“Alissa, I just met the man a couple of days ago. What feelings could have developed?” I asked.
“Time is irrelevant.”
“I know more about his credentials as a physician than I do about him,” I stated.
“That is so easy to resolve. I believe you said you’re going to meet with him later this morning to offer him the job.”
“I did,” I replied.
“Sounds like a perfect opportunity to ask some more personal questions.”
“Won’t that seem odd? I mean, what do I say? ‘Hi. Would you like to be the Chief of Staff at our hospital? And by the way, what’s your favorite type of music?’ He definitely won’t take the job then,” I stated firmly.
“Or maybe that’s what sells him on it. You’re right. It would be a little weird. Maybe you talk all the personal stuff first, and then offer him the job.”
“I think I have come to a conclusion,” I said.
“About what?” she asked.
“That I regret talking to you about any of this,” I chuckled.
Alissa laughed. “You say that now, but when you two are happily married for a few years, you’ll have me to thank.”
“Don’t hold your breath,” I stated.
“You talk like what I said is impossible,” she replied.
“For good reason.” I wasn’t about to tell Alissa this, but I’d never been in love. I wasn’t a virgin, but my past relationship wasn’t a healthy one. He never valued me as an equal. My opinion didn’t mean anything to him, and he told me often that I didn’t know my place. But back then, I had been young, and my confidence wasn’t as strong as it is now. Yet the scars from my past still haunted me. I just hide them really well.
“You also never believed that Tabiq was ready for a woman as president. That they would never elect you, or come to trust you. And yet Tabiq is thriving under your leadership. And that all happened because you fought to make it so. A relationship is the same. You need to know what you want, and go for it.”
“Right now, all I want is for Finn to accept the position. Because no matter what anyone thinks I need, Tabiq needs him more.” Alissa was right. When I want something, I fight for it. And I wasn’t about to take no for an answer from Finn.
“There are other doctors, you know.”
“Not like Finn.” He’s the one. Now all I must do is convince him of that.
I looked at the wall clock and realized he would be picking me up shortly. Sitting up on the bed, I said, “I can’t believe how long we’ve been talking. I have to get ready.”
“Call me when you get back. I want to hear all about it,” Alissa said.
“I will. And remember, this stays between the two of us,” I warned, ending the call.
Taking one last look in the mirror, I realized I looked much more prepared on the outside than I felt inside. My conversation with Alissa contributed to that. Hopefully, Finn didn’t pick up on it or we might not ever get the chance to talk business.
Thanks, Alissa. Now I can’t stop thinking about Finn as a man and not as a surgeon.
I knew the one thing that would help this situation. Picking up my cell phone, I called Logan and asked him to join us. Having Logan there would suck any fun out of our meeting.