“You might have wondered why I asked you here tonight.”
He smiled because that was a line from some corny black-and-white television show that they’d been obsessed with one summer a long time ago.
“Actually, I think I have a pretty good idea. Anna—”
“No, let me go first. Please?”
He nodded. “Okay.”
“I owe you an apology for how I acted this afternoon...and this morning.”
“You don’t have to apologize.”
“Yes, I do. Because you don’t deserve to be treated that way. No wonder you’re afraid of commitment if women turn into needy, beastly creatures. Or am I the only one who acts like that? I’m so bad at this.”
“Stop,” Jake said. “You aren’t being unreasonable. Don’t ever compromise what’s important to you. Okay?”
She nodded.
“Funny, how you and I had a better time with each other than any of the blind dates we’ve been on,” Jake said after they’d cleared the Adamses’ white colonial-style home. “But I’ve thought a lot about what you said, and you’re right. You’re not the kind of woman who sleeps with one guy and dates others.”
Realizing that this preamble might sound as if he was going in a completely different direction than what he meant, he quickly added, “I would love to be with you, Anna. In fact, if I could create the perfect woman for me she would be someone just like you—”
“Only someone who didn’t want the ultimate commitment, right?”
“I know that sounds ridiculous. Anyone of your caliber deserves everything she wants. I’m sorry, but I don’t see myself ever getting married. That means no kids, which is probably a good thing, because if I got married and had a family, I’d probably screw up worse than my parents did.”
Anna shook her head. “Are you really going to let your parents’ mistakes steal the happiness of family from you? Isn’t that just adding to tragedy on top of tragedy?”
“This is where you and I differ. We have completely different takes on what constitutes happiness. Family and happiness are not synonymous in my book.”
“What about your brothers? You guys are pretty close. How can you say they don’t bring you happiness?”
He thought about it for a moment. “My relationship with my brothers is so different it’s hard to explain. Of course, I wouldn’t trade them for anything in the world, but that relationship doesn’t do anything to convince me that marriage is the right path for me. It’s completely different. Anna, you have to remember that growing up I was more of a caregiver to my brothers, a parent rather than a sibling.”
He was starting to feel hemmed in, cornered, having to defend himself. And that feeling made him want to run. But he couldn’t. He and Anna needed to work through this. He had things to say to her, and he wasn’t going to leave until those things were said and they were okay.
As he tried to cool his jets and regroup his thoughts, the question of what he might be capable of that would be worse than cheating and vilifying a dead spouse—the way his father had—niggled at the back of his brain. Of course, he didn’t make a habit of lying and cheating. That’s why he broke up with women when the relationship had run its course.
He glanced at Anna as they turned the corner off their childhood street. He did have a modicum of self-control. Except when it came to Anna, apparently. But Anna wanted both marriage and kids. As much as he wanted her—needed her—it wouldn’t be fair to lead her down a dead-end path.
“There’s still the bet,” she said, sounding more like her old self. “Now that we’ve had a couple of warm-up rounds and we know the kinds of people who aren’t right for us, maybe we should regroup and get going on that again. I’m going to win, you know.”
Yes, thank you, that was his Anna. Her spirit had returned. Or at least she was trying. If he was completely truthful with himself, he wasn’t convinced that Anna’s too-broad smile was completely sincere. It called to mind those people who believed projecting the emotion that they wanted to feel would make it a reality—or something like that. But this was a start in the right direction.
“No, you’re not. Because there’s someone I want to fix you up with.”
She groaned. “Who?”
“What do you think of Dylan Tyler?”
“The new doctor who works at Celebration Memorial?”
“The one and only.”
“Dylan Tyler... Since the first time I heard his name, I wanted to ask, is he a good Southern boy with a double first name, or is that his first and last?”
“Very funny,” Jake said.
Anna gave a one-shoulder shrug. “I don’t know. He’s handsome. I guess. I’ve not had the chance to get to know him.”
“Now’s your chance. I have it on very good authority that he would love to ask you out.”
There was that too-wide smile again. It didn’t match the dullness in her eyes.
“Oh. Goody.”
“Wow. Your enthusiasm is overwhelming. Could you tone it down a bit?”
Anna shrugged again. “I don’t know. You know how I feel about dating doctors. Do you think it’s a good idea, since we work together? I mean, you saw how rumors flew when people thought you and I were...”
The same pink that had colored her cheeks earlier in the dining room was back. He knew exactly what she was thinking, and damned if his body didn’t respond. The primal, completely base part of his brain kicked in. God, if he didn’t have good sense, he’d pull her into his arms right now and remind himself how much he wanted her.
But sparks faded and then you were left with real life.
What had happened between them was a cautionary tale, and if he really cared about her, he wouldn’t lead her on.
* * *
Dylan Tyler called Anna the following day and asked her to be his date to the Holbrook wedding.
And she’d said yes.
Really, it wasn’t as daunting as it seemed at face value. Given the circumstance, there would automatically be a barrier between them. The daughter of Celebration Memorial Hospital’s CEO was getting married. Everyone would be on their best behavior.
