“We haven’t met,” he explained. “But I’ve followed your work in biochemistry.”
Felicia’s forehead creased. She wasn’t sure how that was possible since most of what she did for the CIA was classified. But once again, before she could question him about what he thought he knew, he clarified his point. “Your published work on safer options for chemically treating cancer cells is revolutionary.”
Oh, that work, she thought with a relieved sigh. “Thank you. I work with a great group of people.”
“Beautiful and modest,” he said, gifting her with a sexy smile that would probably draw in some women, but not her.
“Good afternoon, Dr. Green,” a pretty blond nurse said as she passed them in the hallway. The good doctor acknowledged the young nurse with a nod and sly smile that confirmed Felicia’s suspicions that he was a bit of a hound.
“So what brings you to Grady? You can’t possibly be sick,” he continued, his eyes sweeping her body before returning to her face.
“Thank you. And, no, I’m not sick. Actually, I’m here to meet a friend for lunch.” In that moment Trent Green’s flirtatious disposition disappeared. A deep frown marred his face. He was looking past Felicia at something behind her. She immediately felt a hand gently touch the small of her back. She looked up to see a tight-jawed Griffin and Trent Green scowling at each other.
“Anything I can do for you, Dr. Kaile?” Green asked through an obviously forced smile.
“Not a single thing, Dr. Green,” Griffin replied, his tone taking on a deep, harsh tone that Felicia had never heard before.
“I assume you two know each other.” Trent Green’s eyes darted from Felicia to Griffin.
“You assume correctly.” Griffin smiled down at Felicia, who frowned, thinking, Enough of this macho bull.
“Griffin and I are old friends. We went to medical school together,” Felicia offered right before Griffin’s hand slid down her back slightly and her breath caught in her throat.
“We should go,” Griffin said in a husky tone that was more suggestive than it should have been. “We don’t want to be late for our reservation.”
“Should we expect to see you at this afternoon’s staff meeting?” Trent asked with one raised eyebrow.
“Have I ever missed a meeting, Dr. Green?” he replied.
Trent matched his move and said, “There’s a first time for everything.”
Felicia reached for Griffin’s hand and intertwined their fingers. His shoulders lowered slightly. “We should go. It was nice meeting you, Dr. Green.”
“It was my pleasure, Dr. Blake,” he said in a tone that was as husky and suggestive as Griffin’s had been a few moments earlier. “I’m sure we’ll be seeing each other again soon.” Trent gave Griffin a small smirk before turning to leave. He pulled out his phone as he made his way down the hall.
Standing there, holding Griffin’s hand, trying to keep him calm, was having the opposite effect on her body. Felicia pulled her hand free, turned to face Griffin and poked her index finger in his chest. “What was that all about?” she demanded.
“Nothing. We better go. We don’t want to miss our reservation.” Griffin led her down the hall and out to his waiting car. He opened the door to a black Porsche Sienna and helped Felicia inside.
Griffin came around the car and slid in behind the wheel. “I think you’re going to like this place. They serve some of the best Thai food in the city,” he said. “You still like Thai, right?”
“Of course, but I can’t believe you remembered that. We only had it once.”
“Yes, but it was an adventure that was too hard to forget.” Griffin smiled and made his eyebrows dance, causing her to giggle.
After driving a few blocks they were wheeling into the driveway of a small restaurant with a packed parking lot. Griffin parked, cut the engine and looked over to her. “Do you remember that night?”
Felicia smiled. “After we finished our last final, Val wanted Thai and Todd said he knew of this great restaurant...but then we got lost trying to find the place.”
“And we ended up in the middle of nowhere, where we ran out of gas,” Griffin added.
Felicia nodded. “We eventually found the place and it ended up being in some sketchy-looking building, but it had been the best Thai I had ever eaten. Too bad they didn’t take credit cards,” Felicia said.
“Yeah, and we’d spent all the cash we had getting Todd’s truck towed to that gas station,” he said, laughing.
“The four of us spent the night working off our meal.”
Felicia smiled, only to be hit by a sharp pain in her heart, remembering Valerie’s betrayal. Her smile disappeared.
“It was one of the most fun nights I’d had in a long time,” he said, suddenly sounding very serious as he stared into her eyes. “Or since.”
“Me, too,” she said, holding his gaze.
Griffin leaned over and cupped Felicia’s face with his right hand, running his thumb over her lips before kissing her gently. He leaned his forehead against hers. “We can make this work for all of us.”
“Griffin—”
“We’d better get inside. I may have exaggerated about the need for a reservation, but it does get pretty crowded. And we wouldn’t want anyone tapping on the window because we’ve been sitting in the car too long.”
Felicia checked her watch. “Will you have enough time? You do have a meeting to get back to,” she said sarcastically, remembering that unnecessary little altercation back at the hospital.
Griffin smirked, unfazed by her chastisement. “I’ll be just fine. I ordered already. They know me here.”
“Of course you did.”
“I hope you don’t mind,” he said with a sheepish grin. “I think I remembered what you liked.”
Felicia bit her lip but quickly released it. “I guess we better get inside, then.”
