Double Dare (A Neighbor from Hell Book 6) by R.L. Mathewson Page B

pulled her drink out and sat down. Knowing that she didn’t have much time before Aidan caught the scent of roast beef and fries, she dug her sandwich and fries out of the bag and started eating.
                  Not even a minute later, Aidan walked into his office, sighing heavily as he tossed a folder on his desk. Without a word, he sat down next to her on the couch. He picked up her soda and took a sip as he reached into the bag and started pulling out the sandwiches that she’d ordered for him.
                  “You’re late,” he said, unwrapping a deluxe roast beef sandwich with the works and took a huge bite.
                  “Sorry,” she mumbled, taking the root beer from him and took a sip before she placed it back on the coffee table.
                  “You’re pale,” Aidan noted around a fry.
                  “I know,” she said, taking a bite of her sandwich.
                  “Your blood results came in this morning,” he said, taking another sip of her soda.
                  Needing something to do, she picked up a ketchup packet and slowly opened it. “And?”
                  “And,” he said, shaking his head as put her soda back down, “it’s not good.”
                  She nodded slowly, hating herself for hoping for good news, something that would end this nightmare and give her the one thing in the world that she craved. “How bad?”
                  “We need to change your medicine for one thing,” he said, placing his half-eaten sandwich down on the coffee table and wiped his hands off on a napkin, letting her know just how bad this was.
                  “What else?” she asked, swallowing nervously as she stared down at the ketchup packet in her hands.
                  “You’ve developed pernicious anemia, Marybeth.”
                  “What else?” she asked, reaching up and quickly wiping away the useless tears that wouldn’t change anything.
                  “Your B-12 levels are too low. You’re going to have to switch to a daily injection. Your iron levels are dangerously low and so is your vitamin D and calcium levels, which would explain why you’re tired all the time,” he explained as he reached down and took her trembling hand in his and gave it a reassuring squeeze.
                  “What else?” she asked, her voice breaking, because she knew without a doubt that there was more.
                  There was a slight pause before he said, “Your estrogen levels are up, which means that we need to schedule another ultrasound and see if the tissue has spread.”
                  She nodded numbly even as she said, “I thought that it wouldn’t be able to grow as long as I was on birth control.”
                  “The medicine slowed it down for a while, but now-”
                  “Now the medicine’s not working,” she finished for him as her world came crashing down around her.
                  “I’m sorry, Marybeth. I wish that I had better news,” Aidan said, releasing her hand so that he could put his arm around her and hold her just as the first sob broke free. “I’m so sorry,” he said roughly as he pulled her into his arms and held her tightly. “So goddamn sorry.”
                  Grabbing onto his shirt, she buried her face against his shoulder and held on as she felt her heart finally break as her last hope that this was all a bad dream faded away.

Chapter 8
                  He closed the front door behind him and made his way to his door, wondering if he should call ahead and make reservations for dinner at Marybeth’s favorite restaurant or if he should-
                  “Stop being a baby and just do it!” Marybeth suddenly yelled, drawing his attention to