Prince Charming, M.D.

by Susan Mallery

  He started down the narrow path that would lead him to his place. When he reached the turn, he couldn’t help looking back. Dana stared after him, her fingers resting against her mouth, her eyes wide with confusion. Apparently she’d been expecting a lot more and was stunned he hadn’t delivered. Good, he thought with satisfaction that wasn’t quite enough to distract him from his own aching desire. Now she would have something to think about.

  Chapter Twelve

  “You’re deep in thought about something. Should I come back later?”

  Dana glanced up and saw Katie standing in the doorway to her office. “No, please. I could really use an interruption. What are you doing up here?”

  Katie plopped down in the seat in front of Dana’s desk and tucked her light-brown hair behind her ears. “I’ve been playing hooky for a couple of hours. Wedding plans.” She smiled sheepishly. “There’s a lot more to do than I thought. My mom is helping, but it seems one detail after the other keeps cropping up.”

  “You don’t have to sound apologetic,” Dana told her. “I still think it’s great.”

  “Even though Mike’s a doctor?”

  “Katie, look at yourself. You’re so happy you glow. Why would anyone want to discourage you from being with the man who makes you feel that way? You two are perfect together. Quit looking for trouble and enjoy this time.”

  “You’re right. I guess I’m a little nervous. I mean, getting married is a big step.” She laughed. “It’s not that I’m afraid of spending the rest of my life with Mike. I know we’ll be happy. It’s really about the wedding. I guess I’ve been reading too many of those bridal magazines. I’m starting to dream about china patterns.”

  “I’ve seen the one you picked out. It’s beautiful.”

  “I refuse to talk about place settings, silverware or stemware.” Katie dismissed the subjects with a wave of her hand. “Okay, so now you know what’s bothering me. Tell me what’s going on with you? Any more dates?”

  “Yeah, Trevor and I have been seeing each other pretty regularly.”

  Katie shifted in her seat, as if getting comfortable so she could settle in. “Tell me everything.”

  Dana didn’t know whether to laugh or scream. “Nothing’s changed.”

  Katie stared at her blankly. “What do you mean, nothing’s changed? It’s been three weeks. Last I heard, you were seeing him nearly every night. He cooks. You cook. You go for walks, watch videos, that kind of stuff. You can’t mean to tell me you guys haven’t…” Her voice trailed off. “You know.”

  “Believe me, I know.” She heard the edge in her voice and knew it came from frustration. “I’m serious, Katie. The man is driving me crazy. He’s sweet, he’s attentive, we have a great time together, but—” She shook her head.

  “Nothing?”

  “Nada. He gives me these short little kisses good-night” She leaned back in her chair and rubbed her temples. “I swear, I could be a nun for all he notices me. Oh, there’s plenty of hand-holding and hugs. He’s not completely inattentive.”

  “I don’t think many nuns hold hands,” Katie teased.

  “Oh, thank you very much. That makes me feel better.”

  “Dana, come on. You’ve got to lighten up. The fact that Trevor is choosing to act like a gentleman is a good thing.”

  “How do you figure?”

  “It means he cares.”

  Dana looked at her. “Oh, really. So men only sleep with women they don’t care about?”

  “No. I didn’t mean it that way. But I was talking about this with Mike.”

  Dana groaned. How humiliating. “Tell me you’re kidding.”

  “I’m not. Anyway, I told him you’d been seeing Trevor for a while now and he, you know, wasn’t getting physical.”

  Dana’s cheeks flamed. She had to swallow before she could speak. “Tell me you didn’t really confess all to him.”

  “Of course I did. Mike wasn’t shocked.”

  “Maybe not, but I am.” She knew her friend was only trying to help, but still, this was going too far.

  “Do you want to hear what he had to say or not? I thought it was very interesting.”

  Dana consoled herself with the thought that it couldn’t get worse. “Go ahead. Enlighten me.”

  “You’re not taking this seriously, but you’re my friend and I care about you, so I’m going to tell you anyway.” She glanced at the door as if to make sure they were alone. “Mike said that guys act differently when they really care about a woman. They don’t want to mess things up, so they’ll take it more slowly. You know, act like a gentleman, make her feel special, that sort of thing.”

