Aidan: One Night With The Doctor (The Wallflower's series Book 7)

by T. C. Clark

  “Hello, Anita. Thank you for waiting. I know your schedule is packed. I think Mina went through a crisis for a minute.”

  “It’s no problem. I’ve had more than one patient run away, I get it. I’m just glad she came back. I think we’ve got a good chance at beating old Bob,” she said, referring to Mina’s well-known nickname for the tumor.

  “I’ve heard, you’ve really impressed the people around here. Everyone is buzzing about what’s going on.” She blushed at the compliment but didn’t acknowledge it.

  Instead, she pulled out her PowerPoint presentation and explained the surgery. It took over an hour for him to fully understand how everything worked. He would go in first with another doctor to remove as much as they could by hand. It would take a couple of hours, but in that time, Anita would get a better look at Mina’s brain.

  She would stay in there with them as they worked and use a microscopic camera to get a better view of the tumor. After they were done, she would start her process. It would take a long time to complete.

  He only had a few hard questions for her to answer. But he seemed satisfied when they were done. Anita hid a smile. The Aidan she remembered would never have taken the back seat to a surgery so easily. In some ways, he had grown up.

  “Okay, so if that’s all settled, I want to set up a radiation team. It shouldn’t be too long, I only want to target one side of the southern hemisphere of the brain. I’m going to try to make this as painless as possible for her,” Anita said as she logged out of her computer.

  “That’s good, she’s really scared. I’ve done what I can to prepare her, but she knows this won’t be easy.”

  “I get it; her case reads like a horror story. That poor woman has been through so much and, to be honest, she should be scared. I’m good, but I’m not God. This process is going to be completed by skillful surgeons but we’re still going to need a lot of prayers and a dash of luck. My method is still considered experimental,” she warned. She always made that clear to anyone she was working with. Her patients and the other doctors needed to know the risk.

  “That’s true, but your success rate speaks for itself. You’re amazing, Anita. I knew you would be,” he said. His dark brown eyes examined her thoroughly. She wondered what was going through his head and then gave herself a mental slap. She didn’t need to know what was going on inside Aidan’s head.

  “Thanks for that. Do you have any more questions about the procedure?” She prayed he didn’t; she was ready for him to leave.

  “I do, but can we meet later tonight and discuss them over dinner? I have a surgery that the hospital needs me to scrub in for and then mountains of paperwork to address.”

  “I don’t know, Aidan. I have a lot to do,” she lied. She’d already done everything she needed to prep for the surgery. “Why don’t you shoot me an email with any questions you have.”

  “Look, I know it’s been a long time, and I get we didn’t end well, but we lived together for three years. I think we can have one dinner together. We are both different people now, just give me a chance to prove it,” he said, leaning forward. His expression was of a man that wouldn’t take no for an answer. What was it about her this week that was making people want to push her into things?

  “There’s nothing to prove. I was hurt when we broke up, but you didn’t actually do anything wrong. You exercised your right to leave. Even though it hurt, I understand that now.” At the time, his actions had equated to extreme betrayal in her mind. She was older now and with time she’d learned that sometimes love could be one sided. It wasn’t fair, but it was her reality. She’d loved Aidan more than he’d cared for her.

  “All the more reason for us to go out tonight. If you really hold no bad feelings, it shouldn’t be that hard.” He gave her his best innocent look. She ignored how quickly her heart started to beat. This was a bad idea. Aidan was a weakness.

  She had to get over this. She wanted to move on; hell, he’d moved on. She should be able to sit down and have dinner with a man she’d spent three years of her life with. They had a huge surgery to do together, so she needed to neutralize these nerves now.

  “Okay, I’m fine with that. I have too much to do today. We can meet at that small café just outside the hospital on Friday night,” she relented.

  She would use the next few days to build her armor against him. She wasn’t a fool, she’d loved this man too much. Given the right circumstances, he could trick her into believing they could work again.

  “I was thinking Indian food just like the old days. Do you remember how we used to make Saturdays our cram days? We would spend the whole day in the house and as a reward, we’d order from that small Indian place next door.”

  “Of course, I remember it. But we don’t need to go back down memory lane. I don’t want that. We can meet at the café on Friday to have a quick meal and go over any questions you have, but I’m not trying to reminisce.” She was startled by the desire she saw in his eyes. She’d never imagined that he would react like this when they met again.

  “Anita…”

  “Take it or leave it, Aidan. I may not be angry with you about how we ended, but that doesn’t mean you didn’t hurt me.” Aidan looked like he wanted to argue but changed his mind. She hoped he didn’t sense how vulnerable she was with him.

  “I’ll take it for now. How do you feel about meeting at eight that night?” Aidan stood up. She’d forgotten how impressive his height was. At over six feet, he towered over a lot of the other doctors. It was one of the first things she’d noticed about him.

  “That’s fine. I’ll see you there.” She watched him leave and put her head down on her desk. She wasn’t a fool, she’d seen that look before in his eyes. He wasn’t here to play around. For some reason, he wanted her again.

