Never Lie (41)

“It’s okay.” He puts down the spoon in his hand and pulls me closer to him so he can kiss me. One of those lingering kisses that makes my whole body tingle. He still gets to me, even after four months. “I know you’re crazy. It’s one of the things I love about you.”

He’s doing it too. Flirting with the word “love.” I love your sauce. I love that you’re crazy. He’s going to say it to me—I can see it all over his face. It’s just a matter of time.

While he’s kissing me, a chime comes from the front door. The doorbell. At eight-thirty in the evening.

“Who the hell is that?” Luke asks.

I grab my phone from where I left it on the kitchen counter. I bring up the camera app to see who’s at the front door. My stomach sinks. It’s EJ.

The doorbell rings again.

Luke turns to answer the door, but I grab his arm. “Don’t answer it.”

He frowns. “Who is it?”

“A patient. Just ignore it. He’ll go away.”

Luke’s forehead creases. “Why is one of your patients ringing the doorbell at eight o’clock in the evening?”

“It’s fine.” I swallow. “He has some boundary issues. It’s better to ignore him.”

The doorbell rings again, and Luke’s face darkens. “It’s not fine. I’ll go tell him that this is not appropriate, and he should leave you alone.”

“No. No.” Before Luke can leave the kitchen, I grab his arm, my phone still gripped in my other hand. My fingernails dig into his skin. “Trust me on this. Just ignore him and he’ll go away. I promise.”

I don’t let go of his arm until he relaxes. He lets out a sigh. “Fine. You’re the shrink. You know what’s best.”

The doorbell doesn’t ring again but I’m not kidding myself that EJ has gone away. I look down at the screen of my phone while Luke tends to our dinner. After a few seconds, the message appears on the screen:



I know you’re home.



I glance up at Luke, then type my response: I’m busy.



Busy with your boyfriend?



Of course, EJ would know about Luke. I could never keep any relationship of mine a secret from him. Usually though, when he shows up late at night, he picks nights when Luke isn’t here. He’s becoming bolder.



I need an appointment with you, Dr. Hale.



I’m busy now. I can see you tomorrow afternoon.



No. Tomorrow morning.



I bite down on my lower lip. He always does this. He pushes the boundaries to see what he can make me do. Will he go public with that video just because I refuse to see him in the morning instead of the afternoon? I assume not. But I don’t know for sure. And he’s so impulsive, he might do it in a moment of rage. So I must play the game.

I am at his whim. I promised him weekly appointments, but it’s become two or three times a week. They are not productive appointments. Often, he makes me listen to him describe his sexual exploits in disgusting detail. Worst of all, there’s always the suggestion that I might want to join in. But he hasn’t forced the issue.

Yet.



Fine, I type. Tomorrow morning at 10. Please be prompt.



I always am.





Chapter 29


Transcript of Recording



This is session 179 with EJ, a 29-year-old man suffering from narcissistic personality disorder.



“Thanks for seeing me on such short notice, Doc.”

“I didn’t have much of a choice, did I?”

“Don’t say it like that. You like our appointments as much as I do.”

“What can I help you with today?”

“Here’s the thing. Yesterday I went for a run. That was your advice, that I should be more active. So I was trying to do what you suggested.”

“That’s great.”

“Yeah, except when I was running, I twisted my knee.”

“That’s unfortunate.”

“It hurts a lot. On a scale of one to ten, the pain is like a twelve.”

“You didn’t seem to be limping.”

“It’s not that kind of pain. Trust me, it hurts a lot. Deep inside.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

“So maybe you can help me out. Especially since it’s your fault. I mean, you’re the one who told me to go running.”

“I’m afraid I don’t know much about knee pain. Perhaps you should make an appointment with your primary care doctor?”

“I don’t have a primary care doctor.”

“Urgent care then.”

“Well, I don’t think it’s anything serious. I just need something for the pain. I was hoping you could prescribe me some oxycodone.”

“Oxy…”

“Like thirty tablets should do it. I was thinking ten mg tabs.”

“If you have a knee injury, you should see a specialist who treats that. I’m a psychiatrist. I am not trained to manage knee pain.”

“Well, you went to medical school, didn’t you?”

“Yes, but that was a long time ago.”