Page 9

I scrubbed the shampoo into my hair.

Okay, huge detour leading me back to my neighbor.With his dark-blond hair, eyes a color I could only guess at, and… Well, he was overweight.That didn’t bother me in the least.I liked guys on the bigger side.When they commented on their weight and weren’t happy, though, I didn’t say anything they might take the wrong way.If they were confident in themselves and clearly healthy, I was happy to tell them how sexy I found them.

Phillip hadn’t been confident or comfortable in his own skin.That much had been plain as day.And for him to show that much vulnerability to a stranger unasked?Way more than most of the guys I met, who focused on only showing their best side.Gaynor Beach had a lot of sexy guys of all sizes.Slender guys.Muscular guys.And some beefy ones too.To me, everyone was attractive.When they showed their true colors, in words and deeds, that’s when I passed judgment on whether I wanted to spend time with them.There had to be…compatibility.I was too damned old to befriend someone who wasn’t at least a good person.Life was too short.

Which made me picky about my friends and my clients.My reputation was such I could now choose whom I worked with and whom I associated with.

I rinsed out the last of the shampoo, made sure all my bits were clean, and shut off the water.

My busy day started in six minutes, and I’d have to save ruminations about Phillip for another time.

Chapter3

Phillip

“I’m okay.”I fidgeted with my hands on my lap.“Really.”

“I’m sure you are.”

My social worker Anthony’s tone was soft.Soothing.Almost like he was talking to a child.In some ways, he kind of was.

Stop it.You’re twenty-four fucking years old.You can stand up for yourself.

“I don’t need extra—” I scratched my nose.“—therapy.”

Anthony smiled.

He had gleaming white teeth.They contrasted with his tanned skin nicely.His long hair made him look sort of sexy and his trim beard reminded me of Jeremy’s.Although Jeremy had some gray in his, Anthony had none.I pegged the social worker to be somewhere between my neighbor and me in age.

But that was just a guess.I wasn’t great at guessing people’s ages.

Probably because you don’t interact with people much.

My inner voice had a point.I took a breath.“I’m okay.”I was pretty certain I’d said that about ten times since Anthony had arrived.

Each time I did, he appeared less convinced, with a little furrow appearing in his brow.

His smile continued, though.“You’ve been through a lot, Phillip.It’s okay to not be okay.”

“But I am.”And my protesting wasn’t getting me anywhere.

“Be that as it may—” He tapped his notepad.“—part of my agreeing to put you here, alone in this house, was with the understanding you’d get help.Now, you and I can do counseling, but I can’t do your prescription renewals.We need to set you up with a family doctor.”

“Okay.”

“And I’d like you to see Dr.Martin.”

“They’re a family doctor?”I didn’t want to try to gender Dr.Martin.What had Jeremy said about assumptions?Inside, the reminder made me smile.

“No, Dr.Xavier Martin is a psychiatrist at Gaynor Beach Memorial Hospital.He’s a great guy, Phillip.Really empathetic.But tough.Both things I think you need right now.Your psychiatrist in LA can continue your care over the phone for another few weeks, but she doesn’t want to treat you from such a distance.”

Gaynor Beach was almost two hours from LA.And since I didn’t have a car and would’ve had to take a bus, I could almost double that length of time.

Each way.

Which made it impractical to continue to see her.She was great…but not worth staying in LA for, and she didn’t offer telehealth visits.

She’d also been the one to help me find Anthony—a social worker with a strong reputation for being able to help people.Such as those who might want to get out of LA.