Seth’s eyes darken and his lips morph into a straight, impassive line. All attention is on us.

“Dad,” I growl at him unintentionally. “You are not going to Boston. You are staying here in Portland with me. Your blood pressure is high and you need to start taking it seriously.”

“Olly—”

“Seth, tell him he can’t go.”

I don’t look at him, but I can feel his heated stare on my face. He exhales and turns to my father. “I’m sorry, Rick.”

“You’re not serious?” He scoffs. “All because some crazy doctor thinks my blood pressure is high?” He throws his hands up in the air before storming from the room. I turn to Seth—he’s angry, but I’m angrier.

“I need to have a shower and get ready for work so I can pay rent next week. Let me know when you’re finished here.” I mutter, marching after my father.

Dad’s pissed and in his office. I know because the blind is down. Whenever the blind is blocking the window, he doesn’t want to see anyone which is fine by me.

My fingers tangle in my hair and I hiss every time my scalp burns because of it. I thought the shower would help me, but I’m still pissed. So let him fire you. Pfft. It’s like my job isn’t a big deal for him. Fine, I might not make as much money as him, but that doesn’t mean my job isn’t important. I squeeze soap onto a washcloth and hastily rub under my arms and over my breasts. The smell of grapefruit and pomegranate soothes me a little, taking away some of my agitation. Dad is going to be pissed at me for a while, but I know Mom will have my back, for once.

There’s a knock on my door and I shake my head. This is the ladies shower room. Luckily the gym is closed and I’m the only one in here.

“I’m showering.” My door rattles and then unlocks. Seth steps in with his frustrated expression. “Please, come in anyway.”

“You think those words would make me go the other way?”

I shrug.

“I’ve pissed you off.”

“Am I that obvious?”

He drops his shorts and kicks them to the side. “Don’t be like that.”

I hand him my cloth and he squeezes soap onto it. He makes trails of sweet smelling bubbles all over his skin as he washes it. I stand under the hot stream, letting the water run all of the soap from my body.

“I didn’t think I’d have to force you to come to my fights now that you’re my girlfriend.” He isn’t even looking at me. His eyes are on the sponge as it circles his stomach.

“I didn’t think I’d have to quit my job and become some sad, dependent female that you carry around with you everywhere.”

His gaze snaps to my face. “Is that how you really feel?”

I shake my head. “Not usually, but this morning I’m starting to wonder.”

“It’s not about dependence. It’s about support. You ease me and I want you to be there when I win.”

I sigh, stepping out of the flow of water so he can step under to rinse off the bubbles.

“I can’t be there every time. It’s unrealistic.”

I try my hardest to keep my eyes on his. It’s painful not looking everywhere else.

“I’ll be travelling a lot, Olivia and I want you with me—every time.”

I’m trying to be as kind as I can, but I’m still too angry. “Yeah, well, we don’t always what we want.”

I pull my towel out of my bag and run it over my wet body, drying up all of the droplets. “It’s not too late to back out you know.” I tell him, referring to our relationship.

“I’m not going anywhere.” He shuts off the shower and I hand him my towel.

“You’re persistent.”

“Spoiled.” He smiles, correcting me. “I’m used to getting what I want.”

***

Seth insisted on walking me to my desk this morning, much to Mason’s dismay. Since then he hasn’t done anything besides bark orders at me. I’ve pissed him off big time and I know exactly why.

“Excuse me,” an elderly woman demands. She tucks a short white curl around her ear. The patients have been extra bitchy today. “I’ve been sitting in this waiting room for an hour. My appointment was meant to be forty minutes ago.” She doesn’t say anything offensive or bitchy, but it’s all in her annoying, high-pitched tone. I fight the urge to scowl and I smile warmly at her instead.

“Thank you for being so patient.” Yeah right. “You're up next. Dr. Peterson won’t be much longer.”

