Tough Love (Hidden Secrets) (3 page)

“How
dare you! You’re just as rude as your receptionist!” I hissed.

“I’m
nothing like her! You want to sit here and find all the bad in everyone. I’m trying to help you here. You remember that! I’m
helping
you!” He responded, raising his voice.

I
huffed. “He’s autistic.” I say with a bite to my voice.

The
meeting drones on and he’s searching things on his computer and taking notes.

“I
need to wait for his test results to come back in and then do a few of my own before we start talking any kind of treatment options. It should only take two days for me to get the results back in. So let’s get you back in here in three days. Then we’ll discuss our next moves. Is it okay if I call you later today with an appointment time? That way I know I will have the results in for sure.”

“Yeah,
that’s fine.” I stood and started walking toward the door. “Thank you.”

Chapter Three

Jackson

This
woman is infuriating!

“Will
you sit your stubborn ass down and listen to me!” I roared.

She
gasps. “Don’t you dare talk to me like that! Where is your doctor etiquette?”

“The
same damn place as your manners and smarts.”

She
huffs, but turns her back to me and watches the boys play in the room. Being around her set me on edge and I didn’t like it. Her blonde hair and hazel eyes, pulling me in the minute I met her a few weeks ago. The problem was I didn’t want to be pulled in, so she pissed me off. Honestly I preferred to be pissed off at her. Then I didn’t notice all the beautiful things about her or how I would reach out to touch her for no reason. How I wanted to save her from all her pain. Or how I desperately wanted to be the reason she smiled.

“We
need to talk about this,” I tried to stay calm.

“We’re
not talking about anything,” she threw over her shoulder.

After
getting Sebastian’s results back and running several tests of my own, I had discovered that there was a trial of medications she could try that could possibly take care of the mass without surgical intervention. However, Shannon didn’t see this as a good thing.

“Funny,
I thought that is what you came here for, to talk about treatment.” I hissed, annoyed.

She
whirled around. “I came here to talk treatment, not turn my brother into some kind of lab rat. He has enough going against him. Why would you seriously think that I would agree to this considering the side effects?”

“If
you would just listen-” I started through clenched teeth.

“Give
me something to listen to then,
Jack
.”  She hissed my name, turned and left the room.

I
watched as she gathered Sebastian and Atreyu, who put up a fight. It was comical to watch them fighting her not wanting to leave the playroom. Once she was gone, I dropped my head to the table and banged it several times.

“Looks
like another client’s  not happy with her breast implants.”

Looking
up, I groaned. “When did you get in town, Jake?”

“About
two minutes ago. Thought I’d stop by and see you first.”

Standing
up, I gave Jake a hug. Though of all my siblings I would much have preferred any other sibling walking in just now than Jake. Because we are twins, we really tend to jab each other. We used to say that it was to keep the other on their toes. Anymore, I think it’s to see who can get who better.

“How
have you been?”

“Busy.
New client.” I nodded to the door. “She’s got a plan set in her head, but has failed to mention it to me.” Looking at my brother a little more closely, “You okay man? You look…”

Just
as I started to ask the door burst open and in walked Shannon again. Groaning inwardly, she stopped and froze, Sebastian and Atreyu running into her from behind.

“I
forgot my purse,” she said, distracted. Grabbing her purse, she looks between me and my brother.

For
some unexplainable reason, anger lit in my stomach as she looked at Jake. This woman blew into my life only a few weeks ago and already she was changing it.

“Oh
God! There’s two of you?”

Jake
busts up laughing. Damn it! Nothing like feeding him more to dig at me. Sebastian was tugging at my pants. I welcomed the distraction and bent down to hear what Sebastian had to say.

“You’re
like me,” he says grinning.

“Yup.
See I told you we were just the same.”

This
little boy, no both of these boys are amazing kids. No matter how bad of a day I’m having, when they come in for appointments I always end up smiling.

“You’re
not a fan of my brother, I take it?” Jake smiles.

“Please
tell me you’re not like your brother.”

“I’m
the opposite of all things you don’t like,” he teases.

For
some reason, I found myself clenching my jaw tightly. “No, he’s worse than me.”

She
looks at Jake for a minute. “What’s your name?”

After
shaking his head in shock and confusion, Jake extends his hand out to her. “Jake Williams…”

It
was my turn to laugh when Jake didn’t get the response he thought he’d get. Instead, he was shocked when she said.

“Doesn’t
ring a bell.”

“I’m
an actor, well known actor.” He responds almost hurt.

“Oh
Lord, you are like him. Tell your parents I’m sorry they have to put up with you. Come on guys, let’s get out of here.” Then just like she entered she was gone.

“Damn!
Are you hitting that?”

I
gasped, shocked. “She’s a patient!”

“Patient
or not, the sexual tension between you two was insane.” Jake exclaims.

Shaking
my head, “You don’t know what you’re talking about.” In hopes to change the subject, “Anyway, I’ve got to go back to the drawing board on her case. So how long you in town for?”

“Couple
weeks. Want to spend some time with Colbie before you corrupt her.”

Rolling
my eyes, I gather the folders and start heading back to my office. It was a silent journey down the hall. Walking into my office with Jake on my heels, I couldn’t get my mind off why I would get so upset about them two. Jake flirts with anything that walks. Why let it bother me? Moreover, why should I care if he flirts with her.

“Dude,
are you there?” Jake’s voice breaks through my thoughts.

“Yeah,”
I turn and look at my brother. “You don’t look good man. You sure seeing Colbie is a good idea?”

