by SJ McCoy
He looked down into her eyes. “Do you really think I’m a bad choice?”
“No. You’re a great choice—for someone. Someone who wants to hang out and fool around.” She gave him a rueful smile. “Someone whose aim in life is to have some fun—and some great sex.”
“Why can’t that be your aim in life?”
She stepped away from him. “Because I’ve already had my fair share of fun and great sex.”
“Better than we just had?” He couldn’t help it. He needed to hear her say it.
She held his gaze for a long moment. “No.”
He shrugged and gave her what he hoped was a cute smile. “So, why do we have to stop?”
“Because I have a different aim in life now. I need to settle down, start living the kind of life I should have been living all along. I need to meet a nice guy and get married and give my mom some grandkids while she’s young enough to enjoy them.”
“Why?” He knew he was pushing it, but he didn’t understand. Her mom had made it obvious that she thought Abbie should go out with him. Hell, her mom was the reason she was here tonight. “She doesn’t seem to have a problem with me.”
Abbie blew out a sigh. “She just wants to see me happy. I want to make her happy.”
“And you can’t do both?”
“I’m hoping I can—but that’s where it comes down to making better choices.” She looked him in the eye. “I like you, Ivan.” She smiled. “We’re good together. It’s going to be even harder to stay away from you now. But …” she shook her head. “But we want different things in life.”
He held her gaze. Part of him wanted to ask why she dismissed him as not being the kind of guy she wanted to be with. But he already knew the answer; he wasn’t that kind of guy. At least, he never had been. He’d never been in a position where being in a relationship was an option. Sure, he dated, but nothing serious. Even though part of him wanted to, there was no point arguing with her.
He planted a kiss on her forehead. “I’m sorry you feel that way.”
She looked up, her big brown eyes looked like melted chocolate. “Do you still want to be my friend?”
He tightened his arms around her waist. “Of course.” He chuckled. “Are there any benefits involved?”
“No. There can’t be. This was a mistake. I can’t start dating a suitable guy and screwing you on the side. That wouldn’t be right.”
His heart hammered in his chest. The thought of her dating someone else made his arms tighten involuntarily around her. He didn’t say anything—what could he say?
“So, do you want to finish that beer we barely started and hang out—as friends?”
“Yeah.” It wasn’t his favorite option for how to spend the rest of the evening—but it was better than her leaving, regretting what they’d done.
Chapter Six
“Summer Lake Medical Center, how can I help you?”
“Hello. Is this Abbie?”
“Yes. Abbie speaking.”
“Hi, Abbie. It’s Neil.”
Abbie frowned and looked around the waiting room. There were only a couple of people here. An older gentleman waiting to see Michael, and Kenzie who was waiting for Cassie. She knew full well they couldn’t hear who was on the phone, but she still felt embarrassed.
“Hello. What can I do for you?” It sounded weird, and she knew it. It was the same voice she used when dealing with patients and their appointments, not the way she spoke to her friends.
“I … I’m sorry to call you at work, but I didn’t have your number. I wondered … would you like to go out sometime?”
She closed her eyes. He was a sweet guy. He was exactly what she was looking for.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be pushy. Can we forget that I called?”
“No!” She snapped out of it. The poor guy had obviously taken her silence as rejection. “I’m sorry. It’s just busy in here. That’d be great. When?”
“Oh, err, Friday? Do you want to give me your number and I’ll call you?”
“Friday’s great.” Kenzie was watching her, and for some reason, that made her nervous. “Can I take your number?” She didn’t want Kenzie to hear her giving her number out.
She jotted Neil’s down as he said it. “That’s great, thanks. I’ll give you a call.”
“Okay.” The poor guy sounded even more nervous now. He must wonder why she was speaking to him as though he was making a doctor’s appointment.
“Okay, thanks. Bye.” She hung up, feeling guilty. Neil deserved better than that. But she didn’t want people to know she was taking personal calls at work. She didn’t want Kenzie to know who she was talking to, and she didn’t want to allow herself to stop and think about why she’d even said yes to Neil when she hadn’t stopped thinking about Ivan since Sunday.
