Page 34 of Boss Abroad
“Bye, baby girl. Gotta go. Take care. Love you.”
“Same. Bye.”
It never ceases to amaze me how easy it is for Pres and Callie to say ‘I love you’ to me. The furthest I’ve come to is saying ‘same’, but luckily they know what it means. Even when they don’t say it first. They know what ‘same’ means coming from me.
It took me by surprise the first time I heard Preston say it. It was after a long and exhausting shift where we didn’t make any progress on a patient we were fighting the clock against amputating both his legs. I was so tired, my mouth didn’t filter what went through my brain and my answer to Preston’s first “I love you” was “Why?”
Guess he was just as tired because he simply laughed in reply. This sincere, loud, heartfelt laugh. Jett is a very serious man at work and that’s what made me connect with him at first. But he has the biggest heart I’ve ever seen and is the kindest, most nurturing human being I’ve ever crossed paths with.
He wrapped his arm around me as we walked across the parking lot and kissed the top of my head like he always does before saying goodbye. Then he promised, either to me or the universe, as we were both staring forward, “I’ll try to fix you, A.” Took me a hot minute to understand he was not mumbling a “Coldplay” song.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
april
I’m typing that report for Preston when a beautiful young lady knocks on my door and pops her head in.
“Hi, there. Are you Dr. April?” I do the courtesy of answering her, even though we’re both well aware she knows who I am. She attended both meetings earlier today, shadowing Liam’s every step, even though we never got a proper introduction. Guess it’s easier to pretend she didn’t testify to her boss being a jackass to me.
“Yes, I am. Please come in.”
She has big green eyes and pale freckled skin. She might be even younger than me. Her auburn hair is gathered in a high bun, aging her a great deal, but I think that’s her goal. Her whole look, demeanor and excessive makeup, purposely and successfully ages her. I’ve been down that road, trying to pass myself off as older in the hopes of gaining a little more respect from others. Makeup became war paint and set the mood for the tough exterior I wanted to portray. Nowadays, my work’s earned me the recognition I craved.
“Sorry for dropping in unannounced, but I have a delivery for you.” She’s sporting a naughty smile that, by this point of the day, terrifies me to the core. Never a dull moment in my life, I swear. I don’t know if I can handle any more surprises today.
She hands me a brand new iPhone with a sticky note attached to the box. “Glad to have you with us. Welcome to Chelsea FC.” She gives me a wink and leaves in haste.
The note reads:
Were you aware that Apple makes olive branches now? This is one.
In case yours is still lost, here’s a new phone for a fresh start.
L
Liam’s not giving up, is he? It’s safe to guess that a man like him doesn’t hear a lot of nos. The phone is unnecessary and changes nothing. I’m friends with Callie. Expensive gifts from rich people don’t impress me.
But I kind of appreciate the Post-it. This simple handwritten note I’m now reading for the third time.
Fine, seventh.
I consider sending the phone back, but I think accepting his gift and still refusing a date will taunt him more. And goodness, I do need to call Callie as soon as I get home. Wouldn’t surprise me if she has really reported me as a missing person by the time she sees my email. I get my new phone working and text her and Pres my new UK number.
The next few hours are filled with paperwork, getting acquainted with the place, the people, then booking exams for Max and a meeting for me with the chief of ortho from King Edward Hospital.
That will be a much better use of my time than babysitting Max twenty-four-seven. And having a part of my fellowship training in London won’t look too shabby on my resume either.
By the time I’m done, Max and Dom have already left. Max invited us to dinner with his teammates, ‘something light and low carb’. Ha! As if that would entice me. Plus, I’m beat so I gave it a hard pass. Dom, on the other hand, was thrilled to hang with a bunch of footballers and almost skipped his way out of here.
The receptionist calls me a cab, and two breaths after I’m settled into the back seat, I doze off. My sleep is all messed up due to jet lag and the exerting activities that kept me from getting much sleep last night.
The driver wakes me up when we arrive and I’m just thankful he didn’t deviate from the route to steal any of my organs and leave me in an ice-filled bathtub. I’m still half asleep as I climb the steps to the gate of my new unhumble abode.
Locking the door and placing the keys at the same place as yesterday starts to build some familiarity to the place. It’s not even 7 pm. I can’t go to sleep now.
I flirt with the fancy coffee machine in the kitchen, but opt for something even stronger. Callie.
Untying the pale greenish-blue bow from the welcome hamper I haven’t had the chance to open before, I call my best friend. Oh, wow. Dinner is sorted. Thank you, Fortnum & Mason.