CHAPTER6
Kyleigh
I can’t believe I’m on my way to meet Dr. O’Connor when I’ve had so little sleep.I got home early enough to sleep - I just couldn’t stop thinking about Liam and what we shared.
It had been better than I ever imagined it could be. But what the hell was I thinking, having sex with a man on the first date? Never mind my parents - I couldn’t even bring myself to tell Karrol. She might have encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone, to take a risk and maybe fall in love, but she never mentioned opening my legs to him. That was all me.
Thinking about our evening had me so confused. How can a person be so happy and so…scared at the same time? All I knew was I hadn’t heard from him yet today and the morning was half over. He hadn’t promised to call first thing in the morning - I just really wanted to know that he was thinking of me the way I was thinking of him.
As I approached Dr. O’Connor’s office, I could hear angry bellowing in a language I wasn’t familiar with from behind closed doors. Irish, maybe? I had never heard him raise his voice, and I didn’t understand what was being said, but even through the closed door I could tell he was reprimanding someone. Thankfully, not me.
I arrived at my scheduled time, so this turn of events concerned me. I hoped that whatever Dr. O’Connor wanted to discuss had nothing to do with his current conversation. If so, I might not have a job for long. I wasn’t about to knock to find out.
I could go back to my unit and wait for him to reach out to me, but then it might look like I never showed up for our meeting. Standing here would make it appear that I’d been eavesdropping, even if I couldn’t understand what he was saying. I spotted a bench about midway down the hall. Planting myself there would give him his privacy and keep me within sight of his door.
When I sat down, I found I had nothing to keep me from overthinking my night with Liam – not to mention what the heck was going on in that office. Normally, I wasn’t a nervous person, but I had a feeling something big was going down, and I wasn’t going to be happy when I learned what it was.
As I sat there, I felt my cell phone vibrate in my pocket. I looked around and no one was in sight. Pulling it out I checked the caller ID. Damn. It wasn’t Liam.
HI KARROL. I’M AT WORK. CAN’T TALK RIGHT NOW.
It should’ve been enough to text back, but Karrol never gave up that easily.
I KNOW. BUT YOU HAVEN’T CALLED ME. I NEEDED TO KNOW YOU WERE NOT DEAD IN A DITCH.
If I wasn’t worried about being overheard, I’d call and cuss her out. She shouldn’t joke like that. I mean, I went off with a virtual stranger last night. It was stupid and reckless, but I was fine! Given the choice, I’d do it all over again. NOT FUNNY. I’LL CALL YOU TONIGHT.
She sent one last message. IF YOU DON’T, I’M GOING TO TELL YOUR PARENTS WHAT YOU’VE BEEN UP TO.
It was such an empty threat; one we gave each other all the time. I would have to have fallen off the face of the earth before Karrol broke her promise to keep this a secret. She was the one person whose loyalty I didn’t question. Now that I’d had sex with Liam, I wished I felt as confident about his discretion.
Maybe because I know his body better than I know him.
I PROMISE, I’LL CALL YOU ON MY WAY HOME.
And if I don’t hear from Liam by the end of the day, I’ll be calling him too.
The office door opened, and I quickly slipped my phone back into my pocket and stood up.
Dr. O’Connor stepped out alone and when he saw me, he said, “Nurse Marzon, I’m sorry to have kept you waiting. Please come inside.”
His tone was dry, and I could tell he still was bothered by something. Not that I was hoping for a medical emergency, but I suddenly found myself wishing for a diversion to delay this meeting. Once inside, he closed the door and told me to have a seat.
My hands were shaking, and I could barely sit still. He wasn’t even making eye contact with me, and that was unusual for him. I don’t know what I did, but it wasn’t good.
“Dr. O’Connor, if I…”
“Please Nurse Marzon. I just need a moment to gather my thoughts. I apologize. I’m a bit…distracted this morning.”
A bit? Okay.
“If you’d rather I come back later…” I started to offer.
“No. Yes. Actually, we should discuss this now. Procrastination has already gotten me in trouble this morning.”
“What is it you wanted to speak to me about?” I asked. Maybe getting to the point would help get rid of the uncomfortable feeling in the room.
“I want to understand what your goals are for your future,” he asked.