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Adam burst through the glass door, glanced at Cammie and deflated a little, then saw me and puffed back up. “My office, Cal,” he said as he stormed past us.
“You got this,” Cammie whispered keeping her eyes on her work. “Hang your head and stare at your hands if you feel like fighting back. He’ll want to flex his power. Let him. If you don’t, he’ll want to prove he has it—however he can.”
Her voice wavered at the end, and a chill went through my body. “Cam, has he ever—”
She shook her head. “You don’t want to keep him waiting. It will only make him angrier.”
“Fuck Cohen. Has he hurt you? I’ll go in there right now and kick his ass.” It would have sounded more believable if I wasn’t whispering.
Cammie’s head shot up and a laugh burst from her before she slapped her hand over her mouth. Then she must have realized how serious I was. “I promise, he’s never put a finger on me.”
My stomach clenched. “I didn’t ask if he hit you. I asked if he hurt you.”
“No, never,” she whispered, waving her hands at me like I was a fly circling her latte. “Now get in there before he fires you.”
“We’re not done with this conversation,” I said walking backward toward Adam’s office.
“Yes, we are,” she said with a smile.
“Leave it open,” Adam said when I stepped into his office and started to pull the door closed behind me. An open door was a good sign, I hoped. I did as he asked and sat in a chair facing his desk.
He leaned forward and steepled his hands. “I spent some time last night reading through your online reviews, including the comments.”
Crap. If he believed Avery’s were legitimate, I might as well pack my stuff. “Adam, like I said, my ex fabricated—”
He held up his palm to stop me. “Since you believe they’re coming from one individual—”
“Who was never a patient,” I interrupted.
“Since you believe they’re all from an individual who was never a patient,” he amended, “I recommend you contact an attorney who specializes in defamation and libel.”
“You want me to sue my ex?”
“I want you to clean up your mess, Cal. Her actions are affecting your bookings, which is affecting my business.”
I shook my head. “I can’t sue Avery.” I could, but part of me felt like I deserved her anger. When she’d approached me during Church’s New Year’s Eve Party, I’d told her I wasn’t interested in a relationship. She’d assured me she was just looking to blow off steam without adding to her body count. But despite agreeing we’d only be casual, we’d fallen back into many of the same patterns we kept in high school. Dinner every Friday and Saturday night. Phone calls or texts at least once a day. In my mind, we were just having fun. She never even slept over. The moment she suggested taking a vacation together this summer, I realized she thought we’d gotten back together. I told her she wanted more than I did and ended things. I’d hurt her, and now I was paying the price.
“Why not?” Adam asked.
“She’ll calm down as soon as she moves on with someone else. I’m certain I’ll be able to remove the reviews. The process just takes a while.”
Adam let out a disappointed sigh. “Sometimes in business you have to make hard choices. You might choose to let your ex-girlfriend hurt your reputation, but I can’t. You have until the end of July to fix this, or you’re fired. I won’t have the practice tarnished by an associate. Am I clear?”
I nodded. For all Adam’s faults as a boss, I always knew exactly where I stood with him and what he expected. This wasn’t an empty threat. I was officially in deep shit. If I couldn’t convince Avery to delete the reviews, I’d be out of a job by August.
Adam shifted in his chair, looking uncomfortable for the first time since the conversation started. “I’m trusting you when you say the reviews are fraudulent, but after reading them, I’m obligated as the practice owner to watch you closely. If any of your patients seem the least bit unsatisfied with your care, I have to let you go immediately. Do you understand?”
I bobbed my head again and forced down the words I wanted to say.
Adam let out a sigh. “Don’t let this ruin your career, Cal,” he said quietly. “You’re great at what you do. I wouldn’t have hired you otherwise. You can close the door on your way out.”
I left his office as fast as I could, closing the door softly. It took everything in me not to punch it. Cammie hurried over from her desk and pulled me into my office. She shoved me into my chair with surprising strength and ran around the desk again to close my door.
“Fuck,” I said, louder than I should. I’d heard enough of Adam’s calls to know the walls between our offices were thin.
I’d spent two years building my online reputation and client list. Before Avery began her attack, I was more in-demand than Adam. He worked four days a week most of the time since, moreoften than not, new patients requested me. Cammie and I both hoped he’d get a taste of retirement and decide to go all in. Starting over at another practice would set my career back to the start. Worse, since I’d be working against all the negative crap Avery posted.
“Look at me, Cal,” Cammie said, plopping herself on the corner of my desk and leaning in until our noses almost touched. “You’re going to sit here, take some deep breaths, and calm down. Then, you’re going to forget about that conversation, and focus on your patients. Got it?”
