AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Ooh! That looks so good,” she says peeking into my container and taking a sniff. “But is that rosemary? Rosemary is a no-no for me. Something about the smell. Ugh.” She makes a gagging sound, grabbing her throat.
“Oh, I’m sorry!” I quickly snap my container shut and move the bag away.
“I wish I could,” she tells me, “but these food sensitivities have been the worst. They’re ruining everything for me.” She pouts. “I’m stuck snacking on this stuff.” Yvonne raises a zipper bag of sad-looking cucumber slices.
“Ugh. That sucks.” I give her hand a squeeze in sympathy.
“It’s the pits.” She bobs her head in miserable agreement. “But at least the baby will be here soon, and it’ll all be worth it.” She releases a breath, her hand coasting lovingly over her belly. “My maternity leave starts next Friday and I cannotwait!”
“That’s exciting,” I say. “I’d bet you can’t wait to meet your little one.”
Yvonne and I are having a fantastic conversation when some cocky intern butts in out of nowhere.
“I haven’t seenyouhere before,” he says, his mouth swinging into a half-grin. “You need a doctor, you give me a call, sweetie.” He flashes a homemade business card in my face. It says Todd Something-Or-Other. “I’ll give you the best medical care in Starlight Falls. I’mverythorough with my patients.” He hikes an eyebrow at me with all the swagger of Johnny Bravo.
I throw up a little in my mouth.
Seriously? Trying to impress me with his position at the clinic? Isn’t he just a resident here?
“No offense, but if I need a doctor, I’ll probably call my father. Or my brother,” I mumble back, very muchnotimpressed. I may be depressed about the med school snafu thing right now, but not nearly depressed enough to let this dude get in my head. Or in my pants.
He gives me a clueless look. “Huh?”
I don’t have time for this. I pick up my oversized lunch bag. “Now, if you’ll excuse me.”
The receptionist giggles quietly, and I wink at her before meandering on, further down the hallway.
I’m wandering past an open doorway when I spot a drop-dead gorgeous male specimen dozing off, hunched over a microwaveable pizza roll.
Oh, geez.
A freaking pizza roll for lunch? And a store-bought one, at that?! Doesn’t he know what that’s going to do to his arteries?
I shake my head, taking the rare moment to observe him. The way his broad shoulders rise and fall rhythmically…The way his too long eyelashes flutter in a futile attempt to fight off sleep…Mason Westbrook is adorable.
My belly tingles.
I take a tiny step into his office, peeking around the room. His diplomas and certifications are on the walls. Two or three framed photos of his family on the window sill. Nothing fancy or flashy. Just…Mason.
He has a whole bunch of medical files spread out in front of him. I’m guessing he’d been planning to read them over his lunch break. But it looks like he can’t even keep his eyes open.
I feel a grin on my face. It’s cute that he’s falling asleep now, but it’s probably because he was up listening to my endless ramblings on the back deck half the night. I feel a little guilty about that.
I can’t lie, though—it was nice talking to him. I enjoyed it. I guess that a little alcohol is what it takes to help me really let my guard down with him.
“Knock, knock,” I say eventually. As reluctant as I am to wake him, I know that this man is in need of a meal.Felix probably had him running up and down these halls, chasing after patients all morning.
Mason jolts awake, and I greet him with a smirk.
“Uh. Hi?” He rubs at his eyes.
I saunter inside. “No wonder you have headaches, roomie. Look what you eat for lunch.” I nudge his cold, rubbery excuse for a pizza roll with my knuckle, pushing it aside. “And you look like you didn’t get a wink of sleep last night. Do you even know how to take care of yourself? Who’s your physician? We may need to share some words,” I joke, as I’m taking items out of my lunch bag and arranging them on his desk.
Mason gives me a sleepy smile that makes my lady bits pulse. He watches intently as I set out my risotto and plastic plates. “Well, I grew up with a caring mother who never let me miss a meal and a grandmother who was always conspiring to fatten me up. Plus all those sisters I told you about. They were always happy to feed me leftovers from their cooking adventures. I never really had to cook. So you could say that I was a bit spoiled in that department.”
“And now the fancy pants doctor can only handle a microwaved pizza pocket? Your family would be so disappointed to see this,” I mock, shaking my head and fighting back a grin.
Teasing this man brings me large amounts of joy. So much joy. I can’t even explain why.