Not that she expected Dylan to bring anything less.
This date felt safe. Like going to prom with the friend of a friend...even though her prom had happened more years ago than she cared to admit.
Tick...tick...tick...
Darn that biological clock.
Jake would be there.
Now she just needed to remind him that he’d agreed to ask Cassie Davis to be his date, and make sure he didn’t revert to his old ways and ask someone like Miss Texas.
She hadn’t given it much thought since they’d been otherwise occupied...with him being away at the conference...and them planning the Fourth of July party...and, well, everything else. But they needed to get back to their original plan. It was the only way to get their friendship back on track.
She jabbed the up button and tried to ignore the cold, hollow emptiness in the place where her heart should be. As she stood there, she tried not to think about how Jake had said his perfect woman would be someone like her. If she didn’t know that he meant well and didn’t believe that he would never purposely hurt her, she might think he was playing her.
Someone just like her, but not her.
Was that supposed to be a consolation prize? Because it sort of felt like a slap in the face.
She gave herself a mental shake.
Come on, Anna. You know the rules. It would be fruitless to try and change them.
Anna adjusted her grip on her insulated lunch bag, which contained a turkey sandwich on whole wheat with lettuce and tomato, an apple and some carrots. She had to go light since she had no idea whether or not she could fit into the cocktail dress she was going to wear to the wedding. It had been so long since she’d had a fancy occasion to wear it, she wasn’t sure how it would fit. When she and Hal were married, it seemed as if there was something or another every other night, but the dates J
ake had arranged had been informal and the dresses she’d purchased for them had been casual and not suitable for a wedding.
Funny, she hadn’t missed the stuffy occasions at all. She didn’t mind getting dressed up, but the so-called friends who really weren’t friends at all... She didn’t even want to give them a second thought. She hoped Hal’s girlfriend was better suited to inane cocktail chitchat than she was.
You know what? On second thought, no. She didn’t hope she was better at it. She hoped the woman was twice as miserable as she had been and that the so-called friends made it even harder on the girlfriend than they had on her.
Wow. That sounded really bitter.
She didn’t want to be that way. Really, she didn’t. But after all she’d been through, couldn’t she simply get a break?
A little voice inside of her told her that maybe Dylan was her break. Or at least a step in the right direction. He was a good-looking guy. Light brown hair with sun-streaks that looked natural. They’d better be. She refused to date a man who spent more money on his hair than she did. And if they were natural, at least that meant that he liked to spend time outside. That was one thing they’d have in common, besides working for Celebration Memorial.
Anna wasn’t prepared to list the fact that they were coworkers in the pros column just yet. In fact, she was very nervous about it. At least he worked on the second floor and rarely, if ever, got up to the third floor, which was why she hadn’t had a chance to get to know him.
But Jake had handpicked Dylan for her. That had to mean something, didn’t it? Especially given the delicate nature of their own relationship right now.
She decided she owed it to herself to approach it with an open mind. She’d given Jake the advice that “if you keep doing what you do, you’ll keep getting what you get.” Maybe she needed to borrow a page from her own book.
The elevator chimed and Anna waited for the people who’d ridden down to step out. Then she got in and pushed the button for the third floor. As the doors were closing, she heard a woman call, “Hold the elevator, please?”
With a quick jab of her finger, Anna managed to reopen the doors before the car lifted off.
As if fate had conjured her, Cassie Davis rushed inside, uttering a breathless “thank you so much. You know how slow these elevators are. If you hadn’t waited for me, I’d be late. As it is I’m cutting it close.”
“No problem,” Anna said. “I’m glad I could help.”
She was glad they weren’t clock watchers up on three. Then again, she was usually early or right on time like she was today, but she understood how missing the elevator could cost you a solid five minutes, and it always happened at the most inopportune times.
“I guess I could’ve taken the stairs,” Cassie said. “But given how my morning has started, I probably would’ve fallen on my face. I just hate being late.”
“Me, too,” Anna said, studying the woman with her pretty peaches-and-cream complexion, blue eyes and auburn hair. Yes, she would remind Jake that he’d agreed to take Cassie to the wedding. Cassie was perfect for him. Maybe even a little too perfect, but she couldn’t think about that right now.
The elevator dinged to signal its arrival at the second floor.
“Cassie, I don’t mean to be nosy, but are you dating anyone?”
The woman did a double take as she started to exit the elevator. Anna jabbed the door open button again to give Cassie time to answer.
“No. I’m not. Why do you ask?”
If it was possible to be simultaneously happy and disappointed, that was how Anna felt hearing the news. But of course she wasn’t involved with anyone. She’d been practically drooling over Jake that day Anna had filled in on the second floor.
“Because I have someone I want to fix you up with.”
Cassie smiled. “Oh? Do I know this person?”
“You do. It’s Dr. Lennox. Are you interested?”
Cassie’s jaw dropped for a moment. “Absolutely.”
“Good. He’s going to call you soon. Today probably. Can he find your number in the hospital personnel directory?”
