Harkham's Corner (Harkham's Series Book 3)

by Lowell, Chanse

  “I need you to keep it to yourself—that’s why I didn’t tell you,” Adam blurted. “I don’t want Amelia to know. And I didn’t think it would be fair to tell you something I wanted you to keep secret from her since you love her. I love Mari, and I don’t lie to her. I tell her everything. You told me that was important. So, I’m being mean by asking you to keep this from her. Are you okay with this?”

  His father nodded, and his mouth dropped a little. He tensed in his seat. “I can do whatever you need.”

  “You’re not gonna get mad at me for keeping this from her?”

  His dad sighed and shook his head. “Believe it or not, you come first, Adam. Always. I do what’s right for you. If you say don’t tell her, unless I think it’ll harm you not to, then I keep it to myself.” His shoulders relaxed.

  Adam took a deep breath and told his father what Thomas was doing. “I don’t know what to do. I don’t feel like this is something I want Amelia to know. I just want her to respect me and think I’m still progressing and doing better, but after that last bad episode . . . It feels like I’m back to where I started. Why does that man make my head so crazy?”

  His dad opened the drawer to his desk. “What does Mari think?”

  “She says I should ask him what he wants from me.” Adam groaned and dragged his hands down his cheeks and jaw. “She thinks he’s trying to figure out how to connect with me, but I don’t want to connect with him. I was being nice by giving him a gift. I didn’t know what else to give him—not like you. I know what you like to do, and what you enjoy.” His eyes turned to slits. “I don’t know that man. I only knew he liked music. I took some clips online of his voice, recording my part, mixed them and then added my own beats. I gave him a CD of it. He liked it, so I put it on YouTube. He shared it with people, and they wanted to buy it. So, you know what he did? He set up that damned website, and had you give me the money.”

  “Sounds like he’s trying to be nice back and honor you.” His dad smiled, but his eyes were grumpy at the corners.

  “Then why is he bringing me to court so he has some rights to it? He wants money. That’s what I think.” Adam turned his face away. Tears were gathering at the edges. He blinked until it dried out.

  “I don’t know what to tell you. He didn’t approach me about the money—your mother did. I told her you needed extra funds, so even though I didn’t want to deal with them, I agreed. All for you. I want you happy. I wanted you to get out of that one bedroom apartment.”

  Adam stood up and sighed. “He should go back to not existing in my life.”

  “I don’t think he can. Can anyone walk away from you?”

  “Plenty of people do.” Adam frowned.

  “Not really.” His dad set a hand on his shoulder. “The second someone really knows you, they care about you. Do you know how many of our patients ask for you over me? I’m the one running this place, and I’ve been their doctor for years, but they like you. They ask for my apprentice, and they call you that because that’s what you told them to call you.” His dad chuckled.

  “You’re just being nice.” Adam lunged at him, hugged his dad tight and then left.

  They had work to do.

  “There he is! The apprentice!” one of his clients yelled out.

  Mrs. Fahey approached him, shook his hand and his dad gave him the eyebrow that said, “See? Told ya.”

  Adam grinned and helped her into an examination room. “How are you today?” he asked her.

  “I’m good now. I swear that smile of yours always makes me happy.” Her face lit up as she took a seat.

  “Well, I got this smile on my face because you’re always so patient with me.”

  She laughed and sighed at the end. “Oh, you are too sweet. How many cavities will you give my sweet tooth today?”

  He cocked his head. “I’m not a dentist, so you shouldn’t be here for cavities, but I’ve got an extra tooth brush I can give you to help out. It’s unopened. Want me to get it and give it to you?”

  She laughed harder. “Sounds like I better see my dentist tomorrow.” She winked.

  Adam rubbed his jaw and turned away. “I don’t have cavities, and I drink soda,” he told himself.

  She cackled. “Turn around and say that to my face. I can’t believe how adorable you are.”

  He curled over his laptop. “Uh . . . Maybe later. Let’s get your blood pressure instead.”

