“Did he startle you?”
He shook his head, smiling, a self-deprecating laugh escaping his full lips. “Is Joshua okay?”
“Never better.” I took a deep breath. “He was excited to put his new plan into action.”
Gabe looked relieved. “That’s good to see him so inspired.” He glanced at the clock on the wall and back to me again. “You don’t have your next appointment for more than an hour. Would you like another coffee while you wait? I can bring it to your office when it’s brewed, if you’d like.”
“About that.” I cleared my throat and waved in the direction of the hallway. “Can I see you in my office? I want to speak to you.”
Gabe’s throat moved when he swallowed. How his heart must’ve been racing, wondering what I wanted of him. Something inside me stirred, but I pushed it down. I still hadn’t finished the scrapbook page for my trip to Detroit, and images of Gabe’s doppelganger in a cage plagued my mind. I needed the closure to bring things full circle.
When he didn’t move, I arched an eyebrow and turned, striding down the hall in an unhurried manner. I allowed myself a brief smile when I heard him scurrying to follow, too obedient to risk displeasing me. By the time I made it to the door of my private office, he was no more than a few steps behind me.
“Close the door.”
“What if a patient comes early…sir?”
I pointed to the monitor on my desk that was devoted entirely to the video feed covering the lobby. “If anyone shows up, you’ll be there quickly enough. Close the door, Gabriel.”
His nostrils flared when I used his proper name. He did as I asked, shoulders rigid, body slightly hunched as he grappled with uncertainty. I sat with my hands folded on my knee, watching him openly from my chair behind the desk. That seemed to heighten his anxiety, making him appear so small standing in the middle of the room, unsure of whether he should sit or flee. I was tempted to leave him standing there for the rest of the day, but I had a patient coming in an hour. Playtime with Gabe would have to wait.
I motioned to the sofa my patients used. “Please, have a seat.”
“I’d rather stand.”
Bold, I thought, shrugging. “Suit yourself, but come closer so I don’t have to raise my voice across the room.”
Taking exactly three steps, he kept the sofa between us. He shoved his hands into his pockets, but his stance portrayed anything but a relaxed employee. Very interesting.
“I called you in here to talk about something that’s been on my mind for a while.” He stiffened, but I continued. There were things he needed to hear, and I didn’t have time to soften them up to spare his ego. “I had certain misgivings about sending you to Florida. A part of me worried that you would slide back into old habits, and I don’t want to see you do that.”
He placed his hands on the back of the sofa, eyes a little sad. “I wouldn’t do that. Seeing the world through clear eyes has changed my life, and I’m not willing to go back.”
“I hope not. What a waste it would be if all the effort I put into you was for naught.” I lowered my pitch to drive the point home, my gaze unwavering. “I don’t think I have to tell you that I’ve invested quite a bit in you at this point.”
His olive skin reddened. “I can pay you back for the trip.”
“I’m not talking about the trip, and I don’t need you to pay me back. I just need to know that you didn’t backslide while you were there. Returning to the place where your demons dwell can be a dangerous thing.”
His blush deepened as his gaze went to the floor, shame darkening his handsome features. “I met up with this guy I was close with, and things got…” His eyes flicked up to meet mine for a moment before turning away again. “It was one night.”
I let him stand there, his mind conjuring up every worst-case scenario for some time before mercy won out. With a light chuckle, I shook my head. “I’m not interested in a silly one-night stand. As long as you used protection.”
He scowled. “Of course I did.”
“Then that’s of no concern to me.” Gabe’s lips parted as if to speak, but I didn’t stop long enough to indulge him. “What does interest me is whether or not you broke your sobriety.” I adjusted my glasses so I could look over the rim at him. “I’m sure I needn’t remind you that staying off drugs and alcohol are a condition of your employment.”
He quickly nodded. “Not a sip, and I avoided the people I used to use with.” His fingers tightened on the back of the sofa, and he sighed. “I know that every recovering addict says this, but I refuse to risk falling into that life again. I’ve existed on the streets and done things for a fix that I can never live down. There’s nothing and no one who could ever convince me to give up everything I’ve worked for, especially in the last year.”
“That’s good to hear. I invested a lot of money into your transformation, and I expect you to honor that.” I motioned to the sofa again, and this time he sat down. “I saved you from a life on the streets. If you can call what you were living any sort of life. Without my intervention, you wouldn’t be alive today, if I’m being frank.”
“I know, sir. And I appreciate it more than I can say. Like I said, I can pay you back if you need me to.”
“I won’t hear of it. Your money is yours to keep. I’ll take what you owe me in other ways.”
He balked, panic widening his eyes.
Laughing, I waved a hand in the air in front of me. “I
