Total pages in book: 130
Estimated words: 125517 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 628(@200wpm)___ 502(@250wpm)___ 418(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 125517 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 628(@200wpm)___ 502(@250wpm)___ 418(@300wpm)
“I asked Dr. Dickerson, and he said no. He’s checking out where the money is coming from accounting for the gift certificates.”
“Then it will be a futile search. I used my own money to pay for the certificates,” Arden informed her. “I asked Dr. Barr if it would be okay to give them to certain patients who were afraid of their surgeries. I don’t do if often; usually only two or three patients a day.”
Haven didn’t seem any happier she had used her own money. “Some of our patients have dietary restrictions.”
Arden nodded. “Which I can see on their paperwork before I give them a certificate.”
Weirdly, Haven became even more upset. “I’ll inform Dr. Dickerson that you make a habit of going behind his back to give coupons out to promote other businesses.”
“Certainly, I don’t consider it going behind Dr. Dickerson’s back as I discussed it beforehand with Dr. Barr, but you should do whatever you feel is right.”
Arden didn’t go into the difference between gift certificates and coupons. Haven knew the difference. She was just twisting it to suit her own agenda.
During her years at working at the practice, she had never had an issue with Haven before.
“I will,” Haven snapped.
Expecting her to leave, Arden stared at her expectantly.
“He’s going to dump you just as quickly as he dumped me,” Haven spat out suddenly.
“Dr. Dickerson fired you?”
“You stupid bitch. I’m talking about Doom.”
A sick revelation came to her as Haven appeared ready to scratch her eyes out. Arden felt the color wash out of her skin when she realized everyone in the room was no longer making any attempt not to watch the confrontation taking place between Haven and her.
“I don’t find this an appropriate conversation for us to be having during working hours.”
“Why not? We’re on break,” Haven snapped. “I can say anything I want to you.”
“Within reason,” Arden agreed. “If you have something to say, we can discuss it after work.” Arden gathered her things and started to rise. Shockingly, Haven pushed her back down, and not one person in the room said anything about the overt aggression she showed her.
Taking a napkin from the holder, Arden started cleaning the spilled soda. “Say what whatever you want to get it off your chest.”
“Don’t come off as little Miss High and Mighty. We both know you’re spreading your legs to any of The Last Riders who give you a second glance. You must have really showed Doom a good time for him to claim you.”
Each word coming from Haven’s lips felt like a smack to her cheek.
“At least I didn’t give it out to any other Last Riders, which is why they wouldn’t let me join the club. Doom dropped me after a couple of weeks. Let’s see how long before he quits stopping by your place for a midnight ride.”
“How did you find out Doom claimed me?”
“You figure it out, you stupid bitch! Congratulations,” she added snidely, “on becoming a Last Rider. You can get your tattoo. I recommend getting ‘Slut’ as a tramp stamp. Doom prefers giving it from behind.”
Shaking, she watched Haven storm out of the room.
As she cleaned up the soda, Arden felt the censure of her coworkers’ eyes. She wrapped her book in napkins, then threw the soda and apple away before returning to her desk.
When Cecil put her phone down, Arden knew someone had already gossiped what had happened in the breakroom.
Three hours remained before she could leave. Pretending she was unfazed by the encounter brought on a headache, which only grew worse as the day progressed.
When the last patient left, she shut down her computer, scooted back her chair, and left, telling the other workers goodbye as she usually did. They never acknowledged it, anyway.
She proudly walked out of the building as if she didn’t have a care in the world while, inside, her soul felt as if it had been shattered beyond recognition.
As she drove toward Mama’s restaurant in the loaner car her insurance had rented for her, she sniffed back tears, determined not to give in to the hurt feelings. She wasn’t angry with Haven. The woman was hurting and had taken it out on her instead of the person who had initiated the hurt. Doom.
In a few weeks, I’ll be her.
The day before had been the best day she had ever had. She and Doom had spent the morning in his bed before spending the rest of the day lounging around his apartment then returning to his bedroom to spend the rest of night having sex. Doom had ordered pizza, and they ate on the bed as they watched a movie. He had allowed several sides of his personality she hadn’t seen before come out. Unbelievably, he could be carefree, humorous, and fun, which had only made her fall in love with him further. She had hated waking up this morning to leave him sleeping in bed to go to work.