A shiver ran down her spine at the thought of him. It’d been a mistake, but one that she couldn’t help reliving every time she got the chance. She’d thought about him in bed every night since—wishing that they’d made it as far as a bed.
Then Kenzie smiled at her, bringing her back to reality. Ivan was a no-go. They might have great sex, but that wasn’t what she needed. She needed a nice guy to settle down with. Neil might just be that guy.
Mr. Santos came out of Michael's office and smiled at her as he left. A few moments later, Michael came out.
“Hey, Mr. Green. Come on in. Sorry, I’m running a little late.” He turned to Abbie. “Everything okay out here?”
She nodded. She really needed to get a grip. He was only asking about the appointments. He didn’t know anything about Neil or Ivan.
He held the door for Mr. Green to go into his office and then looked back at the waiting room. “Hey, Kenz. Are you guys still okay for tonight?”
“We are. We’ll see you at six.”
“Awesome. Thanks.”
Michael closed the door behind him, and Kenzie got to her feet and came over to the desk.
“How’s life with you?”
“Good, thanks. How about you?”
“Yep. All’s well in my world.”
Abbie almost asked why she was here, but just stopped herself in time. Patient confidentiality was one of the biggest requirements for this job. Sometimes it was hard because most of the patients were friends or acquaintances, and it was natural to ask how they were. “That’s good.”
“Are you coming to dinner with the girls on Thursday?”
“No. I can’t this week.”
“Why?” Kenzie wasn’t the kind to let you off the hook.
“I have other plans.”
Kenzie raised an eyebrow. “Are you seeing someone?”
Abbie smiled. “Maybe.”
“Ooh!”
The door to Cassie’s office opened, and Ann Hemming came out.
“I’ll be going in in a minute,” said Kenzie. “What time do you get off for lunch? Want to grab a bite with me?”
Abbie almost refused, but she liked Kenzie. “I get my break after your appointment. You’re the last one this morning.”
“Perfect!” Kenzie grinned at her. “See you in a little bit, then.” She turned to Ann. “How are you? I haven’t seen you for ages.”
The older woman smiled. “I’m wonderful, thank you. How are you girls?”
“Good, thanks.” Kenzie turned when Cassie’s door opened, and she popped her head out. “Looks like that’s me. It’s good to see you, Mrs. Hemming. And I’ll see you in a little bit, Abbs.”
“Do you need another appointment?” Abbie asked once Kenzie had gone.
“Yes, please. One month from today.”
Abbie set up her appointment in the computer and picked up an appointment card to write it out for her.
Mrs. Hemming laughed. “I know I’m an old fart, Abbie. But I don’t need one of those. Can you email it to me so that it will sync with my calendar?”
“Oh! Sorry.” The practice had a great electronic scheduling system, but she tended to assume that any
one over the age of fifty didn’t use it.
“It’s okay. I know you might think that we oldies are still in the stone age, but some of us keep up with technology.”
“Of course.”
“How’s your mom doing?”
“She’s okay, thanks. Doing better.”
“That’s good. I’m sure having you here has helped. How much longer do you plan to stay?”
Abbie frowned. “I’m back for good.”
“Oh! I didn’t realize. How do you feel about that?”
“It’s my choice. I want to be here with her.”
Mrs. Hemming frowned. “I know it’s none of my business, but I’m sure your mom wants you to do what’s best for you, not what you think is best for her.”
Abbie forced herself to smile. She’d been hearing that a lot lately. “This is what’s best for me.”
“Well, good, then. I’ll shut up and keep my nose out, shall I?” Mrs. Hemming gave her a friendly smile, and she felt bad.
“No! I know you mean well, you want to see me live my own life, but I can do that here as well as—or better than—anywhere else.”
“I hope so. Your options are more limited here.”