  Chapter 4

  Mrs. Fahey—a patient of his dad’s. Oh Lord, how Adam wished she’d find a new doctor’s apprentice to bother.

  He ground his teeth together.

  All Adam knew was she made him uncomfortable with those stares of hers as he worked.

  “Are you going to finish on that computer, or are you playing games with me?” she called out.

  He cleared his throat and turned around.

  She was young. Probably younger than Mari. She wore her long blonde hair down today, and it was so straight he wondered if she pressed it between books like the way people pressed flowers and made them all flat and preserved.

  That was always fun to do.

  Her light green eyes studied him.

  “You’re nervous. Do I make you that way?” She chuckled.

  “No,” he replied, his voice shaky.

  “Those deep blue eyes don’t lie to me. Come say that to my face,” she replied, pointing at the spot right before her.

  “Why don’t you hop up on the examining table, and I’ll get your vitals now,” he suggested by means of distraction.

  “I’ll need your help. My hip is bruised again.” She jutted out her bottom lip.

  He walked over to her, set his lab coat aside so it wouldn’t get rumpled, then grabbed her by the waist and hauled her up with one very swift, ungraceful movement.

  He tried to ignore the fact she was very curvy, and she almost looked like an upside down pear with a lot of cleavage on display. Fruit had peels for a reason—to stay modest.

  “My God—you really are too beautiful for words, Adam.” Her voice lowered.

  “There are words. You just used them, and thank you, but men don’t like to be called beautiful. It’s too girlie and not tough. Did you not notice that I’m a man?”

  “I definitely noticed.” She raked her eyes over him from chest to groin. He turned away from her. “Okay, how about handsome?” she asked.

  He turned back around, and she reached her hand out toward his face.

  What was this all about? No! Not okay!

  He jerked backward. Was she going to touch his cheek or maybe his jaw?

  “I’m married, and so are you. That means I only touch your wrist to check blood pressure, pulse and then I might swipe your forehead to check temperature with a gadget, but that’s it. I noticed you’re a woman right away, and I don’t flirt with other women when I already have one of my own whom I love very much.”

  She yanked the side of her pants down.

  He turned away and held his breath, closing his eyes in the process.

  “But what about my hip? I’ve fallen down again. I need you to look at it and tell me how to make it better. You’ll need to touch me there, doctor.”

  “I’m not a doctor,” he said through his teeth, his jaw clenched tight. “I’ll go get you my dad. He’s a real one. I’m just an assistant.” He wanted to scream at her, I’m a man, not a dentist. I’m an apprentice, not a doctor. Remember those things, or I can’t help you! You’re young enough you should be able to remember those things easily.

  “Oh come on . . . You’re more than that.” She shifted around behind him.

  He hoped she was putting her clothes back on. While he wished and prayed she was now fully dressed behind him, he wandered toward the door.

  “You’re a gorgeous man. No harm in looking. And I hope it’s all right for me to say—but your wife is one lucky bitch. She has no idea how hot you are.”

  He turned around, ready to roar at her to never call his wife that awful name, but she w
as directly behind him, and she reached out to him again.

  He made this odd squeaking noise and then he was out the door, running down the hall.

  Oh no! He left his lab coat back there!

  His fingers trembled as he checked for his phone. He usually had it in his pants pocket.

  He found it quickly. “Pick up, pick up, pick up!” he chanted as he dialed his wife.

  “Hi, honey. Are you on break?”

  “This woman tried to touch me. And I like touch, but not hers. I don’t really know her, but she kept saying I was beautiful, and she called you a bitch, but she said you were lucky to have me, and I ran away. Will you not be mad at me? I didn’t let her touch me, even though she tried to twice. She thought I was a dentist at first, too, but I told her I’m not. I don’t lie about stuff like that.”

  “Is this a client?” Her voice was steady.

  “Yes—Mrs. Fahey. I think she wants sex.”

  “With you? What woman doesn’t?” She chuckled.

