The Fine Line Book One Between Worlds Series

by Tracee Ford

  “Rough night?” she asked thoughtfully. He looked weary, but she also saw the spark of anticipation.

  “Na. Nothing I’m not used to.” He took a sip of his coffee. “Robin,” he started, “I’m sorry if I seemed like such a freak the other night. I don’t normally ask people out that I’ve just met.”

  She smiled, not believing a word he said.

  “There is just something about you,” he continued. “I can’t explain it.”

  “Uh huh,” she chuckled and shook her head slightly.

  “No, seriously, you think it’s a line, but it’s not.”

  “Really?” Robin sighed.

  Even as he nodded sincerely, she still wasn’t convinced. She had learned the hard way what type of men to avoid.

  “Oh come on,” she said cynically, “You’re a doctor. All doctors seem to have a ‘God complex’ and most think very highly of themselves.”

  “Now,” he began, “give me some credit. You need to give me a chance before you start…”

  “Judging you,” she finished for him.

  “Well, yeah.” His smile never disappeared.

  “So, tell me who you are… really,” she began. “I know we talked a little bit the other night, but how much can you really learn from being around someone for a few hours?”

  He cleared his throat and sat up straight as if she were interviewing him. He folded his hands around his cup of coffee and started.

  “I’m 36. I went to The Ohio State University School of medicine. I got married too young and then got divorced much later than I should have; I guess that’s because I’m too tolerant. I have a 6 year old daughter who comes to see me every other weekend and throughout the summer. I haven’t dated much since my divorce because after my ex-wife and I split up, I started thinking that perhaps all women are evil.”

  He laughed. To acknowledge his attempts to lighten the mood, she laughed with him.

  “I really don’t like working nights, but it’s hard to image myself working on any other shift. I’ve been on that shift since med school. But, I suppose the upside is that most of the good stuff happens at night. After all, that’s how we met, right? If I wasn’t assigned to the night shift, this opportunity could have sailed on by.” He smiled sincerely.

  “I have an older brother,” he continued, “and my dad died of cancer two years ago. My mom is still living and loves to visit me unannounced during the day when I’m trying to sleep.” Again, they laughed.

  “My brother and I are very close, but we didn’t used to be.”

  She watched him take another sip of his coffee.

  “When my dad died, my brother and his wife moved to Middletown to be closer to my mom. It took my dad dying for my brother and I to realize how much our mom needed us and how dumb we’d been, so we put our stupidity aside and realized how futile the rivalry had been.

  “I live in an apartment here in Oxford. I can walk to work, which I like, because my truck is a gas hog. Ultimately, I want to move to the country someday.”

  “You don’t seem like much of a country boy,” she interjected.

  “Well you just met me and you act like you know me or something,” he joked.

  Robin felt the blood rush to her cheeks and she covered her embarrassment with laughter.

  “Seriously,” he continued, “I want to be where it’s quiet. I was raised in the city. I need a change of scenery. My dad owned a construction company and he taught me everything, so I could probably build a house with my bare hands if I wanted to.”

  “Impressive,” she said with a nod.

  “Well, I mean, I’d need some help of course,” he added.

  After another sip of coffee, he continued.

  “I love rock-n-roll, American history, and my daughter is the most important woman in my life. I couldn’t ask for a better kid.”

  “That’s a good summation Dr. Gregory,” she said with a grin.

  “Okay, now it’s your turn.”

  He lifted the coffee cup back up to his perfectly shaped lips. Robin watched as the whiskers of his goatee touched the sides.

  She took in a deep breath and then sighed.

  “I’m 26. I was born in May, thus the reason for my middle name. I graduated from the University of Dayton in 1998. I was enrolled in an accelerated program in high school, which allowed me to get most of my general credits out of the way before I even officially started to undergrad. I went straight through the summers so I graduated with my bachelors in two years and then I decided to enroll at Wright State’s social work master’s program. I interned at Miami Valley Hospital and that really prepared me for my LISW.”

