Page 18 of Merry with Me
“Good morning, Dr. Thompson,” Tabitha, one of the office receptionists, greets me. “This was dropped off for you.” She steps into my office and places a small plastic container on my desk.
“Good morning,” I mumble. “What’s this?” I don’t know what’s inside this container, but I’m pretty damn sure I know where it came from.
“Blakely dropped it off. She made some for the entire office but told me this one was for you. Oh, and this too.” She sets an insulated tumbler with Christmas trees and presents all over it on my desk. “She told me to tell you it’s hot.”
“Thank you, Tabitha,” I reply. She nods with a smile and goes back to her desk.
Me? I’m sitting here surrounded by the only woman to capture my thoughts since the night my life changed, and I don’t know how to stop it from happening. The phone on my desk rings, and I welcome the intrusion into my thoughts.
“Dr. Thompson.”
“Good morning. Did you get your treats?” a cheery voice asks.
I clear my throat. “I did.”
“Did you try them?”
“What is it?”
“You didn’t try them, did you?” The angelic voice laughs. “It’s Christmas bread. I made it this weekend.”
“You gave some to my staff?”
“Of course I did. Everyone loves Christmas cake.”
“I’ve never heard of it.”
“Oh, so I get to be your first?” she asks. She’s excited, but I’m not thinking about cake now.
“You want to be my first, Ms. Kincaid?” My voice is gravelly, even to my own ears. Fuck me, I need to just keep my mouth shut.
“You know I do,” she replies. She’s flirting with me—at least, I think she is. I should stop it, but I don’t.
“You’re trying to butter me up.”
“Yep. Is it working?” She laughs.
“Why is it so important to you that I go with you to see a venue you grew up in?”
“I didn’t grow up there.” She huffs out a breath. “Okay, fine, I did grow up there, but this is different. This isn’t a family get-together. This is my job, and I need this to be perfect. I didn’t attend the gala last year. I need someone who has been there to give me their thoughts.”
“Hilary.”
“She delegated this to me. To us. This is part of your job too. I promise it will be quick. I just… I need you there with me for this.”
There’s a tightness in my chest that I’m not used to. It happened as soon as she said she needed me. I don’t want tolet her down or piss off the CEO because I’m not fulfilling my contract. It’s a quick stop at the end of my day. It’s not going to kill me to do it. I don’t want to be the reason she fails. I don’t need that on my conscience.
“Fine,” I grumble. “When?”
“Tonight?”
Tonight. She wants to meet tonight. “What time?”
“You tell me, and I’ll make it happen. I know there’s nothing scheduled at the manor. I already looked, so whenever works.”
“My last patient is at four. I can usually get out of here by five or so.” If I’m not finished charting, I can do it at home tonight. I don’t like to do that, but I can if needed.
“So, five fifteen or so?”