I smile. “Where do you work?”
“Right here at Pennsylvania Hospital. I run the orthopedic surgical department.”
“Oh, then you must know my ex-husband’s stepdaughter and her husband. They’re both surgeons there.”
“You must mean Harley and Brody. They’re the only married couple.”
“Yes, that’s them. And you must know my future daughter-in-law, Jessica Shaw.”
He smiles and nods. “Of course. She’s a doll. Isn’t she getting married next weekend?”
I nod. “Yes. We have a big wedding weekend coming up.”
“Congratulations to you.”
“Thank you. It’s very exciting. They’re an adorable couple. I couldn’t be happier for them.”
We spend a nice evening getting to know each other. It’s definitely the most successful date I’ve had in a long time. After the madness of last weekend, I’m not up to rushing into anything physical. We share a brief kiss at the end of the evening. It’s nice and warm. We agree that we’ll keep in touch and go out again after the wedding.
Chapter Ten
Melissa
The wedding went off without a hitch. Actually, it was incredible because just before they walked down the aisle, Jessica told Hayden that they’re expecting. I’m going to be a grandmother again. I couldn’t be more excited about it.
All of my sons are happily married now. It’s a wonderful feeling. They all deserve the happiness they have. Maybe my time is coming. I feel like it is.
James sent me flowers just ahead of the wedding to wish me luck, and called right after the wedding weekend to check on things. He’s incredibly thoughtful and sweet.
He said he’d like to see me, but he’s on-call and asked if we could meet for dinner near the hospital in case he gets paged. I immediately agreed.
I’m really looking forward to seeing him again. Being around so many couples in love this past weekend made me want it all the more.
It’s kind of nice that we’re taking things relatively slowly and getting to know each other. It’s very different for me. I guess it’s how things went for Darian and Jackson, so maybe there’s something to it.
I walk into the restaurant. James is in scrubs. He looks incredibly sexy like that. He looks like one of the hot doctors from Grey’s Anatomy.
He smiles as soon as he sees me. He softly kisses my lips hello and we sit. He can’t drink because he’s on-call, so I don’t either. I don’t need it.
We talk and laugh and flirt throughout the night. He’s an interesting guy. He never sits still for a minute. He works hard at the hospital, he spends time at the high school with the football players, and he even manages to teach two yoga classes a week. He said it’s his physical and emotional release from his stressful job.
I tell him about the charity work I do and the classes I teach. He’s a good listener. I tell him of my desire to eventually spend some time abroad, and he tells me about the time he’s spent on medical missions abroad and that it’s something he plans to do again in the future.
When we walk out of the restaurant at the end of the evening, he checks his phone to make sure the hospital hasn’t called. When he confirms it hasn’t, he asks me if I’d like to come to his place, which is nearby.
I accept and we start walking that way, hand in hand. We’re almost at his place when his phone rings. It’s the hospital and he’s needed to go back in for an emergency. We’re both disappointed, but it is what it is.
He offers to get me a cab home, but I tell him I prefer the walk. We make plans for a yoga date over the weekend. He’s going to come over to my place and teach me. He gives me another soft kiss goodbye.
I walk home alone. I don’t mind it. I’ve gotten used to being alone the past nine years.
I think about James. He’s an attractive and nice man. I hope we’re physically compatible. He’s the kind of man I could really spend time with. He’s incredibly sweet.
I can’t help that just as I’m thinking of how sweet James has been, I think of Declan. Declan wouldn’t have sweetly kissed me goodnight. He probably would have pulled me into the alley and fucked me senseless. I can’t help the thrill it gives me to think of him doing that to me.
I shake my head. That’s so wrong. I really need to let him go.
James is coming over this afternoon to give me a yoga lesson, and I assume to progress our physical relationship. I’d really like to see if we’re physically compatible before we continue on. It’s important to me that we are.