  “Uh-huh. So far you’re not making me feel a whole lot better. After all, Trevor and I already did the wild thing.”

  Katie raised her eyebrows. “The wild thing? I’ll have to remember to use that on Mike tonight. Anyway, he thinks that’s what’s going on with Trevor. That he really cares about you, so he’s giving the relationship time to develop.”

  “That or he just doesn’t want me.”

  “Oh, please. If he didn’t want you, he wouldn’t have made love with you.”

  “Maybe he decided he didn’t want me after we’d done it and he knew what he was getting.”

  Katie glared at her. “I should slap you. Dana, you’re a wonderful woman. Of course he wants you. If he didn’t, why would he bother dating you?” She raised her hand. “Don’t even consider answering that one. You know I’m right.”

  Dana mulled over how she’d begun to doubt herself. She and Trevor had been seeing each other regularly and he hadn’t tried anything. At first it hadn’t been a problem for her, but now she was starting to wonder. Was something wrong with her? With the relationship? Had she offended him by insisting on exclusivity and he was punishing her?

  She dismissed the last thought. Trevor had his flaws, but he was a decent guy and she admired him. No way would he play that kind of game.

  “I’d like to think you’re right,” she said. “I guess I do feel he likes me or he wouldn’t spend so much time with me. I am, to quote Lee, just wallowing in my sock drawer of self-doubt.”

  “Better than hanging out in the trash can of regret.”

  “Huh?”

  Katie giggled. “Never mind. The point is, you should be happy that he’s going to all this trouble.”

  “What I should be and what I am are two different things.” She sighed. “I appreciate your advice and Mike’s. It’s just hard. And confusing. Sometimes I feel…” She wasn’t sure what she felt.

  “Oh, I’ve been doing what you suggested,” Katie said. “I’ve been asking about Trevor and so far no one has said a word about the two of you dating.”

  “Thanks. I figured no one knew because my staff hasn’t even hinted that they were aware and they’re not people who keep things to themselves.” Ironically, while she appreciated Trevor’s respecting her wishes that they keep their personal lives private, a part of her wanted everyone to know they were going out. Mostly because she was tired of avoiding Angie and Sally. It’s not that she thought Trevor was still seeing them, but she didn’t want to listen to them go on about him. Their speculations made her uncomfortable.

  Katie rested her chin on her hand. “I’m beginning to think there’s a lot less to Trevor’s reputation than we realized.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “While I was asking around about him, one of your nurses ’confessed’ to a hot date with him. But it was the same night you two had been out. I wonder if the talk is more wishful thinking than reality.”

  Dana nodded slowly. “I’ve thought the same thing myself. Short of confronting Angie and Sally, there’s no way to be sure. So for the moment, I’m avoiding them.”

  Katie’s mouth twisted with concern. “Are you happy, Dana? Is he good to you?”

  At last an easy question. “He’s wonderful,” she said simply. “Dating him makes me feel good. We don’t go out a lot, but I enjoy spending the time at home.
When he’s had a long day of surgery and I’ve been caught up in my work, it’s nice to unwind together. But it’s more than that. When we talk about work, he really listens to my day and respects my opinion. Later, if something comes up I can tell by what he says that he was actually paying attention. We laugh at the same jokes. He always helps with the cooking and the cleanup afterward. He even lets me drive his car.”

  “That is serious.” Katie smiled. “So the only area that isn’t working is sex.”

  “I’m sure it would work fine if we’d just do it.”

  “Maybe it’s not a bad idea that you don’t.”

  “Why?”

  Katie stared at her. “Promise you won’t get mad.”

  “So I’m not going to like this, right?” Dana took a deep breath and made an x over her heart. “I promise.”

  “Sounds to me like you’re falling for him.”

  Dana shook her head. “No, I’m not. I refuse to. Trevor is a fun playmate, but he’s not the kind of man I’d get serious about. Really. There isn’t a problem. I consider this practice, nothing more. He’s helping me get back into the whole dating process, and when this is over I’ll be ready to get serious about someone suitable.”

