Bent not Broken (50 page)

I wouldn’t begin seeing patients until I got the new building well under way, and if I was going to meet my deadline, I needed to decide on the contractor by the end of the week.

“Hey, Daniel?” Dad appeared at my office door, his brown hair peppered with gray. It was the only part of him that hinted at his age. Even at fifty-six years, he still had his lean, muscled body, his build the one trait I seemed to have inherited from him. I took more after my mother, Julia, with her hazel eyes and dark blond curls.

“Yeah, Dad, what’s up?” I took another sip of my coffee as I looked at him.

“Erin is coming into town this weekend, and we’re having dinner at the house on Friday. Can you make it?”

“Erin? Yeah, I’ll be there. How long will she be in town?” My little sister had been living in Los Angeles for the last three years after accepting a position with a marketing firm. It felt wrong for her to be so far away while the rest of the family lived here in Chicago.

I’d always been close with my family. They’d stood by me during my hardest years, unwavering in their love and support. I owed them everything.

“She’ll be here for the week. Your mom can hardly contain herself.” His brown eyes lit up. You’d think after being with someone for thirty years, a person would get bored, but not Dad. It was obvious he and Mom loved each other just as much today as they did the day they married.

I once believed Melanie and I shared a love like that.

He gestured to my desk with his head. “So, how’s the search coming?”

We’d both felt the pressure of the approaching deadline, but neither of us was willing to settle on anything less than the best.

I held up the small pile of papers. “I think this may be the one.” I grinned—finally some good news.

A satisfied smile spread over his face. “You don’t know how glad I am to hear that.” That satisfaction shifted, looking a lot more like sympathy. “I’m proud of you, son.”

I suppressed a groan, shaking my head in frustration. “Dad...don’t.”

I knew exactly where this was heading. What could he say that hadn’t been said before?

“Daniel,” he said, stepping forward and letting the door shut behind him, “It’s been
nine
years. I’m tired of seeing you this way. It’s time to live your life.”

“I’m fine,” I snapped.

As much as I loved my family and respected my father, I was growing tired of their constant interference.

He shook his head as he retreated to the door. He paused to look over his shoulder, his eyes full of concern as they searched my face for understanding. “We just worry about you.”

With a sigh, I rocked back in my chair, feeling guilty for lashing out at him. “Yeah, I know.”

****

Flopping into my chair, I thumbed through the messages Lisa had taken while I’d stepped out for coffee. I stopped when I came to the one from Nicholas Borelli, happy to see he’d called me back.

I dialed the number. He answered on the third ring, “Nicholas Borelli.”

“Hello, Mr. Borelli. This is Dr. Daniel Montgomery calling you back about the medical building off Chicago Avenue. I spoke with Shane Preston this morning, and I wanted to see when the three of us could get together to go over your proposal in more detail.”

“Yes, I’ve been expecting your call.” His voice was strong, confident, and held a distinct tone of arrogance. It caught me off guard, especially after speaking with his partner this morning.

“Well, uh, I was hoping we could get together in the next couple of days to go over specifics so you could give me a final cost.”

“I was under the impression that there’s a senior Dr. Montgomery? I assumed I’d be working with him,” Borelli said, his voice condescending.

I found myself gritting my teeth, fighting to rein in my temper. Anger was an issue I dealt with constantly. It always simmered just below the surface. I didn’t know if I was angrier with Melanie or myself, but from wherever it came, it was always there ready to unleash its fury on the first person who rubbed me the wrong way.

But losing it now would get me nowhere, so I swallowed my irritation.

“No…” I drew out, “I’m in charge of all building decisions.”

“I see.” Borelli’s dissatisfaction traveled through the phone. “Well, I can meet you for dinner on Friday.”

There was no way I was giving up dinner with my sister, and beyond that, nights were not good for me. It was hard enough to concentrate during the day and not think about Melanie. By the time evening rolled around, she’d be all I could think about. “I have plans Friday night. How about Thursday around lunchtime?”

Borelli paused. “I’m completely booked up Thursday during the day. Are you free for dinner?”

Inwardly, I groaned. I was up against the wire on this. I ran my free hand over my face, forcing myself to agree.

