by Max Monroe
God, he was still a prick. Which was exactly why I needed to get the fuck out of Jane and this awful situation as soon as possible.
“Well, it was great seeing you, Brent, but…” I paused and looked toward Scott. “We better roll out of here or else we’ll be late,” I lied, and Scott’s brow furrowed in confusion. “For that thing with my dad,” I added. I honestly had no real excuse for why we needed to leave, but I just knew we needed to fucking leave.
“Oh, how is your dad, LoLo?”
Fucking LoLo. I ground my teeth. If we didn’t get out of here soon, I wasn’t going to have any molars left.
“He’s good,” I said and wrapped my arm around Scott’s bicep. “Sorry to rush out of here, but you know how my dad is about punctuality. He’s not too tolerant with tardiness.”
Brent quirked a questioning brow in my direction, but I just smiled back at him like I wasn’t the world’s worst liar at that moment. We both knew I was lying. My dad might have been a stickler for being on time, but I had never in my life made it a point to comply. I rolled on my own schedule, Bill Paige’s wrath or not.
I gripped Scott’s bicep tighter and turned our bodies toward an exit route. He glanced down at me in confusion, but I ignored it and said, “Bye Brent,” over my shoulder with a half-assed wave.
A few minutes later, both of my hands were shoved into my pockets, and Scott and I were walking side by side in total silence, only the busy sounds of New York City foot traffic filling the otherwise dead air between us.
I glanced at him out of my periphery, and I noted the firm, hard line of his jaw and the rigid way he held his shoulders. Something was up with him, that was for fucking sure.
By the time Jane was no longer in sight, I couldn’t take it anymore and stopped in the middle of the sidewalk. “What’s going on?” I questioned, realizing he was probably wondering the same thing about me.
The instant Scott realized I was no longer walking beside him, he stopped and turned toward me, and his brown eyes were still creased with the same stress and irritation they’d held inside the restaurant.
“Seriously, Scott,” I shouted. “What in the fuck is going on?”
His long strides ate up the pavement as he closed the distance between us. “Why don’t you tell me? You’re the one who appeared very friendly with the fucking mayor back there.”
“What?” My jaw dropped in surprise. “Are you kidding me right now?”
“No,” he spat through gritted teeth. “How do you know the mayor? I mean, he appeared quite fucking friendly with you.”
“Before I give you an explanation, I want to make damn sure you realize how you’re coming across right now,” I challenged. “You’re acting like a jealous boyfriend, and it’s way out of line.”
He scoffed. “No, I’m not.”
“Oh yes, you fucking are.” I stared at him, my gaze unrelenting. “And seeing as we are not in a relationship, I definitely don’t owe you an explanation about my past relationships.”
“You dated that guy?” His brown eyes went wide with surprise. “You used to date the fucking mayor?”
A long, heavy sigh left my lungs, but before I could respond to his question, a lady with both arms full of shopping bags bumped into my hip as she passed me. I glanced around the crowded sidewalk and realized this was definitely not the time or place to have an all-out discussion about my past relationship with the goddamn mayor of the city.
Brent had friends in all kinds of places—high, low, even dirty—and the last thing I needed was for a scumbag like him to get the idea that I made a point of telling other people what happened during our relationship.
I stepped toward Scott and gripped his elbow with my hand and led him toward a small alleyway void of any possible eavesdroppers.
“Yes,” I said in a low, defeated voice. “At one point in my life, I did date him,” I explained. “But that was a long time ago. Like, before his political career had really started.”
Scott nodded in understanding, and even though I’d just told him he had absolutely no right to be in the know about my past relationships, I found myself telling him anyway.
“He’s not someone I like to have contact with,” I added. “Our relationship was a really low point in my life.”
“Is he the ex?” he questioned and I nodded.
“Yes. I don’t like to think about it. I don’t like to talk about it. Most days, I pretend it never even happened. I’ve told you more about it than most people, to be honest.”
