BernardI threw the covers off and wandered into the kitchen. There, I rummaged around, using the pale light of the moon until I found a glass. After filling it up with water, I leaned against the counter and looked out at the balcony overlooking the Hollywood sign.Only I couldn't stop seeing Rachel's face.I saw her panic and confusion when I confronted her about her son.Had I pushed her too hard?Was there a better way I could've handled it?I couldn't tell for sure.All I knew was that I'd spent the past few hours tossing and turning while sleep eluded me. After our lunch, I had made my way back to the office and attended a litany of meetings followed by a steady barrage of phone calls. By the end of it all, I'd been exhausted but relieved.It had left me with very little time to stare at my phone.But Rachel hadn't left my thoughts, nor had the little boy with the familiar eyes.With a slight shake of my head, I finished the rest of my water and stared at the clock on the wall,
Rachel“I haven’t told, Ron,” I whispered into his ear. “I haven’t figured out how to tell him.”Bernard stirred and drew back to look at me. “We can tell him together when you’re comfortable and when you feel like it’s the right time.”I paused. “You’re really willing to wait?”“I’ve waited for five years. I can wait a little longer.”My heart pounded against my ears as I reached between us and cupped his face in my hands. “I can’t believe you left me a note.”Bernard gave me a soft smile. “Of course I did. I haven’t forgotten our night together, Rachel. How could I?”“I’m sorry I couldn’t find you.”Bernard shook his head and leaned into my touch. “There’s nothing to apologize for. The important thing is we found each other.”I cleared my throat and tried to pull back.But I couldn’t.Being with him again was bringing back all sorts of feelings, ones I’d tried to bury for the past five years and forget. Standing in front of him again, after all this time, was bringing them all to th
Bernard “Why aren’t you sleeping?” Rachel lifted her arms over her head and stretched. “I can’t sleep. I can’t believe I’m here.” Slowly, I reached between us and cupped her face in my hands. “I can’t believe it either.” Rachel flipped onto her side, so she was looking at me. She placed a hand on my chest, over the pounding of my heart, and the other underneath my chin. I saw the emotion dancing in the depth of her orbs, and it made my pulse quicken. Was I dreaming? Was Rachel really here after all this time? I’d spent so much time dreaming about what it would be like to see her again, to have her in my arms, that it no longer felt real. Yet, here she was, smelling like citrus and lemon and looking at me like I was the only man in the world. She shifted closer, and I could see every individual eyelash. Her lips lifted into a half smile, and a swell of emotion rose in my chest. I wanted to take care of her. I wanted to do everything for her. And our son. “I know
I waved her comment away. "I'll be there."Rachel nodded, mostly to herself. "I'm glad. I'm sure Ron will appreciate it someday.""I hope so. Thanks for asking me,"Rachel shifted and turned her back on me. She swung her legs over the side of the bed and stood up. In silence, I watched her search for her clothes while I admired her naked form parading around my room. Eventually, I stood up and helped her look under the bed, where we found her shirt. Her jeans were tossed over the back of my desk chair. Rachel grinned and waved her bra and underwear around when she found them in the doorway to the bathroom.Her smile vanished as she turned around to get dressed. "I wish I didn't have to leave, but I've never spent the night away from Ron."I pulled on my own clothes and cleared my throat. "Of course, I understand. It's too soon."Rachel tossed her hair over her shoulders and spun around to face me. "What are you doing?""I'm getting dressed too, so I can drop you off."Rachel tilted he
Rachel"I feel like I've hardly seen you lately," Taylor commented from her spot in the hallway. She piled her hair on top of her head before twisting to face me, a furrow appearing between her brows. "I take it things are still going well with Bernie.""A lot better than I thought they would," I admitted over the rim of my mug. "I can't believe how well things are going."Or how easily he fit into our lives.Over the past few weeks, we had fallen into a routine of sorts, with Bernie picking us up in the morning and dropping us off at his house in the afternoon. In the beginning, I was reluctant to change Ron's life so drastically, especially with very little warning, but having him with me while I cleaned and did the housework meant less stress and pressure on Taylor and her parents.Given everything they'd done for me, I was more than happy to give them a break. Knowing that Bernie looked forward to coming home to us helped too. In the evenings, when he came, looking exhausted but p
Rachel“We need to hang out tonight,” Taylor said in between puffs. “I hardly ever see you anymore since you’ve moved out.”“You come over every other day,” I reminded her. I set the phone down on the nightstand and set it to speaker. Then I unfolded the sheet and spread it over the bed. When I climbed onto the bed to smooth out the wrinkles, I imagined Bernard there, with a hungry look in his eyes, and blushed.I loved spending a few hours in his bed while Ron dozed off in the guest room.Every night, it got harder and harder to scoop Ron up into my arms and make my way down the dark hallway. And each morning, when I saw Bernard in our kitchen, bent over the stove or leaning over the counter while he checked his emails, my heart gave an odd little lurch.Months later, I still couldn’t get over the fact that he was in our lives.It still felt like a dream I’d landed in the middle of.And never wanted to wake up from.The three of us had fallen into a routine where we had breakfast in
