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Momma wasn’t so easy to shut down. “But, darling, you mean he hasn’t called? Not even once? It’s been over two weeks! Maybe I should call Lanie and see what’s going on.”
“Don’t you dare,” Lauren said, perhaps just a tad too vehemently because Momma arched a brow at her. She softened her approach. “Momma, the poor man got dumped three weeks ago. He can’t be ready to start a new relationship.”
Momma must have seen the wisdom in that because she relented. “I suppose you’re right.” Only now her mother had that look on her face that made Lauren feel guilty.
“Wait,” Lauren said. “What do you mean call Lanie? I thought Paula was your go-to person here.”
“Didn’t I tell you? Lanie Miller and I have become such good friends! I’ve been doing some volunteer work at the shelter. Well, not actual work with the animals, but I’ve been doing some fundraising.”
“Just how many fundraising committees are you on right now?”
“Well, there’s the animal shelter, I just told you about that one. The Alzheimer’s committee is on hiatus. For now. But I’ve got some great ideas for our next project. There’s the rec center event, because you know even though Tom’s company is doing that pro-bono, there’s still so m
uch more that needs to be done, and—”
“Momma,” Lauren said trying to be gentle, “don’t you think maybe you’re overextending yourself just a bit?”
“Not at all! Sweetie, you know how I like to stay busy. Like my own mother used to say, idle hands are the devil’s workshop. Now, back to Lanie. Are you positive you don’t want me to say something to her?”
“Pretty pretty please positive,” Lauren said, hoping that would be the end of that.
*~*~*
It was Nate’s lunch hour and he was using the time to read an article on the latest research on vitamins and autoimmune diseases. Fascinating stuff, really. He should have been riveted. But he was having a hard time concentrating because instead of looking at the words on the screen he kept seeing Lauren Donalan’s face. More specifically, the dazed look in her eyes after they kissed on the beach.
They’d run into each other four times now in the past two weeks. Statistically improbable considering that up until then he’d only seen her twice in the six months that he’d been back in town (he didn’t count the office visit with her parents). Which left Nate with the only conclusion logically possible. They’d been running into each other on purpose. At least, subconsciously.
Once, he’d run by her house, but that was only because he’d discovered a short cut through her part of the neighborhood. She’d been putting out her garbage and they’d waved to one another. Then there was the time he’d bumped into her at The Bistro, but half of Whispering Bay was in and out of there daily, and her shop was right next door, so no, that was probably more like a foregone conclusion. But then there was the time when he’d gone by The Bistro and on a whim, consciously walked right into her store.
He’d been curious about Can Buy Me Love. The night they’d had dinner she’d talked about her vintage clothing shop with such enthusiasm, he wanted to see it for himself. And of course, she’d been there. And she’d looked…interesting.
He knew other men found Lauren beautiful. She was the ideal feminine type. Blonde, blue-eyed, and petite—yet, curvy in all the right places. Symmetrically, her facial features were nearly perfect. Her bone structure alone would have made a plastic surgeon weep. But oddly, he’d never been attracted to her in high school. One afternoon after P.E. class, he’d overheard two of the jocks in the locker room discussing “Lauren Handy’s superior ass.” He’d studied it once (discreetly) all the way down the length of a hallway. He’d been ten steps behind her and he’d had to admit, that, yes, superior was an excellent way to describe not just her ass, but all the other parts of her, too. But there had always been a sadness about her that no one else seemed to notice. And for Nate, that sadness had dulled her.
But this new Lauren Donalan? He’d seen some sadness in her eyes, too, the day she’d brought her father in to see him. But that was a different kind of sad. He’d also seen anger and loyalty and a fighting spirit that he couldn’t help but admire. During their dinner, he’d been (for lack of a better word) captivated by her. The look on her face when she talked about the people and things she loved—her son, her parents, her vintage clothing store—it was like looking at the sky on a clear night through the most excellent telescope. Everything was clearer, sharper, more…in focus. He’d told Jessica he found Lauren pretty, but it seemed a bland word to describe her now.
Jessica, on the other hand, he’d been attracted to instantly. He’d had a couple of girlfriends in college, studious, quiet pre-med types like himself, but nothing serious. They’d been more like study partners he ended up sleeping with. Then one Friday night after class he met Jessica at a bar on Tennessee Street. Tall, great figure, flaming red hair. Every guy in the bar had noticed her and when she’d singled Nate out to talk to, he found himself doing something he’d never done before. He played the “med school card.”
Guys in his program had told him it was the ultimate aphrodisiac. Girls couldn’t resist bagging a med student. And they’d been right. He and Jessica had gone back to his apartment that night and they’d fucked like rabbits. In the beginning, she’d been nice. She was also smart, and that had been as attractive to Nate as the rest of the package put together. So they started dating and before he knew it they were a “couple.” And yes, eventually, he’d seen those moments when her nice became not-quite-so-nice. In other words, when Jessica didn’t get her way, she pouted.
He thought he loved her. But maybe Lanie was right. Maybe he’d just been using her for sex. He was ashamed to admit it, but it made him feel good to walk into a room with Jessica on his arm. Other guys always told him how lucky he was, and he’d begun to believe it. But in the past three weeks he’d hardly thought about her at all.
Instead, he found his mind constantly wandering back to his dinner with Lauren. The evening had started off pleasant enough, but then he’d begun to enjoy himself in a way he never remembered with Jessica. And that kiss… It had been the most spontaneous thing he’d ever done in his life. He’d expected her to slap him. Or at least, push him away. Never in a million years had he dreamed that she’d actually kiss him back with such…enthusiasm. Her sweet little body had melted against him, and in that moment he felt like he’d cured cancer or found the answer to world peace. If Lanie hadn’t been there to pick them up, he had a strong feeling they’d have ended up back at his place.
But the real reason I became a doctor is because I wanted a profession where I had the potential to make a lot of money.
It was true. At least, in the beginning it was. And there was nothing wrong with wanting to make money. Not if it wasn’t the only reason he’d gone into medicine. Despite what Doc might think, he genuinely liked his patients and wanted to help them.
But he’d never told anyone that answer before. Not his mom. Not Lanie. And certainly not Jessica. Lauren was right. He did sound mercenary. Jessica knew about his dad’s death, of course, but he’d never told her how he felt about it.
Money was tight. I don’t ever want to leave my family in that kind of situation.
Why had he confessed that to Lauren Donalan, of all people?
He’d have to think about that.
His cell phone buzzed. Ironically, it was Jessica. He hadn’t heard from her since she’d left to go back to Miami. He briefly thought of rejecting her call, but perhaps this was something important.
“Nate! Baby, how are you?” Jessica said. “I’ve been so worried about you.”