“Leave the past in the past kind of thing?” His gaze met mine, and he flashed a soft smile.
“Exactly like that.”
Without hesitation, he wrapped his big arms around my shoulders and pulled me in for a tight hug. “I’m sorry I acted like a jealous boyfriend,” he whispered into my ear. “It just took me by surprise is all. And I met the mayor today because I’m trying to get him onboard with making much needed changes to the city’s current public health policy.”
Well, I couldn’t deny it sounded like a good reason to have lunch with the devil. Even quite noble when I really thought about it.
“That’s okay,” I whispered back. “But next time you try to get all territorial and piss circles around me, I’m kicking you right in the dick.”
He barked out a laugh. “I’ll remember that next time,” he said and then added, “Although, I think you enjoy the sex too much to kick me in the dick.”
I fought the urge to giggle. “Shut up.”
He was totally right, though.
I liked his dick too much to actually go through with a threat like that.
“Are you already out of money for the clinic?” I teased Will Cummings’s sweet girlfriend Melody as I gave her a hello hug at the Benefit for Bab(i)es.
She’d been the brain trust behind this charity event with the goal of raising money for the Women’s Clinic of St. Luke’s Hospital—a clinic that had her name in the title as it were—which just so happened to be Melody’s passion and purpose.
I thought the name of the event was cute, Babes and Babies combined, and tonight was the reason I’d been growing a beard for the last two months.
Apparently, at some point during the festivities, they were going to take me up in front of the room and shave it. There was some kind of system where people would bid money on something about it too, but I didn’t have a fucking clue what. I guessed I’d find out while it was happening.
Melody and I had seen each other in the hospital a handful of times, but we were really only acquaintances. Still, I was very impressed with her drive to help the underserved women in New York, and I commended both her and Will for making the Melody Marco Women’s Clinic of St. Luke’s happen.
It hadn’t been an easy feat, and they’d both worked tirelessly until her dream and passion had turned into reality. And because of that, they’d achieved something amazing for the community.
Of course, it didn’t hurt that Will knew people with insane wells of money to tap into, but still, the thought was there. I could be impressed with the thought even if he didn’t have to be quite as resourceful as someone without a billionaire brother-in-law.
She shook her head and rolled her eyes, as Will pulled her back to his front, wrapped his arms around her shoulders, and answered me. “It’s a free clinic, Scott. The costs are constant. Benefits like this are standard practice to keep them running.”
Will hadn’t quite lost his antagonism toward me since I’d made a few jabs at him while he was suffering in the spotlight as Dr. Obscene. But, at this point, I’d done such a good job of pulling the attention from him, putting it on myself, and altogether basking in it, I thought he’d be thanking me by now.
“Easy, Cummings. I was just teasing.”
“Yeah, Will. Lighten up,” Melody encouraged, and I smiled—which, incidentally, didn’t make Will like me more. Go figure.
“Ah, that’s all right, Mel,” I said, figuring it was better to bridge the gap of our differe
nces rather than let them erode even more. “He’s right to be a little aggravated with me. I’ve done a pretty good job of being an asshole these last few months.”
“These last few months?” Will questioned disbelievingly. But a genuine smile replaced his grinding jaw.
“Okay,” I admitted. “I’m always a little bit of an asshole. But particularly while The Doctor Is In has been on.”
“Ah,” Melanie breathed. “Yeah, the show’s a little bit of a sore spot. For both of us, honestly.”
I nodded in understanding, apologizing again. At the end of Will’s run on the show, he’d been caught fucking a nurse named Emily in the on-call room. Secretly, I’d been impressed by his ability to seal the deal with no more than a look and few quiet laughs—at least, as it appeared on camera—but I could see how it maybe hadn’t earned him any points with his girlfriend. “Really, I’m sorry.”
She smiled then. “It seems to be working out pretty well for you, though, huh?”
