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I nodded. “We’re not together and I’m here to see if my old job is still available.”
“It is if you want it, but my advice to you is to stick it out. You can’t perform surgery now, but you will in a few months and in the meantime there’s plenty of research to be done. You can see patients and watch Dr. Wright.”
I acknowledged his words with a nod, but the truth was that I couldn’t be sure Drew would be up for teaching me given our present circumstances. “And if that doesn’t work out, where will I be? Two years without a surgery and just observing surgeries, I’ll be rusty in the OR.”
“You will be an excellent teacher.”
Those words gutted me but I kept my expression blank. “So my job here is still available but I can’t have it?”
Montclair nodded slowly, an amused smile on his face. “Give it six months and if you hate it, your job here is available.”
My shoulders sank in a mixture of relief and disappointment. “All right, Dr. Montclair, we’ll do it your way. To start.”
“Excellent. Anything you manage to learn during this time will make you an asset to this hospital and our teaching program.”
Dammit, even he knew the odds weren’t good I would return to my surgical rotation. “Okay. Thanks, I guess.”
Montclair’s loud booming laugh echoed in the room. “It’s not so bad, Zola. Maybe you’ll want a different career track once your baby arrives and this may give you an advantage.”
He was right, of course. “I know. But that doesn’t mean I’m happy about it.”
“You will be, I guarantee it. It’s always good for a professional woman to have options. Now, tell me about the father.”
I sighed. “Drew Wright.”
Eyes wide again, he punctuated the look with another laugh. “I should have guessed all that tension would end up in the bedroom.” His smile faded before the next question. “And there’s really no hope for you two?”
“None.” I’d been gone for a few days now and he hadn’t reached out in any way. He hadn’t found the right words to say that he has no feelings for me. None at all. “I’ll be fine.”
“Doesn’t make it hurt less.”
He was right, of course. “No, it doesn’t.” Before either of us could say more, Dr. Montclair was summoned. “I’ll keep you informed of my progress.”
Montclair stood and yanked his white coat off the wooden coatrack in the corner and stopped in front of me. “Everything will be all right, Zola. Remember why you got into this field, kids with heart problems, and you’ll find a way.”
I nodded and hugged him goodbye before the tears that stung behind my eyes fell. Again. “Thank you. For everything.”
“My pleasure. You’ll come to the house for dinner before you go back?”
I nod. “Wouldn’t miss it for the world.” Montclair was paged again and we went our separate ways outside of his office. While he went off to perform life-saving surgery, I went the other way, towards the exit and the sunny Alabama day.
Stay. He wanted me to stay in Jackson’s Ridge, pretty much demanded it. Which meant I’d have to go back and work with a man who’s baby I was having and who didn’t love me.
“Zola.”
I froze at the sound of the familiar voice that was out of place among the southern twang of most of my colleagues here in Alabama. My head shot up and scanned the parking lot, wondering if I was hallucinating or if the owner of that voice was actually here. For me.
“Zola.” There he was, leaning against my rental with a lopsided smile on his face. Thick dark hair was wavy and slightly unkempt, matching his effortlessly cool fashion choice of jeans and a sky blue Oxford.
“Drew,” I sighed. “What are you doing here? Is everything all right with Gavin? Suzie and the twins? Granddaddy?” My heart raced at the thought that something was wrong. “Well?”
“Everyone was fine when I saw them this morning.”
“Oh, good.” My shoulders relaxed as relief washed over me. “What’s wrong?”
He pushed off the driver’s side door and closed the distance between us. “What’s wrong is that I let you leave without telling you how much you mean to me. I let you walk away without telling you that I think you are absolutely wonderful, Zola. Smart and gorgeous, sexy and sassy, and so damn generous it makes my heart ache.” He sighed and smiled at me with such affection it made my heart clench.
“Drew, you don’t have to say this.”
“I know, but I did what you asked. I took the days since you left to examine my motives and my feelings. The truth is, I understand your skepticism, Zola. I’ve been a mess since you came into my life and,” he held up both hands in a playfully defensive gesture, “I’m not blaming you for that, only stating a fact.”
