Romance Me: A Collection Of Standalone & First In Series Books

by Florella Grant

  Reagan couldn't speak but put her head in her hands and sobbed. Mercy rubbed her back and brushed her hair away from her wet hands. “I kicked Matt out tonight.”

  Mercy moved in front of Reagan and kneeled. She pried her friend's hands away from her face. “I knew you had problems but didn't know it came to this. Talk to me Rea.”

  Reagan raised her head toward the ceiling and wiped her eyes. She avoided looking at Mercy while she explained. “He's been cheating.” She looked down and watched Mercy's jaw drop. “Remember the day we met Dean? I was crying...” She took a deep breath and pinched the bridge of her nose. “That's why, I found Matt with another.”

  Mercy stood and kicked the couch. Reagan watched as her face changed from concern to anger. She expected her friend to be angry, but not at herself. “And you told Doctor Everly before you told your best friend?” Mercy turned her back.

  “No, not that day.” She paused knowing she should have confided with her friend first. “He knows now, but Jesus Mercy, is it that important who I tell first?”

  Mercy's shoulders slumped. She turned around with tears in her eyes. “I'm sorry,” she said and threw her arms around Reagan. “No, it doesn't matter.” They stood and hugged each other while Reagan released a fresh batch of tears.

  “Can I stay with you for a few days?”

  Mercy rubbed Reagan's arms and looked into her eyes. “You can stay as long as you need, you know that.”

  Reagan borrowed pajamas from Mercy and took a hot shower. When she came out of the bathroom, she found the couch turned into a bed. Weeks of tossing and turning caught up with her. She crawled inside the covers and pulled them up to her shoulders.

  Mercy bent and kissed her cheek. “I'll always be here for you,” she said.

  Reagan closed her eyes and sighed. She wouldn't know how to carry on if it weren't for her friends. “Thank you,” her sleepy voice said, then she drifted to sleep.

  Chapter 11

  WEEKS PASSED SINCE Reagan and Matt’s breakup and she did anything she could to avoid talking about it. Neither Mercy nor Kennedy understood why she waited to throw Matt to the curb. They didn’t understand that she loved him and wanted to make things work. They could switch their emotions off, but Reagan couldn’t. Even being apart from Matt, she carried deep feelings for him.

  They were together for years and had more good memories than she could count on both hands. Reagan blamed herself for his slip-up, if she worked less, or stayed awake longer at night to be with him, and a strew of other excuses rushed through her mind. Giving up on him the second she discovered he’d been unfaithful wasn’t in her nature, but her best friend and brother thought she should have.

  Reagan worked more than ever. Being in the hospital felt normal to her; when there, everything was fine. There was always something to do, surgeries to prep for, paperwork to fill out, and post-op patients to tend to or release. Her work week grew from 50 odd hours a week to 75 or 80. Floor nurses were in demand and Reagan picked up shifts when there were no surgeries scheduled. She wouldn’t give herself time to think about what it was like to be single again.

  One person seemed to understand, Dean. They spent a good deal of time in surgeries together. Like Reagan, he worked where needed. Though he specialized in pediatric cardiac surgery, he knew how to take apart adults and put them back together like the best of them. She admired that quality in Dean.

  “Hey, what did the chicken say as it crossed the road?” He asked.

  “Oh no,” Reagan replied. “You’ve been hanging around Stillman too long.” She tied a mask over his face as they prepped for surgery, stopping him from continuing the joke. Reagan appreciated the way he didn’t pressure her to get over things or try to push himself on her.

  The kiss they shared was a onetime thing, if Dean Everly had any feelings for Reagan, he didn’t show it. As attractive as he was, she couldn’t rush from one relationship to another that quick. She needed time to find herself again, heal her heart, and Dean understood. He never asked for another kiss, never made her feel weird for the one they shared. They needed each other that night, at least that’s what she told herself.

  If only Matt would stop blowing up my phone and give me some time.

  “Are you doing anything this weekend,” Reagan asked Dean as they piled food into their mouths during one of their quick lunch breaks.