Will groaned. “Can you even fucking believe it? This guy gets into more trouble on his best day than I do on my worst, and he looks like a god on the show.”
A few chuckles left my lips. “Wow, Will. Glad to hear you approve.”
“Shut up, dude. You know you lucked out.”
I nodded again, knowing I definitely had. But also knowing some of my moves had been calculated. “I also paid attention to the cameras,” I said good-naturedly. But I really had. I’d been perfectly well-behaved for the first time in my life to make sure nothing horrible showed up on national television. My parents were completely open and supportive, but they didn’t need me out there throwing that in their face. My flirty, sarcastic nature on the ER floor was enough.
“Yeah, that was good thinking—”
“Baby brother!” Georgia Brooks, Will’s sister, shouted as she practically jumped on his back like a monkey.
Melody stumbled as Will fell back with Georgia’s unexpected weight, so I reached out and caught her by the arms. She smiled gratefully while Will pulled off his kin accessory.
“I’m your older brother, Gigi,” Will said with a laugh, steadying her on her feet. “How much have you already had to drink?”
“You’re not my mother!” she snapped softly, just as her husband, a now harried-looking Kline, came skidding to a stop behind her.
“It’s her first adult night out since Evie was born,” Kline explained with a roll of his eyes. “She’s, and I quote, living it up.”
“Where’d Winnie go, Big Dick?” she asked, and I choked on my saliva. Big Dick?
Kline chuckled and pulled Georgia close to whisper in her ear. Unfortunately, I was just close enough to hear him anyway. “This is your final warning, baby. Call me Big Dick in public again, and we’re going to go fuck in the bathroom.”
Her eyes glazed over and her cheeks pinked, but she licked her lips like she was considering saying it again right then.
And, hell, I was with her. I didn’t understand the threat at all. If Harlow were here, and circumstances were reversed, I’d have had her in the bathroom already.
Christ. Harlow.
This was the fifth time I’d thought of her since I’d arrived, wondering if I should have made a couple calls, tried to get her added to the guest list as my date last minute. I’d RSVPed before I even knew she existed.
I also didn’t know if she’d have even considered coming with me anyway. After the run in with Brent earlier today, she’d made it pretty clear that we weren’t anything more than people who fucked, and I’d gone along with it. Partly to keep the peace, I guessed, but also partly because it was what I always did.
Casual was my thing. I’d never wondered if I wanted more, if it was even a possibility for me. Women chased me, and I tried to let them down easy. This thing with Harlow felt like the exact fucking opposite, and I wasn’t sure I liked it.
If I was honest, the more I thought about it, the surer I was that I didn’t like it. Not one fucking bit.
Unwelcome, red rage surged in my chest at the memory of Brent’s lips on hers and the so very obvious intimacy they’d once shared. They’d had a relationship—one I’d known about even before she admitted it during our argument on the sidewalk. I could tell by the way he looked at her like he knew everything about her, and even that was an unwelcome surprise. Harlow had implied she was a wandering soul like me.
At least if that were true, it made sense that we wouldn’t have a traditional relationship where she would call me hers and I had the privilege of calling her mine.
“Scott? Earth to Scott. Hellllloooo.”
I shook my head to clear it and rubbed my eyes. Holy hell, I was turning into someone I didn’t even know.
Winnie Winslow, my old coworker and good friend, was waiting with a smile on her face when I finished. Her husband, Wes Lancaster, stood at her side with a casual arm around her waist.
That. That’s what I want, I thought automatically.
The rest of the people I knew were gone. How long had I zoned out?
“You okay?”
“Yeah. Just…the last twenty-four hours have been pretty long. I worked night shift last night,” I half lied. I mean, the facts were true, but I’d been awake for more than twenty-four hours more times in my life than I could even keep track of. That shit had nothing to do with my current wandering mind.
“No date tonight?” Winnie asked with a smirk.
“You know I never bring a date to this shit. Unless it’s you.”
