CHAPTER 4

3 YEARS LATER...

-AVERY-

THE SOLID HEELS of my shoe tapped on the pavement as I hurried up the stairs to my office. I had taken a prolonged break this afternoon, forgetting that I had a client scheduled for immediately after lunch break. I made a mental note to look to hire a secretary as soon as possible; if I had one, I would not be forgetting things like this.

I walked into the suite that served as my office, and there was a man seated in the chair. He turned to look at me, pleased that I had arrived.

"I am very sorry for the delay, Mr. Nick," I said hastily, opening the door into my main office.

He shook his head to tell me that it was no problem as he walked in after me and sat down on the couch.

"How are you feeling today, Nick?" I asked.

"I am fine, I guess," he replied. Nick was having a problem dealing with trauma that he experienced in his childhood. He was one of my first clients when I resumed my career, and he has been seeing me for years now, even though he has gotten much better. He had some feelings for me and had tried to invite me for a date, but I gracefully declined every time. Doctor to Doctor-to-patient relationship was awfully frowned on, and I was not ready to get mixed up with men again. Not after what Dante did to me.

My mind wandered over the past 3 years. I remembered the wedding that had taken the news front line by storm.

"Multimillionaire conglomerate, Dante Vale divorces his bad wife and weds his long-lost love and Supermodel, Laura Hills."

I was reduced to "bad wife," gratefully, all of the media outlets did not include my name or picture, because I was not important.

"...I did not feel the panic attack that I normally would," Nick's voice drew me back into the present.

I did not hear what he had been saying, but I composed myself. "We worked on that. I am proud of your progress."

He beamed. "It is all thanks to you, Avery," he said. "Perhaps you would let me appreciate you properly. Let me take you out for dinner. Just as friends, no strings attached."

I sighed. I wish I could. Nick was a very nice guy. He was wealthy and stable. But I did not feel any attraction. I sighed again and shook my head, "Maybe one day, Nick." I said.

He nodded and looked at his watch. "I guess my time is over," he said, standing up and extending a hand, which I took. "It was a great session as usual, Avery." He kissed the back of my hand softly. "I would pay for more time, but I'm sure you have other clients after me."

Nick was my last client for the day, but he was not about to know that. I smiled warmly and nodded. "Thank you, Nick," I said to him as I walked him to the door. "And remember, do not give the trauma any chance. Nothing from your childhood can hurt you. You are a great and amazing adult now."

He grinned. "See you next week." He waved.

I sighed and went into my office. Those words I said to him were words I often recited to myself when I felt sad about how my mother treated me. I sat at my desk to finish off my last work for the day, which included saving and filing the recording from this session. I would listen to it and review it later. Then I went ahead to do a bit of paperwork, complaining under my breath that this should be a secretary's job, not mine.

I sighed deeply as I reflected on how boring my life had become. I partly wished that I could accept Nick's offer for dinner. I was about to call Emily and ask her if we could have dinner together, but I remembered that she would be with her fiancé tonight too.

The front door opened, making me frown. I opened my diary to confirm that I did not have anything on my schedule. Who could it be?

"Hello?" A deep, rich voice that sounded vaguely familiar called. "Sit down, baby. I'll check for the lady in the other room."

I opened the door to my office and almost ran into the chest of a man. His cologne washed over me, almost turning my knees to jelly. I managed to stabilize myself by holding the doorframe as my eyes traveled up to his face. I stared at the Grey eyes, and this time, my legs failed me.

I was staring into the face of the man I had shared an erotic night with 3 years ago.

He caught me around the waist. "Are you alright?" He asked. His face was bland; maybe he did not recognize me. I pushed myself away, "I'm fine."

"Are you Doctor Avery Quinn?" He asked, rubbing his hand through his hair.

I nodded. "That's me, yes." I cleared my throat. From what he said before I came out, I thought that he brought his girlfriend to therapy. "How may I help you?"

He stepped aside to reveal a small, thin girl with large Grey eyes sitting on the chair and swinging her legs slowly.

"My daughter," He said in a low voice. "She needs your help..."

I quickly made the calculations in my head. The girl looked to be 5 years old, which would mean I had slept with a married man 3 years ago. I was flooded with more shame.

"She doesn't need my help," I muttered. "I don't specialize in children. Take her to another doctor, I'm sure there are many of them in the city." I said, brushing past him and walking to the girl.

"Miss Avery - Doctor Avery," he said. His voice was twisted with frustration. "I will pay double of whatever your charges are, and you come with very good recommendations."

"What's your name, dear?" I asked in a soft voice.

"Iris," she replied very quietly.

"That is the first word she is saying today," The man said from behind me. I looked at my watch; it was past 2 p.m.

"My office, now!" I muttered to the man, and he followed me in. I closed the door securely and looked at him. He was more handsome than I remembered, but there were lines around his eyes. "Your child needs a therapist, but not me. I am not a child's-"

"You are a therapist," he cut in on me.

"I am, but -"

"The other 'children therapists' in the city are men," He said in a growl. "I will not be leaving my daughter in the hands of men. I have read articles about what they can do."

"It's all a matter of trust, Mr -"

"Mancini," he said, his eyes glinting softly. "Adriano Mancini."

I know that name. Adriano Mancini.

"I am sure you remember me," He said quietly. "Because I sure as hell remember you and what happened that night. "

His voice was low, but the words rebounded in my head and made my heart stop beating for a second.

He remembered!

Oh, how I wish the ground would open up and swallow me.