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I’ve settled on my Jaguar. Something I drive most days, although it’s one car I barely fit into.
Like I said, the hospital’s close.
But Evelyn’s not worried about the cars, I can tell it’s the whole house that has her interest piqued.
“Did you just move in?” she asks, trying to sound casual, but I can see her wide eyes and mouth mirroring her inner thoughts on all she’s seen so far.
“Been here almost ten years,” I confess. Feeling the hum of the V12 open up under me as I pull out of the gated driveway, the car feeling like it knows its way to the hospital by now.
I make some small talk on the way to the hospital, discovering that Evelyn wants to study medicine despite her dad’s wishes.
Her special interest?
Cardiology.
No way.
“I might just be able to help,” I suggest again, not meaning to sound cryptic. But if there’s one guy in the country who can help her with her study goals, it’s me.
She stays quiet, gnawing her lip until we finally reach the hospital and I remind myself about taking baby steps.
I don’t want to scare her off by acting like Dr. Big stuff, and the main focus is really on her dad’s health right now.
That and getting her between my sheets to rightfully claim what’s mine.
But it has to be on her terms, not just mine.
And way before that, we need to make sure her dad’s okay too. My number one patient right now.
That old blast from my past, Nick Partridge.
Yay me.
“Evelyn,” I tell her. “Sorry for being so full-on, but I-” I start to tell her until I see the familiar shape of the hospital director clipping towards my car.
I let the driver’s side window down.
“Morning John,” I remark, watching his eyes settle on Evelyn in the seat beside me, narrowing as he shoots them to meet mine.
“Your flight leaves in an hour, Mark. Cutting it a little close wouldn’t you say?” he says, obviously seething.
“I rescheduled,” I tell him honestly, sensing Evelyn shifting in her seat next to me.
“We have a surgical relief team here at nine, Mark. No need for you to even be here,” he says, grinding his jaw.
I shoot him a little smile, my winning one.
“I’d like to check in on my patient, and his daughter’s here too. She’d like to see her dad if that’s okay? Do you need the bill paid before she can do that? Because I can write you a check right now, John.”
He’s already storming off, and Evelyn is already looking at me for an explanation.
“I got this,” I tell her. Meaning everything.
The hospital director, my job. The bill for her dad’s surgery and hospital stay.
Everything.
“I got this,” I say again, turning to face her with a look I hope tells her everything’s alright still. But I can’t help notice she isn’t as happy as I want her to be.
“Whatever you’re risking, Mark. Is it worth it?” she asks me, meaning her. Her dad.
My feelings for her. My job and everything else she doesn’t know about me just yet.
“There’s no risk, Evelyn,” I tell her. “Just remember what I told you already, mine,” I remind her, leaning over to kiss her.
“As long as you’re here with me, everything’s just perfect.”
“Is it?” she rasps coldly, watching the hospital director walk away. “I wonder if it is. If it ever could be.”
Chapter Eleven
Evelyn
I haven’t told him so yet, but I think I love Dr. Mark Love.
I mean, what’s not to love?
He’s freaking perfect, isn’t he?
Last night was so special, this morning even more so with breakfast and everything else so far.
Something tells me every day, each moment with Mark could be just like that.
If only I’d let it.
Maybe he’s right. Maybe I’m just too down on myself to believe magic really happens.
Maybe I’m not ready to believe a god like Mark Love could just swoop down from heaven and solve all my problems with a smile and a slick tongue where it counts.
I think I need to see my dad. I need to make sure he’s okay. To know any of this is even real anymore.
“Let’s go see your dad,” Mark offers, reading my mind again and making me feel bad for even doubting him for a second.
But it’s not him I doubt.
It’s still me.
How the hell could a guy like this be remotely interested in someone like me?
His firm hand on my thigh makes me jump a little.
“Because I think I might just be in love with you, Evelyn Partridge,” he says in a low, smoky voice.
My heart’s in my throat in a second, and his eyes lock on mine before he kisses me again.
There.
He said it, now can we move on?
I don’t know if I can though. This whole thing is too crazy, no matter how much I tell myself I know it’s right.
