Free Rainwater Kisses: A Billionaire Love Story by Krista Lakes Page A

me.
    "Hey, Kaylee, you have a
visitor in the waiting room," Allie called from the desk. I frowned
slightly. It couldn't be Owen, he was probably in the middle of a desert by
now. No one else would need to come visit me at work, or at least they would
know to call first.
    "Who is it?"
    "Security didn't say."
    I handed her the chart I had just
finished and told her I would be back in a minute. Visitors weren't allowed in
the actual ER, so I headed out to the waiting room to see who it was. The heavy
metal doors dividing the waiting room from the ER clanked shut behind me and my
heart sank. Standing there joking with the security guard was my ex-boyfriend.
    "What are you doing here,
Michael?" I asked, trying to stay polite. I had told him a hundred times
not to bother me at work. I had been the one to break it off with him, but I
got the feeling that he wasn't ready to let me go.
    "I came to see you, Kay! I
thought we could get lunch." I hated when he called me Kay. You mean,
you thought I would buy you lunch. He smiled at
me like he was doing me the favor. I motioned him away from the security guard
to a quiet corner so that we could talk privately.
    "Michael, I am really busy
today. You know that I've asked you not to visit me at work." I was trying
very hard not to get angry. This was just so typical of him.
    "I just wanted to see you,
Kay. Things have been really hard, and I miss you," he said. His big brown
eyes begged me to forgive him, to just love him. I had fallen into those eyes
too many times, but never again. This relationship was not healthy. I had spent
too much time falling for his tricks to make me do things for him while he did
nothing in return.
    I thought of all the times he had
asked me to take care of things, but how he was always busy or too tired to
help me when I needed it. All the condescending comments and cruel teasing. The
lack of compliments. How he had made me feel like I was never going to be good
enough for anyone but him, but he would keep me because he was just that good
of a guy. The way he put me down so I would do anything to please him. An anger
I didn't even realize was there bubbled up.
    "No, you don't miss me, "
I said, my voice rising. "You miss me taking care of you. You miss me
feeling sorry for you because your life is so difficult. You miss me doing all
the work to fix it. I am worth so much more than what you tell me I am. I'm
tired of it. I'm tired of not being appreciated! The only time
you come around is when you want something." I surprised myself by
actually saying it out loud. I had thought those words so many times, but I
never had the guts to say it before.
    Shock registered in Michael's face.
I had never yelled at him like this. "Kay, I do appreciate you! I really
do! It's just that things are hard right now. I hate being away from you. My
car broke and that job fell through and-"
    "I don't care, Michael,"
I said, cutting him off. "I told you we're done. I meant it. I don't want
to take care of you and your problems. It is always all about you. When's the
last time you helped me out? Because I can't remember. I can't remember the
last time you got me flowers or made me dinner or even offered to help do the
dishes. I'm tired of taking care of you and getting nothing in return. I'm
going back to work now, and I don't want you to visit me again." I hoped
he couldn't see that I was shaking in my Crocs. Everything I hated about our
relationship had just kind of spilled out.
    As he stood there gaping at me, I
realized just how much he had neglected me. Owen flew three hours in the wrong
direction just to bring me flowers. In just the week since I had met Owen, he
had done more nice things for me than Michael had done in the two years we were
together. It wasn't about him spending money on me, either. It was about how he
treated me. Owen complimented me. Michael teased. Owen put other people first.
Michael never thought of anyone but himself. I didn't like myself when I was
with