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“Drew, I honestly don’t think I’ve taken an entire week off since my first year of medical school. But my supervisor has warned me that I’m going to burn myself out if I don’t slow down.”
“He’s right,” Drew said. “I’ve been there. It’s not pretty.”
Her brows arched. “How bad was it?”
“Bad,” Drew answered. “It’s not fair to compare our jobs because you literally have people’s lives in your hands, but it can be damn stressful when you’re dealing with people’s livelihoods too. One misstep on my part, one bad decision, and tens of thousands of people can be out of a job, have their retirement accounts go to shit, or lose everything they own.”
“Yeah, I’d say that’s stressful. What did you do when the burnout hit?”
“I powered through it, which I do not recommend,” Drew said. “If you’re going to take some time off, then do it and be smart about it.”
A thought occurred to him. He’d promised Elias that he would drive to the Hill Country to go through his mom’s things. Drew had planned to head out early tomorrow morning, but he was more than willing to postpone it by a day. He knew London was taking her little sister somewhere tomorrow so they could discuss the nude-selfies incident, but maybe he could convince her to join him once she returned.
“When does your leave start?” Drew asked.
“Noon.” She looked up at him. “I’m not flying to New York to see Central Park from your bathroom.”
Drew laughed and shook his head. “That would have been my suggestion if my partner had asked me to fly up there today,” he said. “Thankfully, I think B. J. will be able to handle this current issue Trident is dealing with without my having to leave Texas. However, Iamgoing out of town for a couple of days.”
“When?”
It was possible that his mind’s capacity for wishful thinking had reached epic levels, but Drew could swear he’d noted a touch of despondency in her single-word question.
“This weekend,” he answered. “I need to see about my mom’s house. It’s been sitting empty for the past year, and my uncle thinks it’s time I go there and figure out what I want to keep and what needs to be donated.” He hunched his shoulders. “I’ve been putting it off for obvious reasons.”
“It’s tough to see things that remind you of her?”
She didn’t know the half of it.
“Something like that,” Drew answered. He sat back in his chair. “Anyway, there’s some really nice wineries on the way there, along with a few day spas. If you’re going to take some time off to unwind, maybe we could make use of both?”
The smile that slowly formed on her lips was hesitant at first, as if she still wasn’t sure she could trust him. It killed him that she continued to hold back, that she couldn’t have just a little more faith in these feelings he knew damn well she was starting to feel for him.
She lifted a pen with a bright yellow sunflower attached to it and tapped it on the desk. Studying him with an arched brow, she said, “Are you threatening me with a good time, Drew Sullivan?”
“I don’t make threats, Dr. Kelley. I make promises.”
She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth and allowed her eyes to travel the length of him. “When were you planning to leave?”
Drew reined in the urge to pump his fist in the air, though he did allow himself a moment to release the breath he’d been holding.
“Saturday morning,” he answered. “But we can put it off until late afternoon or evening. I know you have your outing with your little sister tomorrow.”
“Actually, I don’t,” she said. “Believe it or not, she’s on a band trip with the same boy she was going to send the nudes to.”
“What?” Drew’s head reared back. “Just how long has it been since your dad and stepmom were teenagers? They have to know better than that.”
“Don’t get me started.” London shook her head as she tossed down the sunflower pen. “I’ve decided to keep my opinions to myself. I’ll eventually talk to Nina.” She set her elbow on the desk and rested her chin in her upturned palm. “I’m not sure about going away with you for the weekend, though.”
“Two words: couples massage.”
She rolled her eyes, a bemused smirk tugging at the corners of her mouth. “You are just determined to make me admit that we’re friends, aren’t you?”
“Friends? When was the last time you had a couples massage with a friend?”
“Oh, so we’ve moved past just being friends?”
Drew leaned back in his chair and folded his hands over his stomach. He projected an air of nonchalance, but inside sat a knotted ball of anxiety. He may have pushed too far. She could decide right here, right now that she wasn’t interested in going beyond what they already had. She could decide that the sex was good while it lasted, but a weekend getaway implied more than she was willing to commit to, and she’d rather just cut things off completely than continue moving in the direction he obviously wanted to take them.