His
eyes were bloodshot and a bit cloudy with dark bags under his eyes. Paying a bit closer attention, I could see his hands shaking and he was fidgeting with his clothes. That was something Jake never did. Something’s up.

“I’m
good, just wore out. This last movie killed me.” He sighs dramatically as he flops down in one of the chairs in front of my desk.

“I’m
not buying it, but I’ll let it go for right now. I have to figure out what other options are out there for Sebastian other than surgery.” Sighing as I sat down.

“Why
don’t you want to do surgery? I mean, isn’t that what you do?” Jake asked confused.

I
sigh again, looking around my office hoping something will spark an idea for what to do next. My office was decent in size. Enough that you don’t feel cramped, but not big enough that there’s a lot of empty space. There are two chairs in front of my desk, filing cabinets lined the wall behind me. There was a long couch sat on the far wall in front of me with a coffee table in front of it. Then just to the right of them was a big bookcase full of medical books and some personal favorites. It was functional for work, so that was all that mattered.

“Yeah,
surgery is what I do, but that’s usually on adults that understand the risks but want it anyway. We’re talking about a four year old little boy. I can understand where Shannon is coming from but then there’s that part of me that thinks that it’s not needed. An unnecessary reason to put your life at risk, you know?”

“Those
are her kids?”

“No,
her brothers. I’m not sure of the whole story, but from what I got from Sebastian and Atreyu was that their parents died and Shannon is now raising them.”

“Wow,”
Jake whispered, trailing off.

The
look on his face told me he was thinking the same thing I was. Just the thought of losing my parents made my blood run cold. I am a mama’s boy. I’d be so lost without either of them.

“Yeah.
Those boys are amazing too. I look forward to their appointments. They love the play room,” I laugh. “Every appointment so far, she’s had to fight like hell to get them out of there.”

Jake
shifted for the hundredth time in front of me. Something was going on. “Okay, out with it. What’s going on with you. You are not yourself.”

“It’s
her story. How is she able to do it?”

Shaking
my head, “I don’t know, but I want to help Sebastian. He has enough on his plate. Rachael was making fun of him.” Jake glared. “Yeah, that’s not the worst part. Shannon walked in on her saying shit.”

“That
money hungry whore really pisses me off.” Jake hissed.

“You
wanted in her pants when I first hired her,” I laughed.

“Yeah,
maybe so, but that was before she opened her mouth,” he stated flatly.

We
talked for a bit longer when Rachael walked into my office. Her shirt was now unbuttoned, exposing her cleavage. She tried too hard to appear sexy and for me it was a turn off. I’d rather have a woman that hid it all and left me to wonder.

Just
like Shannon does.

Where
the fuck did that come from? There was no way I was interested in a woman. I haven’t been this far and I wasn’t about to start now. Shaking my head, I turned my attention back to Rachael.

“What
do you want? I’m busy right now.” I snapped.

Honestly
the thought of firing her has come to my mind on more than one occasion. The bad thing is she was really good at her job. It would probably take me a while to get another person to work as well as she did. Though if I started looking now I might be able to find one then fire her.

“Oh,
Jake, when’d you get back into town?” Rachael says like she’s friends with him.

“You
wanna get out of here Jax? I’m starved.” Jake said, standing, ignoring Rachael.

Shifting
through files to get what I needed as I stood. “Yeah man. Rachael, make sure everything’s locked up when you leave.”

Jake
is headed for the door while I’m still shifting through things on my desk when Rachael speaks. “I’m not doing anything. If you want some company, I could join you guys.”

“No,
that’s okay. Just want to spend time with my family while I’m in town.” Jake said curtly.

Rachael
huffs, then walks out of the room. I gathered up the files on my desk, put them in my bag and we walk out the door. We head to my car at the far end of the parking lot. Most doctors take up close spots, but not me. I prefer to give my clients the closer spots, than myself. Jake was babbling about some woman he took back to his trailer.

“Man
she was hot! She came like a freight train, but then I tell her it’s time to go and she flips out on me.”

“Dude,
when are you going to stop screwing around. One of these days you’re going to meet the girl of your dreams and your past lays are going to come back to haunt you.”

“And
what, be like you? Mister I never have sex. How the fuck do you do it? You were just as bad as me at one point, what changed?”

“I
grew up. Reality kicked me in the butt.” I bit out.

He
stopped right behind my car and yanked my arm. “Brother this is me you’re talking to. I know your tells. Something happened, something big…what though?”

Shouldering
past him, “Don’t worry about it.” Then I climbed into my car.

Jake
climbed in next to me, looking at me with concern in his eyes. “Jackson, I’m always here you know that right?”

Backing
out of the parking lot, I headed towards town. “No, I don’t.”

“Damn
man, that hurts.”

For
the first time, I felt like the ass out of my brother and myself. In all our years, he was the asshole twin and I was the kind hearted twin. Now, just in one comment, I switched the roles.

Sighing,
“Sorry, but it isn’t something I talk about.”

“Why
though? We’ve always talked about everything. Why are you closing up all of a sudden?”

Getting
angry that he won’t let this subject drop, I turn to him. “What’s going on with you, Jacob. Why are you fidgety, shaking, and your eyes bloodshot?”

His
eyes widened and he turned to face forward. “I get it you don’t want to talk about it.”

“Oh
no brother, we talk about everything remember?”

“Don’t
ask a question you don’t want the answer to,” he growled.

Keeping
my eyes on the road, I gripped the steering wheel tightly before sighing. “I want to know the answer.” I mumbled.