The rest of Mark’s shift dragged by. He drifted between one patient’s room and the next, trying to force the key in his pocket out of his mind. But he couldn’t. Did Lexi send him the flowers? Why did she want him to go to that address?
Finally, he slipped his medical coat in his locker and slammed the door. He met Tom standing in the doorway. “Hey, did you see the game last night?” Tom inquired.
“Sorry, Tom. Can’t talk. Have someplace to be. Besides I didn’t.”
“Anything I need to know?”
“Nope, handled everything before you got here.” Mark patted him on the shoulder. “Catch you later.”
“Bye.”
Mark nearly sprinted to his truck, bathed in the golden glow of sunrise. He threw it into reverse and guided it onto the interstate. The card sat on the dash where he could easily see the address. His heart thumped in his chest. What was he going to find?
His phone vibrated violently the entire drive to St. Paul. He finally checked it as he rolled to a stop at the red light at the end of the interstate offramp. His three best friends were awake and chatting to each other in a message app. Rico was already talking smack. He must have started the second he woke up. It had to irritate the crap out of Avery. Max was delivering it back just as fast. Dan would toss in a quip every once in a while.
A message popped up. Mark, u off yet?
Mark sighed as he set the cell back in the cup holder. If he asked them, they would all race to Saint Paul to see this with him. He shook his head. He wanted to check this out himself. If it was as incredible as he thought it would be, they would be the first people he would bring back to show.
The steel and glass building sat regally on the corner. Its triangular shape allowed traffic to flow on either side of it. A large parking lot beside it was dotted with trees and a few cars. The lawn around it was a lush green. Mark pulled into the spot closest to the structure as he studied it. He hopped out as he frowned at the door. He had one key. How would he get in?
The automatic doors slid open as he approached. His steps slowed. No doctor’s office he knew was open at this hour. Why would this door be unlocked?
He chuckled as he looked over the directory inside the door. The second floor housed a sleep study clinic. Prime hours for those guys. His eyes shot down at the card and then back to the directory. Supposedly no one occupied the suite on the card. It was just down the hall on the first floor. With a shrug he sauntered down the corridor to find it. Once he reached the door stained in a rich dark brown color, he slipped the key inside and turned the lock.
The reception area was empty except for the desk built into the wall. Another vase of red roses sat there with another card. But that wasn’t what caught Mark’s attention. It was the nameplate that leaned against the vase. It must have belonged on the door outside. It was inscribed with the words Dr. Mark Jacobsen, Sports Medicine.
Mark crossed the room to the desk and tore open the envelope tucked in the flowers. He pulled free the card and read what was written.
Surprise! I hope you don’t mind. I know you told me that you work in the emergency room to help people. But when I see the look in your eyes when you talk about someday opening your own practice, I know it’s what you really want.
So I took the money from the script I sold for the movie and paid for six months of rent on this office. Don’t worry about your staff. I saved enough to pay their salaries. And maybe I can come help too.
You’ve given me peace. I just want to make your dreams come true.
I love you, Mark
Lexi
The card slipped from his fingers as his mouth dropped. He stared at the office surrounding him. It was too much to take in. He dug for the cell in his pocket then dialed.
“Hello?” a sleepy voice on the other end answered.
Mark cringed. “I’m so sorry, Lexi. I forgot about the time zones.”
Lexi laughed. “It’s okay. I have to get up in a couple minutes anyway. So did you get my flowers?”
Mark shook his head in disbelief. “Lex, it’s too much.”
“No it’s not. I wanted to do this. I wanted to make you happy.”
“You did, baby. You did. I’m speechless.”
“Dad helped. He said the doctors in that building are the best in their fields. And he told them about you. They had heard of you and are excited that you’ll be there.”
“Lexi, I don’t know what to say.”
“You could tell me that you love me. That’s good enough for me.”
“Of course I love you. And thank you.”
“I love you too, Mark. I have to get to the set.”
“Ok. I’ll talk to you later. Love you.”
