The Player who Gets Played 18. Therapy Session

Louise's POV

Sherry reached my office half an hour later, she knocked on the bathroom door and I let her in.

"Lou honey...hey come here, Cherise told me that you barely touch your breakfast. Why don't I take you to your therapist first, then we'll go back to my place?" Sherry hugged me, as I calm myself down in her arm.

"I'm so sorry...Adam was here, I was handling it. I was fine until he decided to ask me out to dinner..."

Sherry knows about Adam, she knows how I struggled with my body image because of him.

"Hey...Lou, come on...you've come a long way. I'm here babe, you can do this. Let's go... put on your sunglass. We're skipping class." She winked and helped me out the door, she arranged everything with Cherise while I get my stuff.

"Cherise..." I was thinking of a way to tell her.

"Don't worry Lou, I'll send and sync everything to your phone and email. You don't have to explain yourself to me. Let me help you." She looked at me knowingly.

I smiled at her, then leave my office with Sherry by my side. We went to my therapist then straight to hers, she waited on me as I eat making sure that I finish my meal. Then she leaves me to my privacy, letting me rest in the guest bedroom.

I must've overslept, it was dark already when I woke up feeling parched. I decided to get myself a glass of water from the kitchen but didn't expect that Sherry was having company. I recognized him from one of the guys that we met at Players, one of the twins.

"What? no, Grady... seriously!"

She was laughing with him, it has been a while since I see her being that comfortable with a man. I was hesitant about going into the kitchen, thinking I might ruin their moment. But Grady caught me and called me out to them.

"Hey...look who's up..." He greeted me, smiling from his seat as he keeps his arm around her waist. They were lounging on the couch looking at the tv, while her dogs were sleeping soundly on their bed.

"Lou honey...hey..." she instantly got up and joined me in the kitchen.

"Hey, thirsty...hi Grady, don't mind me..." I greeted him while helping myself to a jug of water from the fridge.

"We have pizza, come join us?" She wrapped her arm around my shoulder.

"I don't want to bother you guys, I'll just rest back to the guest room."

"Nonsense, it's always girls before boys. Either you join us or I kick him out." she voiced herself louder, making sure that Grady heard her.

"Sher..."

"Lou..."

I finally gave in and join them.

"Phew, I actually thought I might get kicked out. I'm still hungry, and I'm kinda liking this new armrest here." Grady joked as he gets another slice, and let his armrest on Sherry's thigh.

We both laughed at him, while I took my pizza to an empty plate. I tried to finish the slice, and try to enjoy my time with them but I just couldn't. So, I decided to retreat back to the guestroom.

"I'm going to rest now....you kids behave."

"You sure? Do you girls want your girly time? You can just kick me out you know, I'm done with my pizza." Grady was being nice, but I could see that they were having a good time together.

"Grady, stay...I haven't seen my Sher this happy in a while..." I smiled at them, while Sherry was squinting her eyes at me. Obviously wanting me to keep quiet, about her actually enjoying his company.

"Yeah? Well, I do have that effect on people..." Grady joked and received a playful punch on the arm from her.

I was back in confinement moments later, sighing back to the bed. I was browsing on my phone, replying to some emails, and checking my weekly schedule.

Cherise was scheduling my meetings in the next two days via conference call. She would do this, whenever I was sick and needed a few days off from work. She knows me too well, and I had my suspicions that Sherry was telling her, I needed a few days off from work.

I was tossing and turning in bed, but couldn't get back to sleep. I didn't know why but I decided to call him, feeling the need to hear his voice.

Ring once...

Ring twice...

It was quite late, maybe he was sleeping. Maybe he has company. The last possibility made me about to end the call, but then I was connected just before I did.

"Louise? Hi...is everything okay?"

"I'm...sorry it's late, I shouldn't have bothered you."

"Hey, you don't sound so good I'm at the beach house, do you need me to come?"

"I'm better, no...I'm at Sherry's. She picked me up at the office. She's with your friend Grady and I didn't want to bother them."

"Grady? Okay...at least you're not alone... I've missed you too."

"Allen, I didn't say that," I told him letting out small laughter, he was making me feel better already.

"Really? Let's see it's...one o'clock, and you're calling me the handsome male model for...okay let me guess...booty call? phone sex? dirty talk? or seriously you just want to talk about the weather?" he laughed sexily.

"Thank you...I feel better already."

"My pleasure..." he said with his low bedroom voice. I was biting my lip at his sexy words alone.

"...but seriously this over-the-phone thing can be very restricting. Do you want to tell me about your day? Or do you want to hear how my photographer needed my nipples perked for a photoshoot today?"

I finally let out a louder laugh, while he chuckled on the other line.

"I met my ex today..." I decided to tell him about Adam, Dr. Sheridan told me to start sharing my story with my closest friends, saying that I would feel better if I didn't keep it all bottled up inside me. She said the more I share, the lighter weight I would carry from the burden of my past.

She was right obviously, it happened straight away when Sherry came to pick me up at the office. And with Allen, I know he would be the kind of friend who would have my back.

Friend...yeah right...

"Your ex?" he asked seriously.

"Fiance..."

"Okay, did you kill him? Do I need to be your alibi? I don't think we're supposed to talk about this over the phone..."

"Allen!" I laughed again knowing that he was trying to get me to relax.

"What? You haven't? Do you want me to...you know...look I can't talk about it over the phone. Okay how about this...you pack your stuff, and I'll pick you up at Sherry's?"

"Allen it's late, maybe tomorrow?"

"Are you sure? I don't want you to go wandering off to his place, and do you know what...to you know who..."

"Allen!" I laughed again at his words, my stomach was hurting from too much laughter already.

"Okay...okay, tomorrow. I'll pick you up at Sherry's at eight we'll have breakfast at my favorite coffee shop. I want to see you eat."

He knows...

"Allen..."

"Lou baby, I know something is bothering you. I just get this feeling, look I've tried it. And I can't, I'm addicted to you."

He paused to let me sink his words in, I sighed knowing that he would just push on.

"Just be ready tomorrow, I'll take care of you. Say yes?"

"Yes." I smiled and give him my yes. Fuck it, I went to my psychiatrist, and currently at Sherry's but I still feel the need to call him. Maybe he's my therapy session, I guess I'll find out tomorrow.