with depression for several years, even trying a variety of medications at the urging of her family and friends. She hadn’t liked the way the drugs had made her feel, though, and she’d opted for a different solution. The barb coming from Greg this morning must have stung, making Rachel feel insecure and incompetent. Since coming to me nearly six months ago, Rachel had been making significant strides.
“So tell me, Rachel. How have you been?”
“Great.” She smiled. “I took your advice and joined a gym. I think the exercise has really been helping my mood. There’s, um…” She glanced away for a moment and bit her lip. “There’s this guy there.”
“Oh?” It was good and bad news, in my opinion. While getting out and meeting new people could be beneficial, I wasn’t quite sure that Rachel was ready to get involved romantically.
“Yeah. I haven’t… we haven’t gone out or anything. But he seems really nice.”
I nodded. “Well, just don’t forget what we talked about.”
“I know.” Rachel smiled. “For the first time in a while, I feel really good like everything’s exactly the way it should be.”
“That’s wonderful.” I smiled at her. “You’ve come a long way, Rachel. I’m really proud of you.”
“Thanks. Me, too.”
She smiled, and a lightness filled my heart. Rachel seemed far more content than I’d seen her in months. After everything she’d been through, she deserved to be happy. I just hoped it would last.