Griffin quickly exited the car and came around to open Felicia’s door. He held her hand as they entered the restaurant. Griffin greeted the hostess in Thai, as did Felicia. Griffin’s head snapped down to Felicia, gray eyes sparkling with excitement. “You speak Thai? I knew you spoke Mandarin, but Thai, too. Impressive.”
“Not fluently,” she admitted. “I’ve always been good at picking up different languages and it comes in handy with all my travels for work.”
“If you’ll follow me, your table is ready,” the young lady said, heading toward the back of the restaurant.
Griffin and Felicia made their way through the restaurant when they came upon two couples. “Hello, Mother, Father,” Griffin greeted them. Then, to the others seated at the table, he said, “Mr. and Mrs. Richardson.”
Chapter 21
Griffin’s grip on Felicia’s hand tightened as she tried—and failed—to free herself from his hold. “This is a nice surprise,” he said, leaning forward and kissing his mother on the cheek. His father stood and Griffin gave him a one-armed hug. “Nice to see you again, Mr. and Mrs. Richardson,” he said, offering them a quick nod. “Everyone, allow me to introduce my—”
“Felicia Blake,” she said, successfully pulling her hand free and putting some distance between them.
“It’s nice to see you again, Felicia,” Griffin’s father said, pulling Felicia into an embrace. “I hear you’re doing some really big things to keep our country safe.”
“I’m trying,” Felicia reassured, stepping out of his hold.
Lin Kaile offered Felicia a half smile that was as forced as she remembered, but the woman remained silent.
“Ms. Blake, it’s a pleasure to meet you,” Mr. Richardson said, giving Felicia a tight smile; Mrs. Richardson continued to stare, her face void of expression, but she didn’t offer any greeting whatsoever.
“It’s Dr. Blake, actually,” Griffin told him.
>
“Forgive me... Dr. Blake,” Mr. Richardson corrected.
Felicia nudged Griffin in the side for him to lay off but said, “No problem.”
“We won’t hold you up. Please enjoy your lunch.” Griffin gestured toward the four bowls of food sitting in front of them.
They followed the waitress who was waiting by a closed bar to escort them to a small section at the back of the restaurant that, thankfully, was several tables away from Griffin’s parents.
“That was awkward.”
“Sorry about that,” Griffin said, pulling out Felicia’s chair.
He settled her into a spot with her back to the small group. “I’m sure it’s about to get even more so. If I know my mother, Jia will be showing up at any moment.”
“What?” Felicia’s hand froze for a moment before she continued to place her napkin across her lap.
“It’s my mother’s way of plotting to get us back together, I’m sure,” Griffin explained.
“How would she even know we’d be here?”
“The same way she knows everything.” Griffin placed his napkin in his lap and his keys and phone on the table. “She has sources at the hospital that would gladly tell her my schedule. My assistant can’t seem to keep her mouth shut when it comes to my mother.”
“I’m sure your mother can be a very convincing woman when she wants to be.”
“That she can, but I’m her boss. Her loyalty should be to me.”
Felicia nodded. “Maybe you should gently remind her of that fact again.”
“Or just have her switched to another department and hire someone from outside who will be more amenable to keeping my business to themselves.
“Felicia, would you rather go someplace else?” he asked, handing her the drink menu.
“No, we’re just two old friends having lunch,” she said, scanning the list of teas the restaurant offered.
“Hardly.” Griffin picked up his own drink menu. “I don’t hold hands with women that I’m just friends with.”
Felicia lowered her menu. “What’s with this territorial act you have going on right now? First with Dr. Green and now in front of your parents.”
Griffin placed his menu to the side. “This isn’t an act. You and Alyia are my family and I’m more than ready to claim you both.”
“First of all, Alyia is your family,” she corrected. “I’m just someone you knew a long time ago and now we happen to share responsibility for raising a child. That’s all.”
“Bull!” he shot back. “We’re more than that and you know it.”
Felicia continued, ignoring his statement. “Second, that scene at the hospital had nothing to do with Alyia. So what gives?”
Before Griffin could offer his explanation, the waitress came to take their drink order and confirm the preordered chicken and rice special Griffin had placed earlier. Once their order had been taken, Felicia sat back in her chair with her hands placed in her lap. “Well?”
Griffin smirked. “Trent and I have some type of love-hate relationship going on. We love and respect the work that we do, but can’t stand each other on a personal level.”
“You’re both successful in two completely different fields. This animosity can’t be professional.”
Griffin lifted his left eyebrow. “I never said that it was.”
“So it is personal. Let me guess, a woman.” Felicia sat back and folded her arms. “Who did the stealing?”
“Neither. They were long over before we started dating.”
Felicia dropped her arms and leaned forward. “Jia?”
Griffin’s brows drew together. “No...Kathy.”
Felicia’s mouth opened then quickly closed.
“Like I said, they were over before I asked her out, but apparently her preference for me rubbed him the wrong way.”
“I can imagine.” Felicia’s phone rang and she reached into her purse to retrieve it. She looked at the screen and answered, “Dr. Blake.” Felicia stood, raised her index finger and excused herself to take the call in private.
