Total pages in book: 61
Estimated words: 57675 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 288(@200wpm)___ 231(@250wpm)___ 192(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57675 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 288(@200wpm)___ 231(@250wpm)___ 192(@300wpm)
“Hi there. I wasn’t expecting to see you.”
I step aside, and the two men come in, their expression grim. I wonder what’s going on for the umpteenth time. Ryder and Ranger can be intimidating, but in general, they’re happy guys. They don’t suffer from depression or melancholy, nor do they tend to dwell on the terrible parts of life.
“How are you?” I say as they stalk over to the couch. “Coffee? Tea? Anything?”
But the two men don’t sit. Instead, they glower at me a bit, and then say in a grim voice, “Sit.”
I do as am told, plopping down onto the floral couch cushion.
“What’s wrong?” I say with wide eyes. “What’s going on? Is everything okay?”
Grimly, Ryder hands me a copy of a magazine. I look dumbly at the cover. It’s called Plastic Times, and there’s a picture of a semi-famous blonde on front, smiling with toothy veneers. If you ask me, she’s a little scary looking and I wouldn’t make her my cover girl, but I guess professional magazines are looking to make a different point.
“What is it?” I ask, totally befuddled.
“Flip to page 49,” grinds out Ranger.
With trembling fingers, I flip to the back. What is this? It’s an article about medical ethics, but surely, that has nothing to do with us, right? After all, what happened between us started months ago now. It seems like something it was practically from another life.
“Do you know anything about this?” growls Ryder.
I shake my head. The fine print blurs before my eyes.
“No, I’ve ever seen it before. What is it about?”
“Maybe we should give her some time to read it,” intercedes Ranger. “Go ahead Bethany. We’ll wait.”
Quickly, my eyes scan the story. Okay, it is a little relevant to us. After all, it discusses how doctors can cross the line and engage in romantic relationships with their patients. Most of it seems to focus on psychiatrists though. I can see why, giving that people are unburdening their souls to these counselors. I look up.
“Is there something I should be seeing?” I ask quizzically.
Both men continue looking grim.
“Keep reading,” says Ryder.
I scan more of the article, and then my breath catches. Oh no. Here’s a section where it discusses a Park Avenue practice with two plastic surgeons who allegedly engaged in a sexual relationship with a patient during their first consultation. Slowly, my hands close the magazine. I don’t need to read more.
“There was a part about you guys, wasn’t there?” I ask slowly. “And how we met.”
The two doctors nod.
“But does it matter?” I ask quickly. “There aren’t any names in the article, so it could be anyone. It’s all hearsay,”
“That’s the problem,” growls Ranger. “Hearsay. Where did they get this information from? How did they find out?”
I shake my head, troubled.
“I have no idea. I didn’t talk to any reporters.”
“Think, Bethany, think,” rumbles Ranger. “Did you talk to anyone who would have reported this to Plastic Times?”
Suddenly, it’s totally obvious to me.
“I talked with my friend Wanda,” is my meek reply. “I told Wanda about us, but I never thought she’d do something like this.”
The physicians stare, their blue eyes intense.
“Is Wanda a reporter?” asks Ryder.
“Well, actually yes,” I say weakly. “An investigative journalist. In fact, she’s the one who referred me to you guys when I first thought I might need a vaginoplasty. But I swear, she’s my best friend! She would never out us. Never in a million years.”
Suddenly, the men lose it.
“So, you’re telling us, you confided the circumstances under which we met to someone who’s a reporter,” grinds out Ranger.
I nod, swallowing uncomfortably.
“Again, she’s my best friend. I’ve known her for years, and she stayed by my side even after I got pregnant with Danny, and everything was so chaotic for a while. I know Wanda. She would never betray me.”
Ryder shakes his head.
“How did she get our names again?” he asks.
“Well, she was doing some puff piece of plastic surgery for a women’s magazine, I think Glamour or something. So she told me to check out Epinine.”
Ryder looks absolutely pissed.
“Did she set you up?” he rasps, the look on his face murderous. “Was this some kind of undercover sting?”
I literally jerk backwards, totally surprised.
“No! I had no idea! No, absolutely not! I’m not trying to frame you or anything, I swear. I’m not trying to get you to lose your medical license, or anything …”
But it’s too late because the men are standing up, their hulking forms taking almost all the space in my living room.
“Please don’t go,” I babble. “This is just a misunderstanding, I swear! I’ll call Wanda and we’ll figure this out.”
“You’ve been used,” states Ryder flatly. “That woman is out to get us, and you were a pawn in her scheme.”
“That’s giving you the benefit of the doubt,” adds Ranger in a cold voice. “She sent you to infiltrate our practice, and to show just how amoral we are. And you know what? It worked. Everyone’s going to figure out it was us, and we won’t even need to have our licenses revoked. Epinine is going to be over because of this.”