Page 78 of Dr. Sexypants

“You, too!”

I couldn’t help but chuckle at their easy-going demeanor.

Oh, to be young and carefree again.

I wondered if they’d had their hearts broken yet. For their sake, I hoped not.

Because it fucking sucked.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Kristy

It’d been almost a month since Justin told me that he didn’t want to see me anymore. Right after saying he’d fallen for me.

I’d started therapy and had already discovered a lot about myself. I’d always glibly said I had “daddy issues” but when my therapist explained it was really a fear of abandonment—granted, brought on because of my father—things made a lot more sense.

I missed Justin but realized during my self-discovery that he deserved someone way better than me.

I resolved that I’d allow myself the rest of the weekend to wallow over ruining things with him, then come Monday morning, it was time to put my big girl panties on and start living again. I refused to mourn longer than we’d been together.

It should have come as no surprise when, Sunday morning, the Universe decided it had other plans.

Lainey: Can you come to the bakery? Ruthie’s in the hospital, and I need someone to cover for me.

Me: Ruthie’s in the hospital?? What’s wrong?

Lainey: Jade said she has a fever and wasn’t eating. She should be okay, but Alan is out of town and Jess, being a new mom, is a wreck. She can’t get a hold of her parents, since they’re probably at church with their phones off. Jade told her she’d call me so I could go be with her in the ER.

Me: I’m not going to the bakery—I’m going to the hospital, too!

Lainey: Okay. Dr. He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named is working today, so I wasn’t sure if you’d want to go.

Me: I’ve never said we couldn’t say his name. And it’s fine. It might be nice to see him.

Lainey: Wh-at? “Nice to see him?!” Since when?

Me: Idk... Maybe therapy is bringing out my inner masochist.

Lainey: Or your inner peace…

Me: It’s only been seven sessions; let’s not get ahead of ourselves.

Lainey: I just want you to be happy.

I need to call Paulina and see if she can come in. I’ll see you at the hospital.

I really hoped the baby was going to be okay. I didn’t think Jade would say she would be if she didn’t think that was true.

So, I didn’t feel too guilty when I took a few extra minutes to make sure my hair and makeup looked okay before heading out the door.

~~~~

I thought maybe the Universe had my back when the first person I saw when I came through the ER’s automatic doors was Dr. Sexypants, himself, standing at the nurse’s station with the phone to his ear.

He was wearing a lavender shirt and matching paisley tie under his lab coat. He looked so capable and in charge that my heart skipped a beat.

I remembered how much I’d loved him being in charge of me.