Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 99967 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 500(@200wpm)___ 400(@250wpm)___ 333(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 99967 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 500(@200wpm)___ 400(@250wpm)___ 333(@300wpm)
“Dad, I won’t turn you down either way. Don’t do the whole crying wolf thing on me.”
“I don’t think you’ve had a girlfriend since high school.”
I frown at my father. “Really? You want to talk about my love life? Do you have a fever?”
He chuckles and shakes his head. “No fever. A burning curiosity, sure. Because you’ve been so focused on your goals and your work that you’ve never let a woman in. So what’s so special about this one? I want to know what’s going on with you, kiddo.”
“You’re as nosy as Billie.” I shake my head and sip my water. “She’s just different. I took one look at her, and it was like I recognized her on a molecular level. Like something inside me said Oh, there you are. I know that everyone gives me shit because I don’t see a woman more than once, and I never get attached, but I think I was waiting for her all this time, and I didn’t even know it.”
I look up into eyes so much like mine. He’s listening intently, and if I’m not mistaken, his eyes have gone glassy.
“You love her.”
“Fuck yeah, I love her.” I nod and tap the table with my fingertips. “I’m crazy about her. I’d marry her today. She’s it for me.”
“Good for you, buddy. I can’t wait to meet her. The next time you have a Sunday off, we’ll do dinner. Now, you need to leave. I have shit to do today.”
I laugh and stand, then pull him in for a hug. “You seriously wanted to gossip about my girl.”
“I’m sick of getting it secondhand from your sister. I wanted it from the horse’s mouth. I love you, Blake. I’m glad you found your person.”
My person.
Yeah, that’s exactly what she is.
I have a short shift at the clinic this afternoon, and I finally get a few hours with my girl this evening. We agreed that she’d stay the night since we’ll be going to work at around the same time tomorrow morning.
I have to savor the hours with her when I can.
The chaos in my work life is why I’ve always shied away from looking for a relationship. Add in her chaotic schedule, and spending much time together has been almost impossible. Since last week's few amazing days at the resort, we’ve been back to stealing moments here and there. Tonight will be the first night we get to spend together since last week.
And I’m getting impatient.
I need more of her. I just don’t know how to make that happen.
An hour later, I’m in my office, typing notes on my first patient of the day before I go into the next exam room. My schedule is packed, but I’ll be damned if I’m staying late today. I need the medical gods to shine down and not give me anyone who needs labs drawn late in the day that I’ll have to stick around for.
I need smooth sailing.
And before Harper, I never had these kinds of thoughts. That’s not lost on me.
She’s changed everything.
And it doesn’t scare me at all.
“Room 11 is ready for you, Dr. Blake,” Sharon says, poking her head in my office.
“I’ll be right there.”
I close the laptop, loop my stethoscope around my neck, and knock twice on the door before pushing it open.
“Good afternoon, Hillary.”
“Hey, Doc.” She pushes her hair back behind her shoulder and bats her eyelashes.
Yeah, I fucked Hillary a few years ago before she was my patient, and she won’t let it go. I took her off my patient list and passed her to someone else, but she’s a work-in, and there was no one else to see her. I’m taking overflow this afternoon.
“What’s going on today?” I ask as I open my computer and look at the vitals that Sharon got for me. “Your blood pressure is pretty low.”
“I’ve been woozy,” she says, nodding. “And I get this warm sensation that floods over me, and it’s really unsettling.”
“Makes sense with the blood pressure. Dizziness is common. Hop up on the table and let me hear your heart.”
She does as I ask. I’m relieved that she’s not touching me inappropriately today.
“Take a deep breath for me.” We go through the four more breaths, and I frown. I don’t like the way her heart sounds. “Have you ever been diagnosed with a heart murmur?”
“No.” She shakes her head. “Not that I’m aware of.”
I press my stethoscope over her heart again and close my eyes, listening.
Definitely a murmur.
“Hillary, I’d like to get an EKG and a chest X-ray before you leave. I hear a bit of a murmur in your heart, which can sometimes be associated with low blood pressure. How much water are you drinking in a day?”
“Probably not enough,” she admits. “I forget.”
“Keep a bottle with you and get that water in you. Do you eat foods rich in iron?”