by Ali Parker
"What a small world. I got a call from Luke Taylor about you. He's a patron here at the hospital. Him and his brother." He leaned back and cupped his hands over his stomach. "And you're working for my brother. Well, stepbrother. I was adopted by his family when I lost mine."
"I'm sorry." My heart contracted. Lost his family? Like all of them?
"It was a long time ago. The Lewis family was really good to me." He tapped the desk, his eyes filled with what appeared to be excitement. "Let's get you to fill out some paperwork for me and we'll work on scholarships if you need them and seeing what the interview process might look like for you next spring. My right-hand guy can get all of that for you. I'll buzz him and ask him to meet you by the exit in the ER with a packet."
"Sounds great." I stood up. "I shouldn't keep you."
He stood and extended his hand. "Thank you for coming by. I wish I had time. I'd take you to lunch. Do tell my brother I said hello."
I nodded and released his hand before walking to the door. I opened it and paused, glancing back. "Who am I looking for downstairs?"
"Parks."
"Okay. Thanks." I walked out to find Olivia waiting. Of course I'd get to run into Parks.
"It go okay?"
"Perfectly. I have to grab a packet from one of his doctors before we go. Just some pre-interview paperwork."
"That sounds promising!" She slipped her arm into mine as we walked toward the elevator.
"I think so. As long as Kendal is willing to come up here... I'll be set."
"And if he isn't?" She moved into the elevator and held the door for me.
"I don't know. I'm in love with him, and I think if we could come to some type of mutual understanding of what we were each going to let go of-"
"Or give."
"Right, or give to the relationship, then I would be willing to move forward." I rubbed my chest. "I can't imagine life without him. That's for sure."
"Then you shouldn't have to. We'll grab a phone charger on the way to De Luca." She walked out of the elevator and I spotted Parks from across the room.
Three nurses were gathered around him, none of them seeming to care much that the other two were flirting outright with the playboy.
"Parks?" I walked up and thought he might recognize me, but no luck.
"Hey there. You must be Dana." He extended his hand. "I'm Parks. I was actually down in Dallas a while back. Great hospital. Good staff and kick ass BBQ down the street."
I laughed, quickly realizing his charm was just being who he was and nothing more. "My friend Jackie talks about you a lot."
"Oh yea?" He handed me the packet. "Not sure I remember a Jackie, but you'd be surprised how many girls don't give their real names." He shrugged and his smile faded a little.
"That's her real name. We came up and she visited you a couple weeks ago."
He lifted his eyebrows. "Oh yeah. I think I remember her. Brown hair? Green eyes? Really tall?"
That wasn't Jackie at all.
"Um, yeah. Alright. Thanks for this." I lifted the packet and turned around to join Olivia. Did he really not remember Jackie?
What an asshole. And I was worried about Kendal not being great. He was a million times better than the jack-wagon behind me.
Why anyone would give him the time of day was beyond me. I had to tell Jackie - stat.
Chapter 17
Kendal
I made a quick stop by the flower market on the way downtown to see her. My heart was racing, my palms sweaty. It felt like I was going on my first date again. A joyous laugh bubbled up in me.
I was free. No more letting my job rule my life. Never again. I'd be Dana's whatever for as long as she'd have me. We could build the house of her dreams and start working on making babies.
A growl lodged in my throat as my body woke up. My first act after apologizing and smothering her in kisses was to find a way to get her home and in my bed. I needed to spend the next few days worshiping her. I'd fucked up.
Why couldn't I see that before?
Too much on my plate. A laugh bubbled up and poured from my lips as I tore into the parking lot at the hospital and parked. Clarity was mine, and with it, I could make things right.
I jogged toward the hospital entrance, ignoring the odd looks I received. Most people ran toward the hospital, but not with a big ass smile on their faces. Unless they were having a little one.
A baby.
