Perfecting For Love - A Standalone Novel (A Doctors Romance Love Story) (Burbank Brothers, Book #3)

by Naomi Niles

  Chapter Thirty-One

  JJ

  “Whoa,” Haley said as she stepped through the door. “I think we’re in the wrong house.”

  I smiled. “I did a little cleaning when I was over picking up Kami’s things.”

  Kami walked past Haley and I to the living room. She looked around in shock and then she turned her awe-struck gaze on me. “You did all this?”

  “I hope you don’t mind,” I said.

  “Mind?” Haley repeated. “I’m about to lock the door and never let you leave.”

  I laughed. “I just wanted you two to come home to a nice, neat house.”

  Kami started moving from room to room, as though she couldn’t quite believe what she was seeing. “You cleaned our rooms, too,” she said, in amazement.

  “I promise I didn’t nose around too much,” I teased, giving both girls a small wink.

  “Please,” Haley said, waving a hand in my face. “I don’t think you and I have any secrets from one another anymore. I’m not sure about Kami, though; she’s always been the secretive one.”

  Kami rolled her eyes at her sister. It was nice to see them interact normally with one another. I had sensed a strain of tension in their relationship over the last few days, but it seemed to be easing. Haley and Kami had started seeing the hospital therapist, Doctor Moira. Both girls seemed to really like her, and I thought that was a positive sign. Haley had even escalated her appointments to twice a week, once with Kami and the second time by herself.

  “Can I do anything?” I asked, trying to be helpful. “I could make some lunch.”

  “I thought I was the cook in the family,” Kami said, with a smile.

  “You certainly are,” I nodded. “I just thought you might like a day off.”

  “I’ve had too many days off lately,” she sighed. “I actually miss cooking.”

  “Do you think we’ve lost a lot of customers?” Haley asked in a worried tone.

  “Forget about your customers,” I said. “Your health is what’s most important. And for the record, your food’s too good. Trust me, your customers will be patient.”

  “Still, I’d like to check on the restaurant this evening.”

  “Tomorrow,” Kami said firmly. “JJ’s starting work again, and you and I can go down together. You can rest today.”

  Haley looked like she was about to argue, but then she changed her mind at the last minute. “All right,” she conceded.

  “Now, what would you like for lunch?” Kami asked, glancing between Haley and I.

  “Whatever’s in the fridge,” Haley said, with a shrug. “Anything will taste better after all that hospital food.”

  Haley excused herself and retreated to her room while I followed Kami into the kitchen. She made me sit at the table while she got together a handful of ingredients to begin an impromptu lunch.

  “Are you sure you wouldn’t just like me to get some take out?” I asked.

  “Trust me,” Kami said. “I need to cook. It’s the therapy that’s worked best for me over the years.”

  I smiled and nodded, allowing her the freedom to cook the way she wanted to. “How is the therapy going?”

  “Pretty well,” Kami nodded. “The first two sessions were a little…rough. But after that, it improved significantly. I think Haley started co-operating a little more and after that, it was easier.”

  “She was resistant at first, huh?”

  “Not overtly,” Kami replied. “But I know Haley. She never liked going in depth about things that hurt her. If she can avoid a painful conversation, she will. It’s why she would rather distract herself from certain thoughts than working through them. But Doctor Moira is really good. She makes you feel comfortable. Sometimes it feels like you’re talking to a friend.

  “It helped that I opened up first, though. That first session, I was the only one talking for the first half hour. After a while, Haley started adding bits to my story and then… It just went from there. Now I think she actually enjoys the sessions.”

  “And you?”

  “It’s useful for me, too,” she admitted. “I feel a little lighter after each session. I feel as though I’m moving past…my past.”

  I smiled. “Who knows? Maybe one day you won’t have to rely on those pills anymore.”

  Kami nodded. “Actually, I feel as though I’m already less dependent on them. But I can’t honestly attribute that change to Doctor Moira. There’s someone else I need to thank for that.”

