“Dr. Yoder,” he mentions his professional name like I’m his patient or something. I immediately dislike him; I’ve grown up my whole life with people like him.
“Have you two not met before?” Cheryl asks.
“No, we haven’t had the pleasure,” I reply. “I met Lexi at Ariella’s baby shower.” I see him look at her. “I’m Jaxon’s teammate.”
“Of course,” he says, looking me up and down, the disdain for me written all over his face.
“Kirby is going to be going up for auction,” Cheryl announces.
“Is that so?” he says, side-eyeing his wife.
“Cheryl asked him,” Lexi quickly relays, and I want to punch him in his fucking throat. “They were talking when I got here.”
I reach for my phone and slap my jeans. “I must have forgotten my phone. Dr. Visabell, it was a pleasure,” I say to the man and then look at Lexi’s husband. “Nice to meet you.” I refuse to say his name before I walk away and head back toward the pediatric wing.
“Hi.” I stop at the nurses’ station and the head nurse smiles at me.
“Are you looking for this?” She holds up the phone.
“Guilty,” I say and she hands it to me. “Thank you for that.”
“See you in a couple days.” She smiles and walks away from me as I retrace my steps back to the elevator. I’m almost there when I hear voices.
“You made me look like a fool,” he hisses and I know that voice. “Standing there flirting with that…that no-good-for-nothing thug.”
I almost laugh until I hear her voice. “I was not flirting with that guy,” she hisses in a whisper. “Besides, I’m too good for someone like him, and you know it. Why would I want to be with him when I have you? Don’t insult me like that.” My head turns to the side, and I see them in the corner, her standing in front of him. “Now, let’s stop talking before someone hears us. Then the gossip will take over and you don’t need that stress.”
I move out of the way and duck into an alcove as they walk away, his hand in hers like she’s his prize and her head held high right alongside him. All I can think of at this moment is how wrong I was about her. “What a bitch.”
three
Lexi
My phone vibrates by my hand as I look down at the flower arrangement in front of me.
Trent:
On my way back from New York. I’ll be home by six, have dinner ready. I guess I’ll have what you are having since we are watching what we eat.
Who is we? I think to myself since he has never once changed the way he eats. The pit of my stomach lurches. He hasn’t been home for dinner in three days. The last time I saw him was at the hospital after he met Kirby. The memory makes my stomach burn even more. I close my eyes for a second, trying to erase the words I said, I’m too good for someone like him. Just thinking about them again, I cringe.
Me:
I took out some salmon and was going to do it grilled with veggies.
Trent:
Shouldn’t you be eating white fish instead? It’s better for you.
Me:
I’ll take out the cod and steam it. Would you like the salmon anyway?
Trent:
Sure, you have the time to do both. Taking off, see you at six.
“Sorry about that,” I say, putting my phone back in my purse now that he’s on his flight and I don’t have to worry about missing his call or message. “Okay, so this is going to be the flower arrangement on each table.” I look down at the mock-up table Mindy has prepared for me. There are five gold cylinder vases in front of her, the tallest on the outside and then going shorter to the middle and then working their way back up. She has calla lilies in two of them and then roses in the other three. “What if we put only four vases?” I question, taking one off and then start filling the other four vases with more flowers. “It’s less on the table since there will also be a bucket of champagne, and then using the same amount of flowers, the vases look fuller.”
