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Well, that was a fairly ‘Tony’ way to put it. My cheeks flushed slightly as if I'd just divulged an intensely guarded secret. And I couldn’t help but note his cynical way of referring to marriage.
"Yep," I nodded, locking my gaze with his," but as you can see, the ‘until death do us part’ thing didn’t really work out.”
That familiar mischief danced in his eyes again. "Well, that's a tale I wouldn't mind hearing," he said, his grin suggesting he was already envisioning the story, "Especially considering how the latest chapter of your life includes a handsome doctor who is clearly much better suited for you.”
His playful self-importance was so absurd, all I could do was laugh. I gave him a soft nudge, not wanting to knock him off his imagined pedestal.
His gaze softened as he looked at me, a faint hint of regret creeping into his eyes. He was still being his playful, charmingly cocky self, but there was a sincerity in his tone that touched me. I admired his honesty, his willingness to accept his shortcomings. It was a rare quality.
A blast of icy wind cut through the silence, reminding me of the cold surrounding us. I shivered involuntarily, the chill seeping into my bones. After one more tight hug with Tony, I climbed into my car, Sadie jumping in eagerly after me.
I rolled down the window to say goodbye. Tony stepped forward, bending down to meet my gaze. His eyes were warm, the affection in them unmistakable. I leaned over and kissed him gently, my heart aching with a surprising intensity at the thought of leaving him behind.
Sadie, ever the attention seeker, began to whine from the back seat. She pawed at the car door, trying to get to Tony. He chuckled, extending his hand to let her lick it. "Alright, alright. I wouldn't want to deprive you of your goodbye," he teased, pretending to squirm as Sadie showered him with enthusiastic licks.
"Be careful, Jude," he said after he'd managed to extricate his hand from Sadie's affectionate onslaught. His voice was sincere, his eyes full of concern. "Let me know when you get home, okay?"
"I will," I promised, my hand gripping the steering wheel a little tighter. The sudden reality of leaving, of returning to our individual lives, hung heavily between us. Tony stepped back, watching as I reversed the car out of the driveway and onto the snow-covered road.
As I drove away, I could see him standing there in the rearview mirror, a lone figure against the backdrop of the snowy landscape. He waved, and I couldn't help but smile. This was just the beginning, I reminded myself. There was so much more to look forward to. And even if these past few days were all we had, it would still be a fun weekend to remember. But my heart hoped there would be so much more. With a final glance at Tony, I turned my attention back to the road. The tires crunched over the freshly cleared snow, the sound resonating in the otherwise silent surroundings. The familiar excitement of a new journey filled me as I drove away from the cabin, away from Tony, and back toward the world that awaited me.
As I navigated the winding roads, my thoughts kept drifting back to the last three days. They had been an unexpected whirlwind, filled with moments of laughter, exhilaration, and intimate connection. The memory of Tony’s touch, his taste, the sound of his laughter echoing in the small cabin, all of it was still fresh, intoxicating.
A sigh escaped my lips as I remembered how he made me feel. The way he held me close, the way he made love to me... it was the best sex I'd ever had. The memory of his strong arms around me, the scent of him lingering on my skin, sent shivers of desire down my spine.
Yet despite the passion, the connection, there was something that kept niggling at the back of my mind. Tony was sexy, and funny. His charm was undeniable. But there was another side to him, a side I was more familiar with, the side he showed at the hospital.
His ego, his tendency to treat the nurses as if they were beneath him bothered me. It wasn't just annoying, it was a glaring red flag. It was as if he was two different people—the warm, sensual, and caring man in private, and the egotistical doctor in public. I found myself wondering which one was the real Tony.
A flash of anger surged through me as I thought about my ex-husband, Andrew, who was unfortunately in my thoughts due to him being brought up during the conversation about Sadie. He was like Tony in the sense that he could be charming and loving behind closed doors. And he often was, at first. But the more comfortable he got, the more he started to talk down to me, to belittle me. The memory of those hurtful words, the dismissive looks, made my hands clench on the steering wheel.
I refused to go through that again. I knew my worth, my value. I was more than just a nurse, more than just a woman to be looked down upon. I was strong, independent, capable. And I wouldn't allow any man, no matter how sexy, how charming, to treat me any less.
I shook my head, trying to dispel the dark thoughts. I had a job to fight for, a future to plan. My decision about Tony could wait. For now, I would focus on the road ahead—literally.
As I drove, the snow-covered landscape giving way to the familiar sights of the city, I let out a deep breath. Whatever lay ahead, whatever choices I had to make, I would face them head-on. Just like the snow, the past would melt away, and a new path would be cleared for me to forge ahead. And I was ready for it.
As my car took me closer to Denver, the quiet hum of the engine enveloped me in thought. The dense, snow-covered forest had begun to thin out, making way for glimpses of civilization. With each passing mile, the fresh, crisp air of the mountains was slowly replaced by the familiar smells of the city. The spell of the wilderness, the cabin, and Tony began to wane, just a bit.
The sun's rays danced on the car’s dashboard, and my thoughts wandered back to Tony.What happens next? The age-old dilemma ran through my mind—should I call him when I got home? Or should I text? Was that too impersonal? Maybe I should just leave it be, play it cool. A small laugh escaped as it hit me… I didn’t even have his number! How’s that for modern romance? I'd slept with a man, spent days with him, and never thought to get his number. The humor in the situation didn’t escape me.
I watched as the mountains, so magnificent and mighty, receded in my rearview mirror. The road ahead unfurled like a ribbon; winding, unpredictable, much like my tryst with Tony. It was funny how in a remote cabin, amid a snowstorm, things seemed so much simpler. But as the city loomed ahead, the complications of life, relationships, and everything else reared their complex heads.
I thought about what not having his number meant. Was it the universe telling me to not go down that road? I had never been one to pay attention to such signs, but maybe I should start. After all, relationships were complicated enough without adding overthinking into the mix.
The traffic thickened as I edged into Denver. The buildings, the cars, the people—they felt a little alien after the solitude of the cabin and the mountains. My phone beeped with notifications, pulling me back into the rhythm of daily life.
I realized that maybe it wasn’t about what Tony represented or what he could be. Maybe it was about what I had rediscovered in myself, a fire, a new zest for life, an openness to the unexpected.
I would let life take its course, and if our paths were meant to cross again, they would. With or without a phone number. And whatever happened, I was ready for the adventure.
Chapter 12
Jude
As I turned onto my street, a sinking feeling overtook me. A beastly Ford F-250, jacked up higher than any truck had the right to be, was just ahead, unmistakable in its ostentatious display. Andrew’s truck. I rolled my eyes, a bitter taste rising in my mouth. Typical Andrew, needing to assert his masculinity like that.
What the hell does he want now?
