Page 87 of Fracture

“I gave that to him because you need to lie down,” Dr. Tucker said. “I’ve learned it’s easier when you’re not watching and trying to move. My wife says they tell her the same when she gets a pedicure.”

Lorelei chuckled. “I would definitely do that.” She laid back, staring up at the ceiling.

Dr. Tucker started the small saw he had for cutting through the cast. Vinnie watched as the doctor zipped through the hard material like it was nothing, freeing her leg in under a minute.

“That was fast,” Vinnie said.

“It didn’t take long last time, either. Mark said the same thing,” Lorelei said.

Dr. Tucker and Vinnie both looked at her.

“Mark? Who’s Mark? Do you remember something?” Vinnie asked.

Lorelei chuckled. She nibbled her bottom lip.

Vinnie wanted to demand she tell him who she was thinking about, but he didn’t. He kept his mouth shut while she decided what she wanted to tell him.

“He was an ex. I just had this memory of getting a cast off my left arm. We… he took me to the appointment and thought it was going to be longer than it was for my cast to come off.”

“When did you date him?” Vinnie asked.

Lorelei shrugged and looked at the doctor. “Um, we can talk about this later. It’s not important. Are we all set, Dr. Tucker?”

The doctor nodded. “You are. Do those exercises and let us know if you need anything.”

“I will. Thanks.” Lorelei eased down from the exam table. She lifted her right leg and landed on her left, then put her right foot on the floor carefully.

“Everything feel okay?” Vinnie forced out.

Lorelei looked up at him and smiled. “All good.”

Vinnie nodded, but he knew she was lying. Her leg might be good, but they weren’t. The other shoe dropped.

And its name was Mark.

19

Lorelei wanted to kick herself for mentioning Mark. She should have kept her mouth shut. It just came out.

Of all her exes to remember, he was the one she thought of? It made her wonder if the others were worse. She had horrible taste in men if that was the case.

She looked over at Vinnie. She used to.

With the memory of Mark came all the things he said when he dumped her. He thought it would take longer for her cast to come off, and more time for her to want to go back to work. But that was the first thing she wanted to do when she got the cast off her arm.

And Mark was pissed. So pissed he broke up with her because of it.

It took Lorelei a few weeks, and a lot of drinks, to see that he couldn’t handle her strength and independence. He wanted her to need him, to rely on him, and as soon as she didn’t, he was done.

Adam helped her to see that, and told her one day she’d find a man who wasn’t threatened by the things that made her who she was.

Lorelei looked over at Vinnie and wondered if he was that man.

She wanted him to be.

“What are you doing today?” Lorelei asked, hoping to smooth over the awkwardness that settled between them since she mentioned Mark.

“I have to go to work,” Vinnie said.