With an elongated sigh, she turns away from me. Mason exits the therapy room with a patient. The man who goes by the name of Gary Voss, keeps his head down and nervously strolls from the office. The elderly woman jumps to her feet as Mason calls her into the therapy room and he brings Gary Voss’s analysis sheet over to me.

“File this.” He slides it onto my desk and leaves. I do as I’m told and without a peek it goes into the file.

When he’s done with the woman and she leaves, I realize there’s no one else booked in until mid this afternoon. In my pocket my phone vibrates. I take it out and glance at the screen. Seth. I hit ignore. I can’t talk right now. Besides, we didn’t really talk after the shower at the gym and I don’t want to piss Mason off even more. Speaking of Mason, he steps out of his office, his hands stuffed into the pockets of his black slacks.

“How was Concord?” He asks friendly enough. His blond brows are furrowed slightly, but I know he’s trying to clear things up between us.

“Good.” I reply. “Selena and I spent a lot of time together, so it was nice.”

My phone vibrates again, making a muffled buzzing sound.

“You’re phone is buzzing.”

“I’m at work. It will have to wait.”

Mason's lips curve into a playful smile. “Are you feeling okay? When have you ever ignored a text or phone call at work?”

“Well, I owe you now. You’ve put up with a lot of my...” Damn. I can’t find the right word.

“Shit.”

“Right.” I chuckle. “It’s time I give a little back and act like a proper employee.”

He leans on my desk and just like that the animosity between us is gone.

“Please, don’t start doing what I hired you to do on my account.”

I laugh. “I’m not that bad!”

My phone starts up again, vibrating against my thigh.

“Answer it. I’ll ignore it just this once.”

I smile gratefully at him and pull my phone out of my pocket. It’s Seth again. I tilt my screen toward me slightly, so Mason doesn’t see.

“Hello?”

“Olivia, Jesus Christ!” His deep, furious voice startles me. Even Mason heard it. His eyebrows raise a little and his jaw tightens. “Why haven’t you been answering your God damned phone?”

I feel my cheeks heat up and my heart rapidly pumps blood through my veins. What could have him so wound up? He seems desperate and worried. His voice makes my stomach tighten, threatening to push up the blueberries and yogurt that I had for breakfast.

“I’m at work, remember. What’s going on? Why are you so mad?”

“I’m sorry.” He takes a deep, calming breath. “Your dad has had a heart attack...”

Chapter Sixteen

My heart stills and my throat constricts. I start sweating—a cold sweat that slides from the nape of my neck right down my back and I swallow thickly as tears well in my eyes.

“Olivia?” Seth says my name as tears spill over the brim.

“Is-is he okay?”

I bite my bottom lip too hard and I immediately taste blood. Mason leans forward, but I can’t see him. All I see is my father’s angry face.

“He’s alive and he’s in the Portland hospital. I’m here with him and your mom. Do you want me to come get you?”

“No, I’ll be there soon.” I don't want Seth to drive all the way here and then back to the hospital. I hang up and wipe the tears off my cheek.

“Is everything okay?”

Far from it. I shake my head. “I need a ride to the hospital. My dad had a heart attack.”

Mason jogs to his office and grabs his jacket and keys. “Let’s go.”

I rise unsteadily from my chair still in total shock. I’m glad my dad is okay, but the thought of being so close to losing him eats at me. Is it because I yelled at him? Mason’s car is parked right out the front of his shop. It’s a nice car, sporty, sleek and red. Inside, the material is leather and comfortable. Thank God I’m wearing a seatbelt though. Every time he turns a corner I grip the seat in fear of sliding off of it. We pull up outside of the hospital and Mason follows me from the car. In any other circumstance I’d be worried about Seth’s reaction to me showing up with Mason, but there are bigger things I have to worry about right now.

I race right up to the concierge. The woman is alarmed by my frantic behavior and I control my breathing, trying to appear less frazzled.

“Richard James. What room is he in?”

I bite my nails while she searches her computer. “Four-three-zero.”