Adapting to a new environment was hard enough, and I didn't want to add whispers and gossip to the list of things Ron had to contend with. With that in mind, I strode in the direction of Bernard's office, shoes squeaking steadily against the hardwood floors. Once I reached Mary's desk, situated outside his office, I stopped and gave her a bright smile. She looked up from the computer and did a double-take when she recognized me."Rachel, what are you doing here? Is everything okay?""Hi, Mary." I tucked my hair behind my ears and gave her a small smile. "Yeah, everything's fine. Mr. Shaw forgot a USBstick at home. It looked important, so I thought it would bring it by."Mary nodded and leaned back in her chair. "Why don't you sit down? He's in a meeting, so I'll let him know as soon as he's done."With one last smile in her direction, I took a seat on one of the plush leather chairs lined up against the wall. As soon as I did, I took the USB stick out of my pocket and turned it over a
Bernard"Why don't we put a movie on for Ron in his room?""It's not his room," Rachel replied without looking at me. "It's the guest room. His room is in the other apartment.""This room is like a spare room," I replied, pausing to wrap my arms around her waist. Rachel continued to scrub the dishes, ignoring me altogether. "I know that you're not ready to move in with me, but I hope you think of this place as your home."Rachel made a low noise in the back of her throat and didn't say anything.I pushed her hair to the front and placed a kiss on the back of her neck. "I wish you didn't have to leave every night.""Ron can't sleep by himself.""He could sleep here," I whispered into her skin. "He loves it here, and so do you."Rachel cleared her throat. "I'm going to leave after I finish washing the dishes."I pressed my face to the back of her neck and exhaled. "Why? There's still time before Ron has to sleep.""I'm not feeling well."She squirmed, and I let my hand fall to my sides.
Olivia“This is completely unprofessional. We’ve scheduled this checkup for days, and he should be here on time.”Bryan Wells looks at me like it’s my fault, his scowl darkening his features. I don’t know what to say. I’ve already informed him that Luke’s in the middle of an emergency surgery and it’s running longer than anticipated due to some complications—and we already informed Bryan this morning, too, which makes this the second time.I clear my throat and try again.“I’m sorry about this, Mr. Wells. We didn’t expect Dr. Jennings to handle a surgery today, but it can’t be postponed. Rest assured, though, that he will cater to you first thing as soon as the new appointment is set. If you could kindly tell me when you are available again?—”“I’m available now. I came here expecting the checkup now.”I pause. “This morning, we sent you an email informing you about the situation and?—”“Are you his secretary?”I blink, not missing the condescending tone. My shoulders stiffen, but I k
I nod, not about to tell her that I'm confident there will be. I can see the clear enjoyment on her face as we stroll toward the flowers, which are even more beautiful up close. When the breeze picks up and she shivers, I remove my coat and place it over her shoulders, then openly appreciate her dress."You know what my new favorite is?"Olivia sends me a curious look. "What?"I wink. "Black dresses. Specifically, you in them."She laughs hard, and it's the most melodic sound there is. I rub her shoulders to add an extra layer of warmth, but really, it's just an excuse to pull her closer to me.And when she doesn't protest, I can't think of a more perfect date than this.When I walk Olivia to her doorstep, I thank her for spending the night with me and for giving me a chance. Her smile turns shy."I should be the one thanking you, Luke. You made so much effort and I like how we spent the date.""You do?""Yeah. It was pretty amazing."I can't help but agree. Then I can't help looking
Luke"I'm not going to lie, I was expecting you to go a different route. You know, the typical fancy dinner in a fancy restaurant, with you showing off your knowledge of wines and some menu that I can't even pronounce."Olivia's tone is laced with humor, and I can't help but laugh. Then I shake my head as I guide her inside the movie theater, where the carpets are lush, and the most lit area is the concession stand."To be fair, I've taken most of my dates to fancy restaurants, but I want it to be different for us."Curiosity shines in her eyes as she looks around before we stop at the concession stand. It's a long area filled with glass displays of goods and a menu on the wall. I wait for her to read everything."Wait...shouldn't they just offer stuff like popcorn, candies, and soda? They have quite a variety of food." She then glances from side to side. "And where is everyone?"I bite back a grin. "Don't be mad, but I kind of rented the whole place for the night so we could have it
