by Stella Brie
CHAPTER 6
LOWELL
Well, those two are a well-oiled machine, I muse as I reach my SUV.
With just a few hand signals and silent communication, they had the computer in the bag and me out the door in two minutes. I’ve seen military units with years of training that operate with less efficiency and focus than those two. Laughing, I text Lev to find out where he is right now.
Entering The Black and Gold, I walk back to Lev’s office. He’s in there, talking to Courtney, his manager. As I enter the room, I see her leaning over him to look at a set of papers. Her arm on the back of his chair and the angle of her body suggest a closeness, beyond employer and employee, to anyone who might see them. A lie, but one she sells well. She looks up and smiles softly at me. I raise an eyebrow at her. While she is a beautiful woman, I have no interest in what she is offering. She narrows her eyes at me and scoots closer to Lev.
Lev looks up. Leaning back, he looks over at Courtney. “Thanks, I appreciate you bringing this to my attention. Let’s regroup at three p.m. and discuss it with the team.” He waits for her to understand that’s her cue to leave.
Courtney’s hand moves from the top of the chair, down to his arm, and squeezes it as she slowly gathers the papers together.
Lev turns to me. “So, what did you think of...” He stops as I look over at him and silently indicate we’ll talk once Courtney leaves.
We both turn to Courtney and stare at her. She looks from me to Lev and stomps to the door.
“Please shut the door on your way out,” Lev says quietly. He winces as the door slams.
“You’re going to have a problem there,” I warn him, shaking my head at her antics. “Find her another position in one of your restaurants, preferably one you don’t actively manage, before she can do any damage.”
Lev runs his hands through his hair. He doesn’t question my assessment, but I’m afraid he’ll put if off until it’s too late. He likes to see the best in people. I shrug. We’ll deal with it together later, I guess. Back to the topic at hand.
I smile as I think of my morning. Lev now looks worried. Humph, I guess I don’t smile much if that is the look he is giving me. Clearing my throat, I tell him about my visit to the practice this morning and meeting the determined but delectable Dr. Kate Michaels.
He laughs at my story. “I can’t believe they ganged up on you and won! I’ve seen grown men run from your stony face.”
“I know. Their tactics were impressive. I was so amused, it didn’t even occur to me to stop them until I was out the door and down the hall. I could even hear them laughing like loons behind the door.”
“I like her even more after this story,” he says, then stops laughing. “What do you think of her? Did you get a good read?”
“She is beautiful, professional, and polite on the surface. She and Sarah are developing a close relationship, so she doesn’t seem to have any issues with women. She is not afraid to stand up for herself, but she got uneasy when she was alone with me in the room. That could be my demeanor, though, as I was staring at her, trying to figure her out. She has powerful walls up and is surprisingly hard to read.” As I think about it, I can’t remember the last time I had a hard time reading someone. Intriguing. “She definitely seems to have gone through something in her past to have walls that strong. She had black circles under her eyes, and she looks like she hasn’t had a decent night’s sleep in a few days. I didn’t see the pain you mentioned, but you don’t build walls that strong without a reason. From a business perspective, I think the practice is in expert hands. From a personal perspective, I can see the draw to be with her and protect her.”
Looking thoughtful, he studies my face for a second. “You sound intrigued. Is it the puzzle, or the woman?”
“Both,” I admit. I glance at my watch. “I have a call with my editor soon. I’ll see you at home. Also, I’ll let Shaw know my thoughts when I see him later tonight. Don’t forget to think about Courtney. You need to solve that issue sooner, not later.”
Opening the door, I walk out and almost bump into Courtney in the hall. I wonder if she was listening at the door. Giving her the same flat stare I used to give soldiers in the Army, I let her know she needs to watch herself.
CHAPTER 7
KATE
After a relaxing weekend getting acclimated to my new home and picking up necessary supplies, I feel about a hundred times better than Friday. And now that the anniversary of Collin’s death has passed, I’m sleeping most of the night again.
As I look over the patient roster for the day, I notice we’re light on patients. I wonder if this is the usual pace, or if it’s an anomaly.
