As we walk through the outer office, Celine stares at her computer screen with unnatural focus.
Yep. She overheard the conversation with the Tates.
“Want anything from the coffee shop, Celine?” I ask, trying to keep my tone casual.
“No, thanks,” she replies.
“Okay,” I say with a nod. I consider reminding her that everything that goes on in my office is confidential, but that would probably make things worse. She’d think I was protesting too much.
Alexandra and I walk to the coffee shop in the lobby, which is surprisingly busy. There are a few people ahead of us in line, and it feels very exposed. Other people might go for coffee with their admin assistants at ten in the morning, but it’s not something I’ve ever done before.
And most administrative assistants don’t look like Alexandra Parker.
“Hey, Drew.”
I turn and see that Luke Carlton’s joined the line behind me.
“Hey, Luke.” Since Alexandra and I are clearly in line together, it would be rude not to introduce her. “This is Alexandra Parker, my admin assistant. Alexandra, Luke Carlton. He’s one of the general surgeons.”
“Nice to meet you, Dr. Carlton,” Alexandra says politely.
“Call me Luke.” Luke gives me a tiny smirk. He’s probably remembering our conversation in the lounge, when Austin asked if my new assistant was cute. And I described her as tall and skinny, with glasses.
“What would you like to drink?” I ask Alexandra. “Caramel latte with whipped cream?”
“Oh,” she says, looking surprised. “No, drip coffee’s fine.”
“You sure?” I ask. “Let me buy you a latte, Alexandra.”
“You should definitely go for the latte,” Luke chimes in. “The drip coffee here’s not very good.”
“Well, okay.”
I order the latte for Alexandra and mint tea for myself. Luke buys himself a muffin, then mercifully disappears in the direction of the surgical ward.
“Not a coffee drinker, huh?” Alexandra remarks as we wait for her drink. “I thought all doctors got addicted to coffee during residency.”
“I’ve just never liked it,” I lie with a shrug.
I take a big sip of tea and scald my tongue. Now I can’t taste the mint, but that’s not a bad thing.
I scan the lobby for a place to sit. The café tables next to the coffee shop are all taken, and the benches along the wall are occupied too. I really didn’t think this through very well. Who knew there would be so many people hanging around the hospital lobby in the middle of the day?
“We could go outside, maybe?” Alexandra suggests as she picks up her latte.
“Sure.”
We walk through the lobby and out the main doors, past people waiting for cabs and Ubers. There’s a little garden off to one side with a bench in the middle, and it’s mercifully unoccupied.
We sit on the bench, and Alexandra takes a sip of her latte. Her tongue darts out to lick whipped cream off her upper lip, and I have to look away.
I’m sure she’s not trying to torture me.
I focus on the ground, and Alexandra’s words come back to me.
They’ll assume we slept together, but I couldn’t hold your interest.
Which is ironic, because this girl’s held my interest since she walked through my door.