  “Really? Who?”

  “You,” Kami smiled, looking up at me.

  “Me?” I repeated.

  “I know I’m not imagining it, but ever since I met you, I haven’t needed my pills,” Kami revealed. “Even the night I found Haley unconscious in bed… That should have had me popping pills like tic tacs, but it didn’t. I called an ambulance, got Haley to the hospital, and the moment I had a little time, I called you.”

  “I’m your new anti-anxiety pill?” I asked.

  Kami laughed. “Apparently, you are.”

  We spent a nice quiet evening in the kitchen and then we sat down for our meal together. It was a cozy dynamic between the three of us, and I found that I missed my brothers less when I was with Haley and Kami.

  The next day, I went into work feeling better than I had in ages. I had only been away for a week, but somehow it felt like much longer. Danny clapped me on the back when he saw me.

  “How was your week, man?” he asked.

  “It was…unconventional,” I replied with a secretive smile. “But it turned out to be pretty great, actually.”

  “You spent the week in Colorado, right?” Danny asked.

  “Actually, I ended up coming back a little earlier than expected,” I said, without giving too many details.

  “How come?”

  “Unforeseen circumstances.”

  “Care to elaborate?”

  “It’s really not that interesting,” I said, avoiding his question. “What is interesting is the belated Thanksgiving present I’ve got for you.”

  Danny’s eyes brightened instantly and again, he reminded me of Sam. “Lay it on me.”

  “I’m going to let you take the lead in our implant surgery today,” I said.

  “No way!” he said, punching his fist into the air. “Are you serious?”

  “Completely,” I nodded.

  “This is awesome,” he crowed. “And, I didn’t get you a thing.”

  “Just do a good job on the surgery today,” I said. “That’ll be enough for me.”

  “Am I going to be in there alone?” Danny asked innocently.

  “Nice try,” I said, smirking at him. “You’re not ready to fly solo just yet. I’ll be with you the whole time, but I’m not planning on touching the patient. I’m going to leave it all up to you.”

  “Sweet!” he yelled, obviously satisfied with that.

  An hour or so later, after we had both scrubbed in, Danny and I walked into the operating theater. Mrs. Cannes was already lying on the table. She had been anesthetized a few minutes ago and was breathing steadily. I nodded to the nurses as I took a seat beside the anesthesiologist. Then I nodded to Danny to step up to the patient, at the exact spot where the leading surgeon always stood.

  I had to give it to him, he was confident. I kept a close eye on him, but he followed my instructions perfectly; his method was textbook, his cut clean and his work was neat.

  “You’re doing a good job,” I nodded.

  “I know,” he replied.

  I rolled my eyes, but I couldn’t help being proud at the same time. We finished earlier than expected, and Danny and I scrubbed out and headed back to my office.

  “So, how does it feel?” I asked.

  “Feels amazing,” he sighed.

  “You’ll have to go see her once she wakes up,” I reminded him. “She’ll want to take a look at your handy work. And you will, too.”

  “How come you let me take the lead today?” Danny asked as we stepped
into my office.

  “Because I thought you were ready,” I said. “And there’s nothing like practical experience. There are some things that books can’t teach you.”

  “You’re in a good mood today,” he observed shrewdly.

  “Aren’t I always?”

  “This mood is different,” he said.

  “Hmm…very perspective of you,” I said, without bothering to deny my good mood.

  “Care to share the reason with me?”

  I smiled. “I just had a good week, that’s all.”

  “It’s the girl isn’t it?” Danny asked immediately. “The chef lady.”

  “Her name is Kami.”

  “Is that a Japanese name?”

  I laughed. “Might be,” I shrugged. “I never really thought about it.”

  “So things are going good then, huh?”

  “Pretty good,” I nodded, without offering up too much information.

  “You’re not much of a talker when it comes to your relationships are you?” Danny observed.

  I laughed. “Not really, no,” I said. “But what about you? How was your week?”