  She shook her head at her body’s automatic reaction. She’d only loved two men in her life, and somehow, they’d both made their way back into her world. She would have to tread carefully here if she wanted to walk away with her heart still intact.

  * * *

  A few days later, Aidan finally got his chance to be alone with the elusive Anita. He put his bag up with a smile on his face. Every time he saw Anita at the hospital he could feel her trying to analyze him, which was way better than being ignored. He didn’t know exactly how he was going to convince her to give him a chance, but he was ready to try.

  He’d checked on Mina and Luca earlier today. She looked nervous but happy to be here. They’d met Anita, and Mina was already in love with her. He knew how impressive Anita was, especially in the industry of medicine. He was glad he trusted his instincts.

  He’d been bombarded with questions about her when he arrived. Somehow, people had found out they were college sweethearts and the hospital was buzzing like it was an episode of Grey’s Anatomy.

  As for Anita, she stayed away from him. As soon as he walked into a room, she walked out. She may not think she was still angry from their breakup, but he knew she was. How did he explain why he left? How could he quantify how difficult it was for him to do?

  It took him years to get over it. But at the time, he’d thought he was making the right decision for both of them. It was different for Anita. She came from a solid home with a family who didn’t depend on her financially.

  His parents were Ethiopian immigrants, and they relied heavily on his success. He wasn’t mad about it. He remembered how hard his mom and dad worked to get him into medical school, and it was because of their work that he’d been able to survive it.

  His parents had never asked for his help. But he’d known he would take care of them as soon as he was able. He could still remember the look on their faces when he’d purchased them a new home.

  When he’d entered medical school, he’d been hyper-focused almost to the point of being an asshole. Who was he kidding? He’d definitely been an asshole.

  But he’d been there on a mission. When he’d met Anita, his world had turned upside down. He’d fallen comple
tely in love with the smartest girl. She was an easy woman to love, a positive testimony to the way she grew up.

  He’d been set to marry her when all hell broke loose back at home. It felt like a sign when he’d received the offer from the other hospital. He’d thought about what that would mean for Anita. He was sure she would follow him anywhere, but how would that alter her career?

  At the time, his choice had seemed like the only one. Now, he knew better. He couldn’t change the past, but he could alter the future.

  “Hey, the residents are here, and they look like they are worked up about something,” Bryan said from the doorway. Aidan looked behind him at the crowded office entry and sighed. This job was really starting to wear on his nerves.

  He had no doubt the next couple of hours were going to be spent breaking up office fights. He didn’t have time for this. Bryan shook his head as well and poured him a cup of coffee.

  “Our safe word is Mangos. Say it, and I’ll dismiss anyone in here,” Bryan said softly as he closed the door.

  Aidan laughed and sat down. It was going to be a long day, but at least he was going to eat dinner with Anita later. With her face fresh in his mind, he signaled Bryan to let the first person in.

  * * *

  Anita looked at herself in the mirror of the dimly lit bathroom of the Clover Café and cursed. She should have canceled on him. She’d started to twice today, but she always found a reason to keep the date. Something in her wanted to prove that she was over him.

  She rolled her eyes. Of course, she was over him, that’s why she was trapped in the bathroom trying to figure out the right way to word an “I’m standing you up” text message without sounding like a coward.

  Yes, very soon they would have to spend hours stuck together in an operating room, and there would be nowhere for her to run. Admittedly, it would be different in the OR, in there she was in her element.

  She’d spent years perfecting and correcting her surgical technique. It didn’t matter who was standing next to her when she held a scalpel, her body knew what to do.

  But out here, she was vulnerable. She was a regular woman who’d loved a man and he’d walked away. No matter how she told the story, it still hurt, and she knew Aidan wanted to do more than talk about Mina. She wasn’t stupid, she’d seen the look in his eyes whenever he noticed her in a room.

  She had a feeling that he wanted to relive some of the glory days. If Sabrina was here, she would tell her to grow a pair of lady balls and face him head-on. She splashed some water on her face, grabbed her purse and walked back into the café.

  Her eyes found him easily. Aidan always stood out, even in a room filled with people. He was sitting alone in a booth. His dark brown eyes lit up with relief when they landed on her. She wondered if he thought she was going to stand him up.

  “I thought you weren’t going to show up tonight.” He stood up as she got close to the booth. He was still wearing the blue scrubs from earlier. She ignored the butterflies in her stomach and sent him a soft smile.

  “I thought about taking the coward’s way out, but I couldn’t do that to you. Have you ordered?”

  “Yes, I ordered for you, too. I hope you don’t mind.”

  “No, that means we will get our food quickly.” She looked around the café and sighed. Of course, it was empty; it couldn’t get more intimate than this.

  “And the quicker we get our food, the quicker you can leave?” Aidan frowned at the thought. She was sure he wasn’t used to women trying to escape him.

  “You’re not wrong, but I’m actually hungry as well.” Her eyes devoured the food already at the table.

  There was a large basket of flaky looking biscuits. Her stomach grumbled at the sight. He knew she loved biscuits.

