know I’m okay. But if I go back, even as a widow, I’ll still be considered Alexander’s wife.” She fingered a red rose, traced its petals. “I can’t do that. It’s horrible to have to pretend to be someone you aren’t, especially when everyone is in love with that person. How do you explain that you’re breathing inside a hollowed-out shell, that you don’t belong there? They can’t understand it.”
The words were Danielle’s but they were Evie Burnes’s, too.
“Alexander’s family said jewelry designers were nothing more than low-end retailers. They wanted an artist, so they told me to paint. Oils.” Her fingers glided along the rose, paused over a thorn. “I hated it. They loved it.”
“You should have told them to go to hell.” His mother should have done the same and given them a chance to get used to the real Evie Burnes.
Danielle poked the pad of her middle finger against a thorn, pulled back when she drew blood. “You don’t tell the Maldonando’s something like that. They tell you what to do.”
“They can’t tell you anymore. It’s over.”
“Yes.” The blood trickled along her finger and spilled to the ground. “It’s over.”
***
Danielle retreated indoors a few minutes later, leaving Quinn to wonder if she’d revealed more than she’d intended, wondering too, if he’d done the same. He was still thinking about this when Michael found him.
“I’ve been looking for you for the past half hour.”
“I needed a break.”
“Tell me about it.” Michael fished inside his jacket pocket and pulled out a cigarette. “Dr. Wintkowski’s a great guy, but damn he’s boring. Kind of makes you wonder about the wife, doesn’t it?”
“The painter?” Quinn tapped his empty water bottle against his hand, and said, “It takes all kinds, I guess. Does Annie know you’re smoking again?”
“No, and for God’s sake, don’t tell her.” He sat down on the steps beside Quinn. “It’s only temporary, until the pressure settles down.”
“Why is it doctors can’t follow their own instructions?”
“We think the rules don’t apply to us, only our patients, didn’t you know that?” He closed his eyes and took a long drag.
“Tell that to Annie, see what she says.”
“I only bought three packs. When they’re done, I’m done.”
Quinn laughed. “Yeah, right.”
“Swear to God. I bought these yesterday.” He pulled a pack from his pocket and held it up. “Look, I only smoked five.”
“Give the man a gold star. You better not let my sister see or you’ll be dead meat.”
“That’s why I keep them locked in the glove compartment and why this pack is hidden inside my jacket pocket.”
“Don’t lie to her, Michael.”
“They’re cigarettes, Quinn, not used condoms.”
“I know my sister, a lie’s a lie.” Annie liked it all out in the open, no ‘I thought I was protecting you,’ kind of crap. To her, even small lies created doubt that festered like poison and before you knew it, the whole lining of the relationship had a hole in it. He’d seen it with her other boyfriends, watched the casual lies destroy their chances. Quinn was part of the ‘I lied to protect you,’ category but his lie was different because the truth would kill her.
Michael sighed, threw the half-smoked cigarette to the ground and stomped it out with the heel of his shoe. “There. Okay?”
“I wasn’t the one who felt guilty, was I?”
“You’re a jerk, you know that?”
Quinn laughed.
“I need to talk to you.”
“Shoot.”
Michael rubbed his jaw, adjusted his glasses and ran a hand through his curly hair. “I’m worried about her, Quinn. Something happened at work yesterday that sent her into panic mode again.”
“What? She seemed fine tonight.”
“Yeah, that’s what 2 mg. of valium will do for you.”
“Don’t push that stuff on her.”
Michael raised a hand. “She really wanted to come tonight and I wouldn’t have been able to park
The words were Danielle’s but they were Evie Burnes’s, too.
“Alexander’s family said jewelry designers were nothing more than low-end retailers. They wanted an artist, so they told me to paint. Oils.” Her fingers glided along the rose, paused over a thorn. “I hated it. They loved it.”
“You should have told them to go to hell.” His mother should have done the same and given them a chance to get used to the real Evie Burnes.
Danielle poked the pad of her middle finger against a thorn, pulled back when she drew blood. “You don’t tell the Maldonando’s something like that. They tell you what to do.”
“They can’t tell you anymore. It’s over.”
“Yes.” The blood trickled along her finger and spilled to the ground. “It’s over.”
***
Danielle retreated indoors a few minutes later, leaving Quinn to wonder if she’d revealed more than she’d intended, wondering too, if he’d done the same. He was still thinking about this when Michael found him.
“I’ve been looking for you for the past half hour.”
“I needed a break.”
“Tell me about it.” Michael fished inside his jacket pocket and pulled out a cigarette. “Dr. Wintkowski’s a great guy, but damn he’s boring. Kind of makes you wonder about the wife, doesn’t it?”
“The painter?” Quinn tapped his empty water bottle against his hand, and said, “It takes all kinds, I guess. Does Annie know you’re smoking again?”
“No, and for God’s sake, don’t tell her.” He sat down on the steps beside Quinn. “It’s only temporary, until the pressure settles down.”
“Why is it doctors can’t follow their own instructions?”
“We think the rules don’t apply to us, only our patients, didn’t you know that?” He closed his eyes and took a long drag.
“Tell that to Annie, see what she says.”
“I only bought three packs. When they’re done, I’m done.”
Quinn laughed. “Yeah, right.”
“Swear to God. I bought these yesterday.” He pulled a pack from his pocket and held it up. “Look, I only smoked five.”
“Give the man a gold star. You better not let my sister see or you’ll be dead meat.”
“That’s why I keep them locked in the glove compartment and why this pack is hidden inside my jacket pocket.”
“Don’t lie to her, Michael.”
“They’re cigarettes, Quinn, not used condoms.”
“I know my sister, a lie’s a lie.” Annie liked it all out in the open, no ‘I thought I was protecting you,’ kind of crap. To her, even small lies created doubt that festered like poison and before you knew it, the whole lining of the relationship had a hole in it. He’d seen it with her other boyfriends, watched the casual lies destroy their chances. Quinn was part of the ‘I lied to protect you,’ category but his lie was different because the truth would kill her.
Michael sighed, threw the half-smoked cigarette to the ground and stomped it out with the heel of his shoe. “There. Okay?”
“I wasn’t the one who felt guilty, was I?”
“You’re a jerk, you know that?”
Quinn laughed.
“I need to talk to you.”
“Shoot.”
Michael rubbed his jaw, adjusted his glasses and ran a hand through his curly hair. “I’m worried about her, Quinn. Something happened at work yesterday that sent her into panic mode again.”
“What? She seemed fine tonight.”
“Yeah, that’s what 2 mg. of valium will do for you.”
“Don’t push that stuff on her.”
Michael raised a hand. “She really wanted to come tonight and I wouldn’t have been able to park
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