“Love you too, sweetheart.”
Mark ended the call and slipped the cell in his pocket again. He walked around the office, spending extra time in the examination rooms and what would be his office. He explored the rest of the building. They had a radiology department on site. This was better than he could ever dream.
He pulled out his cell again and dialed another number, chewing on his thumbnail as he waited for Joan to answer.
“So, what did you find?” the nurse demanded.
“It’s a place for me to start my own practice. She paid for six months’ rent and saved money for salaries. I had already been saving so I can get equipment. Good-bye night shift.”
“That girl is so in love with you. You should grab her up before she gets away.”
“I plan on it.”
Joan sighed through the phone. “I’m going to miss you, Teddy Bear.”
“You don’t have to.”
“What do you mean?”
“Come with me. I need a head nurse.”
There was a moment of silence. “Can you match my pay?”
“I can try.”
“Benefits?”
“Of course.”
“Then I’m in. I’ll even take a pay cut for daytime hours. Plus I’ll like my boss. That’s a benefit.”
Mark laughed. “That’s true.”
“When do I start?”
“I have some things to take care of. I’m not exactly sure.”
“I have two weeks of vacation the hospital owes me.”
“Give them your two weeks tonight. I will too. We’ll be ready to move in a month for sure.”
“Ok, Boss. Seriously, Mark. You just made my week.”
“Thank Lexi. I think she made both our weeks.”
“Next time I see that girl I’m going to give her a big hug. I got to get some sleep. See you tonight.”
“See you later.” Mark ended the call and fired up his truck. He wove his way along the highways through Minneapolis. Sleep fogged his brain. He needed to eat and go to bed. But he had to take care of things first. At the first stop he came to, he shot a quick text to Dan pleading to his best friend to let Kinnick outside. Of course Dan came to his aid. Mark blew out a breath of relief as he proceeded through traffic.
He pulled up to the curb outside the two story house with a smile. The classic Mustang he was hoping to see sat in the driveway. The VW Beetle was gone. Mark hopped out of his truck, jogged up the porch, and knocked on the door.
Max tugged the door open, his cell phone pinched between his ear and shoulder. He waved Mark inside silently. Mark stepped inside as Max took his spot back in his chair.
“What’s up?” Max near whispered. His attention was turned back to his cell. “Hey, Sam. It’s Max returning your call.”
Mark settled on the couch as Max continued his phone call. “Thanks. It was a tough fight but the belt is still mine…Of course I can find you fighters.” He shot a look at Mark.
Mark shook his head and mouthed, “Some things have changed. Not now.”
Max nodded hesitantly. “Sure, Sam. How soon do you need names? Women fighters?”
Mark turned as Chloe stepped into the house, her purse slung over her shoulder. “Hey, Mark. What’s up?”
“I have big n
ews. I came to get the name of the travel website Max uses to book our trips.”
“I’ll write it down for you. Who’s he talking to?”
“Sam.”
Chloe rolled her eyes. “Great. He’ll be on the phone for hours.”
Max huffed at her comment. “I don’t have anyone at the moment. Avery and Chloe are nearly ready. Give me a month or two then I’ll have you get them opponents.”
Chloe’s eyes grew wide as she flew across the living room and snatched the phone from Max’s hand. “Sam, he’ll call you back.” She hung up the call and laid the cell on the coffee table.
“I was in the middle of a conversation,” Max objected, his voice a near screech.
“You can’t get me a fight,” Chloe insisted, her hands clenched to her hips.
“Why not?”
“Because I’m pregnant.”
Max’s mouth dropped in silence as he stared at her, then he jumped out of his seat and wrapped her in a bear hug, lifting her off the ground.
“You’re not mad?” Chloe asked.
“Mad? Why would I be mad? I’m going to be a father.”
“We weren’t planning this.” Chloe’s words came out in a grunt as he set her back on her feet.
“The best things in life aren’t planned. So is this why you’ve been having all those mild CVS episodes?”