“Sarah, are these all of the patients scheduled for today?” I’m shocked at the light load.
“We typically leave a few spots open on Mondays so we can get in a few walk-ins. People who have hurt themselves or gotten sick over the weekend usually help fill up our Mondays,” she explains.
“Very efficient,” I say thoughtfully as I try to think of any other practice using this process. “Well, let’s get the first patient back and see what the day brings us.”
Sarah and I quickly take care of the morning patients. We had one walk-in from a nearby cattle ranch who had cut up his hand pretty badly after getting it tangled in a roll of barbwire, but nothing a tetanus shot, some stitches, and a round of antibiotics couldn’t fix. He was the last patient of the morning, and it’s now lunchtime. But first I need to stretch.
Using the door frame, I place a palm on each side, lean forward, and stretch my shoulders and back. I had been hunched over for the last 30 minutes, cleaning and suturing the rancher’s hand, and needed to re-align my posture a bit. Closing my eyes, I groan at how good this feels. Stretching my arms up high, I elongate my body as far as I can to stretch out my spine.
Hmmm, better.
I open my eyes and see Lowell standing in front of me. My shirt had drawn up a bit when I stretched, and now a strip of skin is showing between my shirt and pants. Lowell is staring at that strip. I quickly lower my arms, and his eyes rise to meet mine.
“Don’t stop on my account,” he murmurs, his eyes dark.
“Hello, Lowell. Are you here to see Sarah about the supplies, or do you need something else?”
“Actually, I came to apologize to you and Sarah.” He smiles. “And to tell you how impressed I was with your smooth moves in kicking me out of your office.”
Well, this is unexpected. An apology?! And OMG, is that a smile? Yep, a smile. This man should definitely smile more often. He is much more approachable. Maybe even charming...no, not charming. He’s kind of intense, and even with a smile, you feel all that intensity in your face. It’s like he focuses all his attention on discovering your secrets. I don’t really want him to know my secrets. When he stares at me, though, I almost want to give him my secrets. Damn him. It’s simultaneously unnerving and sexual. Hmmm...I wonder what it would be like to have all that intensity in bed? Would the orgasms be more intense? What would he focus on first...
“Kate? Are you okay?” he questions, with a bit of a smirk.
It’s almost as if he could hear what I was thinking. “Sorry, I was just thinking about...lunch.” I can feel myself blushing. “I’m hungry.”
“Yes, I can tell,” he says huskily as he pulls his hands out from behind his back. “Good thing I brought lunch for everyone.” In his hands are several bags filled with food from the deli downtown.
“Lunch? Good apology.” I smile as I walk away. “Let me grab the team.”
As we all sit down to lunch, I watch Lowell, trying to figure him out. He doesn’t seem to like small talk, but he makes it a point to ask everyone about their lives. Every incremental piece of information gleaned is like bits of data he hoards for use later. It’s a bit of an interrogation, really, but I don’t think he means it that way. I can see the writer in him as he digs deeper into their lives to understand their motivations, desires, and needs. This is the par
t of him that makes me want to run the other way. He simply asks, and with very little resistance people unintentionally give him information, emotions and secrets.
He looks up as I’m staring at him. He’d been speaking with Brittany about her upcoming marriage and honeymoon.
“You should ask Dr. Michaels about going to San Francisco for your honeymoon,” he recommends as he looks over at me. “I believe you are from there, correct?”
Staring at him for a second, I realize he probably read my background check for work. “Yes, I’d be happy to tell you about San Francisco, Brittany,” I reply, lying through my teeth. I don’t even want to think about San Francisco, much less think of happy honeymoon spots to visit in that city. But I don’t want him - or anyone, really - to know how much I hate that city and all its memories.
“Thanks, Dr. Michaels, but I think we want to go to Hawaii,” Brittany chirps, smoothing down her blouse and puffing out her chest a bit. “My fiancé wants to see me in a bikini for our honeymoon.”