Wes shook his head with a laugh, but he pulled Winnie even tighter into his side with his arm at her hip.
I put both hands up in defense and laughed. “Don’t worry, Wes. Not at all interested.”
Wes smiled, but Winnie leaned forward and hit me. “And what’s wrong with me exactly?”
I laughed again. “I don’t think I can win right now, so I’m just going to shut up.”
Wes leaned back out of Winnie’s sight line and mouthed one word to me. “Smart.”
Will tapped on the microphone at the front of the ballroom, and Winnie dropped her voice to a whisper. “Shit. I think that means we’re supposed to sit down. What table are you at?”
I pulled the little place card from my breast pocket and flipped it open to see.
“Eight.”
“Same as us!” she cheered softly. “Come on.”
Wes just shook his head as Winnie grabbed my hand and pulled me. I smiled. I actually missed my friend. It was good to see her.
“Hey, everybody!” Winnie called as we made it to the table and Wes held out her chair for her. “Does anyone not know Scott Shepard from St. Luke’s?”
I scanned the faces of those I knew: Kline, Georgia, Wes, Winnie, Nick Raines—another doctor at St. Luke’s and Winnie’s ex, who looked more miserable than even me, by the way—and then stopped when I got to a couple I’d heard about but never actually met.
“We don’t,” the huge guy said, offering me his hand. “Thatcher Kelly. And this is my wife, Cassie.”
“Hi,” Cassie greeted, holding out her own hand and then keeping it.
Uhh…
“You’re hot.”
I glanced around the table, a little fucking panicked at this point. Her husband was really fucking big. But he just winked at me. “She’s right. You’re pretty fucking attractive.”
I glanced to Winnie for help, but she shrugged.
Actually, as I looked around the table, everyone looked pretty unfazed.
When my eyes finally made their way back to Thatcher, he was smiling big and broad. “Yep. This is how we always are. Nice to meet you.”
I laughed a little, thinking, as weird as they seemed, I liked them immediately. There was just something about them. And if I wasn’t mistaken, Cassie Kelly was sans bra, and I didn’t really mind that either. “Nice to meet you too.”
“Uh, hi everyone,” Melody’s voice said over the speakers cautiously. I turned my attention to the front just in time to see Will give her
an encouraging nod. I guessed public speaking wasn’t exactly her thing.
“First, let me just tell you how thankful I am to all of you who you came tonight. You have no idea how many deserving women you’re helping by being here and donating your time and money.
“But I know, and they know, and trust me, we’ll never forget.”
Georgia put her fingers to her lips and wolf-whistled through a giggle before an ever-patient Kline pulled her fingers from her mouth and kissed them.
“Obviously,” Melody went on, “dinner will be served soon. But before that, we’ve had nearly forty of you who grew beards for the babies, and we’re gonna kick this thing off with the shave-a-thon. In case you don’t know how it works, our forty patient, kind volunteers will be up here in these chairs—” she pointed to the group in front of her “—while ten barbers get to work giving them professional shaves. We’ve got a silent auction set up in the back, and the bidding will be open for the entirety of the time it takes the ten of them to shave forty men.”
That was actually awesome. Huh. Well, I was glad I’d gotten involved even without knowing what the fuck was going on. In all honesty, it was pretty nice not having to shave for a couple of months.
“So, please, without further ado, get a drink, check out the prizes, and, fellas…” She scanned the crowd for bearded men such as myself. “Make your way to the front and have a seat, please.”
Every guy at my table stood up, and for the first time that night, I noticed that they were all bearded like myself.
I know what you’re thinking. I’m just now noticing all the beards? But whether or not the guy we’re talking to has facial hair is not really something most men tend to focus on.
It didn’t take long to make my way to a chair and take a seat, and as a member of the front row, I was one of the first to get shaved.
My very last thought before the razor met my skin?
I sure hope Harlow likes me without a beard.