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He grinned. “One of my specialties.”
She stood and began cleaning their breakfast trappings. “I’ll see what I can do. We aren’t moving headquarters to the new site until next month, so you’ll have time to work on that around your combined recoveries.”
“Next month?” Rory growled. “That screws up my entire schedule.”
The door opened and Moe sauntered in. “Look there. The old codger lives. Already giving Beatrice hell, are you?”
Parker entered behind him. “You two look cozy.”
“Yes, next month,” Beatrice went on. “No arguments.”
As she and Vivi headed for the door, Vivi turned back to them. “And you both have appointments to see me tomorrow at three. Don’t be late.”
“Fuck,” Rory said and everyone laughed.
TWENTY-FIVE
Couples counseling was a test of Vivi’s patience.
She eyed Rory and Amelia as they squared off across from her. Rory refused a wheelchair, using crutches to get around like Amelia, so she’d pointed her visitor chairs at each other, using a coffee table between them to elevate their legs.
“He’s working too much,” Amelia snapped, glaring at Rory.
“Look who’s talking,” he remarked.
Vivi cleared her throat. “This session is to discuss your emotions in the aftermath of what happened. Each of you has experienced a significant trauma—”
“Save it, Doc.” Rory rubbed his beard. “Amelia and I are good.”
“Rory.” Amelia’s voice was frustrated, chastising. “We scripted this, remember?”
Vivi eyed him. “You scripted a session with me?”
A cunning grin. “Been doing it all along. You’re finally catching on.”
She didn’t like the look in his eyes. “Doing what exactly?”
“Giving you something to look forward to. You really think I’m that screwed up? Admit it, you love arguing with me, riling me up, threatening me. Gets your blood pumping. You’d be bored silly if I didn’t make your life more challenging.”
Was he suggesting he’d purposely tricked her into believing he was more damaged than he was?No. This is his shield. He’s covering for his true feelings.
Wasn’t he?
“By all means,” she said, noticing how her bloodwaspumping at his provocation. “Fill me in about your brilliance.”
She and Amelia both gave him smiles.
“You’re smarter than I am, and even you know I don’t need therapy anymore, Montgomery. My anger is gone.”
“Is that so?”
“Yeah.” He tapped the bottom of Amelia’s foot with his. “Thanks to her. I’ve known it for a while now, and so have you. I was grasping at the old Rory, acting like him. Shutting down my emotions, except the anger. That was my defense, my security, to keep you all at arm’s length. I don’t need it anymore.”
Vivi nearly choked.What do you know? The patient has healed himself.
“Therefore, the reason we’re actually here,” he went on, “is because you think I can help Amelia.”
The smartass wasn’t wrong. She gave him mental props. “In what way, Rory?”