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PROLOGUE - JESSIE
Five Years Ago
If every speaker at this conference is going to be as attractive as him, I might have to start taking a cold shower before every lecture.
I watch as Brookes McAllister strides across the stage, smiling at the people in the crowd like he knows each and every one of us personally. There’s no doubt in my mind that he’s a charmer.
He’s exactly the kind of man I make a point of avoiding. The last charmer I allowed myself to get close to was nothing but a boy waiting for the chance to break my heart.
Although the thought of a charmer livening up the National Extreme Medicine Conference is a good thing, I’m trying to focus on my career. There’s so much to learn here, and I don’t know how I’m going to have enough time to soak it all in.
I sigh and look around, wondering what to do with the rest of my night. A few people I know are going out for drinks and dancing at one of the local clubs. They say it’s a chance to finally unwind after several weeks of studying.
The last thing I want is a break. I don’t want to wake up in the morning with a hangover, unable to focus on anything the presenters are talking about.
I close my laptop and slide it into my purse as other people filter out of the room, still wondering what I want to do tonight. A drink at the hotel bar before going to my room for a movie sounds like the perfect night in.
With that in mind, I get up and I’m starting to head for the door when the hair on the back of my neck stands up. I glance over my shoulder and see Brookes watching me. His crooked smile sends a wave of heat through my body.
I know a lot of women who would love for him smile at them like that.
Women do surround him, holding up their phones for pictures. Each one of them is trying to get a picture with him, though he looks like he doesn’t care in the slightest.
For someone so happy and charming, he sure isn’t entertained by the thought of having to take dozens of pictures.
Personally, I fail to understand why they want pictures with him anyway. Probably to show off to their friends. When we graduate, Brookes is going to be the hot doctor wherever he works.
And that is exactly the problem. He doesn’t seem to take the job as seriously as he should. For him, it’s about making connections instead of changing and saving lives.
I’ve seen Brookes in some of my classes, but he’s normally surrounded by people, talking and laughing with them. He looks like he’s there for a good time, not a long time. Personally, I keep my head buried in my books.
Becoming a doctor is all I’ve dreamed of since I was a child. This is a chance that I’m not willing to pass up.
Although, one night of fun with Brookes might not be so bad.
It’s a fleeting thought as I turn away from him and head for the door. All I want is a drink, some dinner, and then to sit in a fluffy hotel robe while watching a horror movie.
My heels click against the floor as I make my way to the bar. I weave through the crowd of people waiting for cabs in the main lobby, watching as the rain cascades down outside.
It really is the perfect night to stay in and relax.
Soft music is playing as I walk into the bar and find a small table in a dark corner. There’s a small light in the middle of the table, a soft glow radiating around it.
After I place an order for a spicy mango margarita and some wings, I pull my laptop out of my purse and set it on the table. As I hum along with the music, I pull up the notes I took at the wound care lecture earlier.
“You just left the lecture and you’re already looking at your notes?” Brookes grins as he slides into the seat across from me. “I knew you liked the lecture, but I didn’t think you liked it that much.”
“Well, beyond your pretty looks, you actually had a pretty interesting presentation,” I say, my tone teasing as I shuffle the laptop to the side a little. “So, what are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be out with the adoring fan club who kept trying to get pictures with you?”
“Oh, so you saw that?” Brookes shakes his head and picks up the drink menu. “I know a few of those girls from classes. One of them thought it would be funny to take some pictures together. Then others started in on it.”
“Wow.” I smile up at the waiter as he drops off my drink and wings. He takes Brookes’ order before disappearing again. “You didn’t look like you were having fun playing celebrity.”
“Another observant observation.” The corner of his mouth climbs higher as he crosses his arms on the table. “That question you asked during the lecture was smart. I didn’t think anyone would even pause to ask about how nutrition plays into wound care.”
“Well, it’s an interesting aspect of wound care. I don’t think it’s spoken about enough.”
Brookes watches me, the smile wavering slightly as people pass us and head to another table. I take a sip of my drink, feeling the alcohol work through my body and chase away some of the butterflies in my stomach.
