The BACHELORETTE Project (The Project: LESLEE Series) by Tami Anthony Page B

balding, and also the only time in my life where I've regretted going to a party. Never again I say. Never again.
    As the doctor moves closer to me, he beg ins to turn up his nose. "Woo!" h e says absorbing the smell of the Mary Jane that has attached itself to my clothing. "That must've been some party."
    "Yeah, it really was," I reply. "At least what I remember of it which is funny becaus e I don’t remember smoking weed. " I look at Russ and he turns away. Guilty as charged.
    The doctor starts flipping through the chart in his hand and I glance at his name tag: Dr. Vishal Patel. "Um, Dr. Patel,” I start, “When can I go home? I really would feel more comfortable in a home setting rather than in a hospital setting. I don't want to catch anyone else's diseases while I’m here." The doctor laughs at me.
    "In a little bit," Dr. Patel responds. "We'll do a g eneral checkup, go over your CAT scan results and then send you on your way if everything looks OK. Since it's a head injury, we want to be extra cautious.” He winks at me. I blush. I might actually be in love with my doctor … OK maybe a little hospital crush at most.
    "OK, Dr. Patel," I manage to say without drooling. He smiles at me and it's the most gorgeous smile I've ever seen. His teeth are movie star white and he has this ridiculously sexy dimple under his right cheek. My opinion of hospitals is suddenly changing.
    "Well, OK then, " Vishal says (yes, we are on a first name basis now). "I'll be back in a little bit." 
    "OK," Karen and I say at the same time as he walks out the door. No wonder she's my best friend. We are always on the same page about thin gs, and Vishal, it’s unanimous! He is a certified hottie.
    "My God!" Karen says, her eyes following Vishal's sexy butt. "He's like the Indian Dr. McDreamy. He’s welcome to examine me anytime." She bites her lip and stares at the door. Russ taps her as if to say “Hello?! Your fiancé is standing right next to you!” She looks at Russ defensively. “Oh, I am allowed to look. I just can’t touch,” she replies.
    I lay back down on the hospital bed. I begin to feel the energy drain again. "You guys can go. I'll be OK," I say to my friends. “I'll be fine."
    "You sure?" Eric asks.
    "Yeah, " Karen chimes in. "We'll stay if you need us for moral support, company ... Indian McDreamy support ..." She goes into a complete daze. My friends are so weird.
    "No, it's OK. I need to talk to my parents anyway," I respond. "Thank you, though."
    “Well, I’m not leaving this hospital until you leave, so I’ll be checking out the vending machines downstairs and I’ ll be back, ” Karen says as she and Eric give me hugs. Mike and his latex gloves keep their distance away from me and he just waves. Russ just taps me on the shoulder and says goodbye. My friends all leave the room and now I'm all alone with the dreaded parents. Sigh.
    "So, daughter," my Mom starts and I can feel the yelling coming on any second. "When were you going to tell us th at you ca me home?" I squint my eyes and give an honest answer.
    "Never," I say. "I didn't want you to find out. Besides, I just assumed that this was a temporary thing. I plan on going back to Manhattan. I just need a little time to think, that's all."
    "And what happened to your boyfriend?" Mom asks.
    "Mom, I don't want to talk about it!" I whine. "We broke up, OK? It didn't work out.”
    "I told you not to move to New York," my Dad chimes in. "That city will chew you up and spit you out.” He told me before I left Philadelphia that Manhattan was a tough place to live, but watching all those Sex and the City episodes convinced me that Manhattan looked like so much fun. I couldn't resist moving! Plus, I needed to start my own life without my parents deciding my every move. I surely learned my lesson the hard way. "So, what are you gonna do now?”
    "I'm going to look for anoth er job, Dad. It's not that hard, " I answer and my mom throws up her hands in the air.
    "You