“Neither have I,” I say as my pulse races.
“I guess it makes it memorable.” She smiles, but it’s almost melancholy.
“Even before that kiss, you, Sadie, are someone I could never forget.”
The elevator doors open and she almost runs inside. She smiles at me as the doors start to close, and I fight every single muscle in my body to keep myself planted where I am and not follow her inside. But I have to let her go.
8
Sadie
After dropping my dad off at his doctor’s appointment, I head over to the diner across the street and wait. He’s got to get a few tests done, and I know from experience, it’s easier both for the hospital and the patient not to have family hovering around.
I sit at the counter, and while I wait for the waitress to notice me, someone else does—Dr. Luongo, who is sitting at the other end of the bar holding a menu. “Sadie! What a surprise. I thought it was your day off.”
“Hi, Bob. It is my day off,” I explain and try not to look surprised he knows my schedule. “But my dad has to see Dr. Lack.”
“You should probably just have your mail delivered to the hospital with the amount of time you spend here,” he quips. Sadly, he’s right. He points to the empty stool beside me. “May I join you?”
“Of course,” I reply, and he walks over and sits beside me. “Are you on break?”
“I’m grabbing lunch before I start my shift,” he says and lowers his voice to a whisper. “I’m not a great cook, so I eat here way more than I should.”
“I don’t cook either,” I say with a sympathetic smile. “The last thing I want to do after a twelve-hour shift is stand around the kitchen for hours making something. I just want to stuff something down my throat and go to sleep.”
He laughs. “Sounds like your life is as full and exciting as mine. My condolences.”
The waitress comes over, and I order a latte and a piece of cherry pie, since I already ate at home and am just snacking to fill time. Bob orders an omelet and a double side of bacon. He catches the look on my face and winks. “I’m a neurologist, not a cardiologist.”
I laugh and turn back to the waitress. “He’ll also have a vanilla latte, but put it on my bill.”
He smiles. “You remembered.”
We talk about work stuff for a few minutes while we wait for our food. And then we start talking about our lives.
“I know you’ve been in San Francisco for a while now, so I have to ask, are enjoying it?” he asks me with a friendly smile.
“I love it here,” I tell him as the waitress brings us our lattes. “I loved living in Toronto, but now that I’m here, I don’t see myself moving back to Canada.”
He lifts his latte. “Well, we’re lucky to have you.”
He takes a sip and smiles. “It’s delicious. But you really didn’t have to buy it for me.”
“It’s not a problem.”
“So that goalie I treated is your brother-in-law?” he questions.
“Sister’s live-in boyfriend, so close enough.” I watch him as he nods and sips his latte again. A little foam sticks to his lip, so he picks up his napkin and wipes it away. I don’t think anything of it. But I know if that was Griffin Sullivan I would want to lick it off his lip myself. It would be an instantaneous urge as soon as I saw it. Why can’t I feel that way about Bob? He seems to be interested.
“Is he doing okay now?”
“Yeah.” I nod as the waitress puts our food in front of us. “He’s been following up with the team doctor, and he’s cleared for practice and expects to be back in games soon.”
His phone buzzes, and he pulls it out of his pocket and groans. “Shit. They need me in early for an emergency consult.”
“Bummer,” I say, but I’m kind of glad. This feels kind of like an accidental date, and I don’t like it. I mean he’s nice and I like him, but I don’t want to lead him on.
He asks the waitress for a to-go box and packages up the remainder of his meal. “Thanks again for the latte.”