  She’d spent a lot of Sunday mornings trying to make the perfect biscuit. There was also a pot of coffee and two cups. As she settled down, he poured her a cup and added four sugars. She didn’t comment on the fact that he remembered how she liked it.

  “So, how have the last few days been?” Aidan asked as she tore into a biscuit and smothered it with butter and jelly. She took a bite and made a mental note to get an order to go. A girl could never have too many biscuits.

  “It’s been good. You have a great team here. I was surprised at how easy I fit in. There’s usually at least one person at every hospital who gives me a hard time.”

  “How do you usually handle trouble? The Anita I used to know hated confrontation.”

  They paused as the waiter came out with their plates. He’d ordered them full breakfast platters. He was smart; the one thing they loved to eat together was breakfast. It was the only food they both knew how to make.

  “I still don’t like confrontation, I got Sabrina for that. She loves a good fight.” Anita laughed when she noticed the jelly on his cheek. She grabbed a handful of napkins for him.

  “I can tell. She really doesn’t like me, does she?”

  “Sabrina doesn’t really like anyone. She can be tough, but she’s good at her job and easy to get along with if you get to know her.”

  “But she really seemed to dislike me on sight. Does she know about our history?”

  “She does.” She refused to apologize about that. Their past was still her past, she was allowed to talk about it.

  “I get her attitude then. She wants to protect you. I’ve been there.” His dark brown eyes followed hers. She could tell he was watching her reactions closely. It was as if he wanted to know exactly what she was thinking.

  She deliberately changed the subject. “Do you think we are ready for the surgery? I met with the anesthesiologist and chief of radiology, they like the way everything is looking.”

  “I do, your plan is solid. As long as the radiation takes and the scans come back good. I can’t see us not moving forward,” he said, mixing his cheese eggs into his grits. She hid a smile; some people never changed.

  “So what questions did you have about the procedure specifically?” Anita took a hearty sip of coffee and waited.

  “We both know I don’t have any questions about the procedure. I just wanted to spend a little time with you. I haven’t spoken to you in years and not because I haven’t tried to. Is it that hard to relax with me?”

  “Yes, you aren’t an old friend, Aidan. When I see you, I see the past. I see all the mistakes I made there, and it hurts. That’s why I wanted us to keep our distance. I don’t want to feel that anymore.”

  “Okay, what if we keep the past off limits and talk about what life has been like since we left each other?”

  “You mean since you left me.” He didn’t say anything to that so she focused on her food.

  She devoured her plate. Either the food was spectacular or she’d been starving. She could handle this. She would kill this plate, exchange a few words, and be on her way.

  “After we broke up, I threw myself into my work. I got into the residency program at the Mayo Clinic. After that, I met another doctor who was working with magnetic waves. Meeting Dr. Lee changed my life. He taught me how to implement my idea, and that brought me here. What about you?”

  “I got a residency at Johns Hopkins, it was a quick start. I was taking the place of someone who was getting kicked out. It was hard. I thought I was the best, and then I met a lot of people like me. It was a real kick in the gut,” he admitted with a wry smile.

  “I bet. You were always top of the class and a leader in any room you entered. It must have been crazy getting into a program as tough as that one. But look at you now. You’re chief at a prestigious hospital. You’ve got everything you’ve ever wanted. You should be proud. I bet your parents were.”

  “They were, the only time I upset them was when they realized we broke up.”

  “They were upset because of that?” She couldn’t hide her surprise. She’d met his parents a few times, and each time she’d walked away with the distinct impression that they didn’t think she was good enough for Aidan.

  “Yeah, my
mom said you were her one shot at getting grand kids, and she wasn’t wrong. There’s been no one else that could get that close to me after you. I saw on the internet that you married someone.”

  “Yeah, I did. He was a good man, but his ex was a problem, and when we found out she’d kept a daughter hidden from him, it kind of killed us. He needed time to build a relationship with her. It’s funny, we are best friends now. It’s crazy to think about how much time has passed and how far we’ve come today,” she sighed and then put her napkin down. “This has been nice, but I think it’s time for me to call it a night.” She pushed her plate away and patted her belly.

  She looked full and happy and for once relaxed enough to talk.

  “I’m sorry I hurt you, Anita.” He waited for her to interrupt, but she stayed quiet, so he continued. “I thought I was doing the right thing, walking away from you. My family needed more of my help and the program was going to be crazy. I thought a clean break was the only way to handle things between us.”

  “How could you think that? I loved you, with everything I had, and you just packed your things and left. Don’t you dare try to say that was for me!” Her eyes widened when she realized she’d yelled that last bit.

  She didn’t need to look around to see that the few people in the café were staring at her, she could feel their eyes.

  “This is why I didn’t want to do this. We have an important surgery coming up, and we can’t have any kind of tension in that operating room. Thank you for dinner. I would offer to pay but I know how you would react.” She stood up and grabbed her bag.

  “Anita, I know that we need to focus on the surgery, and I won’t do anything to mess with that, but I do want to get to know you again, and I think deep down you want that, too.”