AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Dr. Medina stared at me. “We are not at work. Why would I introduce myself by my professional title?”
I shrugged. “I guess I just assumed—”
“Has it ever occurred to you, Carolina, that you make a lot of assumptions about me?” He grabbed his drink and walked to another table, leaving me stunned. That was the first time I’d heard my given name on his lips, and I wasn’t sure how I felt about it. I wanted to keep all my interactions with him professional. I wanted him to mentor me and work with me on my research, our research, but every time we were together, the universe played sick jokes on me, giving me foot-in-mouth disease.
I walked around the bar and poured two more shots of the most expensive tequila I could find. Sofia thankfully walked back out to chat with me, and in time, I completely forgot Dr. Medina was even in the room.
One hour into my drinks, I got a text from Sara.
Sara:Please don’t kill me. I can’t make it tonight. I love you forever. Kiss emoji.
“Let me guess,” Sofia asked as she carried out a case of beer. “She can’t make it?”
“Nope. One guess why.”
“Don’t go there, Caro. She’s a grown woman.”
“I know she is, but he is such a piece of shit. Why can’t she see she deserves so much better?”
“Give her time. She needs to see for herself what a piece of shit he is. The more we tell her to dump his ass, the more she will withdraw from us. And when this blows up in her face, she will need her friends. We can’t alienate her right now, no matter how much it kills us to not say anything.”
I told her what I’ve told her a million times before. “You sure you aren’t a clinical psychologist?”
Sofia laughed. “All bartenders are psychologists. Occupational hazard.”
“I’m heading out. I have to get up early tomorrow.”
I leaned over the bar and gave her a peck on the lips because I could never resist it. She smiled back at me. “Stay safe.”
“I will.”
I was grabbing my purse when I saw him again and remembered he was there. Dr. Medina was cleaning some of the drink that had spilled on his shirt, and I rolled my eyes. Poor guy couldn’t handle a simple peck on the lips by two women. This, ladies and gentlemen, was the man I chose to follow blindly into my career. I shook my head in disbelief and walked out of the bar.
I searched for the car service app on my phone. I’d hit my self-imposed three-drink limit, so even though I felt mostly sober, three drinks were too many to drive. Sofia didn’t even ask, because she knew me well enough, but given how quickly Hector, I mean, Dr. Medina, found himself outside with me, he clearly didn’t trust that I wouldn’t drive. He grabbed my arm above my elbow and started leading me away from the bar.
“I’m driving you home.”
“No, you are not.”
“Yes, I am. You’ve drunk too much.”
“I know.” I searched his eyes. “I’m not driving. See?” I showed him my phone and the app I was scrolling through when he found me. He sighed, and his features softened.
“Good. I’m glad you weren’t going to drive. But I’d still like to drive you home.”
“It’s really not necessary.”
“You would really rather pay for a car service than take a free ride?”
He had a point. I relented and let him lead me to his car. I was surprised to find he didn’t drive a ridiculously expensive sports car like most doctors of his status. The newer model Honda sedan was discreet and unassuming.
We spent the first part of the ride to my apartment in silence, and oddly, it felt comfortable. Halfway there, he said, “I liked that bar.”
“The bar orSofia?”
“Why would you say that?”
I shrugged. “Every man who meets Sofia falls head-over-heels in love with her. I couldn’t blame you if you did. It’s almost inevitable. Hell, I’m completely straight, and I’m half in love with her.”
