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Brooke
I’d always been an early riser, and this morning was no exception. Seeing Lucas asleep beside me, flopped on his stomach and looking as handsome as our first morning together, hit me with déjà vu.
Heaving a silent sigh, I made myself get out of bed. Mainly nature was calling, but also this morning with him was bound to be awkward. I crept down the steps quietly and found the downstairs bathroom. After I’d cleaned up quietly, I collected my clothes strewn between the hallway and kitchen table.
As I dressed, I contemplated my choices. I could wait for him to wake up and drive me home, or I could make good use of the Uber app. Deciding to obtain my own ride, I typed in my information and frowned at the fifteen-minute wait time. Guess I had time to look around.
I appreciated the simple taste employed in his house. Dark hardwood floors, white cabinets, stainless steel, high-end appliances, and a gray-and-white marbled countertop made for a clean, classic look. Walking into the living room, I appreciated the leather sofas, which appeared both high end and comfortable. The worn recliner conjured up an image of Lucas watching the game on the flat screen over the fireplace or going through his patient records. Maybe both together.
Oof, I needed to stop picturing him doing anything. Last night had been nothing but a physical release for both of us. A second-night stand, if you will.
Tracking my Uber driver, I saw he was now thirteen minutes out, giving me time to make a pot of coffee and help myself to one of the travel mugs I found in a cabinet. The supply of creamer in his refrigerator door didn’t disappoint, and the number of desserts on his counter made me chuckle. Just how many women did he have baking for him? And more importantly how the hell did the guy eat this many carbs and manage to stay in shape?
It felt strange to have unfiltered access to his personal space. And although another night together didn’t change things between us, I found myself curious about his life outside of work. Had he shared this house with his ex-wife? Did he sit out on his balcony and have his morning coffee there? Did he use his surfboard every day? What would he do with his weekend after he finished his rounds this morning?
Probably something more exciting than what I had planned, which was nothing.
Time to change that. I’d never been the girl to wait on a boy to call, and I certainly wouldn’t start now. Instead, I’d make plans of my own. I’d go see Addison in Vegas tonight.
I made quick work of scratching a note to Lucas and then took my coffee outside to wait for my driver.
After arriving back at my brother’s house, I showered, changed, packed a bag, and booked a flight. Although I had four scheduled appointments this morning, I decided to drop by the hospital first to check on Meredith before I started work.
She was with her husband when I knocked and peeked my head into her room. “Hi there. How are you doing?”
“Hi, Brooke. Come in. Aw, you brought flowers. So nice of you.”
I’d gone by the gift shop downstairs for a bouquet. Andy took them from me and set them on the window.
“I know Dr. Lewis is looking after you today, but I wanted to come by to see how you and the baby are doing.”
“He’s great, and so am I, thanks to you. Baby Noah is in the NICU getting light therapy and some extra care today, but I’ll head over to see him soon.”
It was common to give light therapy to preemies to ensure they didn’t develop jaundice.
Her husband kissed her forehead. “I’m going to check on him real quick and be right back.”
“Thanks, babe.” The affection between them was obvious.
Once he left, she leaned back in her bed, her eyes closing briefly.
“I’ll let you get some rest.”
“No, no. I’m happy for the company. And to be able to thank you again.”
“Glad I could be there.”
“Yeah, what are the chances of you and Lucas being at the same party?”
Don’t blush, don’t blush, don’t blush. “Yeah, small world.”
“You’d make an adorable couple.”
My cheeks went hot. “We’re just friends.”
She sighed. “I was kind of hoping you two might hit it off as more than friends. But I’m not surprised. Although his ex did a number on him, I’d love to see Lucas find someone special who can get him to trust again.”
On the surface, it was easy to blame Lucas’ trust issues on a cheating ex, but it went deeper. After his mother had abandoned him, and his father had marched a parade of stepmothers through his life, he’d stopped believing anything could be permanent.