  “I think I’ll sleep,” he answered with a grin on his face. The lines around his eyes were showing, and it caused her to wonder what hers looked like.

  Reagan stood and excused herself. She looked in the mirror and realized she’d looked like a stranger. Splashing cold water onto her face didn’t help. Her hair fell out of its braid. Reagan took a moment to finger comb her hair and put it back up before heading out to the staff lounge. Dean nodded in approval and laid his head into his hands. They looked rough.

  Dean is right, sleep sounds good. She didn’t volunteer to work and wanted to relax. They walked through the parking lot together when their shifts ended.

  “Hey,” he said as he placed a hand on her shoulder. “You have my number in case you need me, right?”

  Reagan held her cell phone and waved it in front of him. “I’ll be fine,” she told him. He knew it would be hard for her to spend the weekend alone. She avoided her apartment as much as she could. It didn’t seem like a home anymore. Dean opened his car door and sat behind the wheel. Reagan did the same and glanced his way. “Thank you,” she called out. He waved his hand in the air and pulled out of the parking spot.

  For the first time in weeks, Reagan felt alone and didn’t like it.

  She found Matt sitting on her couch when she arrived home. “What are you doing here?” She asked as she threw her keys on the counter. Matt stood but didn’t try to approach her.

  “I was hoping we could talk,” he said.

  “And you broke into my apartment to do so?” Matt reached into his pocket and retrieved his key. He held it out for her to see. Reagan leaped across the room to grab it before he could stick it back. “That’s mine. What do you want from me?”

  He sat down, patted the cushion next to him, but Reagan sat on the chair. “I’m sorry,” he started. “Do you still love me?”

  “Yes,” she admitted. Matt’s eyes sparkled and a toothy smile spread across his face. “But, it’s not enough.”

  He lunged forward and reached for her hand. “I’ve made mistakes and learned from them. Take me back, Rea, I promise to never hurt you again.”

  Reagan shook her head and closed her eyes. She couldn’t look at him, she couldn’t bear the pain on his face. “It’s only been a few weeks,” she said. “That’s not long enough to prove anything.”

  She didn’t mean to encourage him. Deep inside, she knew she’d never take him back, but she knew she loved him, and she longed to go back to the good days between them. Reagan couldn’t tell him she’d ever take him back, yet she couldn’t say she wouldn’t either.

  Matt pressed his elbows on his knees and let his forearms hang between his legs. He looked and cocked his head to the side. “How long would it take to prove it to you?”

  “Jeez Matt, you can’t put a timestamp on something like this.” She jumped up from the couch and went to the door. “Please leave me alone, stop calling, stop texting, and just let me think on my own.”

  Matt followed but didn’t argue. He kissed her forehead on his way out. “I’ll wait,” he told her then walked away. She knew it was too good to be true.

  Reagan shut the door and fastened the chain; in case he had a spare key and would return. She walked toward her bedroom then turned around when she thought she heard his footsteps return. She picked up a flower vase and threw it across the room.

  DEAN SPENT A GOOD PORTION of Saturday unpacking and organizing his apartment. He’d been in Bay City for two months but put in too many hours at the hospital to fuss with his place. If things go the way I think they will, I won’t be here long, anyway. He didn’t want to assume anythin
g, though the odds were in his favor. Neil Oswald told him he included him in his Will and Dean hoped it would be enough for a down payment on a house.

  He worked a lot and didn’t have time to adjust to his new home life. Dean slept like a rock the night before and felt energized enough to get the work done. He hung pictures on the walls, unpacked the kitchen, and cleared the living room of all boxes. It began to feel like a home.

  As he poured a glass of water, his cell phone sounded in the living room. Darn, that’s loud. Dean stepped into the living room, picked up the phone, and noticed an incoming text. “Hey, it’s Reagan. Are you busy?”

  His heart stopped just thinking about her texting. She seemed sure of herself when they left the hospital and he didn’t think she’d want to talk. “No. Just unpacking a little but taking a break.”