“Yeah.”
“But it’s been two months. I mean you’d have to be…” His eyes grew wide.
“Eight weeks. Nine, actually. I just came from the doctor.”
“But the normal indicator of you being pregnant…” Max’s face contorted uncomfortably. Mark fought back a chuckle.
“There was a little spotting last month. With the fire and everything I didn’t put much thought into it.”
“Spotting?” Max’s eyes grew in alarm.
Chloe smiled at him reassuringly. “Everything is all right. They did an early ultrasound. I got to hear the heartbeat. The baby is fine.”
Max breathed a sigh of relief. “You got to hear the heartbeat, huh?”
“You can too at my next doctor’s appointment.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
Max wrapped Chloe tight in his arms as he buried his face in her hair. Mark smiled at his friends. He couldn’t be happier for the couple. They had been through it all and were stronger than ever. He only hoped he and Lexi could be that close. And Max and Chloe would make great parents.
Chloe suddenly bolted upright in Max’s arms. “Mark, I’m so sorry. You need to get to bed. I need to get that website for you.”
Mark grinned at her. “No worries, Chloe. I'm not in a hurry. I’m quitting my job tonight anyway.”
Max spun toward him. “You’re what?”
“It’s why I can’t take a fight right now,” Mark explained. “Lexi took the money she received from the movie script for her book and put it down on an office for me to start my practice. So I need the next few weeks to get my office ready for clients. Only after I take care of some other things first.”
“Like what?”
Mark winked at the couple. “You’ll see. Hopefully you won’t be the only Hard Drive couple with big news.”
Max laughed. “Got it.”
Chloe pulled from Max’s arms. “Still, you need to get to bed. I’ll get the website.”
“Yes, mama,” Mark replied.
He noticed the blush on her cheek as she dashed into the kitchen. Max dropped back into his chair. He was glowing in disbelief. Before the men could start talking, Chloe was back with a slip of paper.
“Here it is. I wrote our discount code down too. Just be sure to give Lexi a hug from me.”
Mark laughed as he gave her a hug. “I will. Thanks. And congratulations you two.”
Max stood once again and clasped Mark in a quick bro hug. “Thanks, Uncle Mark.”
“Uncle Mark. I like that.” Mark waved good-bye before he stepped out of the house and hurried to his truck. He was getting sleepier by the second. There were so many more plans to coordinate and phone calls to make. But it would be so worth it in the end. He flipped the ignition in his vehicle. With a smile he pulled into the street and rushed down the road.
»»•««
Lexi wandered through the crowd of aliens, set crew, and extras without taking her eyes off the screen of her phone. The hot Las Vegas sun left a sheen of sweat on her skin. She barely glanced up as she passed the third spaceship.
Mark hadn’t responded to the text she sent fifteen minutes ago. He hadn’t responded to any message over the past three days. The day she sent him flowers, the day he discovered his office, they had talked for hours. The following day? Nothing. He didn’t answer calls, social media messages, or texts. His friends promised to tell him that she was looking for him. Still there was nothing.
She tried the day before to salve her heart by calling her parents’ house to talk to Logan. Her dad informed her that Logan was off with Mark and wouldn’t be back until late. She could imagine the two of them playing with Kinnick in Mark’s backyard. She loved them both so much and she couldn’t say one word to them. It was tearing her up inside.
She glanced up at the growing crowd of fans jostling each other for a glimpse of the set. Never in her wildest dreams could she have imagined so many people would read her book. She never believed it would become a movie. It was rejected by ten different publishing houses before her little e-book publisher picked it up. She should be elated. Instead she was heartbroken.
Lexi’s eyes narrowed as she stared into the crowd. One man stood out. He had to. He was half a head taller and nearly twice as broad as nearly everyone there. Her heart picked up its pace as her steps redirected themselves toward the barrier. The man argued with the security guard as he shielded a young boy in his arms from the mass of people around them. She could tell by the look on his face he knew he was going to lose the battle with the guard.
