I'll Take A Chance (Running Into Love Book 2)

by Nicole, Annalisa

“Amelia, watch out,” I say as she nearly walks into a laboring mother walking the halls. She apologizes to the woman, shoots me a smile and disappears into her sister-in-laws room.

  Chapter 2

  Amelia

  I have to be the biggest accident prone person alive. First the flowers, which led to stitches, and now I almost plow a pregnant lady over in the hallway. But when I walk into the room and see my beautiful niece, none of that matters.

  “Give me that baby. Come meet your Auntie Amelia.” I take possession from Asher of the most beautiful baby girl I have ever seen. Tears instantly flow down my face as I look at the most pure and innocent being I have ever seen.

  “She’s just beautiful Asher. Look at this beautiful baby girl. What did you name her?” I ask, looking from Asher to Willow.

  Willow looks at the two of us with the utmost peaceful look and says, “We named her Abbey Olivia Wellington.”

  “Willow, that’s just beautiful and it’s as perfect as she is,” I say with a huge smile.

  Naming her middle name after Asher’s first wife, who was taken from this earth far too soon by a drunk driver, has to be the most touching sentiment I have ever heard. Fresh tears fall from my eyes as I remember the beautiful woman Olivia was. It just proves the type of person Willow is and why I love her so much.

  Abbey starts to cry and turn a deep shade of red. I think she may be getting hungry. “Here you better take her back, and I should let you guys have some alone time. I am so sorry about the flowers.” Just then I realize my entire family is in the room. I was so focused on Abbey, I hadn’t noticed until just now.

  I give Asher a kiss on the cheek, hug Willow, and then kiss my little Abbey on the head. I say my goodbyes to my family who are all sitting and standing in the room just pouring their love to this amazing new addition to our family. “Amelia, you don’t have to go. I’ll just try to feed her and then you can visit a little more with us,” Willow says.

  My mom stands and says, “No, sweetheart, you need your rest. You and Asher need some alone time to bond as a family. We will all leave you guys alone.” She says this as she grabs Aiden by the arm and pushes my dad toward the door.

  Everyone says their goodbyes and kisses baby Abbey. We are all standing in the hallway talking when I see Dr. Peters out of the corner of my eye. He eyes me in return with a sexy half grin that sends tingles to my happy places. Stupid happy places, they’re the ones that got me in trouble with my last boyfriend. To be honest, he was my first real boyfriend and what a disaster that turned out to be.

  Stupid Roger.

  Stupid happy places.

  I head to the elevator and push the down button. Dr. Peters starts walking in my direction and little butterflies start having a rock party in my stomach.

  “I’m headed home now, I’ll walk you down,” he says as he stands next to me and waits for the elevator.

  “Dr. Peters, it’s nice to see you again,” I say with a smile.

  “You can call me Kyle, remember?” he states.

  “Ah right, yes you did. So Kyle, did you have a busy day today?” I ask, holding up my finger remembering he already told me to call him by his first name.

  “Yes, there were several births today. I think it’s a full moon. There are always extra births when there’s a full moon.”

  “I knew it. I said the same thing as I was coming here. There were no parking spots, I had to park all the way over in the parking garage.”

  “It’s dark outside now. Can I walk you to your car?” he asks with a smile.

  “Ah sure, thanks, that would be nice.”

  “How’s your hand?” he asks sincerely.

  “Oh this, it’s nothing. It’s throbbing a little bit, though. Is that normal?” I ask and then immediately regret asking because I know he will offer to look at it.

  “Maybe it’s wrapped too tight. I should probably take a look at it for you,” he says, just like I knew he would.

  “No, no you don’t have to do that. I feel like an idiot as it is. I swear I’m the most accident prone person alive,” I confess.

  “You’re not an idiot, it was an accident. I don’t mind looking at it for you,” he insists again.

  We walk in silence side by side through the sliding glass doors as I lead the way through the parking structure. We are almost to my car and I just can’t think fast enough of an excuse so he won’t look at my hand. I really don’t want to bother him, but it does hurts like a mother and man is it throbbing.