“Yes.”
“Good.” She looked so happy and Anna tried to convince herself it was a good thing. It was a good thing. Jake would have an appropriate date for the wedding and Anna would...just have to be okay with that. At least she got to pick his date.
When the door started to close, Cassie reached out and stopped it. “I need to ask you a question, though.” Her brows were knit. “I thought you and Dr. Lennox were involved.”
Anna mustered her best smile. “Jake and I are good friends. He’s like a brother to me.”
Cassie looked even more confused. “Oh. Okay...?”
“I need to run. Neither of us wants to be late.”
Anna waved and Cassie pulled her hand away. As the doors closed, she looked as if she were trying to decide whether Anna was playing a practical joke on her. Anna knew that because that was what she would’ve been wondering if the tables were turned.
Poor Cassie.
Actually, no. Not poor Cassie. Lucky Cassie.
Just don’t fall in love, she wanted to warn Cassie.
The elevator chugged slowly up to the third floor and when the doors finally opened on the maternity ward, Anna’s heart skipped a beat when she saw Jake standing at the nurses’ station. His back was to her. But she’d recognize those shoulders anywhere.
She drew in a deep breath to steady herself.
“I didn’t know you were pregnant,” she said as she approached, trying to use humor to cover her own nerves. He turned around at the sound of her voice.
He ran a hand over his flat stomach. “Oh, am I showing?”
Anna laughed as she reached over the counter that defined the nurses’ station and set her lunch bag, keys and phone on the desk.
“What are you doing up here in baby-land, Dr. Lennox? Are you lost?”
She spied the personnel directory, looked up Cassie Davis and wrote her name and phone number on a piece of note paper that was next to the computer.
“I just happened to be in the neighborhood.”
“Is that so? Well, then, you are lost. Walk with me and I’ll help you find your way.”
Good grief, if there were a ship called The Mixed Messenger, Jake would’ve been the captain, because one minute he was making love to her, and the next he was fixing her up on a blind date. Before the fireworks on the Fourth of July, she wouldn’t have thought twice about him dropping by like this...for no reason. Now she just needed to put what had happened out of her mind and remember how things used to be.
“Will you cover for me for a few minutes?” Anna asked Patty and Marissa.
“Sure thing,” Patty said, looking up from the patient charts she’d been pretending to be engrossed in.
Anna could feel her coworkers watching her and Jake as they walked toward the elevator bank where they would have the most privacy, at least for the five minutes that it took the elevator to chug its way up to the third floor.
“Did Dylan call you?” he asked once they were out of earshot.
“He did.”
“Good. And you two have a date?”
“We do. And so do you.”
“No I don’t.”
“I’m fixing you up with Cassie Davis.”
“I’m going out of town tomorrow. I’m going back to New Orleans for Bob’s funeral.”
“I’m sorry. I’m glad you’re able to go, though.”
The stress showed around his eyes. There was a tightness in his lips and in the way he held himself that had Anna wanting to give him a shoulder massage...and offer other means of stress relief—that she couldn’t even believe she was thinking about, given where crossing that line had gotten them.
She blinked away the thought and held out the piece of paper with Cassie’s number.
“Here, take this. She can be your date to the wedding this weekend. You will be back in time for the wedding, right?”
“Look, you’re the one who agreed to let me find you a date for the occasion. Cassie is nice. And appropriate. The chief knows her and will instantly realize that you have good taste in women. Besides, it’s not like you have a lot of suitable options.”
He took the paper and shoved it in his lab coat pocket.
“I know you have a lot of your mind, but will you call her before you leave for New Orleans?”
Jake shrugged, obviously not very enthusiastic about the date.
“I don’t know that I really even need a date. I can just go to the ceremony and give my congratulations. It’s not as if a date is mandatory.”
“Yes, it is mandatory. You and I have a bet going on. If I’m going with Dylan, then you have to go with Cassie.”
Technically, she knew he didn’t have to do anything he didn’t want to do. For that matter, he didn’t have to go to the wedding either. But it was in his best interest to do so. And so was bringing a date like Cassie.
“You told me that you’d do anything to get things back to normal between us. Taking Cassie to the Holbrook wedding will go a long way toward that end.”
He shot her an incredulous look and she knew that he knew that she was making this up as she went along. But there was some substance to it. Because maybe if she saw him with another woman—a woman who was good for him, who might possess whatever it was that she lacked to change his mind about commitment—maybe they could get back to being just friends.
But what if he really fell for Cassie?
Didn’t it always happen that way? A man swore he’d never get married, until the right woman came along and turned his entire belief system on its head. Whether or not Cassie was that woman, Anna hoped that seeing him with someone else would shock her own system enough to stop her from falling in love with Jake.
Because it seemed no matter how she tried to put on the brakes, her heart just kept careening toward disaster.
Chapter Eleven
Jake hated funerals.
Not that anyone loved them, but he’d developed a particular aversion since attending his mother’s all those years ago.
How to Marry a Doctor (Celebrations, Inc.) Page 14