  “This is the opposite of funny.”

  “Have you told your dad?”

  “No. I called you first because I feel dirty, and she’s ugly to me now. I don’t want to see her again or even think about her.” He paced the hallway.

  A moment later, his father was in the hallway casting an odd glance his way.

  Adam waved and tried to smile, but it was more like a wrinkly grimace.

  “What’s wrong?” his dad asked as he approached.

  “Is that your dad?” she asked.

  “Yeah. He can tell I’m antsy. I’m walking like ants live in my pants. And usually the only thing that lives in there is your hands and mouth and sometimes your—”

  “Tell him what happened. We’ll discuss your pants later and what resides in them, sweetheart. I love you.”

  She ended the call, and his dad was before him, studying his facial expression.

  “Mrs. Fahey is after me. She was flirting, and I did nothing to get her to do that. I was going to take her vitals, but she kept trying to touch me. I think she hurt her hip on purpose to come here so she could get naked in front of me and get me to touch her. She’s tricky, and I don’t like it. I don’t like her either. She says I’m beautiful, but she’s not. She’s hideous, Dad. I can’t go back in there.”

  “Breathe, Son. It’ll be all right. Maybe this was a miscommunication?” His dad tucked the chart in his hands under his arm.

  “No. She called Mari a bitch, but she sounded like she wanted to be her, and she doesn’t even know my wife. What a mean word. Why would she call her that?”

  His dad smiled. “Sounds like she’s got a crush on you and is envious of your girl.”

  “I think she should have her tongue crushed for saying such a nasty thing about my very pretty wife. I love Mari. I would never think that word about her at all.”

  “I’m glad to hear that.” His father hugged him, patted him on the back twice and then said he would take care of this client.

  Adam shook his head. He was still missing his lab coat, and that one smelled like Mari.

  She’d hugged him before he came to work.

  He hummed, paced a little more and once Mrs. Fahey was gone, he went in search of his coat.

  Only it was missing.

  “Dammit!” he blurted.

  His father turned to him. “Something wrong? I took care of Ryan.”

  “Mrs. Fahey—not Ryan. We don’t call them by their first names. It’s unprofessional.”

  His dad chuckled. “I do. I like them to feel at ease, but you do whatever feels best for you.”

  “Did she take my coat? It’s missing. I accidentally left it on the examining table when she needed a lift onto the table and then later made me run off like I was an Olympian.”

  His dad’s eyes squished close together. “She asked for help?”

  “Yeah?”

  “And you gave it?”

  “Yeah.” Adam’s jaw flexed, and his breathing was louder than his baby’s when he nursed with a stuffy nose.

  “She definitely came here to see you today. There was nothing wrong with her hip. I think she’s in a failed relationship, and you’re attractive. She probably thinks you’ll be a rich doctor someday. No harm in trying. You can’t blame her. She’s only nineteen,” his dad told him.

  “Nineteen?”

  “Didn’t you check her file?”

  “No. I don’t like to be nosy about them. I only look at their last name and then I write down the pertinent information. I do my job, and I do it well. I don’t waste time on facts I’m not supposed to know.”

  “Yes—you’re fabulous at this job. Very thorough, but it’s okay to read it. They write it down so we can get a history.” His dad finished tidying up the room.

  “No one wants to write that stuff down. I don’t want them to know I’m over six feet tall, how much I weigh, how old I am and that I drink lots of soda. It’s none of their freaking business.” He almost slipped and said a really rotten curse word.

  He looked over at his dad with the same height and similar build to Adam’s. Did he care if his clients knew those facts about himself?

  His dad blinked. “Okay, yeah, I get what you’re saying, but you shouldn’t feel guilty if you read their file.”

  “Okay, I won’t.” Adam opened the door so they could both exit the room. It smelled like spicy perfume—Mrs. Fahey crazy kind of spicy. He wrinkled his nose. “I won’t feel guilty because I won’t read it.”

