“Enchanted,” he said.
“I could stand to leave men enchanted more often,” she said with a giggle, her handshake confident and firm. “How do you two know each other?”
“Finn’s my—”
“Neighbor!” Finn jumped in. “Remember, he’s the one I helped into his house the other night.”
“Oh, right!” Rose giggled again, and Teddy fought a scowl as he realized that would likely be how Finn introduced him to any of the folks from that night should he run into them too. “I didn’t recognize you up close. I hope everything’s okay. Nothing serious?”
“Mostly just my embarrassment,” Teddy said, to which Rose and Finn both laughed.
“Rose is a nurse, so her concern is genuine,” Finn said. “She works at the hospital, but our paths still cross.”
“Family business, is it?”
“Pretty much,” she said. “Both our fathers were doctors.”
Teddy wasn’t sure which part of that sentence required more attention.
“Just don’t ever say ‘and you’reonlya nurse?’ or that I must have chosen it because I’m a woman.”
Now it was Teddy’s turn to chuckle. “While I am generally an ass, I know better than that. Way I hear it, doctors have specialties, nurses know everything.”
“You, Mr. Scofield,” she said through a heartier laugh, “I like.”
“Please, it’s Teddy.”
“Teddy,” Rose repeated, “why don’t you keep Finn company for a minute while I grab us a bottle of wine?”
“Oh, I….”
It seemed rather blatant that she was leaving them alone on purpose, especially since Teddy would swear she elbowed Finn as she passed him.
Still, his curiosity was stronger than the urge to run away. “Pardon my prying, but both your fathers?”
“Rose is my adopted sister.” Finn’s smile turned somber. “Her father still is a doctor, but my parents passed away.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.”
“It’s okay. I mean, it’s not, but it was a long time ago.” The way his eyes went distant prompted Teddy to change the subject.
“Why didn’t you mention you’re my physical therapist?”
“HIPAA,” Finn said. “Sorry. Technically, I can’t tell anyone or that would be sharing patient information.”
“Because then the person would know I require a physical therapist.”
“Exactly. You can certainly tell people; it doesn’t have to be a secret. It’s just easier if we run into each other like this to keep me out of any moral trip-ups.”
“Like heavily flirting with your patient?” Teddy couldn’t help teasing.
“Prior to knowing that was the case,” Finn defended with a renewed smile. “Difficult though it may be to stop now.”
Teddy’s breath caught, because there Finn went again, since they weren’t therapist and patient at the moment. His eyes had this alluring way of darkening whenever he was being impish.
“Professional, I promise. But just so you know, in case it ever crossed your mind, we don’t have any policy against dating our patients, it’s just frowned upon.”
Imp.
