by Ali Parker
Dana.
"Come on, let's go, emo-boy. I'll drive if you need to blow your nose." He popped my chest again playfully.
I wiped at my eyes and started the car. "Fuck you too, asshole."
"Nope. My girl does that for me." He wagged his eyebrows as I glanced over at him. It was good to see him back to being his old self.
"How is Beth? She better now that you guys have kissed and made up?"
"I think so." He tapped his knee to the song coming from the radio. "I hope so. You tell me after you see her today. She said she's going to TA for you this afternoon, unless you're not going in."
I hit the gas and stifled a smile as the car took off down the long road that led to my house.
I could seriously get used to a car like this.
"I'm going in. I wasn't going to, but seeing that you've ruined my ability to go back to sleep…"
"Which is a good thing." He gave me a sideways glance. "What's up with you and Dana? She still taking good care of you?"
"You want to poke me with a hot poker instead of asking all the wrong questions this morning? That might be faster."
"Don't be sensitive." Damon leaned back in his seat. "It's not your style and you know it. Tell me what's going on with her. You fucked it up again, didn't you?"
"I didn't fuck up anything. She came over and we kissed in the living room and then I told her we could be friends."
"Oh brother." Damon ran his hand down his face, looking far more exasperated than was necessary.
"She's my student, Damon. You know that's not permitted at the college. How many more times do I have to go through this shit before everyone understands why I have rules? They fucking protect me."
"Right, from everyone and everything." He pointed to the left. "Turn that way. The new restaurant I want to take you to is up on the right."
"Chicken and Waffles?" I gave him a concerned look.
"Don't smack it until you've tried it."
"I like Dana, a lot, but I'm not dating a student. Period."
"So ask her to remove herself from your class, Kendal. I saw the way you guys interacted at the funeral. You're already into her."
"It's hard not to be." I pulled into the parking lot of the restaurant and shook my head. "Why the hell haven't I noticed this before?"
"You come from the other direction I bet, and honestly, you're a pretty distracted guy. All those rules running around your head, making you crazy all the time."
"Really?" I got out of the car and handed him the keys as we walked in.
The smell of maple syrup caused my stomach to grumble. When was the last time I'd eaten?
I couldn't remember, which wasn't good.
We sat down and gave the waitress our drink orders before Damon turned the conversation back to Dana. Something told me that he wasn't going to relent until I made a few promises to get my love life back on track. Sadly enough, she was the only woman I wanted to do that with, and she was officially off limits.
"So tell me specifically what these rules say. It's the UT code of conduct? Like the exact verbiage."
"I don't know the exact verbiage, but I know as a professor, I'm not allowed to date any student or another professor on campus. It's pretty simple. She's a student at the college I'm teaching at, and she's off limits." I narrowed my eyes at him, as if I had any hope of intimidating the dick in front of me. He'd been muscling me around since we met a million years ago.
"So you sneak around." He shrugged and pulled his napkin into his lap. The look on his face said that his idea was not only brilliant, but something we should have thought about already.
"No." I smiled up at the waitress as she delivered our drink.
"Yes." Damon shrugged. "It's perfect. There's something so sexy about sneaking around to see the woman you love. I might ask Beth to role play with me, actually. That would be fun."
I shook my head. "Do you hear yourself? Sneaking around is not at all fun. It's scary."
"Exhilarating."
"It's like cheating."
"It's nothing like cheating." His smile faded. If Damon hated anything, it was a cheat or a liar.
"How is it not like cheating? Please explain and enlighten me."
"You and Dana like each other. If your bullshit rules weren't in the way, you'd be dating, right?"
"Absolutely." I took a tentative sip of my coffee and tried to keep my thoughts on the conversation at hand. It would be so easy to slip off into another daydream about the beautiful Hispanic woman who'd stolen a part of my heart without even trying.
"Then it's sneaking around the system, Kendal. It's like her being a part of an all-girls school and you wanting into her panties. You sneak around and get what you both want."
"You're corrupt. You know that?"
He nodded. "I'm aware."
"Yes, but does Beth know that?"
"Absolutely. It's one of the things that she loves most about me." He waved his hand around. "Look, I'm serious about this. You need some light in your life."
"I have you." I picked up my menu. "It's tainted light, but you're doing a great job."
"And I'm not going anywhere, but guys like us need a woman, and you know it." He tapped the top of my menu, forcing me to look up.
"I know, man. It's been a long two years of sleeping alone, but if the lessons from my past have taught me anything, it's this... don't date anyone affiliated with UT. Period."
"Then let's find you someone else. I'll start looking around."
"What? No." The thought left my insides tight with disgust.
"Why not?" He gave me a knowing look.
"Fuck you too." I glanced back down at my menu. "I'm not sneaking around."
"Then leave UT and go do something else. Fuck, come work for me. Stop hoping that you'll finally find someone off-campus when you never leave campus."
"I don't want anyone else, Damon. I want Dana. She has eight months left. I can wait."
"Right, but can she? Is she willing to? Do you really want eight months of your life to be gone when you finally give in to each other?"