  His dad chuckled and went back to work.

  Adam did the same, but with less amusement.

  It was hard to be happy about women that made him run away and lose clothes he needed.

  * * *

  Adam growled.

  “Is it too hot?” Mari asked, staring at his plate of food.

  “No. I’m not hungry for this bit of meat. I want you.” He sulked at the table.

  “Adam, honey—I get you had a bad day, but I’m tired. We need to feed the kids, and we both have some stuff we need to deal with. You’ve got some studying to do for your upcoming test, and I . . .” She sagged in her chair.

  “Just a little touching?” He scooted his chair closer to her, and it made this icky scratching noise. “You’re so soft and pretty, and my hands like holding onto you. They like how smooth your skin is.”

  “A little is never enough for both of us. I want to wait this time. You can handle it. I know you can.” She stroked his cheek.

  “You love me, though, right?”

  “So much. I’m just a little worn out. Button was marathon nursing all day. My chest is sore, I’m cranky and I doubt I’d be able to really please you. Give me a little bit of time to unwind.” She blew out a breath that hit his chest.

  “I’ll deal with him. You finish eating, then go take a nap or do something relaxing. Want me to get a bath ready for you?” He grinned.

  “Nudity and you—always find a way to coexist, don’t they?”

  He smirked. “Only with you. Mrs. Fahey is not seeing any skin of mine, even if she’s the thief of lab coats.”

  “She wanted to, though—see your gorgeous, naked ass.”

  He huffed. “She’s nineteen, but she seems old and sick to me.” He almost shivered. Was his skin moving over his bones? Did it want to leave, all because he was talking about that woman?

  “Wow—you’re attracting a younger crowd now, huh? That’s impressive.” She leaned in and kissed him. “I love that you’re so honest—you called me right away. It means so much to me that you protect what we have.”

  “I would have pushed her down and given her a real bruise if she came at me again. She can’t take me away from you. No one can.” He gripped her wrist and pulled her palm to his mouth, then kissed in the center. “My heart is with you. I gave up what I thought I was to know you better, and I’ll never regret that—ever.”

  “Neither will I.”

  “I’m done, Mommy,” Meg said.

  “I’ll help you. Mommy
needs a break,” he said, helping Meg down from her chair.

  “You need something to break?” Meg asked. “Is that allowed? How about crayons? I have lots of those and they snap real nice.” She showed them how to do it by pretending in the air with her fingers breaking them in half.

  Mari laughed. “No, cutie—no breaking anything for me. I need to rest, that’s all.”

  “You and I are going to make paper hats,” he told his daughter. “And Button can watch.”

  “Okay!” Meg clapped for a second, then skipped out of the room.

  Mari gave a tired smile, then left him with Button, sitting content in a bouncy chair that vibrated.

  “You like to be shaking, don’t ya, buddy?” Adam leaned down and got in his face, rubbing noses with him. “Here’s my secret—I like to shake, too. It’s called an orgasm. It’s better than sweet soda. You’ll see someday. It makes that thing between your legs ecstatic. That means happier than happy. You’ll know what I mean.”

  Adam got back up and cleaned up the kitchen, whistling a new tune as he went.

  Until the phone rang, and it was him.

  The nightmare that shouldn’t have a phone.

  “Should I answer it?” he asked Button.

  Button made a gurgling noise in response.

  “What? You have five minutes to say something because I am about to make hats with my children, and I’m very good at it,” Adam said, answering the call.

  “How come I didn’t get a hat for my birthday?” Thomas teased.

  “You got something that I thought you’d like—and I won’t make that mistake again.” Adam picked up Button and headed out to the living room.

  Meg was spinning in circles, singing.

  He set Button in a safe spot and went about getting them paper so they could fold to their heart’s content.

  Thomas rambled on about some new scheme he was involved with. “And I want you to help. I need a DJ.”

  “No.”

  “Y-you don’t want to even think about it? Honestly—you can’t see what this could mean for you?”