“We broke up in university, for reasons that aren’t really relevant now,” Melissa continues. “I didn’t see Luke for ten years, but when I saw him again . . . well, I think it was inevitable. It would have happened regardless of how we met, whether it was at the hospital or shopping at Wal-Mart. We just fit together, you know?”
“Not really,” Drew admits, but the look on his face suggests he wishes he did. “But I’ll take your word for it.”
“And Luke tried really hard to do the right thing,” Melissa says. “He offered to find Claire a different surgeon because we have a history, but I insisted he do it. It would have been risky to delay the surgery, and I trusted him. And after the operation I asked if he wanted to meet for coffee but he said no, because he didn’t want to takeadvantage of me. Nothing happened between us until weeks after the surgery, when he wasn’t Claire’s doctor anymore.”
It’s a well-edited version of events that makes no mention of my unsolicited house call or our late night phone conversations. I couldn’t ask for a better defense.
“And Luke’s wanted to be a surgeon since we were teenagers, and he’sgoodat it,” Melissa says. “He saved a woman’s life last night, and I’m sure he saves lives every day. It’s part of who he is. And if Luke’s career suffers because of our relationship, I’ll suffer too, because I love him.”
Melissa doesn’t look anxious anymore, she looks fierce. Magnificent. And mine.
She loves me.
I should stop her now, tell her that she doesn’t have to bare her soul to Drew, but for some reason I can’t speak.
“I’m willing to explain that to the hospital, the Medical Board, and whoever else needs to hear it,” she continues. “And if we have to stay away from each other for a while, to give it more time since he treated Claire?—”
When I realize what she’s saying, my voice comes back quickly. “No way in hell,” I interrupt. “I already explained it to Drew. I’m not giving you up, Melissa, even if it means I lose my medical license.”
“Luke!” she exclaims. “But you can’t . . . you don’t mean?—”
“Yeah, I do,” I interrupt. “It’s really simple, Milly. I love you, and I’m not giving you up for any length of time.”
“But Luke . . .” she begins. She turns to Drew, as though she’s hoping he’ll talk sense into me.
But Drew just shrugs. “I doubt you’ll change his mind, Melissa, but I think it’ll probably be fine. I don’t see a bigproblem with your relationship, and if there are other complaints to the hospital, or to the Medical Board, I’ll do what I can for Luke.”
“Really?” Melissa asks, as though she’s almost afraid to believe it.
“Sure. Luke only treated your daughter for a short period of time, and he never treated you. It helps that you’re close to his age, and you’ve got an education and a job?—”
Melissa’s brow furrows. “Luke told you that I’m teaching?”
Drew smiles. “My niece goes to Brookline.”
“In one of my classes?” Melissa asks, looking a little alarmed.
Drew shakes his head. “Grade eight. But she, uh, sent me the link to your video.”
“What video?” I interrupt, because this is the first I’ve heard about it.
“Of course,” Melissa says, with a sigh of resignation.
Drew’s lips twitch. “It’s pretty awesome.”
“What video?” I repeat.
“Relax, man, it’s about math,” Drew says with a smirk of amusement. “But you should watch it.”
“I plan to,” I say, with a meaningful look at Melissa. “As soon as we’re done here.”
“Don’t let me keep you,” Drew says dryly.
I meet his eye as I stand to go. “Thanks, Drew.” The chief of surgery job can’t be easy, and I don’t envy him the responsibility. He’ll have to meet with Ethan, and if he can’t convince him to take a voluntary leave of absence, things could get messy.
But fortunately, that’s Drew’s job, not mine.
Right now, I need to talk to my girl.