  “I hooked up!” he said, and I guessed that he had been waiting to share his conquests with me the whole day. “Three different girls in one week. Pretty good, right?”

  I rolled my eyes. “Do you remember their names?”

  “Lorna, Michelle, and the third one I can’t remember,” Danny replied proudly. “But I called her Spanish Eyes. She certainly had them.”

  “Good Thanksgiving, then?”

  “The best,” he said, giving me a salacious wink.

  I shook my head at him and checked the time. “I think it’s time you go and see your patient. Her husband will want an update, too. You can take him in with you.”

  “You’re not coming?”

  “No, Mr. Lead Surgeon,” I said. “I’m letting you fly solo.”

  Danny gave me a satisfied smile and left the room. Immediately, I reached for my phone and dialed in Kami’s number. She answered just before I was about to hang up.

  “Hi,” she greeted. “Sorry, I was running around the restaurant, and I forgot where I had put my phone down.”

  “That’s okay,” I said. “I thought you weren’t re-opening the restaurant till tomorrow?”

  “We aren’t, but everything needs a bit of a cleanup,” she replied. “And I want things in order before tomorrow.”

  “Of course,” I nodded.

  “How’s work?”

  “Good,” I replied. “How are you?”

  I couldn’t see her, but I knew she was smiling. “I’m doing great,” she replied. “It’s nice to get back to work. It’s nice to have something to focus on.”

  “Is Haley with you?”

  “She is,” Kami replied. “I think she’s glad to be back, too. She’s looking a lot happier. She was going stir-crazy cooped up in that hospital room for so long.”

  “Aren’t you seeing Doctor Moira today?” I asked.

  “This evening, at five.”

  “Both of you?”

  “That’s the plan.”

  “Good,” I nodded. “I’m glad Haley’s committed to the therapy. I’m glad you have, too.”

  “Me, too,” she replied. “I think it’s making a difference. I mean, it’s hard sometimes, but I know I’ve got to see this through.”

  “It’ll be worth it in the end,” I told her.

  “I think so, too.”

  “I miss you,” I said. “And I really want to see you tonight…”

  “But?”

  “But there’s something I have to do – and I think I’ve put it off for long enough.”

  “You’re going to see your mother, aren’t you?” Kami asked immediately.

  I smiled. “I am.”

  “Wow,” she breathed. “That’s a big step.”

  “Don’t make me any more nervous than I already am.”

  “I’m sorry,” she laughed. “Don’t worry, though; you’ll do great. You can do this.”

  “I sincerely hope you’re right,” I sighed. “I don’t want to chicken out at the last moment…again.”

  “You won’t,” Kami said confidently.

  “How can you be so sure?” I asked.

  “I have faith in you,” she replied.

  And strangely, her words gave me some confidence to have faith in myself. I thanked her and hung up. That evening, as I was driving over to my mother’s neighborhood, I kept repeating Kami’s words in my head.

  “I have faith in you,” she had said. I drank in the sentiment, willing it to give me the strength and courage I needed.

  That was all I was thinking about as I walked up to Alice Burbank’s front door and rang the bell. Then I took a deep breath and waited.

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Kami

  “Who was that?” Haley asked as she rushed into the kitchen.

  “JJ,” I replied, putting my phone away.

  “You two haven’t gotten sick of each other yet?” she teased.

  “I don’t think I’m ever going to get sick of his company,” I admitted with a sigh.

  Haley gave me a small smile and headed back out into the dining area of the restaurant. “Come and help me rearrange these tables,” she said.

  I followed her into the dining area and we changed up the tables a little to bring a bit of a fresh vibe to the place. “I was thinking of using the blue tablecloths for tomorrow,” Haley said. “We’ve left them out of the rotation for a few months now.”

  “I think they’re in a cupboard somewhere at home.”

  “Let’s check when we get back,” she said. “I want to bring them in tomorrow.”

