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“Dr. Wolfe. I’m so glad you could make it.” An older gentleman approaches us.
Oliver extends his hand to shake the man’s hand. “Dr. Kramer, it’s good to see you.”
Dr. Kramer looks over at me, arches a brow, and looks back at Theo.
Theo puts his hand on my lower back. “This is Dr. Charlotte Everling.” He pauses for a moment. “My fiancée.”
Dr. Kramer’s other brow shoots up in surprise. “Fiancée? I didn't realize you were engaged.”
“Yes, well, it’s a fairly new thing,” Oliver replies, although his voice sounds a bit stilted.
“How do you do, Dr. Kramer?” I say, reaching out to shake his hand.
“Nice to meet you, Dr. Everling. What sort of doctor are you?”
“Psychiatry,” I reply.
Kramer smiles jovially. “That’s perfect. Dr. Wolfe here fixes people on the outside, and you fix them up on the inside.”
I sip my champagne to quell the instinct to make a comment about people not needing to be fixed on the outside.
Dr. Kramer turns his attention back to Oliver. “Why didn’t you tell me you were engaged during your interview?”
Oliver shrugs. "At the time, based on your opinion of me, I wasn’t sure that you would believe me.”
I look at Oliver, thinking that was a pretty good excuse.
“And how did you two meet? You haven’t been here very long, have you?”
Oliver hesitated for a moment and I wasn’t sure if he had a response to that, so I decided to jump in. “I live in the same building as Oliver’s brother, so I would see Oliver whenever he was out here visiting his brother. Over time, a relationship developed.”
“And you weren’t concerned about his past?” Dr. Kramer asks.
From a quick glance at Oliver, I can see his jaw tighten. Again, I wonder what was in his past that was so concerning.
“I don’t know why I would hold his dating history against him,” I say. “I’m just glad he decided to end it with me.”
Oliver’s thumb gently strokes my spine, which is a little disconcerting, since his hand is on the backless part of my dress. It sends delicious shimmers of sensation through me.
“I think there are some who think I moved out here for a fresh start away from my reputation in Los Angeles, but the truth is, I came out here for Charlotte.” Oliver smiles at me.
“Well, that’s wonderful. I wish you would have said that during your interview. It changes everything.”
“It does?” Theo asks, as if he doesn’t know.
“Well, of course. I think I told you that the concerns of the board were that you were too unsettled and might bring unwanted attention to the clinic. But marrying a doctor, and a beautiful one at that, changes everything. I’ll tell you what, you come back to my office Monday, and we’ll talk again.”
I look up at Oliver, thinking how easy it was to achieve this goal. I’m not sure if he’s trying to stay cool and collected, or if he’s still feeling the bruise on his ego at the comments about his reputation as he doesn’t seem to immediately jump on the good news.
He finally manages a smile and extends his hand. “Thank you, Dr. Kramer, I’ll be there.”
When Dr. Kramer wanders off to talk with other people, I feel like our job is done, but Oliver asks if I’d be willing to stay longer.
“I’d like to expand my opportunities, if possible.”
I nod because that is the sensible thing to do. Similarly to the party at Theo’s, I stick close to Oliver, as that’s where I feel most comfortable. Not that I have any kind of social anxiety, but it just feels safer to be near him so that we can keep our story straight. Besides, I need someone to keep me in line on the off-chance I decide to share my opinion of cosmetic surgery.
At the end of the evening, as we ride in the car back to the condo building, Oliver tugs at his tie, pulling it loose from around his neck and undoing the top button. He lets out a long breath, and I can sense his body relaxing.
