I took a step backward.
“Are you afraid of me? If you didn’t know, I have a bum leg. I’m not sure there is much I can do.” He said it with a smile on his face, letting me know he was joking.
“No, no.” I repeated myself because the first time my voice squeaked. “I was at the gym before coming here, and stuck my scrubs back on— Gah, I don’t know why I’m explaining all this…”
“Because you want to have dinner but don’t want to admit it.”
Sweat started to bead—again—on the nape of my neck and I could feel my hair curling.
“Send me on my way and have dinner with me, Birdie.”
Out of the side of my eye, I glimpsed the tree some other woman was all too glad to bring to him. In my mind, I knew he’d spent his life as a bachelor, entertaining many women. Deep in my heart, I’d dreamed of this moment, seeing him again, thinking I’d never be granted it.
“Okay,” I whispered.
In this instance, I was likely breaking several ethical codes of conduct, but I couldn’t bring myself to care. I’d spent my life doing what others wanted.
I had disclosed to the hospital that Daniel was an old friend when his actor friend flashed all his money around; they were willing to do what made everyone happy. Meaning, Ryan Strauss and Daniel Campbell, as long as it meant lining their pockets.
“Great!” Daniel clapped his hands together and gingerly walked toward the door. “Let’s tell them…”
“Hold up, cowboy. Sit down. I’ll allow your team to review your chart and go from there.”
I looked to see if he’d heard me, and Daniel was already punching some numbers into his phone.
Four Seasons, he mouthed.
Of course he was securing a room—likely a suite—at the nicest hotel in Boston, and it occurred to me that he’d want me to visit him there.
Quickly leaving his room, I considered telling PT to keep him in rehab, but the sooner he left the hospital, the quicker he went home. Which meant the faster he was out of my life.
That was what I told myself as I went back to chat with Robert, the physical therapist assigned to Daniel.
I nodded as Robert talked. “He’s ready to roll, for sure. He has full movement and has been walking without crutches for several days. We have a physical therapist in LA ready to go and he can finish there with the next few stages.”
“Why is he still here?” I tried to temper my anger, knowing the answer. But I hated being manipulated—yet wasn’t ready to say goodbye to Daniel.
“His friend wanted him to get as strong as possible. And if I may say so, Mr. Campbell has been stalling, almost like he was waiting for someone or something…”
Like me, and dinner, which I didn’t say aloud. “Well, let’s send him on his merry way.”
“Okey-dokey, Doc. Hey, do you think we will get invited to the movie Ryan is filming near here? My girlfriend would lose her shit…we wouldn’t mind a day trip to New Hampshire.”
“I don’t know, Robert. I’m hoping our relationship with Ryan Strauss is coming to an end and I can get back to work.”
“Alrighty, captain.”
Fair-skinned, blond-haired, blue-eyed Robert got back to work as I avoided going to see Daniel again. If I knew him as well as I thought, he’d be in touch.
Wren
Don’t be upset, but Genie gave me your number. I’ve officially set my 6 week follow up with my guy at home, and you’re not in charge of me anymore…
I was really going to fire Genie. Anyone would be lucky to hire her. She was competent, kind, and professional, except when it came to fixing me up. It had become her goal in life toshipme with someone…but at the moment, I had to deal with the text looming on my phone.
As if I was ever in charge?
Daniel’s text had come through around three o’clock and I waited fifteen minutes to respond. I couldn’t help my sarcastic response in between charting. The more I thought about it, Genie had probably told him I’d be in my office around three. She was such a sneak.
