CHAPTER FIFTEEN
JADE
“When the sun kissed the horizon, he kissed me.” - Clara Foss, Painted Inferno
“Nothing looks out of the ordinary,” Dr. Bradshaw says as he moves the computer monitor to face me, showing me the results from my echocardiogram and EKG. “Is it just the palpitations that have gotten worse?”
I slowly nod my head. “My heart feels like it’s racing sometimes and I can feel it skipping beats.”
Dr. Bradshaw turns his attention back to the screen, clicking around with his mouse. “It’s been almost a year since your last Holter monitor, so let’s get you scheduled to have that put on. We’d want to check the electrical activity of your heart soon anyways.
He continues, “So let’s do the seven days, like the last time, that way we get a bigger picture of everything.” He turns to face me. “Have you thought anymore about taking medication? Having a prescription on hand, just to take when needed, is always an option.”
“Do you think it’s needed?”
“Hmm,” he murmurs, adjusting his glasses. “Let’s see what the holter monitor says first. If it is truly bothersome, we can try it regardless.”
I nod in agreement. Just then, my phone vibrates in my purse. “That works.”
“Okay, perfect. Stop by the front desk and they’ll get you on the schedule for the monitor and a follow up appointment after we have the results.”
“Thanks, Dr. Bradshaw,” I say, rising to my feet as he extends his hand to shake mine. He leads the way out into the hall, saying goodbye before he heads into another room.
I pull out my phone, seeing a message from Ellie as I make my way to the front desk.
Ellie
Dinner and drinks tonight?
I should head home and get back to work, but fuck it. I’ve been busting my ass with this book and quite frankly, I think I deserve a night off.
Jade
Tell me when and where and I’ll be there.
Ellie
Let’s meet at Harry’s Pub. Eight o’clock?
Jade
See you then!
I stop at the front desk and schedule an appointment for next week to get the monitor put on. It’s a simple thing that I’ve done many times before. That’s how they discovered the extra heartbeats and arrhythmia when I was a teenager.
It was determined to be nothing serious, although I have an annual cardiology appointment so they can keep an eye on things to make sure it doesn’t turn into something serious.
The sun shines brightly, warming my body through my puffy jacket as I head to my car in the parking lot. It’s already late in the afternoon, so I do have a little bit of time to kill before I’m supposed to meet Ellie.
I stop by the coffee shop on my way home, grabbing a pastry and a small drink to hold me over until later tonight. I know Ellie, and we’re definitely doing girl dinner if we’re meeting at Harry’s Pub.
They do have the best Caesar salads, truffle fries, and dirty martinis in all of Hillford.
Well, that’s debatable now that I’ve had a salad from The Ivory Table. They might have Harry’s beat for the best one in town.
My mind flickers to that night with Matteo as I pull into the garage at my apartment building. The way Matteo’s fingertips lingered, the way they felt skating across my skin. If he would have kissed me, I wouldn’t have stopped him.
I would have kissed him back.