  “Wait… what’s that? An LISW,” Matt interrupted.

  “Oh, it’s an independent license for social work,” she explained.

  He still looked puzzled.

  “It means that I can do counseling, work in hospitals, work in nursing homes, or do what I’m doing right now, which is child welfare work.”

  “Oh, okay. How did you get into children services work?”

  “I sort of fell into it really. I was an ongoing case manager for a couple of years and then a promotion came up for the intake department.”

  “Where are you from?” he asked inquisitively.

  “I’m from the southern part of Ohio, but when I moved here to go to school, I liked the area so much that I couldn’t leave.”

  She took a drink of water to wet her dry throat and then continued.

  “I’ve never been married. I have no children. I share an apartment with Wendy, the girl who brought me into the E.R.”

  “She seemed to genuinely care about you, Robin.”

  “We were roommates in college. We are like sisters. She majored in health sciences.” Robin quieted for a moment and then looked down at her water. Her eyes met his again when she raised her head back up. “I think she works in your hospital. I’m surprised you don’t know her.”

  The grimace on his face gave away his surprise.

  “What’s her last name?”

  “Newton. Dr. Ewley hired her.”

  “That’s why I haven’t met her.”

  She tilted her head in curiosity.

  “She’s on the staff payroll, yes,” he explained, “but Dr. Ewley is a private practice doctor. His staff isn’t directly associated with the hospital. That’s why I haven’t seen her before last night. She probably works day shift. Our paths probably never crossed for that reason.”

  “That makes sense,” Robin nodded.

  His dark eyes looked down into his coffee cup and then back up at her. “I’m sorry, I keep interrupting you. Please continue. I’m not done interviewing you yet.”

  The smile on his face seemed to brighten the entire room.

  “Well,” she continued, “I have a younger sister and an older brother. My mom, stepdad, and siblings still live in the southern part of the state. I love my friends from work and I truly love what I do. And, just for the record, I’m not like most 26 year olds. I know who I am and I have a clear picture of what I want. And I knew that I wanted you to ask me out when we met.”

  She couldn’t believe she just uttered those thoughts aloud.

  Surprised and pleased, Matt grinned from ear to ear.

  “Really?”

  Despite her uncertainty, she nodded confidently and smiled right back at him. She realized how futile her efforts were in battling against her inner self. She had always been blunt and to the point.

  “I thought you were very handsome and you were very sweet to me. I wasn’t really sure why you were so attentive. I knew typically a nurse would do what you did, taking me to the radiology department and all.” Hesitating, she took a deep breath, but kept going anyway.

  “I’ll admit that it felt weird at first, but then as I listened to you talk and watched you, I knew you weren’t just being polite. The way you touched my forehead and the way you helped me, it just seemed like it meant more.”

  “I’m not usually taken off
guard myself,” he began, “I was so afraid that my asking you out would scare you. I didn’t want you to think I was some sort of creep. Like I said, I don’t date much.”

  Robin leaned in toward Matt and rested her arms and elbows on the table. Folding her hands, she continued peering into his chocolate brown eyes. She studied him carefully; his gestures, his chiseled features, his perfectly symmetrical face.

  “From what I see, you have a beautiful soul Dr. Gregory. You have a great sense of humor and I personally believe if you cannot laugh at life, then it’s hopeless.”

  He leaned in also.

  “Interesting perspective, Miss Hillard,” he said pleasantly. “Are you psychic? What if I am a freak who stalks women with sprained ankles?”

  Robin’s very deep understanding of spirituality gave her incredible discernment. This assisted her greatly in her job duties, but also in her personal life. However, her discernment had come at a high price. As she continued staring at Matt, she knew it wasn’t the right time to have a discussion about her beliefs, so she just smiled warmly.

  “I am a pretty good judge of character.”

  The conviction in her tone reassured him.

  Matt took another sip of his coffee and receptively leaned in closer to Robin who still hadn’t sat back in the booth.