My heart swelled in my chest. Never before had I had such a clear cut path to where I was going and how to make it happen. All I needed was for Dana to forgive me. To comply. My jog slowed to a fast walk. Was there a better way to do this?
Was rushing into the hospital with flowers enough? I stopped just outside the door and let my thoughts overwhelm me.
She wasn't just any girl. She was the woman I wanted to wear my ring and own my last name.
"Kendal?"
"Nate. Hey man." I extended my hand and smiled. "How are you?"
He pulled me into a quick hug and stepped back. "I'm okay. I asked Dana about you and she said you would be calling."
"Sorry. It's been crazy at the school." I ran my fingers through my hair and looked past him. "I'm coming to dinner as soon as you invite me. It's alright that I bring her with me?"
He glanced over his shoulder and back at me, chuckling. "You okay? Looking for her?"
"Yes. I messed up bad with her." I let out a long sigh and lifted the flowers. "I suck at this relationship stuff."
"I always did too, son." He smiled and slipped his hands into his white coat. "You just need to be yourself. You're a good man. She'll recognize that."
"Thank you." I glanced down at the ground and back up at him. "Is she here? Do you know?"
"She's actually not, but I don't know where she is. Her best friend is Jackie. Blond nurse on the second floor."
"Oh yeah. I know Jackie. We went to New York with her a while back."
"I'm not going to ask why." He tilted his head to the side and smiled, seemingly knowing far too much for his own good. "How about dinner Saturday night? Denise and I will tell the poor girl how incredible you are."
I laughed. "I might need the help. Sounds good. We'll be there. Six good?"
"Perfect." He reached out and squeezed my shoulder. "Good luck with the girl. I'm sure you've got everything inside of you to convince her that you're the one. Just lean on that."
"Thanks, Nate." I moved past him as someone called out to him from down the hallway.
"Dr. Lewis. We need you in room four."
I glanced back to see him jogging that way. He took the time to lift his hand in the air and wave. I responded in kind. Where I was depressed that Dana wasn't at the hospital, it felt good to see Nate. He was a good man, and from what Dana said, he was losing his wife.
I moved into the elevator and pressed my back against the far wall. My heart hurt for him. Loving Dana for the rest of my life would be bliss, but to lose her after the kids were gone and it was finally our time to enjoy life alone together?
Impossibly painful.
The elevator opened, and I moved out, looking for a blond with a name tag I could recognize.
"Mr. Tarrington?" One of the other nurses stood up from behind a desk. I'd seen her a few times during Mandy's stay up there, but couldn't remember her name. If her name badge had been anywhere but her tit, I'd have glanced down at it.
"Yeah. I was, um, looking for my girlfriend, but she seems to have taken the day off." I glanced around, feeling a little out of sorts.
"Who is your girlfriend?" The scorn in the girl's voice was a little surprising.
"Dana Young." I turned and pinned her with a hard stare. "She's a nurse here. She helped with my sister's passing."
"Kendal." Jackie walked toward me.
"Hey." I let out a sigh of relief and walked toward her. "Is Dana here? Nate said she wasn't, but he wasn't sure where she was. I need to find her. I have to apologize for being an idiot."
She smiled and g
lanced down at the flowers. "Who's Nate?"
"Dr. Lewis, idiot," the other nurse called from behind me.
Jackie flipped her off, smiling so big all of her teeth showed.
I chuckled and glanced over my shoulder. "Make sure I get her name. Nate should know how unpleasant she is."
"Done," Jackie mumbled. "Dana is in New York."
I jerked around to face her again. "New York? What the hell?"
"She's upset. She thinks this thing between the two of you is a mistake, so she ran. She's tired and the poor girl has never been in a good relationship. Never."
"Dammit." I growled and pulled out my phone, texting her. "I wish she would pick up the phone. She misunderstood everything I said last night."
