French Wanker - Victoria Pinder Page 0,16
a doctor isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. I’d let Cecilia down and not protected her. She’d died under my care.
My patients can find another to bandage their broken bones. I shrugged and traced the moon in the glass. “Starting over is not a bad thing.”
“It is when you’re destroying your passion.”
I tapped the center of the window and remembered most of my life, wishing on the nightly globe, and none of that nonsense had ever come true.
Blake was still dead. So was Cecilia. And that was all me. Now I wished for more time with Kara, but she’d fly home. All we had was the moment too, which should make me satisfied.
“I’ll get over it,” I said.
Simon said, “We’ll talk more seriously when you’re here.”
“Talk to you tomorrow.” I clicked the phone off speaker and headed back into the center of my room.
I was about to say goodbye, but Simon said, “Wait… Calliope wants to talk to you.” I unzipped my bag and grabbed my cologne and my sweatpants. Grandmother’s ring almost fell out, but I slipped the box back in my bag fast. Then I stripped. No need to dress if I ended up where I wanted to be, but then I heard the blast from the past’s breath over the line.
“Hello, Calliope.”
Her voice hadn’t changed at all as she said, “Quentin, do you remember when we watched tons of cartoons?”
“I remember some,” I answered, but Blake’s flamed eyes when I’d mentioned Calliope’s breasts in the bathroom mirror flared in my mind. My brother had been seriously in love with her, though she probably didn’t know.
“You’re like my little brother too,” she said. “And I wanted to ask something personal.”
Maybe I was the wanker Kara called me. I pinched my eyes shut. “What?”
“What kind of girls are you interested in dating?” she prodded. “Maybe we can find you a better one than your last. Your grandmother wasn’t a fan of your ex.”
Grand-mère Marie complained about every girl she’d ever seen me with. Cecilia and I had fit well enough, and we’d never fought, even when I failed her.
I don’t remember if she ever said anything to Blake, though, when he’d been alive. I hadn’t even thought about it until now. “She’s overprotective of me. They all are after what happened with Blake.”
These phone conversations sparked more memories. My brother had acted like Simon was his brother, and I’d cried that I’d wanted to come that fateful day.
Calliope said, “I never should have gone with the boys. I spent years blaming myself.”
The last thing I needed was a day of crying. They’d been in the boat with my brother, but I was the one who hadn’t put the life vest back. I’d been protected when I shouldn’t have been. Years of being denied to leave the vineyard flew at me as a result of that day.
“My brother liked you. I remember that, and he’d not want you to be upset.”
“You were always a good kid.” She paused, and I imagined a soft smile curling her lips. “So, what kind of girl should I hope to find for you?”
I laughed. The last thing I needed was random women brought over to the table like I was some prize. No one wanted a broken doctor as a forever.
And I had no future to offer anyone.
Not even to Kara. Luckily, Kara would return to America and wasn’t interested in more than the now, so this respite with her was temporary. I tore my shirt off and decided not to wear another as I said, “I’m bringing my new girlfriend with me.”
Hopefully, she’ll agree. I hadn’t asked, but Kara responded like she’d wanted me. I sprayed my cologne as Calliope asked, “New?”
“One my grand-mère has not met.”
If she said no, I’d say we broke up. At least I didn’t have to explain bang-able curves over the phone.
“What’s she like?” Calliope asked.
“Nothing like my grand-mère disapproved exes.”
The truth flew out of my mouth. I’d never desired a woman so instantly as much as Kara.
Calliope said, “Different is good. I look forward to meeting her. Simon wants to talk again.”
“Okay.” I glanced at the adjoining door. This delay was taking longer than expected. I tossed the cologne back in my bag and folded my clothes.
Simon popped in my ear. “Look, I’m not pushing, but giving up on being a doctor because of a mistake only lets that one moment destroy what you love to do.”
I grabbed my toothbrush. “I’m okay. When Blake died, my