“Thursday night will work. Where were you thinking?” I asked.

“How about Cushing Grill on Michigan at seven?”

“Okay, I have you down for seven at Cushing Grill.”

“Shane and I’ll see you then, Daniel. I’m sure our wives will be very pleased to meet you as well.”

This time I couldn’t suppress the exasperated sigh. I wasn’t surprised that they’d try to woo me with an expensive dinner, but what I didn’t get was why they thought they needed to bring their wives along. This wasn’t the first time this sort of thing had happened, and it seemed really inappropriate to me. Did they think that once I met their family and knew a little of their personal life it would somehow sway me? All I cared about was the cost, the quality, and how fast they could get it done. I considered telling him to forget it, but then I’d be right back to square one.

“Fine, I’ll see you Thursday.”

Frustrated, I slammed my phone down. Now I’d have to find somebody to go with me, and I had no idea where to start. I thought about asking Lisa, but knew her husband wouldn’t be the only one who thought it was weird.

And I didn’t date.

****

I left my office at five-thirty completely spent. Evenings were always the worst. I walked to the parking lot, clicked off the car alarm, and slid into the leather seat of my black 650i.

I drove the short distance to the luxury condo Mom and Erin had found for me. It was nice, but to me it was nothing more than a place to sleep. My head was spinning by the time I pulled into the underground garage. It had been a long day, and I just wanted to get upstairs and take a shower. I gathered the papers from the passenger seat, shoved them into my bag, and got out. I should have stopped to get something to eat, but I didn’t have the energy. I nodded absently to the elderly couple exiting the elevator as I entered it and pushed the button for the top floor.

I never felt more alone than when I walked into the emptiness of my apartment at the end of the day. I flicked on the light switch, set my things down, and closed the door. The all-too-familiar sadness washed over me, and again, I wished I were coming home to my girls instead.

I took a quick shower and went into the kitchen, hoping to find something to eat. I was starving, but all I could find was some stale pizza. I threw it into the microwave, grabbed a beer, and swallowed half of it as I sank into one of the four chairs set around the small dining table.

It was how I spent every night—utterly fucking alone.

Tonight that loneliness felt unbearable.

I slammed the empty bottle on the table, strode to my room where I threw on a T-shirt and jeans, and then grabbed my keys. Ten minutes later, I stood outside a downtown club, showing my ID to the bouncer.

Stepping inside, I allowed my eyes to adjust to the dim room and flashing lights. The bar was crowded, crawling with college students, some trying to converse over the deafening level of music, others with their bodies pressed together on the dance floor.

I found an empty booth in the back, ordered a whiskey, and waited.

It was obvious why I was here. No other twenty-eight year old man would be alone in a place like this if he wasn’t after one thing.

I sat back, sipping my whiskey while my eyes roamed the hazy room, finally stopping on the blonde watching me from where she sat across the room at the bar. She tipped her beer to her mouth and drained it, before she stood and crossed the room.

****

It was nearing two in the morning when I turned the lock to my condo.

I went straight for the shower, desperate to wash the night from my body. I lingered under the stream, knowing the second I lay down the memories would take over. When the water grew cold, I gave in to the inevitable. I crawled into the king-size bed Erin had insisted upon—why, I’ll never know—and wrapped myself around a pillow. I felt the energy surge and she was there.

I whispered, “I miss you, Melanie,” into the darkness, and I felt a faint tug of the force that bound her to me. I relished in the remnant of her presence before I closed my eyes and gave up the fight for the night.

Chapter Three

Heaven. So safe, laying in his arms; never was there a place I’d rather be. His presence all around me, soothing me with each breath. I curled closer to him, sinking my body into his as if we could become one.

I breathed deeper, struck with panic as he began to fade. Frantic, I struggled, desperate to lock his body to mine, but it was no use. He drifted away as fast as my mind rushed to consciousness.

A sense of dread washed over me as my eyes flickered open. I looked at the bedside table. The red light displayed five forty-three.

“Shit.”

