Page 89 of Flirting with 40

“Thank you,” she says, her eyes finding mine again.

“For?”

“For being honest with me yesterday. It may not have been what I wanted to hear, but it’s what I needed to hear. I mean, I’ve been so fixated on certain things that I kind of lost my way.” She reaches out and runs a hand over my jawline. I turn my face into it and press a kiss to her palm.

“I meant what I said about what I see when I look at you, Blakely. You have a quiet strength you deny and a confidence you downplay. If you only realized how stunning you are . . . watch out world.”

Her smile is soft, shy, and I slide my arm around her waist and pull her closer. I can’t resist. Her cheek is against my chest, and my chin is on top of her head as we lie with our legs intertwined and assurances unspoken.

Our bodies fit perfectly together. It’s weird how that happens.

“Shouldn’t you be getting ready for your first set of meetings?”

“Yeah,” she says, the heat of her breath hitting my chest, “but I think I’m going to shake some things up today.”

“You are, are you?”

“Mm-hmm.”

“A rebel now?” I press a kiss to the top of her head.

“What can I say? You inspire me.”

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

Slade

“Dr. Schultz. It’s good to hear from you.”

Breathe, Slade. Fucking, breathe.

“Thank you for coming in on Monday to answer our questions. The hospital review board needed to hear your voice and put a face to it.”

“Agreed.” I walk from one side of the shoreline to the other, my phone in hand as I wait for whatever it is that was so important he needed to call me, my goddamn future riding on his next few words.

“It doesn’t change the outcome—that we still need to wait for her to wake up—but I think they needed to understand that you acted out of concern rather than because you had a God complex.”

“Thank you for the opportunity, sir.”

He clears his throat. “I know you’ve been prohibited from checking in on Ivy so I thought you might like an updated status on her condition.”

His words take me back. “Yes, sir. Of course.”

“She hasn’t regained consciousness yet, but she is showing signs of improvement. Her vitals are stronger, and she’s reacting to stimuli more so than before. Her doctor is optimistic. She’s a fighter.”

“That’s good to know. Thank you for updating me.” I run a hand through my hair and just stare out at the water.

“As the hospital advisor and program director, I must outwardly condemn what you did. In the same breath, I want you to know that your actions showed how human you are while the rest of us marvel at your extraordinary talents as a doctor.”

“Thank you, sir. I’m not sure what else to say, but thank you.”

I’m standing in the warm sunlight but chills blanket my skin.

“And if you tell anyone I said that, I’ll deny it.” He chuckles.

An awkward silence weighs on the line. I feel like he has more to say but isn’t saying it, and I sure as hell don’t want to stop him from voicing it.

“Okay then,” he finally says.