Page 222 of Always: A Legacy Novel

“Doesn’t seem very therapist-ish to me in skinny jeans and stiletto heels, that’s all.”

“Ah, I see.” She smiled lightly, and took a seat on the end of the chaise near Catherine’s head. “Well, I wouldn’t call this dressing down, but since you’re a special case, I figured I could dress how I was comfortable.”

“Is that what we’re going to call this? A special case?”

“What would you call it, Catherine?”

“My father thinks I’m crazy, and here you are.”

“Okay, let’s start with that, for one. Your father doesn’t think you’re crazy. He’s very concerned about you, and for good reason, considering what he told me.”

“You know I’m not going to talk about what happened, right?” Catherine asked.

The woman looked at her watch. “That’s a shame because I’ve got the next two hours cleared to sit here and chat with you. Your house is empty. I asked your parents to leave, and it doesn’t seem like you have anything else better to do except stare at the ceiling. That’s a bore, by the way, but if that’s what you want to do this session, we’ll do it.”

Catherine’s gaze narrowed. “This session.”

“Expect there to be a few more.”

Awesome.

“You actually got them to leave?” Catherine dared to ask.

The woman’s lips quirked up at the edges, and she nodded. “I don’t think they’ve gone far, likely for a walk around the property. It’s a beautiful home. Next time, pick a new room for me to see.”

Again with the more sessions thing.

“They have this house on lockdown,” Catherine pointed out. “I’m not allowed to leave. You can see why I would be surprised that they actually left while you are here, even if it is just to walk around the property.”

“What would you do if you could leave?”

“Is that your thing? You ignore what I say, except for one thing, latch onto it, and shoot me a question based on that?”

“My name is Cara Guzzi. Your father asked me to come speak with you for several reasons. Would you like to know what they are?”

“I’m eighteen, Cara. Can we speak like adults, and not like one adult talking to a child?”

Cara lifted a single brow. “Perhaps if one of us wasn’t lounging on a ten-thousand dollar rug, staring at the ceiling, and ignoring the very expensive therapist their father called in for them, we could absolutely do that, Catherine.”

Damn.

Catherine liked this woman. She was kind of bitchy, and Catherine tended to like that in a person. That was bad. She preferred it when she didn’t have to talk at all lately.

“How do you know this rug costs ten-thousand dollars?” Catherine asked.

“I have expensive taste.”

“Oh?”

“My husband likes to indulge me,” Cara added with a smirk. “Now, answer some of my questions, Catherine.”

“No, but thanks.” Catherine sighed. “You don’t sound like any New Yorker I’ve met.”

“I grew up in Chicago, actually. I moved to Ontario, Canada when I was fresh out of high school, and that’s where I have lived ever since.”

Catherine’s brow furrowed. “So wait—you still live there?”

“With my husband and sons, yes.” Cara peered down at Catherine when she stayed silent. “What is it, Catherine?”