“She only converses with me as a doctor. We haven’t had one personal conversation. Questions about my weekend or even basic questions about my recovery are avoided. I don’t know how to break the ice yet, but I’ll keep trying.” Stirring the food on my plate, I stare down at it, not wanting to look at them.
Lev snorts. “You were an ass to her. It’s going to take more than a month of working together to get her to open up.” He scratches his chin for a second. “Should we invite her back out here? I want to see her in our house, not just at her apartment. And we never get to see her when we are all together.”
Lowell and Shaw nod in agreement with Lev’s statement.
“I can help with getting her back here,” I murmur as I quietly think about what to say to get her to change her mind.
“If you can get her to come back out here to visit, that will go a long way to getting off my shit list,” Lowell states in a matter of fact tone before taking a bite.
I hate that I disappointed my brothers by being such an ass. While they speak to me, we haven’t really hung out together since that day I forced Kate to tell us what she was hiding. I don’t blame them. If I had a wonderful woman like Kate and my brothers hurt her, the silent treatment would be the least of their concerns.
We all finish dinner in silence. As they leave, I stay out on the patio, looking at the stars and thinking about Kate.
***
THE NEXT AFTERNOON, Kate and I are in my office, finishing our daily recap with each other. Each day, we meet and share updates on patients’ health and confer with each other on any potential treatments. Sarah often joins us, but she left early today to be with some new guy she is dating.
Rolling over to the bar cart, I pour myself a glass of whiskey. “Want one?”
Kate hesitates before agreeing. “That sounds really good. Today was a beast.”
I pour a second glass for her and hand it to her. Taking mine, I roll over to my desk. Having the desk between us, hiding the chair, seems to help Kate with her wheelchair fears. Looking down into the whiskey glass, I contemplate how to broach the subject with her.
“Just spit it out.”
I look up to see her fixed stare. “It’s nothing, really. I noticed you haven’t been out to the house lately. I know they miss you and want you with them. And I know you stopped visiting because of me, but I don’t know how to fix it?” My eyes plead with her to help me.
Rolling her shoulders, she leans her head back on the chair and takes a sip of the whiskey. “I loved coming out to the house, but I’m not sure now. At first I was avoiding it because I didn’t want to see you any more than necessary.” I flinch at her candidness. She contemplates her glass for a second before looking at me. “Spending the last month in the office with you has helped me see you in a different light. My vision skews towards Dr. Bradford now instead of Collin. I guess I’m afraid seeing you in a personal setting again will remind me of him.”
“I understand.” My mind scrambles as I try to think of a solution to resolve her fears. “What if we start with something small? You’re going out on a date with Lev tonight, right?”
“Yes, he’s picking me up in...oh shit, any minute now.” She tosses back her drink and stands to go.
“Wait. What if I went to dinner with you two? It could help you to see me in a personal setting without the feeling of being trapped at the house. What do you think?”
Her forehead wrinkles as she thinks about it. “I...”
Lev strides in and sweeps her in his arms. “Hello, sweetheart.”
He leans down and gives her a deep kiss. I watch the two of them. Fuck. I subtly reach down and adjust myself as I react to their kiss.
“Ahem.” I cough lightly.
“Fuck off,” Lev growls quietly, still nibbling on her lips.
Laughing, she arches away from Lev’s kiss and looks at me. “Okay. Let’s do this.”
Lev’s gaze slides between the two of us. “Do what?”
Kate jumps in before I can answer. “Thayer’s going to dinner with us this evening.”
“What?” Lev growls before glaring at me. “Why?”
Kate smacks him on the arm. “Stop. It’s a good thing. If I’m going to start coming out to the house again, I need to get used to him. Outside of the office and his doctor role.”
“It’s not a role. I am a certified doctor,” I inform her.
“Yes, I know. Top of your class, war hero, aristocrat, rich background, blah, blah, blah. But that’s not what counts.”
