The Memory Therapist - ONC 2020

Chapter Thirteen

"Phil, this needs to happen." 

"Why do you need to date him? You're with me now, Rayne. You have nothing to prove to him," my assistant argues.  

I force a cringe from showing on my face. Not only is he using my full name, but he's actually talking back to me and advising against my plan. The nerve. Like I am his lackey as opposed to the other way around. 

I visibly swallow my pride - I feel my retort physically going down my throat before I can utter them to his face. It's crucial that he accepts me wooing the detective and to go along with the charade. I need him to be on board, and more specifically to not stalk me while I am at dinner with Charles. 

The truth is the only explanation that I could use if Charles noticed Phil tailing us. I might not have noticed him in my shadow, but I was certain that someone with the training that Charles had would. It was also a certainty that explaining that my assistant is obsessively in love with me and jealous of the date would be a complete turn off. Even I couldn't twist that into something else. And if Charles discovered Phil's secret, the date is ruined. If the date is ruined, my entire plan is ruined. And if that happens, I'm as sure as caught.

I don't know even what explanation I could come up with other than the truth - that he's obsessively in love with me and was jealous about a date. Anything else just seemed like a flat out lie. I couldn't even twist it to make sense. It's a complete buzz kill. Which is all the more reason that I need to ensure Phil trusts me. 

"I am with you, Phil," I keep my voice tender, even placing my hand on his cheek to keep his eyes on mine. I've been told that this gesture shows trust or something - not that I have ever tried to be this intimate with someone. Flirting and showing affection are very different acts, and I am not great at showing the second convincingly. "I am with you in every sense of the word. But I want to stay with you. That will be hard if I'm behind bars and you aren't." 

"I'd be behind bars with you," he declares.

Idiot. I'm sure that it's intended to make me swoon at his chivalry, but really it just makes me question how he's an asset to me. Does he even have a brain?

I feel my eyes begin to roll but forcibly keep them in place. "Phil, I appreciate the sentiment. But they don't do co-ed jails." He seems defeated by this truth so I add, "besides, I don't want you to have to be arrested. I couldn't live with myself if you were caught up in all of this." 

Bullshit - I would gladly have him take the fall if it meant my freedom. Since he's already tangled up in this I can only use him to my advantage to not get caught.

"Okay," he deflates. "You don't want me there in case things go sideways?" 

"No!" I blurt out, making him flinch.  In a softer tone I say, "there's no way that we can explain you being there. On the off chance that he sees you." 

"You never saw me." 

I bristle. My pride and ego are really taking some damage with this open-loved Phil. He was better at stroking my ego when his obsession was a secret. "I am not a trained detective to notice these kinds of things," I force out through clenched teeth. 

"Rayne -" 

"Phil, please! I won't be able to act naturally knowing that you're in harms way." He nods in understanding, but he still seems upset by this decision. "I need you to trust that everything I am doing, I am doing for us." 

"I know. I just want to do more - but you're right. My being there would just jeopardize everything that we have worked for. I will be beside my phone the entire night." He looks deep into my eyes and I have to stop myself from shifting uncomfortably. I don't know how I didn't see the craziness in them before - wide and jittery.