  “Okay,” I agreed. “We’ll be back home late tonight, though. We have the appointment with Doctor Moira.”

  “Ah, right,” Haley nodded. “We can’t skip, can we?”

  “Nope,” I said firmly. “We’ve got to stick with this, Haley. That’s the only way the therapy will pay off.”

  “You’re right,” she nodded. “Of course, you’re right.”

  “You like Doctor Moira,” I said, raising an eyebrow at her.

  “I do like Doctor Moira,” Haley agreed. “I just… She makes me feel all…exposed.”

  “That’s her job,” I pointed out.

  “I know, it’s just uncomfortable sometimes,” she said.

  I wrinkled my brows at her. “What are you really afraid of?”

  Haley paused for a moment. “What if… What if I say something that you don’t like?” she said. “What if it’s how I feel, but it upsets you in some way?”

  “I’ll deal with it,” I said, putting my arm around her. “No matter what, Haley, at the end of the day, you and I are sisters. We may fight, we may disagree, but we’re always going to stick together. No matter what.”

  “No matter what?” she asked in a tone I didn’t quite understand.

  “Of course,” I said. “How can you doubt that?”

  Haley gave me a smile and busied herself with the tables. I didn’t press her any further; I figured that could wait till our therapy session.

  In the meantime, I put on some music and turned the volume up. It was usually Haley’s go-to move, but I decided to take a page out of her book. She smiled as the music came on and a few minutes later, I saw her legs start to move to the beat. Before I knew it, we were both dancing around the tables.

  Once the restaurant and the kitchen were both cleaned, Haley and I gathered up our stuff and headed to Doctor Moira’s office. She consulted at the hospital only a couple of days a week. The rest of the time, she consulted from her private office a few blocks from the restaurant.

  I preferred the setting infinitely more. It was a nice building, in a nice neighborhood. And the room itself had much more color and personality than the drab hospital room we’d had our first few sessions in.

  Doctor Moira greeted us both with a warm smile.

  “How are you girls doing today?” she aske
d, as she gestured for us to take a seat on her comfortable white sofa.

  “Good,” Haley replied, before I could. “We’re looking forward to getting back to work tomorrow.”

  “Tomorrow?” Doctor Moira repeated as she sat down opposite us in her large wingback armchair.

  “Yes.”

  “Well, that’s a good sign,” Doctor Moira smiled. “You feel up to getting back to work, Kami?”

  I nodded. “I’ve missed cooking.”

  “I can imagine,” she smiled. “And what about you, Haley? What have you missed most about the restaurant?”

  “Meeting the people,” she replied. “Talking to strangers, just having random chats with new folks.”

  “I’m curious, have you ever made any long-lasting relationships from the restaurant?” Doctor Moira asked.

  “What do you mean?”

  “Well, you say that you meet a lot of new people because of the restaurant…”

  “I do,” Haley nodded.

  “And you enjoy these meetings? You enjoy these conversations?”

  “Very much.”

  “Then how come you haven’t developed any long-lasting relationships with any of these people?” Doctor Moira asked. “Surely someone has made an impression.”

  “Are you talking about men or just friendships?”

  “Both. Either.”

  “I’ve met quite a few men,” Haley said.

  “But none of those dates have ever become anything more?” Doctor Moira asked.

  “I wouldn’t really call them dates,” Haley said. “They’re more like…one-time things.”

  “For sex?”

  “Well, yes.”

  Doctor Moira nodded.

  “I’m not interested in relationships, though,” Haley said quickly. “And as for friendships… I have Kami.”

  “A sister can certainly be a valuable friend,” Doctor Moira smiled. “But should she be your only friend?”

  It struck me, as I listened to the exchange, that Doctor Moira was right.

  I had always thought of Haley as the more outgoing sister. She was friendly, forward, and unapologetic in her boldness. But it was only surface deep. She met a lot of people, but they weren’t meaningful meetings. They never turned into anything more than an interesting chat that lasted ten minutes.