Griffin was so busy watching Felicia walk away that he hadn’t noticed his mother approaching the table. “Griffin...”
Griffin looked heavenward and sighed before standing to greet her. “Yes, Mother.”
Lin took the seat abandoned by Felicia. “What’s going on with you and that girl?”
He was taken aback by her caustic tone. “I love you, Mother, but that’s really none of your business.”
Lin flinched, her eyes fluttered with a flash he recognized as annoyance. “Remember who you’re speaking to,” she warned in Mandarin.
Griffin offered one nod, his jaw set. “My relationship with Felicia isn’t something I’m ready to discuss with you yet,” he replied in her native language.
“Relationship,” she scoffed, turning her nose as though she smelled something rotten. “You barely know that woman.”
“I know her better than you think.”
Lin smirked. “A sexual attraction doesn’t make a relationship. She can never be a wife and mother. Not the one you need. She’s a high-powered career woman and she’ll never give that up for you.”
“And I’d never ask her to. But you’d be surprised what she’s capable of being.” Griffin’s confidence in Felicia even surprised him.
Felicia returned to the table. “Mrs. Kaile, hello again.”
Lin pursed her lips and didn’t utter a word.
Felicia turned her attention to Griffin as he stood.
“My apologies, but duty calls.” She gestured with her phone.
“No problem,” he said, trying to tamp down his disappointment. “I’ll just take care of the check.”
“No, that won’t be necessary. Please stay and enjoy lunch with your family.” Felicia smiled at Lin, who grimaced her displeasure. “They’ve sent a car for me,” Felicia explained.
“What? Who?”
Felicia shrugged. “It can’t be helped.”
“Who?” he asked again.
Felicia looked at him, trying to get a message across that he couldn’t fathom.
“Please excuse us, Mother.” Griffin pulled Felicia to the side. “What’s going on?”
“I have to go,” she answered, her mouth forming a half smile.
“I get that, but like this? I can take you wherever you need to go,” he said. “We have to talk. Decisions must be made.”
“I understand that, but this is my job—”
“Excuse me, Dr. Blake,” said a tall man wearing a black suit.
Felicia held up her right hand. “Just one minute.” She turned back to Griffin. “That’s my ride.”
“Let’s have dinner tonight,” he asked, trying to keep the frustration out of his voice. Why did it seem life was throwing them together and then putting obstacles in their path just for fun?
“I’m not sure when I’ll be done, but feel free to go by the hotel and see Alyia.”
“I will.” Griffin pulled Felicia into his arms and gave her an overpowering kiss on the lips. “Call me later.”
“We’ll talk, I promise,” she said before gathering her things and turning to leave. “Goodbye, Mrs. Kaile.”
When his mother didn’t respond, Felicia peered at her and repeated her farewell, this time in Mandarin.
Lin Kaile’s eyes flashed with the type of blaze a fire department would consider to be multiple alarms’ worth. The moment Felicia was out of earshot, she snarled, “Nope, I’m not at all surprised at what that woman is capable of.” She then straightened her hardened expression, affecting a more admissible one instead. “Now come join us for lunch, darling. Jia should be here any minute.”
Griffin gave his head a slow shake and checked his watch. “Actually, Mother, I have
a meeting to get to.”
“Don’t be rude to our guests,” she snapped.
“I’m being no ruder to your guests than you were to mine,” he quipped. “I have to go.”
“But, son—”
Griffin kissed her cheek then walked past and gave a small wave to his father, who nodded, and one to the Richardsons, who frowned. Then he lightly touched Jia, who had just entered the restaurant, on the shoulder as a goodbye.
“You’re leaving?” she asked with a look to him and then a shocked glance at his mother.
“Indeed,” he replied with a look over his shoulder at his mother’s crestfallen expression before leaving the restaurant.
Chapter 22
Griffin walked into the large auditorium-style classroom where the afternoon staff meeting was being held. He stood next to the door since it was the only space available in the hundred-plus-seat room, which was nearly filled to capacity with people from multiple medical disciplines and other staff.
“Wow, something deep must be up,” declared Ida Jones, the mahogany-skinned, petite, fifty-year-old director of nursing. She slid into the spot next to Griffin, her brown eyes scanning the room and glossed lips pulling into a pout. “What’s going on?”
“I have no idea,” he whispered, wondering if this meeting somehow had anything to do with why Felicia had been called away so suddenly. “I was expecting our regular boring staff meeting.”
“Hardly, not after the CDC invaded the emergency room.”
“What? When?” Griffin’s forehead creased.
“Fifteen minutes ago. Where have you been?” She squinted, giving him a once-over as though his eyes, smile and overall demeanor would tell her something he wouldn’t voice out loud.
“Lunch...”
“Well, aren’t you special, going out to lunch on a Monday,” she said.
“Good afternoon, everyone,” Dr. Trent Green said, speaking into a wireless microphone as he entered the room. It looked more like a no-questions-asked press conference than the normal staff meeting Griffin was used to. Four doctors filed in behind the chief of staff, one of whom Griffin knew very well. Her presence confirmed his thinking.
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