  “Who are you trying to convince?” Katie asked softly. “Sounds to me the person you’re selling this to is yourself.”

  Dana pressed her lips together. Katie was a good friend and simply calling things as she saw them. However, that didn’t necessarily make her right. “I know you’re trying to help.”

  “Oh, a polite way of telling me you think I’m wrong. That’s fine. When you figure out the truth, I’ll get to say ‘I told you so.’”

  “If you’re right about this, I promise you can say it as many times as you would like.”

  “Good. I can’t wait.” Katie chuckled. “So what’s the plan for tonight?”

  “Dinner with his folks.”

  “Oh, really?”

  “Don’t say it like that,” Dana told her. “It’s not what you think. He’s hardly taking me over to meet Mom and Dad. It’s just one of those dinner parties Walter and Maggie are always having.”

  “Sure.”

  “What else would it be?” Dana asked.

  “Something more personal. A chance for the family to spend some quality time with Trevor’s new girlfriend.”

  “I’m not Trevor’s girlfriend.”

  Katie grinned. “If you say so.”

  *

  “I’ll have to call my insurance agent and add you as a driver,” Trevor teased. “You drive my car as much as I do.”

  Dana downshifted as she approached the stop sign. Once she’d halted, she looked at him. “I can’t help that I adore driving your car.” She squeezed the leather-wrapped steering wheel. “Mine is a mode of transportation. Yours is a carnival ride.”

  With that, she shifted into first, pressed on the gas, released the clutch and took off. By the end of the block, she was already cruising at five miles above the speed limit. She glanced at the speedometer and sighed. “This car is a problem for me. It’s too easy to go fast. So I guess I’m going to have to be careful if I don’t want to get a ticket.”

  He touched her cheek. “If it makes you happy, I don’t mind if you drive my car all the time.”

  “Really? Great. I’ll start planning a cross-country trip.”

  As she smiled at him, Dana felt something strange in the pit of her stomach. It wasn’t just desire, although she was wrestling with plenty of that. It was something else…a warm glow that had nothing to do with wanting Trevor in her bed. She liked how he joked with her and teased her. They laughed a lot together, and she’d forgotten how fun that could be. She liked that he didn’t mind cooking dinner, that he really seemed to care about how her day went and rarely got angry about anything. She enjoyed his conversation, his intelligence.

  Not that she was falling for him, she reminded herself. That would be foolish. Trevor wasn’t the kind of man it was safe to care about. Fortunately for her, she had her emotions firmly under control.

  She made a right turn, then eased into his parents’ driveway. As she slowed the car, she noticed there weren’t any unfamiliar vehicles parked nearby.

  “Are we early?” she asked, then glanced at the clock on the dashboard. Trevor had said they were to arrive at seven and it was just a couple of minutes to the hour.

  “No. Why?”

  “I don’t see anyone else here yet.”

  “Who were you expecting?”

  She raised the hand brake and gave him the keys. “Walter and Maggie usually invite a couple of dozen people to their parties.”

  “This isn’t a party. We’re having dinner with my folks. Just the four of us. I thought I’d mentioned that.”

  She thought about what he’d said to her. Would she like to go to his parents’ house for dinner? At the time she’d just assumed it was another party. She hadn’t realized it was going to be this intimate.

  Thinking of Katie’s teasing about Trevor taking her to meet Mom and Dad, Dana grimaced. It served her right for assuming.

  “Is this a problem?” Trevor asked. “We can cancel.”

  “No. Of course not. I really like your parents.” It was enough of the truth that Trevor climbed out of the car and escorted her to the front door without asking more questions. She really did like Walter and Maggie. It’s just that she wasn’t expecting to have to make conversation with them for the entire night. Plus, what would they think about Trevor’s bringing her home like this?

  “What did you tell them about us?” she asked.

  He knocked on the door. “That we were dating. I figured my promise not to mention anything to people at the hospital didn’t extend to my immediate family.”

