“Enough about us and our love lives,” Samantha said. “We’re boring old married women now. What’s going on with you? Has a lucky guy snatched you up yet?”
Lauren’s face warmed, and Kate picked up on it immediately.
“There is!”
“No, not exactly,” Lauren hedged. This would be difficult. “I can’t really talk about it.”
“What? Why not?” Samantha’s eyes went wide. “Is he married?”
“Goodness, no. It’s just…I’m not allowed to talk about patients.”
Understanding dawned on their faces.
“You have a crush on a patient?” Kate asked, keeping her voice low.
Lauren hung her head. “It’s more than a crush. I’m crazy about him. He was a patient that I saw for his first appointment, but I’m in a different clinic now.”
“So what’s the big deal?” Samantha asked. She was, hands down, the most outgoing of the three, and had always been the type to go after what she wanted without reservation.
“I feel weird about it. I work there as a provider, and he’s a patient.”
“Date him and don’t tell anyone about it,” Samantha offered.
Kate scowled at Samantha. “You know she can’t do that.”
“Can’t or won’t?” Samantha retorted.
“Both,” Lauren cut in. “It’s not black and white, but it’s an ethical line that I don’t want to mess with. I need to keep up a good reputation to get a job there. Plus, what if he’s interested in me only because of what he’s going through? People become more emotional during trials like what he’s dealing with. I don’t want to take advantage of the position he’s in.”
“Okay, that’s fair,” Samantha acquiesced.
“But he’s so wonderful. He’s intelligent and driven and in his last year of law school, and he wants to work for the District Attorney’s office. He’s funny and he makes me laugh, and he’s so kind and thoughtful. He has a big family, all sisters, and he loves them so much. He’s great with his niece and nephew, and he signed up to be a volunteer at Children’s Hospital with me. He’s got a good heart.” She paused, realizing how good it felt to finally tell someone about him. Even if she couldn’t tell them everything, like his name. She hadn’t realized how hard it had been to keep her feelings to herself. “Plus, he’s easily the hottest man I’ve ever laid eyes on.”
She propped her elbow on the table and placed her forehead in her palm. “But it’s getting harder and harder to convince myself that I’m supposed to stay away from him. Every time I see him, a little piece of my restraint falls away and I’m one step closer to giving in.”
“Oh, that’s delicious.” Samantha nodded with an appreciative grin. “Building the sexual tension. I love it.”
“How much longer will he be getting chemo?” Kate’s eyes went wide with realization. “Oh, for the love, don’t tell me if he’s terminal.” Her chin trembled. “I couldn’t handle that.”
Even thinking such a thing was like a jagged knife right through Lauren’s heart. She took in a shaky breath. “Cancer makes no promises. But statistically, the odds are good he’ll be cured. He has three treatments left, which will take six weeks. Then, hopefully, he’ll be done for good.”
“And then you can hit that.” Samantha waggled her eyebrows up and down.
Kate shot Samantha an exasperated frown. “What is wrong with you?”
“What?”
Lauren grinned. “I’ve missed you guys.”
“Us, too,” Kate said.
“Any chance you’ll end up back here in Oklahoma?” Samantha asked.
Lauren thought of the day she’d spent at her dad’s pharmacy. It had been kind of nice and not too busy, probably because it was right after a holiday. But it reminded her of the monotony of that job, and how much of it was spent on things that didn’t directly relate to patient care, like dealing with insurance rejections and product inventory. She hated that part. She loved that her time spent at Coleman was with patients or teaching in some capacity—like lecturing to other health care providers or having pharmacy students on rotation. She thought of her homey neighborhood and how much she enjoyed Kansas City. Of Emma, and Kiara, and Mandi.
And of Andrew.
“I don’t think so,” Lauren said truthfully. “Not if I can help it.”