  “Really you don’t need to look at it, but I would really like to repay you for your kindness today. How about we meet for coffee tomorrow morning?” I ask, surprising myself. Why did I just ask him that? What happened to men are stupid?

  “That sounds nice, but I’m paying, I insist. It will have to be somewhat early though. I have to be on shift at nine.”

  “Now how is that repaying you for your kindness if you pay? I insist, I’ll pay and I’m fine with early. I need to get to my office early too.” I am going to have tons of work to do without an assistant for a while and there are still things to do because of the fire drill.

  “OK, tomorrow it is then. Say seven at the coffee house around the corner from the hospital.”

  “That sounds like a date. I mean not a date. That sounds wonderful. I mean crap, no I don’t mean crap either. I mean that it sounds like a plan.” I am a fumbling idiot. I can’t even make plans to get together with a man for coffee without sounding like an idiotic dork.

  “OK, seven it is. I’ll see you tomorrow, Amelia,” he says and waits for me to get in my car.

  Opening my car, I reach across the driver’s seat and toss my bag on the passenger seat. I attempt to gracefully turn back around to face Kyle to tell him goodbye, when I bonk my head on the roof of my car. I exhale slowly trying desperately to wish in some other universe that I am not an utter klutz. Slowly I plaster a fake smile on my face and look at him, hoping just maybe he didn’t see that.

  “Amelia, are you alright?” he asks concerned.

  Nope. Yet again the universe is against me.

  “Yes. I’m fine. I’m embarrassed, but I’m fine.” This day, besides welcoming my beautiful niece into this world, has gone down the crapper. I want to get home, crack a bottle of merlot, and sink into a hot bubble bath. We say our final goodbyes, and I drive home intending to do just that.

  Heading straight to the wine cabinet, I grab a special bottle, it is my niece’s birthday after all. I crank the hot water in the tub, flip on some music, poor in some bubbles, and head to the kitchen for a wine opener. The only problem is my hand is wrapped in a mound of gauze. How can I open the bottle? Where there’s a will there’s a way. I have this handy dandy rabbit, ha ha rabbit. I wonder if the makers of this wine opener realized when they named the thing a rabbit that rabbit means something else to the ladies. I decide this bottle is not going to happen with this much gauze on my hand. I unwind it all and get to work on the prize.

  I have an opened bottle a wine, a filled glass, and a steaming bubbled tub in view so I strip naked and sink into the stress relieving water. This is heaven and exactly what I need. I close my eyes and sip my wine.

  Pure heaven.

  I set the bottle on the side of the tub and I fully intend to sit in this tub until either the water gets cold or the bottle is empty, whichever comes first. I rest my injured, unwrapped hand safely on the side of the tub so I don’t get it wet, and I finish off the glass. I pour myself another glass and place the bottle back on the side of the tub.

  On any other day and with any other person this would have gone smoothly, but then again we are talking about me. I swear it’s like I’m a walking example of Murphy’s Law. If I can trip over it, walk into it, or in any other way, shape, or form harm myself with it, it will happen. This simple task did not go this way. I completely missed the tub and the bottle slipped into the tub with a loud plopping splash. I didn’t even think twice about my hand. I was only thinking about the wine and how long
I had been saving it, thus reached in the tub with my stitched, unwrapped hand. Instantly I knew this was a mistake and pulled it out of the hot water with my mouth hanging open with no sound coming out for fear that the entire floor would call the police if I unleashed the scream that went along with the pain.

  So now we have a wasted bottle of fine wine, and my hand that was already throbbing and raw, is now scalding hot, and forgive me please, but it hurts like a son of a bitch. Shit. I am an idiot. Bath time is cut short because now the water is red and I really don’t want to soak in a wine bath. I would probably turn as red as a lobster. I think it’s time to just say screw it and go to bed.

  Kyle

  My alarm goes off at five and the first thought in my head is of meeting Amelia for coffee in only a few short hours. I don’t know how good of an idea it is to get involved with someone. Especially with my family drama that is still going on, but it has been two years. Two long hellish years. Maybe it’s time to move on. Maybe there is no hope for Chloe. There is already no hope for my parents. It has torn them apart and resulted in them divorcing.

