The Secret I Heard in the Operating Room Changed Everything

tasting like freedom on my to

hic designer, like you. Place is decent, rent's not Savannah-sc

-ectomy. Perfect. "Yes," I said, the w

pable. "Good. It's about damn time

o her cat too much. And who knows, maybe you'll meet a nice, normal guy in Austi

as almost revolutionary. After Rh

e," I said, but a small

clutches of the Southern Gothic

cking mentally

ense of purpose

No history, no expectat

a life I actually wanted, not one dictat

to my own instincts,

e Scarlett standing here now was a survivor, armed

m. Time to be the arc

, sorting through my graphic design portfolio

the small firm I worked at. My father wo

the door ma

expecti

standing there, looking impossibl

d. "Rhett. What ar

of something I couldn't identify i

k, imposing figure against

as smooth, a carefully constructed melody.

, his presence immediately s

ht," he continued, his gaze sharp. "An i

thought you two should talk. It's obv

I stood my ground, refusing t

games with m

. "I genuinely think you and Caroline are good together

air. It felt good to

ker of disbelief, then somet

not dismissing him. Especially not me

almost scoffed. "Af

tt," I said quietly

of those 'treat 'em mean, keep 'em keen' things, isn't it?

er, narcissistic conviction that my e

wards Caroline, aren't you? It's a bold move, Scar

flared. "You really think ever

kshelf, pulled down a s

corsage from a dance he'd chaperoned, a napkin with his careless

n, Rhett watching me w

e entire box inside. The items clatt

a tactic, Rhett?" I a

elt monumental. A literal di

on the corsage moc

h can, then back at me,

ad, a condescending smi

y dramatic. You alwa

me. Or refused to. His

, his voice low and patronizing. "But you ca

ing. His utter conviction

f to remain calm. Arguing with him

m moving on with my life. A life that doesn't include you. Or

ed it pointedly. "I'm busy pa

rching mine, perhaps finally seeing a hint of

urt nod, he tu

legs suddenly weak. But I had done it. I