My skin buzzes at the sound of his deep voice. I have a second to wonder if it's my imagination before I glance toward the door where Luke is standing.In the flesh. Looking so good that it hurts.At my lack of response, he cautiously slips in and closes the door with a lock clicking, shutting us out from the rest of the world. My heart picks up speed as his gaze roams over me, then settles on my face. I swallow and finally push down my speechlessness."Luke...what are you doing here?"He's silent for a while as he just looks at me. Then he clears his throat."I saw you earlier. Wearing that...looking like that. You took my breath away, but you were gone just as quickly."The way he says it...I can hear his longing. The smile from earlier is gone, replaced by a desire glimmering deep in his gaze. There's a triumphant feeling inside me that he never looked at the gorgeous woman in white this way, but it's immediately smothered by the knowledge that they're still a much better pairing t
Olivia"Hey, Liv! I'm glad you could make it!"I grin at Wanda, who's already with Maria and Jasper when I find her. The three make a beeline toward me, giving me hugs before they take in what I'm wearing. A round of oohs and aahs come, and my cheeks heat up."Come on, guys. I just got this from a thrift shop. And it's basic black."The event was announced long ago: a small charity party with the doctors, the staff, and some of the hospital's major sponsors in attendance, held at the largest conference room. It didn't sink into my mind that it would be a semi-formal event or that it would fall on my day off until yesterday, but the black dress that has always been in my closet is a lifesaver.Medical assistants are not obligated to go, but the director wants us to. Nurses don't have to, but Maria and Jasper are free and said they wouldn't miss getting all glamoured up for the world.Maria rolls her eyes good-naturedly. "Sweetheart, if I looked like that in black, I would wear it every
I nod. "Yeah. For when the software has some technical problems and someone has questions about how to use the device."Henry shakes their hands, including Riley's. A seasoned veteran of life, he's friendly, outgoing, and pretty much will shake anyone's hand, which makes him perfect for his department. "Pleased to meet you both. Luke hasn't brought a lot of guests here, so it's good to see some new faces. Are you customers of the product? Or perhaps you're a new member of the team?" He beams at Riley. "And who's this sweetheart?"I look at Olivia, unsure how to play this. But before I can answer, Riley speaks first."I'm Luke's daughter."It's like a bomb dropping-at least, it feels that way to me and Olivia, if her wide eyes and stupefied expression are any indication. My head whips toward Riley, who is smiling at Henry, with Henry eyeing her curiously."You are?"She nods. "Luke is my dad." Then she turns to me. "You're my dad, aren't you?"Color me stunned and rendered speechless.
LukeBeing in Olivia’s house again after taking her so thoroughly a week ago feels more intimate than I anticipated, but it’s also exciting. It’s my third playdate with Riley, who doesn’t have movie-watching in mind this time.“I still have homework, Luke, and I should finish it today.”“Oh. Do you want help with it?”“No. I want to do my homework by myself. Mom says to ask for help if I’m confused, but I’m not confused.”It’s another way of saying she’s independent, which amuses me as I follow her to a room that her mom made into her homework area. The small table is already littered with books, crayons, and the like. I watch Riley start coloring before I gingerly sit on the stool beside her.Immediately, she giggles. “You’re too big for the chair, Luke.”I grin. “It’s okay. I just want to watch you.”She finishes coloring and starts on some math problems. I wait for her to ask for help. But she doesn’t. Realizing my presence might be a detriment more than anything, I carefully stand
I curl my hand inward until his head tilts just a little bit to rest on it. Luke emits a longer sigh, his weariness visible. But he doesn't even care about that.The guy who acts out in front of everyone, sometimes even to patients, has a good heart. I've seen glimpses of it throughout our interactions and the way he treats Riley, but I guess I've been holding back from fully seeing this side of him. He's also just human-the type who, at the end of the day, feels for his patients and gets affected by their condition no matter how hard he tries to separate himself from them.It's this understanding that propels me forward until I'm no longer just cupping his cheek but hugging him, too. I can sense his surprise from his sudden tension, but it's gone in a blink as his arms wrap around me. I know I'm the one comforting him, but the warmth he emits is a source of comfort for me, too."Liv...what is this?"His voice is gruff and just a little bit confused."I just thought you needed a hug."
OliviaI pace the office, done with work, and find myself stuck with nothing to do. I’m sure many people would kill for that problem, but without anything to do, my mind can’t help running a mile a minute as I wait for the person I need to speak with the most.I jump at the knock on the door, then turn to Wanda as she peeks in.“Hey. Wanna get some of that fresh bread down the street before we head home?”I force a smile out. “Sounds great, but I’ll have to pass. I’m staying for a bit.”“Isn’t it past your work hours?”“Yes, but I need to check in with Dr. Jennings about the surgery progress. It’s easier to record everything now than tomorrow.”She shakes her head and mutters about me working too hard, then waves and leaves. I glance at the clock. I should be going home, but it’s one of those lucky days where Nancy asked to stay longer since she needs the extra cash.But as it turns out, I don’t have to wait long as Luke walks in a few minutes later, already scrubbed down.I already h