37. Chapter 37
Chapter 37
River
P artner meetings are the bane of my existence. Not only are they held on the days I operate from sunrise to sundown, but they’re also after hours.
The last thing I want to do is sit in our small conference room at six in the evening, while these assholes shovel food into their mouths and talk around me as if I’m not even here.
I am a partner just like they are. Unless we all agree, they can’t make decisions without me.
“Barnes starts next month, so we’ll need to split the back office so he has somewhere to work,” Buckner announces.
I’m suddenly thrown back into the present. I hadn’t been paying attention, distracted by anything except what they were rambling on about moments ago. The annual golf tournament they host for charity every June is their pride and joy. It doesn’t hurt me, so I agree to it. I just have to be there, pretend I can’t play, and shake a few hands. Easy enough.
“Who is Barnes?” I question.
They all stare at me. A few have the decency to look uneasy with the conversation that has to happen. The few that don’t go out of their way to treat me less than, but just follow the ones bold enough to outwardly do so.
“He is a new associate we’re bringing in. Fresh from NYU. He has a specialty in sports medicine. Same as you,” Buckner relays.
“Excuse me? Was someone going to tell me?”
“It was in an email,” Buckner huffs.
“Unlike you, I actually go through my inbox. There is nothing about a new associate. Which means once again you asshats decided you were going to make a decision without me.” My voice is low, the anger barely contained.
“Watch it, River,” Johnson warns.
“Or what?” My palms slam down on the tabletop as I stand, narrowing my gaze on the room full of men who think they are God’s gift to this world.
Their eyes all track down to my hands, but it’s too late to hide what they’re looking at. The diamond ring glaring at them on my finger has stolen the moment. A ring I put back on after my surgeries, the way I have been out of habit, completely forgetting that I should have kept it off for this meeting, too.
“You’re engaged?” Corkman gasps.
“And? That’s not what we’re talking about right now?” I snap. “We’re talking about you all once again trying to undermine me. I am a partner just like all of you. If I don’t sign off on this Barnes guy, he’s not coming. And I will be damned if I am the only one forced to split my office for some guy to come in I had no knowledge of.”
Buckner snickers. “You’re getting pretty angry, River. Are your hormones in order? Any other secrets you have to share?”
My eyes press shut, a deep breath sucked in before I let it slowly release. My gaze narrows in on Buckner’s face. No one is a bigger asshole than him. “No, Donald. I’m not pregnant, but I am pissed.” He quirks a brow as if challenging me. “You know what, bring Barnes in. He can have my position.”
“What?” Billings chokes. “You can’t just quit.”
“I didn’t yet,” I retort. “I have a surgery schedule booked out over a year. I’ll see that through and only add new ones through that time period. In the office, I’ll see return patients, but no new ones unless I’m on call.”
“You can’t do that!” Billings squeaks.
“I can and I am. I’m tired of you all sitting here treating me like I’m not as good or better than you when I am. So it’s time I take my skills elsewhere.”
“Better for us,” Buckner huffs. “You’ll have a horde of babies in no time and then be useless to us anyhow.”
A saccharine grin spreads across my face as I move out from where my chair sits behind me. Strutting over to Buckner’s seat, he leans away from me, eyes wide.
“Maybe, but you know what? I won’t have to listen to your bitching and moaning a second longer.” Turning back to face the room, my grin spreads, and I’m suddenly thankful we have such a shitty lawyer. “As you recall, our contracts state any party who chooses to depart the practice is not subject to a non-compete clause. There are no rules on patient recruitment, and as long as sufficient notice of three months is given, any partner can walk away.”
“You. Can’t. Quit!” Billings whines again.
“Why not? None of you seem to want me here or my opinion?” My head cocks to the side, mouth pressed into a straight line.
“You have the most stable patient base out of all of us and almost ninety percent of our VIP clientele,” Corkman sputters.
I shrug my shoulders. “Guess you should have thought about that every time you preferred to taunt me instead of showing me the respect I deserve.”
Then I’m out the door, snatching my bag from my office and marching straight to my car.
My entire body vibrates as I climb into the driver’s seat. This would have been a perfect day for Gray to pick me up, but with him taking on so much responsibility at the ranch and getting back into training for the circuit, it’s been easier for us to drive separately more frequently. A reality he grumbles about more than I do. My crazy bull rider is convinced he can always do it all. I kind of miss the solitude of driving myself and singing off-key all alone.
I take the drive home as fast as I dare.
The dogs greet me the moment I’m through the door, but no Gray.
The house is dark, except for an eerie glow coming from the back patio. Cautiously making my way out there, I find Gray.
The table is set for two with candles and rose petals. A giggle bursts out of me when he opens his arms to me. Sinking into his warmth, I let his scent envelop me. The beat of his heart settling the race of mine.
I’m home.
“Welcome home, Boss.”
“What’s all this?”
“I just wanted to do something nice for you since you were working late.” Gray guides me into my chair, before pushing it in and lowering himself into his. “How was the meeting?” he asks, pouring wine into my glass.
“More,” I coach him. He only chuckles but pours double what he started with.
“That good, huh?”
“I quit.”
He pauses, wine bottle held mid-air, tilted above his empty glass. A Rarity. Gray isn’t a wine guy, which is fine by me. Whiskey does us just fine.
“You… what?” he sucks in a sharp breath.
“Quit. They tried to bring in a new associate without consulting me. It’s not the first time they’ve tried to make big decisions without me.”
“River…”
“Don’t worry about the money. I have surgeries booked for the next year and will probably have more. And Betty mentioned a physician retiring in the next town over is selling his practice.” Grabbing my napkin, I flick it open before smoothing it over my lap. My tone remaining even as I continue. “So, I am going to look into it and maybe open my own practice.”
“River, stop. I don’t give a shit about the money. It’s not like you pay anything around here anyhow.”
My gaze shoots up to meet his, eyes narrowing in his direction. The man having enough decency to look sheepish. “Excuse me?”
He winces. A sign he hadn’t meant to let that secret slip.
“I put money for the bills in the joint account every month, Gray. Where is it?”
He winces again, coming to squat beside me. “It’s still in there.” He reaches for me before I can pull away. “Baby, listen. I can handle it all myself. I appreciate that you want to help, but I set up that account so you could feel like you were contributing. It’s my job to take care of you, not the other way around. Call it a rainy day fund.”
“Now I’m mad at you, too.”
“I know, baby.” His palms grip my cheeks, pulling my forehead down to his. “But right now, I want to hear all about you opening your new practice.”
He releases me, but doesn’t move from his position beside my chair. “It will be a lot of work. I’ll need to get legal and a realtor involved.”
“If anyone can pull it all together, you can. I’m so proud of you, Boss.”
A sniffle leaves me, as I give him a watery smile. “If that makes you proud, wait until you hear what I told all those dicks.”
Gray settles back into his chair, pulling a bottle of whiskey from under the table. He takes my wine glass and tosses the contents into the bucket of ice.
He fills both our glasses with way too much liquor before he says, “Tell me everything.”