Abbie wondered whether she meant career options or boyfriend options. Either way, she was right, but it didn’t matter. She had to be here to be with her mom, so the rest of the cards would have to fall as they may.
~ ~ ~
Ivan had to force himself to breathe when he realized that his jaw was clamped shut.
Neil hung up the phone and gave him a sheepish look. “Sorry. I didn’t see you there. I don’t usually make personal calls from work.”
Ivan forced himself to smile though it felt more like a grimace. How could he hold anything against the guy? Neil was good people. He was quiet and reserved—words that people had told him about Abbie often enough. But apparently, he wasn’t so shy that he wouldn’t pick up the phone and ask a girl out. He wasn’t to know that the girl he was asking was the same girl Ivan wanted to go out with—and stay in with.
“Are you mad at me?”
The silence had gone on for too long. “Mad? Not at all. Sorry. If anything, I feel like a shit for standing here listening to your call. I shouldn’t have done that. I’m the one who should be sorry. You’re right. I know you don’t normally make personal calls. That’s my only excuse. I didn’t even think to give you some space.” He straightened up from the doorway to Neil’s office, where he’d been leaning. He’d come to talk to him but had stopped in his tracks when he’d heard him calling Abbie. His heart was still hammering in his chest.
“So, you’re taking her out on Friday?”
Neil nodded slowly as a smile spread across his face. “She said yes! I can’t believe it. I think I was only calling to put myself out of my misery. I haven’t stopped thinking about her since we chatted at the Boathouse last weekend. I’ve kept imaging what it would be like to take her out. But she wouldn’t be interested in someone like me. I know that. I figured if I called her and she turned me down then I’d have to stop thinking about it. But she said yes!”
Ivan forced another smile. If Neil were talking about any girl on earth other than Abbie, he would have been thrilled for him. “That’s awesome,” he managed to make himself say. “Where are you going?”
“I don’t know. She said she’ll call me. She’s at work right now.” His smile faded. “Do you think she will call? Or do you think that was a polite way to get out of it?”
Ivan’s hopes soared. Maybe she wouldn’t call? He had to pull himself together. “I’m sure she will. And if she doesn’t call before Friday, at least you’ll have your answer, right?”
Neil’s face fell. “Yeah. I suppose so. Anyway. That’s enough of my personal problems. What can I do for you?”
Ivan wanted to tell him that he could stay the hell away from Abbie, but instead, he racked his brain to remember why he’d come into his office in the first place. “Numbers.” He nodded. That was it. “I need the cost projections for the first quarter of next year. Remember, I asked you what it’d look like if we ran two campaigns in tandem?”
“Sure. I’ll email them to you right now.”
“Thanks.” Ivan turned to go, wishing that he’d simply emailed Neil to ask for them, then he wouldn’t have overheard his phone call—wouldn’t have witnessed him setting up his first date with Abbie.
“Ivan?”
He turned back. “Yeah?”
“This is going to sound pretty dorky, but can I ask you a favor?”
“Sure, anything.” He regretted those words as soon as he’d spoken them.
“I’m going to drive out to the mall after work, is there any chance you’d want to come with me?”
“What do you need?” Ivan wanted to buy himself some time to think of a reason why he couldn’t go.
Neil dropped his gaze. “Clothes. The kind I can wear on a date.”
Ivan’s heart sank. The guy wanted his advice on what to wear when he took Abbie out?
“It’s okay. Forget I asked. I sound like a teenaged girl. I’ll figure it out.”
Neil looked so damned uncomfortable, Ivan couldn’t help but feel bad for him. “It’s okay. We can go as soon as we close up this afternoon if you want.”
“Really? Thanks so much!”
Ivan nodded. “I’ll be in my office if you need me.” When he reached his office, he closed the door and slammed his fist against the wall. He hit it so much harder than he’d intended that he put a hole in the drywall. Damn.
He heard footsteps hurrying down the corridor.
“Are you okay in there?”