"Or maybe you simply didn't say it right. Or maybe you didn't say the right things." She reached out and brushed something off of my shoulder, forcing me to return my attention to her. "She's completely in love with you. I'd never be willing to transfer my internship and degree plan to another school for someone else, but that's what she's been talking about for a few weeks now. We all think she's crazy."
"She is crazy." I smiled, unable to help myself. "She's not going to have to make any changes. I turned in my resignation today. I'm done with the university. I came to tell her. To apologize."
"Then go to New York." She shrugged and reached for the flowers. "You want me to put these into water? They're not going to last on a plane."
I smirked. "Just keep them for yourself for helping me."
"Really?" Her smile lifted. She was a pretty girl with rough edges. I couldn't help but wonder if she was in a good relationship. By the dark circles under her eyes, I'd think she was as bad off as Dana had been lately. Thanks to me. Fuck. I had so much to make up to my beautiful girl.
"Absolutely. Thank you, Jackie." I turned and jogged back to the elevator.
"Are you going after her?"
"I don't know. I think so."
"You should! It's so romantic."
I slipped into the elevator and closed my eyes. It was romantic, but would she accept me if I showed up unannounced? She was with Olivia. She had to be.
Walking to the car, I realized that I was out of options. She was the only thing I wanted in my life. She gets all of me, one-hundred percent. Now to find out if that's what she still wants.
I got in the car and hit Damon's number.
"What's up buddy? How did it go with the girl?"
"It didn't," I mumbled and pulled out of the parking lot. "She ran to New York to get away from me."
"Damn... that's pretty powerful stuff." He laughed.
"Fuck you too. Can you get Linda to find me a flight? I need something now and fast."
"Sure can. I'll even spot you for first class. You've had a bitch of a day. Let me help make it better."
"Why am I worried that you're going to come a'callin’ soon for your paybacks?"
"Me?" He sounded so innocent. Sickeningly so. "Never. I just like giving away my time, money and cunningness."
"Alright, man. What do you want from me?" I put on my blinker and glanced over my shoulder as I pulled onto the freeway. I didn't have clothes or bathroom stuff or anything.
"For you to be happy, Kendal. You know that."
"And what does that mean to you?"
"Get the girl back, love on her some and then call me. You're going to need a job and money. You're a high-dollar guy. You'll cut through your savings in no time."
"Thank you, Dad." I smirked.
"You have a job waiting for you here."
"And if I decide to move to New York next spring with Dana?"
"Then you can work from an office there or from your house. Your choice. It's me you're talking to. I don't care what the fucking arrangement is. I want you happy and taken care of."
"I feel like a trust-fund baby." I pressed my foot down on the gas. "Get me the ticket and text me the info please. Let's start with that and we'll see what happens when I get back from New York."
"Done. Be safe, brother." He dropped the call and relief flooded my system.
I wasn't usually a fly by the seat of my pants type of guy, but it felt good to do something crazy. Flying across the US to tell a woman that I was in love with her felt very adventurous. I prayed she would see the depths of my heart when I stood before her.
She had to. I wasn't leaving until she did.
*
"Where are you, baby?" I pulled my phone from my ear and walked toward a cab in the airport in New York. The flight had been excellent, the first class ticket probably the reason behind that.
Dana still wasn't answering her phone, which was typical of her. It was something we would have to talk about. Her being upset in the future and needing space was going to be a regular occurrence from what I could tell, but I needed to be able to reach her.
I had to know that she was safe. That she was okay. That she still loved me.
Getting in the cab, I did the only thing I knew to do. Probably not the smartest thing in the world, but I called Ana.
"Where to?" The cabbie barked at me.
"Central Park." I pressed the phone to my ear.
"Hello?"
"Ana. It's Kendal. I need to see if you can help me find Dana. I pissed her off yesterday because I'm an idiot and she ran to New York. Please tell me you have some way of finding her." I sucked in a quick breath.
"Yeah. I can track her phone. My mom set this shit up when we were younger and wild."