  “I may be going out on a limb here,” he started, his voice even and seductive, “but there’s a concert next Saturday night and I happen to have that night off. I have two tickets and I wondered if you might want to go with me.”

  “Who’s playing?” she asked still leaning on her elbows.

  “It’s just a local band; nothing big,” he shrugged. “It really doesn’t matter who is playing because I like live music. My buddy and his girlfriend are going, too.”

  “I would love to go.”

  “Awesome, awesome” he said smiling as he sat back in his seat. “I’ll pick you up at six? Doesn’t start until 7:30, but we’re driving to Cincinnati, so it’ll be an hour and fifteen minutes if traffic is good.”

  “Sounds like a lot of fun. Would you like to come to my next softball game to make sure that I don’t fall and break something?” she asked humorously. “At least if I do fall again, you’ll be there and can maybe just fix me on the spot.”

  “I’d love to come. When is your next game?”

  “We always play on Tuesday and Thursdays nights. I’ll give you directions. We’re playing the local police department Tuesday and that is always entertaining. They are power freaks.”

  “I will be there. I don’t have to be at work until 10:00 p.m. on Tuesday.”

  “Our games usually start at 6 and are over by 8, sometimes earlier.”

  “Can I take you out to a quick dinner afterward?” he asked sweetly.

  “We usually go out as a group for burgers afterward. Why don’t you come with us?”

  “Sounds great,” he replied. “Can I chat with you online this week? Maybe call you? You can give me the directions to the field?”

  “Absolutely,” she answered.

  Two hours passed before they realized it. The darkness under Matt’s eyes worsened as the exhaustion manifested. Robin could see he needed to go home and sleep. So, after exchanging email addresses and Facebook ID’s, they went their separate ways.

  That night, before Matt went to work, Robin chatted online with him. They constantly exchanged text messages. Monday evening before Matt went in for his shift, they talked on the phone.

  Robin felt excited. She loved getting to know Matt. She enjoyed his funny jokes, his laughter, and the sheer sound of his voice. She observed a very serious side to him though. He won her over very quickly. Still, she remained cautious.

  For Matt, Robin’s thoughtfulness was one of the most attractive things about her. In the past, he had been riddled with pain over failed relationships, but when he talked to Robin, the pain seemed to disappear. Her qualities were undeniable and her beauty, unsurpassed. Filled with honesty and integrity, their conversations felt real to him.

  ****

  Tuesday morning, Robin sat at the kitchen table eating her cereal. The apartment was quiet. Wendy stayed with Terri at his apartment most of the time anyway.

  Wendy and Terri had been together for several years and it was Terri who had helped Robin get the job with the children services agency. He was stocky in stature with brownish red curly hair. When Robin thought of him, the words “good hearted,” “kind,” and “honest” came directly to mind. With lighter skin and dark features, Wendy’s biracial ethnicity attracted Terri from the very first moment he met her. Her eyes, a rare bluish green color, held a mysterious quality. Tall, standing 5’8”, she towered over Robin. Through good and bad, Wendy remained by Robin’s side providing support and stability. When Wendy spoke, authority radiated from her. Robin wished she possessed just half of Wendy’s confidence.

  When the front door slammed, Robin realized she hadn’t told Wendy about the fantastic news. Things were so hectic in their lives they hadn’t made time to sit down for a heart to heart.Wendy walked into the kitchen and grabbed a pop tart from the cabinet.

  “Morning, sister,” Wendy said.

  “Morning,” Robin replied.

  “What’s up?” she asked as she walked to the refrigerator and grabbed the gallon of milk. “I feel like I haven’t talked to you in ages.”

  “All sorts of things are happening and I haven’t seen you to tell you about what’s going on,” Robin started.

  “Well, girl, do tell! I’m sorry I haven’t been around, but with Terri leaving on vacation…”

  “I know, I know,” Robin interrupted. “It’s okay. You’re a good girlfriend,” she said smiling sincerely. “But all kidding aside, I want to throw a name out to you; see if you’ve heard anything about him around the hospital.”