“Hawaii is wonderful, and a perfect honeymoon place,” I tell her, laughing silently at the look on her face. “Well, this has been fun, but we have a patient coming in for a visit in about ten minutes. I’m going to go review their chart. Thank you, Lowell, for a lovely lunch. Apology accepted.”
“My pleasure,” he replies quietly. Aware that I seem upset about something, but not exactly sure what prompted it, I’m sure he’ll leave and dissect every bit of conversation from the past few minutes. “I’m heading out anyway to write a few more chapters. I’ll see you later.”
I FINISH UP PATIENTS early and walk over to Lev’s bar to grab dinner and a glass of wine. After eating lunch with Lowell, I’m feeling overwhelmed. I think I’m attracted to two men, but maybe it’s just my imagination. I met with Lev only for a few minutes the other day, and what if he was just being friendly? I can’t tell. I’ve dated very little in my life. Since Collin died three years ago, I haven’t been on any dates, and he and I either had been dating or married for the previous seven years. It’s literally been only Collin the last ten years of my life. Before him, I dated a little in college, but with my class load, it was tough.
I pull the brass handles and open the door to The Black and Gold. The inside is huge. It looks like he renovated an old factory. The floor is brick laid in a herringbone pattern, ducts and pipes fill the tall black ceiling, and the lighter wood tables and black chairs pull it all together. To the right of the entry is a beautiful, polished wood bar.
I spot Lev standing behind the bar, pouring a drink. Pow! That man sure packs a physical punch. He’s wearing a tight black “The Black and Gold Bar” T-shirt and jeans, and he wears them well. Both mold to every inch of his body. When he spots me, he motions me over and steps out from behind the bar.
“Well, hello, Dr. Michaels,” his voice husky as he greets me. “Is everything OK?”
“Kate, please. Yes, everything at the practice is going well. I thought I’d come by and see this bar of yours and get dinner and wine, if that is OK?”
“Absolutely, Kate.” Grabbing my hand, he pulls me over to a barstool at the corner of the bar. “Sit here, and I’ll grab you a menu. Do you want red or white wine?”
“Red,” I answer as I sit down and put my tingling hand in my lap. Yep, tingles. Just looking at this man makes me feel all tingly.
He pours a glass of wine and brings it to me. “Here, try this red blend. It’s from a new winery down the road. Very smooth, a bit dry, but fruit forward, not smoky. It’s my new favorite.”
Taking a sip, I am surprised this wine came out of Montana. It’s so good. “Delicious. I usually like a good Malbec, and this blend is like a close sister. Did you say this came out of a winery near here? Can you text me the address? I’d like to go and pick up some. We could even do a tasting.”
“Sure. Actually, why don’t we go together sometime? I received that bottle from my supplier, but I’d love to visit and taste their other wines to see if they have anything else,” he suggests.
Go together...did he just ask me out on a date, or a friendship-only road trip? Sigh, I can’t tell. “Going together” could be anything.
“Sure, that sounds like fun,” I tell him. I mean it, because I know he will be fun to go with, even if it’s not a date.
Cocking his head to the side, he studies me for a second, then winks. “Great, it’s a date. Look at the menu, and I’ll be right back. Specials are on the back.”
I sit there, stunned. Could it be that easy? A date. I have a date.
Smiling, I look down at the menu.
The old man next to me leans over, chuckling. “Damn, that boy is smooth. Reminds me of myself in my younger days.”
I turn to look at the old man. He’s exactly what I pictured a cowboy from Montana should look like. Lean frame, tanned and weathered face, dark hair, and brown eyes. With the well-worn prerequisite boots and cowboy hat.
Smiling, I hold out my hand. “I’m Dr. Kate Michaels. It’s nice to meet you. He was a bit smooth, wasn’t he? How about I flirt with a genuine cowboy, so he can see he’s got competition?”
His eyebrows raise, and he lets out a loud laugh. “Nice to meet you, Dr. Michaels. I’m Hank Guthrie,” he says, gently shaking my hand.
“Hank, it’s nice to meet you, too. Please call me Kate. What’s good to eat here?”