  Coffee, I need coffee. Then I need more coffee with Amelia. As I get ready to head out the door I catch a quick glimpse at the photo of me and Chloe at graduation. Man that was a fantastic day.

  I must be the first one at the coffee shop because I don’t see Amelia anywhere. I don’t know what she likes so I can’t order her a coffee. Besides she’d probably be mad if I pay for the coffee. I take a table for two by the window and wait patiently.

  Fifteen minutes go by and she’s still not here. Did I seriously get stood up for coffee at seven in the morning? That doesn’t leave much hope for the rest of my day. I get myself a cup of coffee and decide that I can wait another fifteen minutes, and then I need to get to work. As soon as I sit down with my coffee I hear a big crash coming from the entrance of the coffee house. Looking up, I see Amelia with her hands full and she has knocked over a display of coffee. I shake my head as I walk over to help her.

  “Kyle, I am so sorry I’m late. I couldn’t get my hand wrapped by myself. I tried all morning, but I just ended up making it hurt,” she says as she tries to help the clerk pick up the coffee bags.

  She dropped her purse and a wrapped package of gauze and tape when she collided with the display. I help her to her feet, grab the medical supplies and lead her to the table.

  “You bought your own coffee,” she says with a sad sigh.

  “You were late. I thought maybe I got stood up, and I was dying for another cup of coffee. Here, sit down. Let’s take care of your hand first. Oh, Amelia, this looks like it’s starting to become infected. How long have you had this wrap off?” I ask with concern.

  “Before or after I dropped a bottle of wine in the bathtub and scalded it with bath water?” she asks meekly.

  “You had it in your bathtub, unwrapped? You were supposed to keep this dry for a few days. We’re going to need to get some antibiotic ointment on there before it gets any worse. Let’s head to the hospital, I can do it there.”

  “I need coffee first. If I am going to make it through this day, I need coffee,” she says looking defeated.

  She gets a coffee, and we walk to the hospital. Since Spence was her treating physician, I look to see if he is on duty and if he can take a quick look at her hand. Sure enough, he’s in the doctor’s lounge. He takes one look at her hand and just shakes his head.

  “We can get that fixed right up for you,” Spence says. And in no time she is bandaged back up and ready to go.

  “I’m only here for a few hours then I am off for two days. How about we meet for lunch?”

  “Deal, but I’m buying. I didn’t get to buy you coffee this morning, and I won’t take no for an answer,” she says with a stern look on her face.

  “Alright, no arguments. Did you want to meet somewhere?”

  “Shoot, I just remembered I have a meeting until noon. Since Willow is on maternity leave I don’t think I can make it happen today, I’m so sorry.”

  “That’s not a problem, how about I bring lunch to you?” I ask, hopeful that I get to see her again today.

  “That will work, but again that’s not me treating you. I’ll have my assistant… ugh, I mean I’ll order in food and have it delivered to my office. I’m in the Wellington building on the fifteenth floor. Let’s say noon. Do you know where that is?”

  “That will work just fine. I know exactly where that is. I’ll see you then. Make sure you keep that hand wrapped all day today and dry, I’ll check it after lunch and change the dressing.”

  “You don’t have to do that,” she says, looking embarrassed.

  “Yes, I do. I didn’t argue about you buying lunch, so you don’t get to argue about me taking care of your hand.”

  “Oh alright, I need to get going to the office. I’ll see you at noon.”

  “I’ll see you then.” With only a few hours until I meet Amelia, I make my rounds and finalize discharge papers from yesterday’s births. I know it’s crazy, it’s just a lunch date with someone I just met, but I haven’t been this happy in years. All the hard work I’ve put into my education and career somehow has taken on a greater meaning.