  Dean waited, wondering if she would reply or not. Maybe she didn’t want anything in particular, just sent one text to say hello? He wondered what her night had been like. He would have been a fool not to see the pain written on her face. What bothered him the most was, nobody else seemed to see it. Their coworkers brushed off Reagan’s feelings, ignoring what happened. What do I know?

  “I could use some company. Are you up for takeout food and a movie?”

  His cell phone slipped from his shaking hand. They were friends, he reminded himself. She was going through a hard time and didn’t want to be alone. Nothing more. “Sure,” he replied with a smiley face emoji. “I can stop for food on the way over, anything you want?”

  “Just company.” She sent her address and Dean added it to his contacts and into his GPS so he could find it later.

  Dean grabbed a quick shower and put on clean jeans and an untucked button-down shirt. Twenty minutes later, he headed toward her apartment and found a fried chicken restaurant along the way.

  Reagan answered the door before he could ring the bell. Her clothing fell from her hips, telling him she hadn’t been eating, and her red eyes swelled. “Sorry for the mess,” she said as she opened the door wide enough to let him in. “I haven’t been up to cleaning.”

  The place wasn’t messy, except for scattered glass near the door. Maybe it was a mess, but hell if he’d know. “Don’t worry about it,” Dean replied as he walked passed her.

  Reagan took the bag of food out of his hands and took it into the kitchen. Dean followed. “Yum, I love their chicken,” she smiled as she began taking boxes out of the bag. “How’d you know?”

  “I didn’t,” he laughed. “Actually, I didn’t know what to get and saw this place along the way.” She turned and touched his arm, and heat spread over her face. She reached into the cupboard for plates. Dean asked, “Is there anything I can do?”

  Reagan came down from her tippy toes and turned toward him, her long hair covered half her face during the movement. “Yeah, you can go find a movie to watch. The remotes are on the table. Netflix, on-demand, you decide.”

  “Oh,” he teased. “You’re going to load plates up with food while I go do the hard thing. Is that how it is?”

  She laughed, her eyes began to brighten, and he was glad to see her mood change. “Yes, get used to it,” she giggled and pushed him toward the living room. “Oh, and nothing superhero, I hate those kinds of movies.”

  “Batman, it is,” Dean said as he went about his task. The smell of the food drifted into the living room and he realized how hungry he became. When alone, he often forgot to eat. Dean flipped through the available on-demand movies and found something he thought she’d like. Not romantic, he didn’t want to remind her of what she lost, and not too much action either. He settled on a comedy and hoped to hear her laugh before the evening was over.

  Minutes later, she appeared with drinks then went back into the kitchen for the food. Reagan eyed the television, giving him a nod to start the movie. She flopped onto the couch and folded her leg under the other as she dug into a piece of chicken. Dean sat in the armchair, giving her some distance. The last thing he wanted to do was make her uncomfortable.

  Within a few minutes, they devoured their food. They ate at the same speed, something they picked up working in healthcare. He sometimes forgot to take his time when he was away from the hospital. “Want more?” she quizzed as he placed his plate on the coffee table.

  “Maybe later,” he told her then sat back to watch the movie.

  They didn’t speak for almost two hours while the movie played. Dean turned his head to watch her and noticed a tear pooling in her eye. Reagan looked at him and shook her head, as if to tell him not to ask about it. He ignored the pain on her face and turned his attention back to the television. Not because he didn’t care, but they were her wishes.

  When the movie ended, she stood up and gathered the plates. “How about some coffee?” she asked. Dean nodded in agreement and offered to help clean, but she insisted that he relax.

  Many things crossed his mind while he heard her opening the refrigerator, throwing things in the garbage, and preparing the coffee. Dean wanted to walk up to her, spin her around into his arms and kiss her the way he did weeks before.

  Did she think about it? He doubted it, and as much as he wanted more, he didn’t want to push. The way she kissed him, told him she had an interest and Dean knew if he held back and gave her time, he’d win her over.

  He peeked into the kitchen as she reached up for the cups. Dean didn’t come to Bay City looking for a relationship. In fact, it was the last thing on his mind. His plan was to honor his mentor’s wishes and fulfill his dream of Dean operating with him. Only he died, and they never had that chance to work side by side. Still, Reagan Fowler tempted him in every way possible and she didn’t even know.