"Not much has changed." I laughed, feeling a sense of providence. I was going to find her and she'd have nowhere to run to when I trapped her against me. She had to hear me out.
"True." There was a smile in her voice. Maybe it wasn't just me and Dana that could reconcile. Maybe Dana and Ana could... for good.
"She's at De Luca. It's 1225 Main Avenue downtown."
"Excellent." I smiled. "Thank you."
"Don't mention it. No really. Don't mention it to her." She chuckled.
"Alright. Later." I dropped the call and leaned forward, giving the cabbie the address for the coffee shop.
He took a sharp right and hit the gas, scaring the hell out of me. I'd most likely die before I got there, but if not... things were about to look up.
I leaned my head back and let the memories we'd made over the last few weeks run through my mind. I was so deep in love with her that it hurt. It was far beyond what I had with Ana, and we hadn't been together more than a month or so. She's caring and sensitive, feminine and so delicious in every way possible.
"Here you are, buddy."
I glanced up to see thirty minutes had passed.
"Oh wow." I paid the man and got out, walking up to the small coffee shop. The scent of coffee and sugar greeted me as I walked in and a pretty girl with a name tag that identified her as Jenna glanced up.
"Hi. Welcome to De Luca. What can I get started for you?"
"Just a large coffee please." I turned and glanced around the small shop. No Dana. No Olivia.
Just a meat head with huge muscles, tats and dark-blue eyes watching me like he wasn't too thrilled I was in his coffee shop. I turned back to the girl.
"Three-twenty-six."
I handed her my card and glanced back at the guy and back to her. "Do you guys really need a bouncer at a coffee shop?"
She laughed and handed me the card back. "That's my boyfriend, Nate, but yeah... it's New York, man. You always need a bouncer and security around here."
I smiled. "Nice."
The sound of two women laughing caused me to turn. Dana and Olivia walked out of the bathroom at the end of the hall, Dana stealing my breath.
"There you are," I whispered and walked toward her, picking up a bouquet of flowers sitting on the counter beside the register. "Dana."
She glanced toward me and stopped short. "Kendal? What are you doing here?"
"Coming to collect what's mine. You."
Chapter 18
Dana
His words drove
lust through me, but shock covered my nerve endings. Had this beautiful man left his life in the middle of the day and flown to New York for me?
Had he left everything behind to run hard and fast until he found me?
"How did you..." I reached for him, wrapping my arms around him and lifting up as he leaned down and consumed me.
The soft press of his lips was nothing compared to the hot wetness of his tongue, sliding past mine, taking control of my mouth and forcing me to comply. I was lost. Completely.
"Um, guys. I'm going to head to the office. Something just came up. Call me later." Olivia's voice broke through the cloud around me.
I pulled back and turned. "You sure? I don't want to-"
"Yes. Positive." She smiled, wagged her eyebrows, whispered 'hot' and walked out.
"Why did you run from me?" He brushed my hair back as I turned and looked up at him.
"I thought I was the only one that cared about us." I pressed my fingers into the thick muscle along his lower back and snuggled in tightly. "I told you that I loved you last night, that I was willing to give up everything for you-"
"And I failed to validate your words." He leaned down and brushed his nose by mine, his scent staining my lungs and leaving my knees weak.
"Yeah. Something like that." I cupped the back of his neck, pulling him down for another long kiss. I'd almost forgotten we were in the middle of a coffee shop in New York. The sound of some giggling kids pulled me out of it.
"Let's go walk in the park and talk about everything." He kissed me once more before releasing me and taking my hand. He picked up his coffee and walked toward the door.
The handsome thug sitting by the entrance stood and opened the door for us. "Enjoy your day, guys."
"Thank you," I turned my head to study him as we walked out into the freezing cold. He looked like someone that belonged in the middle of a drug deal somewhere, but something about his voice and the way he smiled led me to believe differently. I couldn't help but notice the way him and the barista girl kept making eyes at each other. Judging people had to stop. Especially judging myself.