Free Vivid by Jessica Wilde Page B

it a little easier."
    "I'm sure we can find something and if not, she can get it ordered in no time. I'm actually going to head into town in a few minutes, so I can stop by and look."
    "Oh that would be wonderful. Thank you so much. Nathan and I have a dinner with some friends that we've put off too many times and I just want to get it over with, you know?"
    "I understand, Emma. I'll let you know what I find and if I get a chance, I can take it over to him tonight."
    She sighed and I could hear the relief in her voice. "Thank you so much. You are a life saver."
    "It's no problem."
    "I think he would actually like to see you for a minute tonight. You seem to have the magic touch. He never cooperated with me like he does with you."
    "Well the threat of starvation will do that," I said, jokingly.
    She laughed and confirmed how right I was before saying goodbye.
    I glanced over at Merrick's window again and noticed it was cracked open now. Had it been that way a moment ago? I was sure he was sitting there listening. I didn't want to admit it, but it made my stomach flutter knowing he was curious enough to eavesdrop on my phone conversation.
    "You should be nicer to your mom."
    There was a long moment of silence before he sighed. "She doesn't understand," he said so quietly I almost didn't hear him.
    "She wants to."
    "That's the problem."
    I sat on my bed and stared at the wall in front of me. He was right. Sometimes people try too hard to understand us when, in reality, we just don't want them to. The pain is too immense and we have no choice but to carry it. We don't want someone else to be weighed down, especially the people we love most. We just need their silent company.
    "Do you regret pushing her away?" I asked.
    "Every minute of the day," he admitted.
    I wanted to hug him, to see his face and tell him it would be okay. I wanted him to see that there were people who cared about him and wanted him to get better. People that were proud of him.
    But he couldn't see.
    "Sometimes the regret is what keeps us angry, Merrick."
    He didn't speak or move, but he was still there. Processing.
    I pulled on my shoes and grabbed my purse.
    "Will you sing to me tonight?" he asked.
    Warmth spread through my chest and butterflies swarmed my belly, making me smile. "If you stop being a jerk to Emma, I'll sing to you whenever you want."
    He didn't reply, but he didn't really have to.
    "Talk to you later, Merrick."
    I shut the window and walked out of my room, forcing myself not to look back. I had to go find Keara and follow my own advice.
     
    ***
    My father's office was always immaculate. He was a stickler for cleanliness, especially when it came to his patients. He cared about every single one of them. It's not easy for any doctor to remember personal details about their patients right off the bat, but Dad was different. Simple notes about the patient would spark his memory, recalling details like names of children or what vacation a patient had been planning to go on after their last appointment.
    Jeff Samuelson had a knack for being social, which is strange since, according to him and Mom, he was one of the biggest nerds around.
    He was good at his job. Loved it and the people. He even stayed open one Saturday every month. Sometimes two.
    "Grace, I didn't know you were stopping by today," Dad said brightly when he saw me at the front door.
    "I hadn't been planning on it," I replied.
    He nodded and glanced over his shoulder before leaning forward to speak quietly. "Keara is in the back right now. I'll have Mandy run the desk for a while."
    "Thanks, Dad."
    He winked at me and smiled.
    My dad may have been a nerd, but he was certainly handsome. Being his daughter made me a little biased, but I saw the eyes that followed him whenever we were out in public together. He was tall and strong without being overly bulky. His eyes were like mine, not one color, but interesting enough to be special. His face was always clean shaven, and even with the