“Well, now, seeing as how I own a cattle ranch and Lev gets his beef from me, I’d be a fool if I didn’t recommend the steak. Although, the spaghetti and meatballs are really my favorite,” he whispers, winking at me.
I laugh. As I go to reply, Lev comes back and eyes the two of us laughing. “Are you flirting with my girl?” he growls at Hank.
“If I was younger, I’d give you a run for your money,” Hank tells him. “Beautiful woman like her, and smart, too? She’d never settle for your playboy ways when she could have a hard-working man like me treating her like a queen.”
Lev laughs. “Hell, I guess I’m lucky you’re just an old fart now, huh?”
“’Old fart!?’ See if I give you the good beef in the next shipment,” he rasps, scowling at Lev. He turns to me. “See how he treats his elders? You may want to rethink that date. Maybe you should pick Lowell or Shaw to go on a date with instead of Lev. They know how to treat their elders.”
I shake my head in mock agreement. “I will think about it. I like a man who treats his elders with respect, and if that’s not Lev...” Trailing off in disappointment, I shake my head.
Laughing, Hank eases off the stool. “It was good to meet you, Dr. Michaels.”
“Call me Kate,” I remind him.
“Kate, I’ll see you around. Lev, you treat this girl right on your date.” Hank shakes Lev’s hand and strolls out of the bar.
Lev crosses his arms. “Already flirting with someone else? I’m gone for five brief minutes.”
Crossing my arms, I lean back and stare at him. “Your girl?”
His eyes twinkle as he leans over the bar. “I would love to claim you right now, but I’ll settle for a date or two before we get to that stage. No need to rush into things.” He laughs. “So, what can I get you for dinner?”
Blushing, I stare at him. I cannot tell when this man is serious and when he is joking. I could swear he is serious. But that’s ridiculous, right?
“I have it on good authority the spaghetti and meatballs are the best. Is that correct?”
“We make our meatballs with lamb, beef, and pork and the pasta from scratch. It’s one of our best dishes,” he promises me. “I’ll put in an order, and we can talk about our first date when I get back.”
A date. As I think about it, I wonder what the hell I am doing. The last time I cared about someone, I became trapped in my worst nightmare. Did I really want to go through that again? Hell, no. The other part of me aches, wanting to trust someone again. Anyone. It’s lonely when you don’t trust anyone. And I don’t have to love him or marry him. Just date him. Easy peas-y, right? Fun. Dating. Noth
ing serious.
Settled in my mind, I watch as he comes back. The man walks like he is prowling through a jungle. A sensual predator that makes me feel like prey until I look into his eyes. Warmth and laughter light up his green eyes.
“Your dinner will be out soon.” Leaning over the bar, he searches my eyes for a second, as if he can see the conflict raging inside me. “How about dinner for our first date? Friday, seven p.m.?”
“That sounds good, but I thought we were going to a winery?” I murmur, now confused, as I thought I’d already accepted our first date.
“It’s far enough away that we would need to spend the night. And I don’t think we’re ready for that yet, do you?”
Yet? He’s already planning on spending the night?
“Nope, not ready for that yet,” I agree. I can’t believe I just used the word “yet,” too. By the smile on his face, he definitely caught what I just said. “I think you should know, I haven’t been on a date in a while.”
“Don’t worry. I have been told I’m a fabulous date. I’ve got you covered.” He winks.
What a flirt! “Ha, Hank was right. You are a playboy,” I tease him.
“My playboy ways are far behind me.” He looks at me seriously, then turns as a waiter comes up behind him with my dinner. “Just in time. Here you go, the best spaghetti and meatballs you will ever eat.”
“You think a lot of your chef,” I remark, taking a bite. OMG, I moan and lick my lips. “And you would be right. Your chef is spectacular. I should date him. Or at least give him a big kiss. Any man who can cook food this good knows the way to my heart.”
He stares at my mouth for a few seconds. “Would you like to give me a kiss now, or later?”
“What?” I didn’t hear him ask for a kiss, did I? I take another bite. Damn, this is good.