  She put two mugs on the counter and reached into the cupboard once again for the sugar. Her pants stretched across her backside and Dean couldn’t help but admire her ass. He shook his head. One night of passion isn’t worth risking our friendship.

  Reagan sensed him behind her, turned her head while her feet dangled off the floor. “I can’t reach, do you mind?”

  Dean couldn’t help but laugh, not noticing her height before. Reagan stood just a head shorter than him, it shouldn’t have been that hard to get inside the cabinets. He stood close to her as he grabbed the bag of sugar, her body brushed against him as she slid down from the counter.

  She took the bag from his hand, their fingers touched in the exchange. Reagan batted her eyes and bit her lower lip. Damn, she’s just getting over a breakup, it’s too soon to make a move on her. “There you go,” he said and backed away. “Glad I passed by when I did, you might have fallen and I’m only a doctor when I’m at the hospital.”

  She slapped his arm and went about pouring the confectionary into a bowl. “The bag was in the back, I’m not that short.” She must have read his mind.

  Dean grinned, “Never said you were.”

  She took the steaming cups to the living room while Dean excused himself to use her restroom. Reagan wiped her eyes as he walked back into the living room. Her cell phone dropped beside her and he assumed her ex-boyfriend had called or texted. Dean didn’t want to draw attention to her sad look and sat down, noticing she’d placed his coffee cup closer to hers.

  “You never ask me about it,” Reagan stated. “Do you think I’ve done the right thing?”

  He could have lied to her; told her everything was worth fighting for. I already did that, before I knew what he did to her. He told her relationships were worth keeping. It wasn’t until he knew the guy cheated that his feelings toward the situation changed. “I wouldn’t want you to hate me for being a voice of reason,” he said, not wanting to give her an answer until he knew whether or not she could handle it.

  Reagan shook her head. “I want honesty, even if it hurts to hear.”

  Dean took a sip of the brew and sat the cup back on the table. “Absolutely. I do think you’ve done the right thing.”

  “Mercy and Kennedy don’t ask me questions or seem to care how I feel,” she said
. Dean could see the disappointment in her eyes, but he didn’t think they meant to be careless with her feelings.

  “I think they care,” he reached over and placed his hand over hers. “It’s just you’re such a strong person and I don’t know if they know you need them or not.”

  She looked down and stirred her coffee again, glanced at him from the side. “You think I’m strong? Why? Because I work so much?”

  “No,” Dean stated. “I think that shows your weakness. I know why you’re there so much; you can’t face coming home alone. That’s why you invited me over today, because you don’t want to be here by yourself. You’re human, Reagan. I say you’re strong because you’re not giving into him, you’re not taking him back.”

  Her hands trembled as she put her cup down on the table. Tears fell down her nose and he knew he hit a nerve or found something that bothered her. “How did you know he asked to come back?”

  “What man wouldn’t?” Dean said. She whipped her head, a surprised look on her face. “You’re young, you’re beautiful,” he paused before going on, not wanting to give her the wrong idea of what he was trying to say. “Well, when you wear yoga pants that are anything but tight on you.” She smirked and slapped his leg, which he didn’t notice was mere inches from hers.

  “I’m trying my hardest not to give in to him,” she said. “He broke my trust, and I’m not sure if that’s replaceable or not. I miss him though and don’t know what to do.”

  “Can I tell you a story, something a little personal?” Dean asked and waited for her to nod her head, urging him to go on. “My mother cheated on my father.” Reagan’s eyes grew wide and her body twisted to face him while he continued.

  “It was years ago, before I was born. My father took her back, they had me, but even as a child I knew it was all a charade. She didn’t love him and wasted the best years of her life with him. He didn’t love either of us.” Reagan shook her head, not believing a man couldn’t love his flesh and blood. “It’s a hard truth, but true. When I had heart issues and my mother brought me to see Doctor Oswald, my father couldn’t handle it and took off. I guess that’s why Oswald took to me the way he did, I needed a father figure. He didn’t have to, but he stepped up to the plate.”