“I’m fine, Allie. Sorry about the noise.” He opened the door and gave her an apologetic shrug.
“Are you sure?”
“I’m sure.”
“Okay, then.” She backed away, looking worried. The poor girl always seemed to look worried.
A little while later, he looked up from his computer when the buzzer on his desk sounded. He still hadn’t gotten used to that thing. It made him jump every time.
He pressed the button. “What’s up, Allie?”
“Mr. Davenport’s here.”
“Okay. I’ll be right out.”
He strode out to the little reception area where Allie manned the phones. She smiled at him and jerked her head to the parking lot, where Seymour Davenport was getting out of an SUV.
“I thought you’d want to be prepared.”
Ivan grinned. “Thanks.” She seemed to think that Mr. D was the big bad boss man and that they all had to be on their best behavior when he was around. Once upon a time, that would have been true, but he’d mellowed out a lot in the last few months.
He came in the door and smiled. “Ivan!”
“Mr. D! I didn’t know you were back yet.”
He grinned. “I came back early. I don’t want to interrupt. I hope you’re busy!”
Ivan laughed. “I am, but we’re never too busy for you. Come on through.”
“No, really, I don’t want to interrupt. I just wanted to show my face and to ask if you’re free on Friday night?”
Ivan frowned. He was. Unlike Neil.
“No problem if you’re busy. It’s just that Chris is going out with her sister, and I wondered if you’d like to get dinner together? You know, like the old days.”
That made Ivan smile. The two of them had spent many evenings in the kitchen of Mr. D’s Malibu house, having dinner together and shooting the breeze. Things were different now, and they hadn’t done anything like that since they came to Summer Lake. “I’d love to.”
“You don’t have other plans? I’d understand if you’ve found yourself a nice young lady.”
“Nope.”
Mr. D raised an eyebrow. “Oh, dear. That sounds like there’s a story behind it.”
Ivan shrugged.
“Do you want to meet at the Boathouse at seven on Friday, and you can tell me all about it?”
Hell, no! That
was the last place Ivan wanted to go. He couldn’t imagine sitting there watching Abbie and Neil. “How about you come over to the house? I can throw us something together—or we can order out.”
Mr. D laughed. “We’ll order out. It’ll be better than the Boathouse anyway. It’ll be loud with the band.”
It’d be too distracting with Abbie there on a date, too. “Yeah.”
“And I want to see how you’re settling in.”
Ivan didn’t want to tell him that the house was still the same as the day he’d moved in. He’d find out for himself on Friday.
~ ~ ~
“How long do you have, and where do you want to go?” asked Kenzie.
“I have an hour, and we can go wherever you like. Do you want to try the bakery?”
Kenzie laughed. “Mind-reader. I spend most of my life at the Boathouse, I prefer to go elsewhere when I get the chance.”
“Hey, ladies!” April, who worked with Renée, greeted them with a smile. “Grab a table. I’ll be right over.”
They chose a table by the window, and Kenzie checked her watch.
“Are you short on time?” asked Abbie.
Kenzie laughed. “No. If you want to know the truth, I was figuring out how long I have to interrogate you before you have to get back.”
“Interrogate me? About what?”
“About everything. I want to know your story.”
Abbie’s heart sank. She didn’t want to tell her story. She wished that people who did know it would forget it. Kenzie was one of the newcomers who didn’t know it, and Abbie would rather it stayed that way. “There’s not much to tell.”
Kenzie gave her a shrewd look. “More like not much that you want to tell. You can’t bullshit a bullshitter, sugar. I have a feeling that you and I have more in common than you might think.”
“What can I get you, girls?”
Abbie was relieved when April came to take their order. Once she’d gone, Kenzie smiled. “Come on. What’s the deal with you? You make out like you’re this Miss Goody Two-shoes, but that’s not who you are. I asked Michael, and he wouldn’t tell me anything.”
Abbie was glad that Michael respected her privacy—despite the fact that Kenzie was his sister-in-law and could be very persuasive.