Chapter Nine
Andrew: Happy Turkey Day. How was work?
Lauren stared at the message. She was curled up in her favorite navy armchair, wearing an Oklahoma City Thunder sweatshirt and leggings, a documentary about juveniles in the prison system playing on her television.
She hesitated, as she had before responding to all his messages lately. She’d been on edge since her run-in with Gavin last week. Nothing happened that night, she told herself. You didn’t know Andrew was the one meeting you. You stopped it before things went too far. You did nothing wrong. It might not even be wrong.
Nevertheless, Gavin’s words troubled her. There’d been that moment when she and Andrew had nearly kissed, and if Gavin had seen that, it would be difficult to convince anyone they were just friends. Who else had been with Gavin? Had more people from work witnessed the same thing? Would she gain a reputation around the cancer center as someone who hooked up with patients?
Earlier in the week she’d searched the institutional policies posted on the intranet and found nothing regarding pharmacist relationships with patients. As she suspected, it was a clear rule that physicians weren’t to engage in a sexual relationship with a patient they were treating, but for the rest of the health care team, it was unclear. It also didn’t mention patients no longer under a provider’s care.
To be on the safe side, she should assume the strictest rule applied to her.
But she couldn’t convince herself that she couldn’t be friends with the guy. A few months ago, she’d met a twenty-four-year-old girl at the end of her treatment for acute promyelocytic leukemia, and the two had become fast friends. Lauren met her for lunch at the cancer center café several times, and now that her therapy was complete, they still spoke regularly. She didn’t have to treat Andrew differently just because he was male, did she? An extremely sexy male whom she was undeniably attracted to?
Okay, maybe she should.
But she didn’t want to.
There was no harm in talking to him, so long as she kept things strictly platonic.
Lauren: Slow. How’s your day going?
Andrew:Pretty good. I’m at Jeni’s. You gonna join us for pizza?
Lauren:I don’t think so, but I appreciate the invite.
Andrew: You sure? Jeni’s been talking about it all day. She hasn’t met many people since she moved here. I think she was looking forward to getting to know you.
Lauren:Give her my number. I’ll hang out with her anytime.
Andrew: Like…today?
Lauren: *sigh*
Andrew:Come on. We’re lonely over here. We’re used to spending Thanksgiving with 25 people.
Lauren:I really shouldn’t.
Andrew:Shouldn’t or won’t?
Lauren: Both.
Andrew: What you shouldn’t be is alone on a holiday.
Lauren: Wouldn’t be the first time.
Andrew: I don’t like that. I can’t possibly in good conscience allow it to happen again.
Lauren:I don’t mind, I’m used to it.
Andrew: I have an idea…let’s pun war for it. If you win, I’ll leave you to your sad Thanksgiving by yourself. If I win, you come sit with my twin sister and me and eat pizza and watch sitcom reruns.
Lauren: Those sound the same.
Andrew: You in or not?
Lauren: How do we know who wins?