It wasn’t the dreams of him that bothered me; it was waking to the reality that he was no longer mine that nearly destroyed me each day. I woke every morning with my heart laid bare, wounds torn open, fresh pain oozing from every pore in my body.

I pushed it aside, put back up the walls to shut it all out. I couldn’t allow myself to feel in front of those who just didn’t understand.

I pulled the covers back, rubbing my stiff neck. Nicholas still slept, snoring with his back turned toward me. Sighing, I stood and padded to the bathroom, preparing myself for another day of nothing.

Showered, I went downstairs to start breakfast. Nicholas would be up soon and he demanded a hot breakfast before he left. I went to the cupboard, pulled out the coffee, and started a pot, breathing it in as it began to brew.

I made a quick breakfast, finishing the eggs and placing them on plates just as Nicholas came downstairs.

I handed him his food when he walked into the kitchen and received nothing more than a grunt of recognition when he took it from my hands.

“You’re welcome,” I muttered under my breath.

We ate in silence with me lost in thought and Nicholas buried in the pages of the newspaper.

He finished eating, and I took his plate over to the sink to rinse it and put it in the dishwasher. He put on his jacket, grabbed his briefcase, and strode to the door. He paused and turned to look at me. “I’ll be home by six-thirty, so don’t be late with dinner again tonight. And don’t forget about dinner Thursday.”

“Yeah, I remember.”

If only I
could
forget.

There was nothing worse than having your husband parade you around while you feigned some type of affection for him. The disdain I held for him had to be apparent. This act was getting harder and harder to pull off.

I finished loading the dishwasher and looked around, searching for a job to keep my hands busy while I lost myself in my thoughts. Nicholas didn’t trust housekeepers in his house, so the upkeep was relegated to me. I didn’t mind. If I sat idle, I was certain I would lose my mind.

I worked, scrubbing down the entire kitchen and enjoying the silence of the house when my phone vibrated in my pocket. I looked up, realizing two hours had passed. I pulled out the phone and smiled when I saw the name displayed on the screen.

“Hey, Katie, what’s up?”

We talked several times a week and got together at least once a week, so her early morning calls were not unexpected.

“Hey, hon. You up for coffee?”

“You have no idea how good that sounds.” I flipped on the faucet, squeezing the sponge under the stream. “Just give me a few minutes to get cleaned up...say...half an hour?”

“Sounds good.”

“All right. See you soon,” I said before I ended the call and rushed upstairs to change my clothes.

A half hour later, I pulled my black four-door sedan into the lot of our favorite coffee house and slid into the first open parking space. Katie stood across the lot waving. She was a natural blonde with striking blue eyes, but she had to tip the scales. With hair dyed the deepest black and vibrant tattoos on her back and arms, most found her captivating and a little bit intimidating.

I’d been surprised by the instant connection we’d made when we first met. She was straightforward and strong, and I’d been afraid she would judge me, tell me to grow up and forget about my past, but she never did.

She was just there for me.

“Hey, babe.” She grinned as I approached.

“Hey, how are you?” I asked, not hesitating to reach out and hug my closest friend. She was about an inch shorter than I was, though I had to look up at her with the extra height her boots gave her.

“I’m great.” Her blue eyes danced as she stepped back and took my hand, pulling me behind her into the shop.

We ordered and found a quiet spot in the back where I sank down into the cushions. I moaned in pleasure as I took the first sip of my mocha latte, allowing its warmth to soothe me.

Katie lounged deep in a plush maroon chair. “So, can you believe the bid the guys put in? If they land it, it’ll bring in enough money that Shane will finally be able to start his own company.”

Shane was almost as miserable with Nicholas as I was. He couldn’t wait to tell his partner goodbye, and I’d been praying for the day when he could finally escape Nicholas’s influence.

It also broke my heart. I knew once Shane split with Nicholas, I’d no longer be allowed to have Katie and Shane in my life and, once again, I’d lose the only people who meant anything to me.

“Listen,” she said, her voice softening, “I need to talk to you.” I braced myself for what was coming. “Shane and I were talking. When he makes his break, we think you should make one too.” She looked up at me hesitantly, gauging my reaction. She had been trying to get me to leave Nicholas from the moment we’d met.