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“Mickie goes first,” Lydia said. “I’ve been wanting to know how it’s going at Saint John’s. Word in my world is that some of those doctors are wealthy—I’m talking one-percenter type of money—and they look good enough to light your lady bits on fire!”
“Jesus God,” Dad said to Lydia. “If a man gives you a burning sensation in your lady bits, you might want to get on antibiotics.”
I couldn’t stop laughing that Lydia had just said that in front of my parents or that our wholesome family dinner had taken such a weird turn.
“Dr. Smith?” I heard John’s voice say.
I couldn’t believe my eyes as I watched the tall figure approaching from behind my sister. Did the guy follow me here to see who I’d gone on a date with? It couldn’t be.
But why else was he here at Chianti’s?
“Dr. Aster?” I said, shocked. “What the hell are you doing here?”
He glanced around the darkened, candlelit room, “What most people are doing, I suppose?”
“Eating?” Lydia said. I spied her cheeks as they flushed pink from the intimidation of the man’s ridiculously handsome looks.
He smiled at her, “Well, yes, I was eating; in fact, I was enjoying a fine meal until I saw my favorite new resident sitting across the restaurant from me.”
“Did you—” I stopped myself. I wasn’t going to be a bitch to him. There was no way he stalked me. He wasn’t that desperate. Right? “How? Why are you—” I stopped myself again.
He couldn’t have followed me here. He’s not that weird.
“Speechless, eh?” he teased with his usual cheeky grin whenever I fumbled around with my words. He looked at my dad and casually extended his hand. “I’m John Aster. You must be Mickie’s father?”
“I am,” Dad answered as he stood to shake my senior doctor’s hand. “Call me Tim,” he turned to my mom, “and this is my wife, Alice.”
John kindly acknowledged my mom as she reached up to shake John’s hand with a smile. “Lovely to meet one of the doctors that our daughter has failed to mention anything about,” she teased, and I covered my mouth when I watched John’s face fall.
“You’ve told your family nothing about me?” John teased, winking at my mom and making my heart skip a beat. He looked gorgeous in his black button-down shirt and dark gray slacks.
“Well, I’ll admit,” Lydia said while I sat there paralyzed, trying and failing miserably to assess what the fuck was happening, “I feel cheated that she hasn’t said anything about you. I’m Lydia, Mickie’s sister. Unfortunately for us both, I’m seeing someone, so I’m unavailable.”
My sister held nothing back when it came to saying what was on her mind. She didn’t give a shit about what people thought of her, and I always admired that quality. Until now.
“A shame,” John teased her in his usual flirty way that had women coming undone around him.
“Truly,” Lydia said. “Any other time, I’d offer you a chance to take me out after I’m finished with dinner.”
For the first time since I’d met him, John seemed caught off guard and struggled to respond.
“She’s quite forward,” I said, “and she’s had a couple of drinks.” My parents and I laughed, knowing that Lydia’s lack of filter would sometimes render them speechless.
“Ah,” John said, his eyes glistening under the lighting above our table. “So, it appears that liquor fuels your delightful personality and your sisters as well?”
“Pretty much,” I answered, not wanting the truth of how John and I first met ever to reach my parents’ ears or minds. I looked at my mom and played it off with an eye roll. “I had too many drinks one night and decided to fill in poor John on my breakup,” I said, my eyes returning to John and pleading with him to let the subject die.
John’s eyes locked with mine, making it hard to concentrate.
“I was glad she did,” John said, focusing on my parents. “The last thing we need at the hospital is a depressed OBGYN.”
“And how do you like working with Mickie?” Mom asked, keeping him here longer. I wasn’t quite sure what she was doing. It was very unlike my mother to act this way.
I guess my dad and she had been getting their money’s worth from that fancy hotel room after all.
“She’s a refreshing delight,” John answered, then casually slid his hands into his pockets. “I’m sure she’ll fill all of you in. I won’t take up any more of your time together. It was lovely to meet all of you. Mickie, it’s always a pleasure to run into you when I least expect it.”
With that final nail in my coffin, knowing there would be a million questions to follow, John casually left our table as easily as he approached it.