  Chapter 3

  Amelia

  Before leaving the hospital I poked my head in Willow’s room to see how she’s doing, and I hope to get another look at my adorable little niece too. Willow puts her finger to her lips then motions for me to come in. Abbey is even more beautiful than I remember. She’s sleeping peacefully in Willow’s arms, sucking in her bottom lip like she’s nursing, it’s so stinking adorable. Willow and Abbey will be going home today. It seems a little fast to be going home in my opinion, but what do I know? I do know Asher is beside himself with joy. I’m just so happy for the two of them.

  On the drive to my office, my thoughts are all over the place. I really don’t know how I’ll get by at work without Willow. I know she will be coming back in six weeks, but how will I ever survive? First thing I need to do when I get to the office is order lunch for Kyle and me.

  I walk in my office and I am immediately swamped with messages, emails, and phone calls. I’m about ready to pull out my hair. The next time I look up from my computer, Kyle is standing in the doorway looking relaxed and handsome.

  “Oh my God, I totally forgot to order lunch. I got in the office and things got so crazy that it totally slipped my mind. I am so sorry,” I tell him, feeling like even more of a loser.

  “That’s alright. If you’re able to take a break now, we can walk down the street, and catch a quick bite at the deli,” he says calmly.

  “You know what? I haven’t taken a break at all this morning. Having Asher and Willow gone at the same time has made me a crazy woman. Let me just grab my purse. I really do just need to step away for a while.”

  “Great, let’s go then,” he says with a smile.

  Its late summer in Seattle, and I just love this time of year. Kyle walks close to my side, every once in a while he puts his arm around my waist pulling me close to avoid others on the sidewalk. This is a nice feeling. I really haven’t dated much, especially since Roger.

  Stupid Roger.

  We get to the deli and he holds the door open for me, like gentlemen should. We stand in line to place our orders and he even sticks to the agreement of letting me pay. The bright sunshine streams through the window, warming my already heated face as we take our seats with the food we ordered.

  “You seem to know a lot more about me than I know about you. Tell me a little about yourself,” I say, as I take a bite of my sandwich. I hope that I don’t embarrass myself by wearing my lunch, which happens more often than I care to think about.

  “Well there’s not too much to tell. After I graduated from high school I went to college for four years. Then I went into medical school for another four years. I entered a two year internship then a two year residency at the hospital. I just recently finished my residency and passed my boards. I am now officially board certif
ied in obstetrics and gynecology, and I have been hired on at the same hospital I did all my training,” he says, and then takes a bite of his own sandwich.

  “That is a lot of school. Was it all worth it?” I ask, getting a little more comfortable in our conversation.

  “I’ll be honest, it was hard and it was a lot of long grueling hours. In the beginning, when I first started my internship, I questioned myself and my career path and wanted to quit.”

  “You had come so far, was there something specific besides the long hours that would have made you want to give it all up?” We have both finished our sandwiches and I should really be getting back to the office. I just want to know more about him though.

  “That is another story for another time. What about you? Tell me about you.”

  I get the impression there is a big story here. I wonder what could have made him want to give it all up. Every time I get a little information out of him he deflects the conversation back to being about me. He shared a little more, so I guess I can let it slide.

  “OK, well, after I got my bachelor’s degree in marketing, I came to work for Asher. And I told you about my brothers and sister already. That’s pretty much it. I lead a very boring life. You said you have a sister. What does she do?” I ask hoping to get a little more information.

  I watched as his face fell. I could swear his eyes got teary. I instantly felt guilty for prying. I knew he was turning the conversation back to me, and I pushed him too far.

  “Look, I’m sorry you don’t need to answer that. I’m just nosy. Let’s talk about something else,” I say, trying to save the conversation.

  There is obviously something very deep going on in his life, I wonder if that has anything to do with why he almost gave up being a doctor.

  “Amelia, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to ruin lunch. I want to tell you. I really do. Maybe someday I will, but I’d really rather just not talk about it. I’m sorry,” he says as he opens his bag of chips.

  “Don’t be sorry, really. Willow is being sent home today. I’m going to stop by their house later to check on them. Willow’s mom and step-dad are in town and will be staying with them for a week.” I needed to change the subject if there is any hope of turning this lunch date around.