"I don't know, dude." I slumped down in my chair and let out a long sigh. "After losing Mandy, it feels like being without love and affection for a day is stupid. I could die tomorrow."
"There's my morbid best friend." Damon glanced up to the waitress and ordered as I watched him. The cocky bastard knew what he was talking about, and I'd have to own up to it sooner or later. I was so weary from being by myself that I could feel the loosening of my morals as he spoke.
"What can I get you, hon?" The lady moved over toward me.
"Whatever he's having." I handed her the menu, not sure what would show up, but it would be greasy, cheesy and covered in syrup most likely. I needed a jolt to the system, and food would just be the beginning of it all.
"Just be friends to the public and behind closed doors, be everything you both need each other to be. Don't deny her or yourself. Turn back into that guy who used to live for passion. I know he's still deep down in there. I've seen him show his face a time or two over the last six years."
I nodded and glanced down at my hands. "Maybe you're right. Maybe we can get out of town once a month and try to keep things undercover until then."
"Exactly, and what's the very worst thing that could happen. Honestly. How bad could it get?"
"I could get caught and lose my job, fuck up my reputation."
"And what would your next step be if that happened?"
"I'd call you and get a job at McKenzie and Bryant."
He glanced up toward the ceiling and pressed his hands in a prayer-like state. "Please, please, please let everything get fucked up for my best friend here. I want him to work for me like I want my next breath."
"You're an idiot." I reached over and popped his hands.
"No. You are." He gave me a stern look. "Start living, Kendal. Do it for your folks. Do it for Mandy, for shit’s sake... do it for yourself."
"All right. Sneaking ar
ound it is... if she agrees."
"She'll agree." Damon smirked. "How could she not? You’re Dr. Kendal Tarrington."
The high-pitched feminine voice was enough to make me roll my eyes and laugh. No one could cheer me up like he could, and for that... I'd keep around for another day at least.
Chapter 24
Dana
After another restless night of sleep, the last thing I wanted to do was head back to the hospital the next morning. I was almost looking forward to the mini-mester starting just so there would be something in my life that wasn't the hospital or my empty-ass apartment.
The flashing lights by the ER entrance caught my attention as I drove toward my usual parking spot. Where it wasn't anything out of the ordinary to have several ambulances at the hospital, I couldn't pass up the curiosity bubbling inside of me.
I jerked the wheel to the right and parked in the first spot I could find. After grabbing my backpack, I jogged toward the ER entrance and walked in to see a bit of mayhem.
"Young, good." Dr. Lewis walked by the entrance and motioned for me to join him. "Multi-car pileup on I-45. We need you in trauma. Wash up and be prepared to help however we need you to."
"Yes, sir." I jogged behind him as adrenaline filled me completely. I loved the rush of knowing I was heading into a scenario where I could help save a life. Nothing brought me to life more. Well, almost nothing. A certain handsome accounting professor seemed to have a strong pull on my emotions as well.
I dropped my bag in a locker and ran back down the hall toward the nurses’ station.
"Where do you need me?" I stopped in front of an older nurse who looked as steady as I felt.
"In trauma, room ten. Wash up before you go in."
"Absolutely." I turned and jogged back down the hallway as various other members of our staff raced about. After washing up, I walked into trauma and moved to the various requests of the doctors around me. I went from holding a clamp to monitoring someone’s vitals to helping stitch up a few cuts.
"Where do you need me?" I walked into another room and found Dr. Lewis trying to work with the nurses as a large guy thrashed about the table.
"I need you to help calm him. He's fighting the drugs in his system and we're going to have to put him under if he doesn't calm down." Dr. Lewis gave me a stern look.
I nodded and moved toward the man's head. "Hey there. I'm Dana. Look at me, okay. We're here to help you. You need to just breathe through your nose."
"I want out of here," the guy mumbled as blood dripped down from his mouth.
I cupped his face softly in my hands and rubbed back and forth with my thumbs. "I know you do. Just stay right here and I'll talk with you while they get you comfortable. Everything is going to be fine. I promise."
"I'm scared." Tears formed around the sides of his eyes.
"I know you are. It's perfectly normal to be scared." I gave him a warm smile and continued to massage the side of his face with my thumbs. "Everyone is doing great though, especially you. Were you headed into work this morning or to see someone you love?"
"My mom." He took a shaky breath and closed his eyes as his voice broke. "My mom was in the car with me. Can you check on her? She wasn't moving when-"
"Hey. I'll check on her for you, but you have to stay right here with me. Do you have a brother or a sister or something?" I brushed his hair back and stayed close to him as the medical team moved around both of us.
"A sister. Sandy. Her name is Sandy."
"That's a beautiful name. Is she older or younger than you?" I listened to his response and kept him talking until his eyes fluttered a few times and he finally let the medicine do its job. I laid his head down on the bed carefully and backed up. "Where do you need me now?"
Dr. Lewis let out a long exhale and shook his head. "We're all good. You did a great job, kiddo."
"Thank you. I'm going up to my floor but if you need me…"
"You'd be the first one I called." He winked at me as I turned to walk out of the room. "And Dana..."
"Yes, sir?" I glanced over my shoulder.