  “Of course not,” she murmured, wishing he had kept their private life to himself. What would Walter think about her dating his son? Would they resent her? Would they assume there was more of a relationship than there was?

  Maggie flung open the door. “I knew it was you, Trevor. Why on earth are you knocking? This is your home.”

  “I know, Mom, but I was trying to be polite. You know, show off for my girlfriend.”

  Maggie laughed and pulled Trevor close for a hug. He kissed her cheek. Then the older woman squeezed Dana’s arm and invited them both in.

  Dana could barely acknowledge the greeting. Her brain focused on one word. Girlfriend. Had Trevor really said that? Did he really think that about her? She knew they were dating, but that implied a certain… She sucked in a breath. Okay, she wasn’t sure what it implied, but it was way more than she was ready to admit to.

  They moved into the study, where Walter greeted them. Drinks were poured and they settled down on the old comfy leather sofas.

  Dana had always liked this room, with its oversized fireplace and bookcase-lined walls. She enjoyed the fact that the latest mysteries and romances shared shelf space with medical journals and books. The furniture wasn’t new, but it was comfortable and well used. A lot of happiness lived in this room.

  “Your father tells me you’ve been working hard this week,” Maggie said. She sat close to her husband, her body angled toward him, her free hand resting on his leg.

  “No more than usual.”

  “You took an emergency case Tuesday and again yesterday,” Walter said.

  Trevor shifted. “They weren’t that big a deal.”

  “Sure they were,” Dana said. “You already had a full schedule and—” She stopped and looked at him. “Why are you smiling at me like that?”

  “Be careful, Dana. People might start to think you like me.”

  She knew he was teasing, but she couldn’t help the flush that heated her cheeks. “Trevor!”

  He hugged her close. “Don’t worry. Your secret is safe with me.”

  She glanced at his parents and saw they were smiling indulgently at them. Dana wasn’t sure if she should pull away from Trevor or just endure the embrace. Only it wasn’t tough to be in his arms.
Given the choice, she would like him to touch her more.

  Conversation turned from the hospital to what was going on with one of Maggie’s charities. She did a lot of fundraising for different local organizations. As she talked, Dana watched her, noticing her quick smile and the way she punctuated her comments with hand movements. Walter and Trevor both paid close attention to her conversation and Dana could see the affection radiating from them.

  Maggie MacAllister couldn’t have been more different from Dana’s mother. For one thing, Maggie had started her own business before she met and married Walter, and in a time when women generally chose more traditional roles. She hadn’t bothered waiting for someone to come rescue her; she’d made her own way. Dana admired her and wanted to be like her. However, when Walter had proposed, Maggie had made the decision to give all her time to her family.

  Dana reminded herself that thirty-plus years ago, women hadn’t had as many options. Still, she suspected Maggie would make the same decision today, while she, Dana, would want to find a way to combine family and work. Her career was too important to her to give it up.

  Like Maggie she didn’t need rescuing, but she did want something in her life. Something more than she had now. As she studied the older couple sitting across from her, she realized what she wanted was a love strong enough to last for years. Walter and Maggie had to have been through some tough times. Every marriage required a fair degree of work and had ups and downs. Still, despite everything, their love was a powerful force.

  She felt an odd restlessness building inside her. She tried to tell herself it was because Trevor hadn’t made love with her and she wanted him to. But she suspected it was more than just that. She needed…what? A relationship? A commitment? Maybe just someone she could love and trust who would love and trust back.

  Was she making a mistake, wasting her time with Trevor? He wasn’t the one for her—he couldn’t be. His lifestyle was so different from hers.

  Dana looked at Trevor’s parents. They were good people with strong values. They had raised their son to respect those values. Was she selling him short by assuming he didn’t believe in the same things? What about all he’d told her about his ex-wife. She was the one who’d been unfaithful, not he. Walter wasn’t a bad man and he wouldn’t let his son be one, either. Maybe she’d been wrong about Trevor from the beginning. After all, she now believed that he hadn’t spread the story about her in high school. Maybe the rumors at the hospital were just that…rumors. But how could she be sure?