Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 85211 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 426(@200wpm)___ 341(@250wpm)___ 284(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85211 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 426(@200wpm)___ 341(@250wpm)___ 284(@300wpm)
“Will you be on call for that?”
He shrugged. “If a patient comes in and we determine they need a heart transplant, I can put them on the waiting list, and they can request I do the surgery in the event that happens. But we’re talking about so much uncertainty here that it will probably never happen.”
“Is that operation a lot trickier than what you usually do?”
“Most definitely.” He grabbed a fry from the basket and took a few bites until it was gone. “When it comes to operations, it’s all about the heart. If the heart is happy, if it’s comfortable. To take a heart from another person and place it in a new body… They can be perfectly compatible, but the heart may still be unhappy. Sometimes, it happens. That’s where the scientific predictability of medicine fails us.”
“Has that ever happened to you?”
He nodded then turned back to the fries. He didn’t elaborate on it like he did with the other stuff, so I assumed he didn’t want to talk about it. The sounds of surrounding conversations filled the silence between us, and he continued to eat as he glanced at the door from time to time. “Have you been seeing anyone?”
The question came as a surprise, so I stared at him for a few seconds. “No.”
“Having another man is a good way to keep Vince away.”
“I’m pretty burned out on dating right now. Besides, I’ve been busy with work, so…” All the good guys were taken or emotionally unavailable, so I was convinced I would just end up alone. Maybe I could adopt some kids.
He continued to eat the fries and drink his beer, and when he turned to look out the window, he stilled, a couple fries in his fingertips. His eyes shifted, and he watched someone move.
I followed his gaze and saw Daisy walk by, holding hands with her boyfriend, a really good-looking guy, and he abruptly stopped and turned to face her, his arms circling her waist and squeezing her tight as he pulled her in for a kiss and groped her ass.
Dex quickly turned away and dropped the fries straight onto the table. “Officially lost my appetite…”
I kept watching them, looking at a couple that seemed to be in love, or at least deeply attracted to each other. A moment later, they entered through the door, Daisy going first while her man trailed behind her, a guy with a shadow on his jawline, broad shoulders, and the kind of masculine looks that attracted attention from every woman in the bar.
Seriously, where did women find these guys? Was there some mythical teleport to another hot-guy universe that I didn’t know about?
Daisy sat across from me, so the guy sat across from Dex.
I knew Dex well enough now to know when he was uncomfortable, even when he did his best to seem casual and relaxed. He released the breath he was holding and plastered a tense smile on his face. “Hey, nice to see you again.” He extended his hand over the table.
The guy took it, far more relaxed than Dex was. “You too, man.” He had pretty eyes that contained a natural arrogance, and his arm immediately wrapped over the back of Daisy’s chair, his finger lightly touching the far side of her back.
“Hi, I’m Sicily.” I extended my hand.
He took it. “Mason. Have you ever been to Sicily?”
“Um, not technically,” I said. “My parents claim it’s where I was conceived—on their honeymoon.”
Mason gave a dramatic nod with a smile. “Niiiice.”
Dex would probably make a joke about that, but he seemed too uncomfortable to say anything.
“Girl, how are you?” Daisy asked. “That outfit looks great on you.”
“Thanks.” I’d liked Daisy the moment I met her, because she was super pretty and brilliant, but she was also so down-to-earth that she was a serious anomaly. “Things have been good. Just busy.”
“I can imagine,” she said. “Dex is a full-time job.”
“Yes, but it’s a job I really like, so…” I grabbed my beer and took a drink, trying not to make it obvious that I was pretty enamored of my boss. He was a special person with a heart a million times bigger than anyone else in the world.
The waitress came over to take their drink orders.
Mason turned to her. “Babe, what do you want?”
“Something good,” she said. “It’s been a looooong day.”
“I know what that means.” Mason turned to the waitress. “Two scotches—on the rocks.”
The waitress walked away, and Daisy immediately shoved her hand into the basket of fries. “Good. I’m starving.” She squirted the ketchup onto her plate and continued to dunk the fries deep into the red pile before placing them in her mouth.
It was quiet for a while, as if both Dex and Daisy were a little uncomfortable by the situation.
The waitress came with the drinks and walked away.