The Doctor’s Simple Life (Love Heals All Wounds #3)

15. Reece

CHAPTER 15

REECE

B y the time we reach the lake, my feet are burning. I’m not an unfit guy by any means, but my usual form of exercise is playing tennis and going to the gym, not going for little walks and being smug about it.

Not that this was a little walk. Sienna claims that it was only five miles, but it felt like about fifteen. We’ve probably been out here for hours, and what’s worse is she’s expecting us to have to walk all the way back as well, on top of all the mosquito bites and sweat and the agony in my feet and calves.

The worst bit is, it’s actually been kind of nice. I’m pretending that I’ve hated it, and mostly I have, but for a few seconds here and there, I’ve managed to lose myself in the trees and understand why Sienna has brought me out here.

And when we reach the lake, I understand it even more. The lake is huge, and the water seems to shimmer like liquid silver, the reflections of the trees distorting and swaying within. It must be nice to walk around here — to hear the gentle splashing of the water, the occasional waterbird taking flight or coming in to land.

But right now, my feet hurt, so I keep any confessions to myself and flop on the ground.

Sienna stares down at me. “Come on. Get up.”

“I’m tired,” I say. “I’m stopping here.”

“Come on.” She frowns, and I get kind of concerned that she’s about to kick me. “Two more minutes and we’ll hit the best spot, I promise.”

“Fine.” I say with a groan. I drag myself back up to my feet and pout. “This had better be worth it.”

Sienna drags me over to the beachy shore of the lake, about another five minutes away. Well, beachy is overstating it. There’s more of a shore here, but it’s hardly the golden sands of the real ocean.

I sink to the ground, and she sits beside me. The trees rustle around us, and in the lake, a couple of fish breach the surface and dive back down with a splash.

Damn. It really is beautiful here.

I sigh, and so quietly it barely carries, I say, “I’m sorry.”

“You’re what?” Sienna splutters.

“Don’t make me say it again. You heard me the first time.”

“Yes,” she says, softening. “I did.” She hesitates, then lets her curiosity win. “What for?”

I stare at her into bright green eyes and force myself not to let my gaze drift down to her lips. “There are probably about a million things I should be sorry for.”

“Which one prompted this confession?” she probes, not ready to give this up.

“For being grumpy today.”

“That’s not that different from usual,” she says with a snort.

I smile gently. “Being here, seeing all this… it just reminds me of things I’d rather not think about.”

“Like what?” she asks. She’s being brave today, or maybe just nosy. It’s probably about time she stopped biting her tongue. This is the stuff she’s wanted to know since we met.

Am I really brave enough to tell her?

A lump forms in my throat. “You know I told you I grew up in Atlanta?”

She nods, and I take a deep breath, steeling myself for what I’m about to say next. “That’s not true.”

“It’s not?” she says, her eyes widening in surprise.

I shake my head slowly. “No. That’s what I tell everyone because I… oh, I don’t really remember why. I guess I just don’t want them to know the truth.”

She doesn’t say anything to that. It’s like she’s giving me a moment to decide if I really want to tell her my secrets, and I think I kind of do.

“I grew up in a small town just like this one. It was in Georgia, not so far from Atlanta. You could get there pretty easily, and it was a treat. My friends and I would go into the city after school. Sometimes it was nice. I mean, I hated the country. Hated that life. I knew I needed to get away as soon as I could.”

“Why?” she asks gently, but it’s like she’s driving a probe into my brain. I know she’s curious, but this is cutting a little too close to home.

But I’ve started now. The words keep pouring out. “My parents, I guess. We never saw eye to eye on anything. They were delighted that I became a doctor, but I don’t know. I guess they wanted a heart surgeon. What they got was me.”

“You still love your work though, don’t you? You’re still good at it. That’s enough, right?”

“Yeah…” I trail off, not knowing how to answer that in a way that’ll make sense to her. Comparatively, telling her about my parents is easy. At least that’s a bridge long burned.

I haven’t spoken to them in years.

“I guess I usually try not to think of it too much so I don’t make myself sad.”

Sienna hums like she pities me, and the lump in my throat grows. This is why I don’t talk about this crap. People always get so weird about it.

“It’s not too late,” she says.

“For what?”

“Making it up with your parents.”

I scoff bitterly. “You have no idea. I worked like hell to get out of that place, I’m not going to go back. I’m better off without them.”

“That’s sad,” she says, and I can’t help the bitter laugh. She really does have no idea.

“It’s fine,” I snap, and just like that, our tender moment is gone.

Then she reaches out and takes my hand, her eyes blazing, and that small act of comfort sets me alight. “No, I mean, it’s sad that they made you feel that way. You deserved better.”

I’ve got absolutely nothing to say to that. How can I? I’ve just opened up my entire chest to her, and she’s managed to find the words to say to heal some of the pain. It’s not fixed, and it won’t ever be, but knowing that at least someone out there doesn’t blame me for what happened, doesn’t think I overreacted by leaving — it helps.

“I suppose I did,” I say with a small smile, the best one I can muster.

“It makes sense, though.”

“What?” My smile vanishes with my furrowing eyebrows. I can’t tell where this is going.

All I can think about is how she’s still holding my hand.

“The way you act. I thought you were an ass for no particular reason.”

“Oh, thanks so much,” I mutter, drawing a deep breath. Guess everyone does. Who was I kidding to think she might believe any differently?

But she shakes her head. “No, that’s not what I mean. You are an ass, but I think that’s just a coping mechanism. The more I’ve got to know you, the more I’ve seen that. I’m sorry I never bothered to look deeper before.”

I pause. She means that. It’s written all over her face. She really means that.

If I leaned in a little closer, her lips would be a breath away.

She’s confessed to not thinking I’m a total dick, though. Not that she likes me in any way. Those two things are not the same at all.

Instead, I pull away with a smile. “Come on. Let’s swim.”