“Lexi!”
She turned at the voice of the producer, Ozzie. He continued. “Don’t get too close. They know who you are. They’ll mob you.”
She pointed toward the throng. “My boyfriend is there with my son. I didn’t know they were coming.”
“Which one is he?”
Lexi pointed again. “The really tall guy talking with the guard.”
“Got it. Head back to the set. I’ll send one of my assistants to bring him in.”
“Thank you.”
“No problem.” Ozzie hurried off to search for an assistant. Lexi beamed as she turned and strode back to the set. She settled in a chair as she waited anxiously, her eyes trained on the corner waiting to see Mark and Logan enter the set. Her heart raced out of control. Was she imagining it?
She sprung out of her seat when she spotted them. Logan’s eyes opened wide and his arms stretched out to her as he took off running. “Mommy!”
Scooping him up in her arms, she hugged him close. “Hi, baby.”
Logan clasped her cheeks in his hands. “Mark took us on a plane to get here. He bought me a stuffed tiger in case I was scared.”
“He did, huh?”
“Guilty as charged.” Mark sauntered up to them and wrapped his arms around both of them.
Lexi lost her breath at the sight of him. She fought to find her words. “Hey there.”
He grinned at her. “Hey there. Surprise! I hope you don’t mind us crashing your workspace.”
“Not at all.” She playfully slugged him. “Is this why you ignored my calls and texts?”
“Yes. I would have spilled it if I talked to you.”
Lexi laughed. “Of course. Would you fellas like the grand tour?”
Logan nodded excitedly. “Yes, please.”
“Most certainly,” Mark agreed.
She led them through each department. One of the make-up artists painted tiger stripes on Logan’s face to match his new toy. Lexi coaxed her big, strong boyfriend to wear a boa for just a little while when they visited wardrobe. Mark
even added a pair of hot pink glittery sunglasses to complete the look.
Their final stop on the tour was the replica of a spaceship belonging to the hero in her book. She led them up the ramp inside, holding Logan’s hand tight in hers. “They even outfitted it inside. You should come take a look.”
Mark stopped at the foot of the ramp. “Not right now.”
Lexi nodded. “I forget. It’ll be cramped for you.”
“It’s not that.”
“Then what is it?”
He took the steps to her. “I’m tired of waiting.”
“Tired of what?” she questioned, confused.
He caressed her arms. “Lexi, I know the road will be rough. What Derek did to you will take time to heal. I promise to be by your side the entire time. I wanted to do this at your signing at the mall. Then I thought about doing it later on tonight. But for some reason, right here on this spaceship seems right.”
“Mark, I don’t understand.”
He gazed into her eyes, his eyes a sparkling blue. Then he carefully kneeled on one knee on the inclining metal. He dug in his pants pocket and pulled out a box. Opening it, he presented the diamond ring to her. “Lexi Mills, you have no idea how much I love you. I’ve loved you since I pulled you from that burning car. I want to love you forever. For better or worse. I’ll see this through. I promise you. Will you be my wife? Marry me.”
Lexi gasped. “Mark.”
“Yes?”
“I love you too. But this is so sudden.”
Mark frowned. “So this means no?”
Lexi smiled. “No. It means yes. Yes, I’ll marry you.”
Mark rose to his feet with the biggest grin Lexi had ever seen him wear. He tugged the ring from the box and closed it before slipping the ring on her finger.
“It’s beautiful,” she murmured.
“Just like you,” he responded.
“Mark, I can’t promise everything will be okay. I’ll try but…”
He gently kissed her. “I know. We’ll get through it together.”
“Mommy, does that mean Mark is my daddy now?” Logan questioned.
Mark shrugged with a laugh. “Guess so, big guy. Is that all right?”
“Yes! Yay!” Logan grabbed Mark’s hand and pulled. “Take me to see the spaceship.”
Breaking the Violence (Hard Drive Series Book 3) Page 14