3. Leo
What fucking day is it?
I lost track of time, given that Myles had talked me into going out two nights in a row, and we got blacked out drunk. If it was Saturday the other day, then that means today is Monday?
I need to be a preschooler singing the Days of the Week song to figure this shit out.
An annoyed groan travels up my throat as the hangover slowly creeps into existence. My body isn’t used to being put through all this alcohol anymore.
I never should have agreed to another night out, but Myles has this way of getting what he wants, especially with the ladies.
Speaking of, there is faint breathing coming from my right. Popping my head up a bit and wincing from the thunderous pain searing through my brain, I peek beside me to find a blonde woman sleeping peacefully.
Two girls in two days? This has college Leo written all over it. I”m putting my foot down if Myles asks me to go out again tonight.
The blonde next to me stirs softly before stretching her arm up in the air. A quiet yawn leaves her lips, and then she turns to face me.
“Good morning.” The plastered smile on her face tells me I did my job right last night and fucked her well. Although the love bites littering her skin let me know I may have been a little too rough.
“Morning… ” Shit. What’s her name?
“Last night was unbelievable.” She sighs, scooting closer toward me. My body stiffens as a natural response because I don’t cuddle. A small hand finds a home on my torso, tracing the skin as she trails the finger to my chest.
My breath catches when she keeps it going, curving over my shoulder and down my left arm. I watch as her eyes stare intently at each tattoo on my skin—there are too many to count.
Over the years, I”ve collected different images and designs on both arms.
“What does this one mean?” Her touch stops at a drawing of a kangaroo.
This is too intimate for me, but maybe if I rush out the answer followed by a ‘you need to go,’ she’ll get the hint.
“My nephew used to love kangaroos and asked if he could draw one for me to get tattooed.” You couldn’t tell what it was if you never asked. He was two when he drew it, which I’m sure you can assume wasn’t the best. Her expression changes into one that shines on everyone”s face.
“That is so cute! How old is your nephew? Can I meet him someday?”
Hell no.
“Uh–sure,” I lie. “Look, I have a lot of work I need to get done today. Why don’t you get dressed, and I’ll walk you out?”
The pout on her lips is cartoonish, making me cringe, but she agrees anyway. Flinging the cover off her, she walks around my bedroom, collecting her discarded clothes.
I take the chance and allow my gaze to roam over her body. If only I could remember how she felt last night, I could hold on to that for however long I’m at this asylum.
She bends over to grab her shirt, giving me a full view of her pussy, and I groan. Maybe I can not work today and keep her in my bed. Is that bad even when I don’t know her name?
The idea lingers in my mind longer than it should, and I am about to say screw it and go with the dumb thought, but my phone rings.
The blaring tone causes my eyes to slam shut, my head pounding harder than before. You know what? She can leave. I need to take this day to relax and get my body back to its natural state.
Fumbling for my phone, I swipe over on the answer button, not caring to look at who is calling me this early. Well, the clock on my nightstand says it’s noon. I guess it’s not that early.
“Hello?” My morning voice is groggy, and my throat is dry because of dehydration.
“Hello, Dr. Madden. This is Dr. Bennett calling from Black Lake Asylum. How are you this morning?”
“I uh—” I choose the wrong time to glance over my shoulder. Blondie has her shirt over her head—her perky breasts on display. “I’m good. How are you?”
“Oh, you know, surviving one day at a time.” He chuckles. “I’m calling because, and I hope this is alright, but it looks like we will need you sooner than expected.”
Ignoring the sharp pain in my head, I jolt up in the bed. “How soon?”
“Tomorrow.”
Tomorrow?As in the day after today? I wasn’t supposed to leave until after Christmas. I was supposed to have these next few weeks to prepare for this change and spend the holiday with my family.
Dammit. Here work goes again, stealing all my precious time.
Now, I’m fucking panicking.
“Of course.” I put on my professional voice. “I can be there tomorrow morning.”
“Perfect!” He beams on the other end. “Veronica is very... ecstatic to meet you.”
Dr. Bennett tries very hard to hide the sarcasm in his voice, but I can tell it’s there.
“I’m looking forward to meeting with her and the rest of the team.”
“Glad to hear it! Now, I’ll let you go enjoy the last day of your freedom!” The fuck?
Why the hell does it feel like I’m being admitted to this place rather than just being a doctor there? We say our final goodbyes and hang up the phone. My hand roams over my face, then up into the tangled hair. I need a shower.
“Who is the girl you are meeting with tomorrow?” Blondie speaks up. I completely forgot she was in here, and is that… jealousy in her voice?
“It’s a work thing.” Why am I explaining myself to a girl I’ll never see again? “Let me walk you out.”
I hop out of bed and step into my boxers. Taking her hand, I lead us down the hall and to the front door. Once it’s open, I shoo her outside, and she quickly spins on her heels.
“You’ll call, right?” Her voice is eager.
“Mhm.” I nod before slamming the door shut. I know it was a dick move, but I have bigger things to deal with right now.
With the door shut, my forehead gently meets the cool wood. My eyes close, and I blow out a long breath.
“Damn, Leo. Slamming the door in her face, that was harsh,” Myles states from the couch in the living room.
“Oh, like you haven’t done worse.” I push off the door and head into the kitchen, Myles hot on my heels.
“What crawled up your ass and died?”
My headache worsens when I think about leaving tomorrow when I open and close the cabinets in search of Tylenol. “Where is the damn pain reliever?”
“Cabinet to the left of you,” Myles answers from behind me. “Seriously, dude, what gives?”
Finally finding what I’m looking for, I twist the lid off and spill three white pills into my hand. The dirty glass on the sink”s side will do just fine. I fill it with water and throw back the pills all at once.
Swallowing hard, the glass lets out a loud clunk when I set it back down. My hands grip the counter”s edge, and my head hangs low.
“I have to leave tomorrow.” My voice remains low.
“You what?”
“The main doctor at the asylum called me this morning.” I turn to face my best friend. “Instead of leaving at the end of the week, they need me tomorrow.”
“Shit,” he curses.
“I haven’t even told all my current patients I’m leaving yet. How will they take it when they come in for their session at the end of the week, and I’m not there? What if some of them relapse from the news?” I snap my head up and begin pacing. “And Christmas! Myles, I was supposed to go home and see everyone this year! I promised, and now? How will I explain to my parents that I won’t come because of work?”
“Leo, calm down.” Myles’s hands rest on my shoulders, stopping me from pacing. “Call your boss and let him know what is going on. I’m sure he will be happy to work things out for you. It’s the least he can do since he put you in this position in the first place. As for your family, they will understand. Don’t beat yourself up too much about it.”
He’s right. I know Gavin will handle things for me, but that doesn’t make it any better. The patients should have heard the news from me that I’m leaving, not from my boss.
My family will tell me it is okay that I won’t be making it to Christmas, but that doesn’t stop me from feeling like a huge disappointment.
“Go take a shower. You look like you’ve been through the fucking ringer. What did you and Priscilla do last night?”
That’s her name. I thought she looked more like an Abigail.
“I honestly don’t remember.”
“You look like you’ve been dragged through hell and back. Get cleaned up, then call your boss and your mom. Everything will be all right.”
“And you? How will you manage to survive without me here?” I crack the joke to lighten the mood.
Myles grins and pats my shoulder. “I did just fine the eighteen years of my life before I met you. Now, go.”
He steps aside, allowing me to head off to the shower.
When I close the bathroom door to turn the water on, his words continuously ring in my ears.
Everything will be all right.
But will it?