  “A ‘him’ huh? It’s been a long time since you’ve been interested in finding out more about a ‘him’.”

  “Matt Gregory.”

  “Matt Gregory,” Wendy repeated quietly, thinking. “Isn’t he the hot doctor from the E.R. the other night?”

  “Yes.”

  “Wow, I didn’t even put two and two together. It didn’t even dawn on me,” she said as she poured milk into a glass.

  “What do you mean?”

  “Well, you didn’t tell me he asked you out. When I wanted to talk about him the other night during the car ride home, I couldn’t. You were passed out.”

  After grabbing the pop tart and the glass of milk, she sat at the table across from Robin.

  “I don’t know him,” she continued, “but I have heard of him. He used to be married to Sheryl Winston. She’s some big shot in the neonatal unit. Their divorce was big news.”

  “I see.”

  “Sheryl is a lot older than Matt. I’ll tell you this much, she is not very popular at the hospital either. Frankly, she’s a bitch; calculating and conniving,” she said as she ravaged the pop tart. “So, he asked you out, did he?”

  “Well, we’ve kind of been talking.”

  “I knew it! I knew he was going to ask you out!” she shouted. “He is one beautiful man, girl! That dark messy hair and he is built! Mmm… Damn girl, you need to get on that. He is fine!”

  A few quiet moments passed and then Wendy continued,

  “From what I heard around the office, he really got shafted when Miss Thang divorced him. She cleaned him out. She was messin’ around with some other dude; ended up marrying the guy only a few days after the divorce was final. Sheryl and Matt have a beautiful daughter together though. I’ve never heard a bad word said about him around the hospital. It’s always been bad stuff about her. Everybody says he is a good dad and a super-nice guy.”

  “Good.”

  “You were afraid he was a jerk, weren’t you?”

  Robin nodded.

  “You know I don’t pay attention to gossip, but because you’re feelings are involved, I’m going to tell you this, too. But you have to promise not to freak out.”
>
  Robin nodded again.

  “People around the office say they think Sheryl and Matt still have a thing. Matt doesn’t date much. Everyone thinks that’s strange because he’s so good looking. And from what I also hear, he’s not gay. The women are practically throwing themselves at him. He doesn’t pay attention though.”

  Discouragement covered Robin’s face.

  “Now don’t do that,” Wendy demanded. “It’s just rumors. You give this man a fair chance. You deserve a little happiness.”

  “I just…”

  “Stop it and finish the cereal girl. Don’t let what people say get in your head. You use your own judgment. You’re smart.”

  “Thanks Wendy. And I am glad you told me everything.”

  ****

  Anticipation filled Robin as Tuesday evening’s softball game approached. She and Wendy drove to the ball field together. They pulled onto the gravel lot and when they arrived, disappointment rushed over Robin as she realized Matt’s truck wasn’t there. She wondered if he decided not to come. She wondered if he decided to stand her up. Insecurity turned to anger as she thought about how she didn’t need the headache or worry of such trivial things.

  A calm inner voice spoke to her mind clearly reassuring her be positive. But, the conversation with Wendy echoed in her brain planting seeds of doubt. She just knew she couldn’t deal with more heartbreak. Drama was not her style either.

  The dugout filled with co-workers little by little. Robin made her way to the group of people as Wendy stayed behind and spread out a blanket on the warm grass. Others sat with Wendy. Some brought lawn chairs.

  The police department’s team congregated in the outfield. Colin Baker walked to the children services dugout. He had an insatiable crush on Robin. He had a genuinely sweet disposition. Robin owed him a lot, too. She had always been aware of the crush, but she wasn’t interested in him romantically.

  He approached with a grin.

  “Ankle doing ok?” he asked kindly.

  She smiled as she watched his curly blond hair blowing in the warm breeze. With a nod, she sighed and put weight on it.