Free Sense of Rumor (Mount Faith Series: Book 6) by Brenda Barrett Page B

cheering up," Tracy said, changing the subject abruptly. "Want to go out later. You know, I haven't seen you since you've been up here. That's bad."
    Arnella didn't want to go out, especially with Tracy. She felt tired and worn and strangely drained, as if talking to Taj had drained her vital energy. "I'll have to take a rain check on that."
    "Well maybe this weekend then," Tracy said. "My club, InLaw, is having an oldies party, want to come?"
    Arnella swallowed her denial. She was reluctant to go to any party ever again. "I might. I'll call you back," she said to Tracy reluctantly.
    "Don't wait too long to tell me," Tracy said. "We have an RSVP guest list, and we are car pooling."
    "Okay," Arnella hung up the phone and sat down on the bed abruptly. She had let it all out on Taj earlier: her life, all the things she had bottled up and she was not even finished.
    She realized that it hadn't even really been a session. She had just told him about her life and then fell asleep. She got up and peeped around the door. The carpeted hallway was empty. She headed to the sign that said ‘lobby’, and a nurse stopped her when she was about to leave.
    "Dr. Jackson has set up a schedule for you." She handed Arnella a sheet of paper. "These are based on the breaks you have between classes. The sessions are twice weekly."
    Arnella took the sheet of paper from her. "Wow, you guys are efficient."
    The nurse smiled. "Don't be late for appointments."
    Arnella nodded and headed outside.
     

    Chapter Seven
     
    Taj had had several patients during the day, but Arnella stood out in his mind. She was obviously battling with a list of problems that started from childhood. It was that kind of childhood setting that made him want to call his dad and Harriet and just talk.
    They both knew how to raise children. They had raised him and he had not felt deprived even though he was adopted. He considered Ryan Bancroft to be his bonus father/friend whom he played squash with. His dad was his psychiatrist; he may not be trained, but he really knew how to give him good advice, solicited or not.
    He was going through some tough decisions now. He was living with Jackie Beecher, platonically of course, though she had ramped up her come hither actions since she had signed a contract to be in Mount Faith for another year. At first, he had responded to the come-ons. He used to lightly flirt with her, especially when Natasha was away on some private detective case or the other. He had quickly rethought his attitude to Jackie and had sorted out his misguided feelings for her. All he wanted now was to be with Natasha. She had one course left to graduate with her master’s degree in Forensic Psychology and then he would pop the question.
    He pushed his hand into his pocket and felt the ring box. Maybe he should do it now, before she finishes in December. He had been treating Jackie distantly, and she had ramped up the vamp.
    He opened his front door and was immediately bombarded with the scent of incense. Jackie was draped across the sofa. Her long hair was brushed out and flowing over one arm. Her lips were painted mulberry red, and she was listening to mood music. Her red negligee revealed one bare arm.
    He paused at the door and raised his eyebrows. "Jackie. I hope I am not interrupting anything."
    "Oh, hi," Jackie said to him breezily. "I am unwinding, easing the tension of the day."
    Taj grinned. "Okay, let me not interrupt."
    "No," Jackie said, getting up, her sultry pout replaced with a plea. "Please stay. I need to talk. "
    Taj sighed and sat down across from her. "I'm all ears."
    "I think Natasha is wrong for you," Jackie said softly.
    Taj shook his head. "I can't think why."
    "She has a black belt in some strange Asian discipline. She'll break your neck if you two have an argument and nobody is around."
    Jackie adjusted her negligee top to show more skin, looking at Taj while she did it. Seeing no visible softening of his eyes on her, she hissed her teeth.