"Come talk to me, okay? I've heard whispers around the hospital that you might be more interested in pushing your career a little farther. There's a pretty cool opportunity that might be opening up in May next year when you graduate."
"Okay. Thank you, Dr. Lewis." I walked out of the room, covered in blood and feeling like a million dollars. Regardless of what else was going on in my life, I was right where I was supposed to be. Helping people was my calling. It was my life.
"Wow. I swear you always end up at the right place at the right time." Jackie pulled her hair into a high ponytail and gave me a cheeky grin.
I dipped my spoon into my frozen yogurt and glanced around at all the mall-goers before turning my attention back to her.
"Are we really going to New York this weekend?"
"Yes." She tilted her head a little. "You're not backing out. I already got the tickets."
"And where are we staying when we get there?" I already knew the answer.
"At Parks' apartment. It's the top floor of some ritzy apartment building right near Times Square."
I shook my head and took a quick bite of my yogurt. "You're not going to be completely butt-hurt if I stay with my best friend from high school, right? She lives in the city. I'll hang out with you when you want me to, but you know you're just going for a bootie call."
She snorted. "I don't care if you stay with your friend or me. I just want you to go with me up there. I hate flying by myself."
"All right. I'll call her tonight and see if she has extra room for me. If not, I'll just stay with you guys." I hated the thought, but Jackie was one of my only friends. She was a nutcase for thinking she could wrangle a guy like Parks, but I wasn't going to leave her on her own to do it.
"We'll behave." She wagged her eyebrows at me.
"Doubtful." I licked my spoon. "I hate to be the one to piss in your cheerios, but do you really think this is a good idea? You know this guy is a total player. You were crushed last week by the way he was ignoring you. Remember?"
She nodded and ran her hand over the top of her hair. "I know. I just can't back off yet. He's so good, and Dana... he's a Scorpio. You know what that means."
"He stings like a bitch?"
"No, silly. He's fantastic in bed and a beast at the office."
"You know that's not all there is to life, right?"
"At my age that is." She stuck out her tongue.
I started to respond, but decided against it. Thank God my phone buzzed on the table next to me. Kendal.
"It's Kendal." I picked up the phone and stood, feeling a little lightheaded at the idea of getting to talk with him again. "I'll be right back."
"I'm eating the rest of your yogurt."
"Go for it." I pressed the phone to my ear as excitement mixed with nerves in my stomach. I hadn't talked to Kendal or seen him since dropping him off at home from Mandy's funeral on Saturday. "Hello?"
"Dana?"
"Yeah. Who's this?" I rolled my eyes. Surely he would know that I knew it was him. How freaking childish.
"It's Kendal. Is now a good time?"
"Yep." I leaned against the railing and let my eyes move across the various groups of people walking in and out of overpriced stores.
"I wanted to start by apologizing for Saturday. I was a little out of it."
"It's totally understandable, Kendal." I softened immediately. "Don't apologize. I'm good with us being friends."
Lies. All lies.
"Good, I'm glad to hear that, but I don't want the conversation to end there."
"Okay, so let's continue it then." I moved back from the railing and pressed my hand to my chest, hoping to slow my racing heart.
"Come over tonight for dinner."
I glanced around as if someone were watching me. "You sure? I know you wanted to keep a low profile between us."
"Yes. I'm more than sure, Dana. Come over and let's figure
this out."
"Okay. What time do you want me?"
"All the time?"
I smiled, unable to help myself. "At least I'm not completely alone in this."
"Not at all. Come over at six and we can cook dinner and talk."
"Just talk?" I pressed my teeth into my lip. How did I go from wanting to protect myself to wanting to hear that he needed me as badly as I needed him?
He chuckled. "I'll see you at six."
I dropped the call and pressed the phone to my chest as excitement raced through me. Suddenly shopping all afternoon with Jackie didn't sound like much fun. I wanted to get home so I could take a shower and shave my legs. It might just be a friendly date where we could discuss if there was a future for us, but I wanted to be prepared for anything.
Kendal was proper when it suited him to be. Something told me tonight wasn't one of those times.
I sat in my car outside of Kendal's house for a good five minutes before I worked up the courage to get out of the car. How awkward was the night going to end up being?
Glancing down, I ran my hands over the front of my cream-colored summer dress and finally forced myself to get out of the car. The dress was a little more fitted than I'd usually wear, and honestly made me feel chunky.
"Why the hell did I wear this stupid thing?" I knocked on his door as a million excuses worked through my mind. I needed to go home, get in my pjs and pile up. The night was sure to be nothing more than an extension from Saturday. I'd been friend-zoned before we'd even gotten our relationship off the ground.
Kendal opened the door. "Hey there. I'm glad you decided to get out of the car. I was wondering about you."
I pressed my hand to my face and breathed in deeply. "Really? You weren't supposed to see that."
"I'll pretend like I didn't." He moved back. "Come on in and make yourself at home."
The fitted white tee he wore tucked into a pair of tattered low-waist jeans looked damn good on him. His hair was a bit disheveled as if he'd run his fingers through it a million times. His deep green eyes were locked on me behind a thick pair of black glasses that made him look far too cute for his own good.