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But first, Drew had to know if she wanted the same from him. His time at Travis County Hospital was quickly coming to an end, and while he wouldn’t press her for a declaration of love, he had to let her know where he stood. He just had to work up the nerve to tell her.
The amusing irony of his current situation wasn’t lost on him. He’d stared down some of the most powerful executives in the world without flinching, yet the thought of telling this woman he’d loved since she was a girl how he felt about her made his hands tremble.
He would tell her, but he would wait until after he’d fed her. He signaled to the chef to start their crepes.
“How did the surgery go?” Drew asked as he served them bisque from the crystal flask that sat atop a bed of crushed ice.
“The surgery was…eventful,” she said. “The patient coded on the table.”
“Damn, London. Did everything turn out okay?”
“He’s in the ICU and likely to recover, but this is the third time in two years that I’ve operated on this particular patient, and he gets frailer with each surgery. There’s just so much an eleven-year-old’s body can take.” She set the carnation next to her place setting, then looked to him. The despondency in her deep brown eyes pinched his heart. “The toughest part of this job is knowing that, eventually, you’re going to lose some of them.”
She projected this air of detachment when it came to the surgeries she performed, but Drew had expected from early on that it was a coping mechanism. Approaching her job with a certain level of remoteness allowed her to focus on the task at hand and not the mass of emotions undoubtedly attached to each case.
He leaned over and traced a finger along her cheek.
“I’m sure the patient’s family appreciates every second he has on this earth. You’re the reason he’s had more time with his family. Remember to take credit for the wins. You deserve that much.”
She nodded but remained silent. Drew saw the way her throat worked as she swallowed hard.
“You don’t have to be strong with me, London.” He continued to brush his thumb over her smooth skin, keeping his touch light. “Everyone needs to let go sometimes. Allow yourself to feel whatever you need to feel. I’m here to absorb it.”
Her eyes fell shut and she leaned into his hand. Her lips trembled as a single tear fell from the corner of her eye. “It can be so overwhelming,” she whispered.
“I honestly don’t know how you do it.” He brushed the tear from her cheek.
“I don’t know how theparentsdo it. I’m just doing my job, but those parents continue to go through this day after day after day. For so many of them, their child’s illness becomes their entire life.” She opened her eyes. “I’m blown away by their strength. Having kids is not for the weak.”
Drew tipped his head to the side. He waited a beat before asking, “Do you want kids?”
She vehemently shook her head. “I never have, and I am not ashamed to admit it.”
“You shouldn’t be,” he said. “I’ve never had the desire to have kids either.”
He stopped there, but he didn’t have to put voice to the rest of his statement for it to have an impact. This was yet another example of how perfect they were for each other.
“Lobster crepes?”
They both startled at the chef’s intrusion.
“Thank you,” Drew said, taking the plates from the man.
“This looks and smells amazing,” London said. “My PB&J didn’t stand a chance.”
“I have to give the credit to my assistant, Larissa,” Drew admitted. “My initial expectation when I asked her to set up a picnic was a blanket on the ground with some meat, cheese, and fruit for us to share.”
“That would have been nice too,” London said. She sent him a wry smile. “You’d better watch out. I can get used to this, Mr. Sullivan.”
He deliberately chose to disregard the amusement in her voice when he answered her.
“I want you to get used to it,” he said.
“Picnics in the park with you?”
“Every weekend,” he said. “And maybe even during the week. All the time.”
Her fork arrested on the way to her mouth. “What are you saying, Drew?”