Mason thanks her and I tear up the corridor. I catch two elevators before I manage to find his room. Seth leans against the wall outside. He’s twirling is phone around his fingers and chewing on a toothpick in thought.

“Seth!” I call out to him.

His head snaps up to me and his eyes melt from worry to relief—that is until he looks past me and sees Mason. I wrap my arms around Seth’s neck and pull him into me. His strong arms circle my waist and he plants soft kisses on my neck.

“I was so worried.” He says. “I thought you were catching the bus.”

“Mason drove me... it seemed a little more realistic.” I give him my best ‘be nice’ face and pull away from Seth to enter my dad’s room. Machines beep around him and Mom reads a book on the recliner in the corner.

“Olly? I thought you had work?” Dad wonders as I approach his bed. His voice is a little tired, but other than that he looks okay. Mom puts her book down and jumps out of her seat to hug me. When she pulls me into her arms, the tears flow down my cheeks and I just can't stop them. They’re tears of joy, tears of sadness. I’m so relieved he’s okay, but I still feel guilty. If I hadn’t argued with him maybe this could’ve been avoided.

“I’m so sorry.” I cry.

He shifts in his bed unable to sit up. “This isn’t your fault. I should have listened to the doctor and your mother, and you in the first place.”

Mom’s hands rub my shoulders as she tries to soothe me. “It’s not anyone’s fault. We got lucky and when we get home it’s nothing but steamed vegetables and grilled foods for you.”

Dad nods sheepishly.

“If it wasn’t for Seth.” He says. “I don’t know if I’d be here.”

“Seth?”

His eyes flick to the bed, nervously. “He came to my office to give me a ‘no hard feelings’ talk and I don’t know what happened. My jaw started aching and I thought it was because of the beef jerky I was eating, but then there was this crushing sensation in my chest—”

“You don’t need to relive it, honey.” Mom says, leaning over the thing, white rails to kiss him. “It’s up onwards and upwards from here.”

Mason knocks on the door, drawing our attention and steps in. “Uh, Olivia, I have to go back to the office. You don’t have to come. I’ll take care of everything.”

Mom smiles widely at him and I eye her suspiciously. If she so much as— “That is so nice of you, isn’t it Olivia?”

Wow. She’s actually playing matchmaker right now.

“Yes it is,” I reply, almost through clenched teeth. “But I need to work. I’ve taken too much time off I need to pay rent and electricity.”

“If you move back in—” I flash my palm at her and cut her words off. I’m so not going there, not right now.

“I’ll cover it.” Seth offers casually, leaning against the door frame. How someone can so casually offer to support someone is beyond me. It’s a big deal.

“That’s unnecessary.” I say.

“Olivia, I’m not allowing you to come back to work. Now, you still have twelve paid days remaining of your annual leave. I’ll just put it on that.” Mason leans in and presses a kiss to my cheek. My eyes flick nervously from Seth’s face. It wasn’t a sexual gesture, nor do I think he did it on purpose to piss Seth off. He’s just being friendly and supportive, I guess.

“Give me a call when you’re ready.” He exits out the door, but not without earning a very subtle glare from Seth.

His chocolate irises fall back onto me and I give him a tight smile and a small shrug of my shoulders. A pretty female nurse sticks her head into the room. Her long, brown hair cascading over her slim shoulders. “Visiting hours are over.” She tells us. “Only one of you can stay to keep him company.”

I rub my palms over my dress to remove some of the sweat. Now that the initial shock has worn off, I only feel nauseous.

“Well, Seth and I will go, but I’ll come back first thing tomorrow morning. If you need anything—anything at all—call me. Immediately.”

I kiss Mom and Dad, lingering a second longer on Dad’s stubbly cheek.

“I love you both.” I say as I wrap an arm around Seth’s waist. He slings his arm over my shoulder, pulling me into him. I don’t have to look at Mom to know she doesn’t approve, even after Seth basically saved Dad’s life he still isn’t good enough.