Sherry agreed.
After a long night at the hospital and then Kasey’s two-hour C-section, I was exhausted. I couldn’t wait to get to my own bed and take a long cat nap before seeing patients in the afternoon. Grabbing a bottle of water, I sat down on the couch in the doctor’s lounge and contemplated taking a shower at the hospital before heading home. That way I could go straight to bed. Brad walked into the lounge, interrupting my thoughts.
“Hey, you’re still here.” He walked over to the fridge and helped himself to a juice. “I just checked on Kasey. She’s doing well. Babies are healthy. You should’ve have seen her family. They were going nuts over the babies.”
Brad was smiling ear to ear. He obviously loved his job and genuinely cared for his patients. I had to admit my father was right. Brad was a perfect match for our practice.
“Those babies were the cutest I’ve ever seen. I suspect they’ll be on TV once the news stations get the story.” I got up from the couch and started for the line of lockers that the hospital medical staff used. Digging through my overnight bag and pulled out a pair of jeans and a button-down shirt. When I turned around, Brad was standing right in front of me. He reached over and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear.
“This morning was amazing,” he whispered.
I don’t know what happened next. Blame it on lack of sleep, lack of sex, or what…but I kissed him. At first it was soft and sweet and delicious. Then Brad pushed himself against me, shoved his hands into my hair, and returned my kiss with more urgency. It was hot, it was passionate, it was…
“Stop!” I pulled myself away from him. My head spun and my heart pounded.
“Hope.” Brad’s face was flushed. “I’m so sorry. I don’t know…”
“It’s okay.” I scooped up my clothes and rushed into the ladies restroom. After catching my breath, I stripped off my scrubs and stepped into the shower, standing under cold water. I couldn’t wrap my head around what just happened. On the one hand, it was great. Brad was an excellent kisser. On the other, I was mad at myself for letting it happen. Brad was my business partner, not my boyfriend.
I shampooed my hair and scrubbed my body until it was raw. Trying to wash away the memory of the most passionate kiss I’d ever had.
Chapter 28
With the Heart Ball just three weeks away, I knew I had to get busy. I still needed to buy a dress and get a date. Venus had finally called and we’d worked things out. She thanked me for telling her about Mr. Vanderbilt. Apparently she’d confronted him, and although he denied having an affair, he’d moved out of the house. She’d already called our mutual friend and fierce divorce attorney, Ava Spivey, and started proceedings.
We decided to go to lunch today and afterwards, go shopping for the Heart Ball. I waited in the kitchen for her to arrive. Frederick was cooking up something delicious, as usual, and the house was spotless. I really didn’t know how I’d lived without him for so long. Frederick had even organized my closet by color and designer. He was the perfect house husband, sans the sex.
I looked at Frederick standing at the stove doing his thing. He looked kind of cute with his apron decorated with hot peppers.
“I’m waiting on Venus to pick me up. We’re going to buy our dresses for the Heart Ball,” I said, eyeing the dish he was baking. “What is that?”
“Baked eggplant parmigiana. Will you be home for dinner or shall I put it in the fridge for you?”
“I should be home.”
“It’s okay if I leave early today?” Frederick asked me.
“Sure. Hot date?”
Frederick smiled at me. “Something like that.”
A horn beeped outside. “That’s Venus. Have fun tonight. I’ll see you later.”
Grabbing my favorite Coach bag, I headed out the door. Venus was waiting in her limo. She was fortunate enough to have a personal driver and lived a life of luxury. The driver held the
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