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“Where are the donuts?” I asked.
“At Greggs.”
“We should go.”
She gave a sad little sigh. “I don’t think they have one in the middle of the forest.”
We still had ten minutes until the session was due to start, the other patients drifting in one by one to claim their seats. No one looked happy to be there. The chair directly opposite mine, presumably reserved for Logan, remained empty. Maybe his late-night activities had tired him out, and he’d overslept.
“So, what actually happens?” I asked Laura.
The look she gave me said I was stupid.
“What?” I said defensively. “I’ve never been to a session before.”
She rolled her eyes. “People take turns talking about all the bad things in their lives that led them down the wrong path. We pretend to listen, then, when they’ve finished, we all shake our heads sympathetically and tell them how terrible it was and how much better they’ll do in the future.”
“That sounds… unhelpful.”
She shrugged. “The purpose isn’t the listening; it’s the talking.”
I frowned. “What do you mean?”
“Getting things off your chest helps.”
“Does it?”
She gave me a hard look. “Are you going to talk?”
“Do I have to?”
“No one forces you, but I’m getting the impression you probably should.”
It was my turn to roll my eyes. “Yes, Dr. Laura.”
She looked as if she had something more to say, but my attention had switched to the man who’d just walked in. Seeing Logan after everything that had transpired between us felt surreal. I bit the inside of my lip to suppress a smirk as he crossed the circle and took the seat I’d deliberately positioned myself opposite. If my presence unsettled him, I wanted to make sure he couldn’t look away.
I waited with bated breath for him to notice me. It didn’t take long.
“Rowan.” There was a hint of surprise in his voice. “It’s good to see you here.”
“Is it?” I asked flirtatiously.
He frowned. “Of course. Not that long ago you were dead set on leaving us as soon as possible, so I’m glad you’ve reconsidered whether this process might help you.”
“Aww… would you have missed me?”
Laura’s stare burned a hole in the side of my face. Sensing that I was one provocative comment away from her asking what the fuck I thought I was doing in front of everyone, I backed down. “Because I’m sure you miss all your patients, right? You just seem like the dedicated type.”
“Right,” Logan agreed, still frowning.
I had to give him his due. He didn’t seem at all rattled by my turning up to a meeting just a few hours after we’d fucked. I doubted he could keep it up for an entire hour, though.
The meeting started soon afterward. It took a while to warm up, with no one eager to speak first, but once someone had, the conversation gradually gained momentum.
Laura had been far too dismissive when she claimed nobody listened. A few people zoned out, but most were genuinely supportive as others shared their stories.
I listened with only half an ear. Most of my attention remained fixed on Logan as I searched for any signs of strain or nervousness. I’d expected him to either sneak glances at me or go out of his way to avoid eye contact. Instead, as the meeting wore on, I grew increasingly confused by how completely normal his behavior toward me remained.
