Tomorrow: Kingsley series book 1

by Haylee Thorne

  “Just checking to see if you need anything, Mr. Kingsley,” she purrs.

  Yeah, I know exactly what she wants. Sorry little girl, you are just not my type. Sure, she’s pretty I suppose. Though it is hard to tell, her scrubs are tight enough to show me that she has a rocking body. Maybe if she didn’t wear so much makeup some guy would be attracted to her. I muster up a smile and shoot it in her general direction.

  “All good here, darling,” I say as nicely as my exhausted brain allows.

  She walks up to me and places her hand on my arm. I think that she believes this gesture comes across as casual, but I know better. I cringe but don’t let on.

  “Are you sure there isn’t anything I can do for you?” she says, as she ‘accidently’ brushes her plastic boobs against my arm. For fuck’s sake, maybe I should just take her into some janitor’s closet and fuck her brains out. Maybe that’ll get me out of this funky mood. Even as the thought runs through my head it doesn’t sound appealing at all. What the hell? I never turn down an easy fuck.

  “Pretty sure. I was actually about to leave,” I say, forcing a smile.

  I swear I see her wet her panties right before my eyes.

  “Okay, if anything changes I will personally let you know,” she says in an overly sweet tone.

  She finally leaves, even though I can tell it is reluctantly. I desperately need to get out of this damn room and stretch my legs. I can’t consume another cup of the abhorrent excuse for coffee that they serve here at the hospital cafeteria and decide to get some coffee from that little place across the street. Heritage Memorial Hospital may be one of the top-rated hospitals in the nation but their coffee is atrocious. I could easily have someone fetch me cup and I would have, were it not for the fact that I need a break from this depressing place. Luckily it’s not busy so I can skate across the street and return within minutes. The fucking baristas better get my order right this time. I don’t want to miss it if Mikaela wakes up. I need to be there. I make my way back and step out of the elevator when I see that nurse again. Crap, I’m not in the mood for this shit. I slip into a room before she sees me. It is a double room and it’s not even half the size of the private room I secured for Mikaela. The curtain is drawn on the far side of the room. Only one occupant right now, I lazily think to myself. Do I walk out and risk being confronted by Nurse Barbie or hide behind the curtain of the sick patient who I’m sure is trying to rest? The room is dead silent. I pull the curtain for privacy before I walk over to the chair on the side of the room containing the empty bed. I gingerly sit down in the chair so I don’t wake whomever occupies this space. I am exhausted and this room doesn’t have a ton of beeping. Besides, the other person doesn’t even know I’m in here. I decide to just sit here and drink my coffee in peace before I head back. I sit in silence, enjoying my coffee, and enjoy the first peaceful fifteen minutes I have had in nine damn days. I stand to go back to Mikaela when I hear someone come in. Crap. Just my luck, I begrudgingly think to myself, assuming it’s the same overly attentive nurse I hid from in the first place. I listen to the approaching footsteps and brace myself for the curtain to be pulled open. Instead, the footsteps go past me.

  “Hello Mrs. Davids, my name is Raeva Ray. I am the student nurse who took care of you yesterday,” I hear a sweet voice say. “I am here to read to you today. The nurse told me that they are understaffed today so I offered to give you a bath first, okay?”

  I can’t discern the patient’s response. I hear water running in the bathroom in the middle of the room. The girl is gathering the things she needs for the bath as she sings softly. I don’t recognize the song but her voice is beautiful. I listen to her movements like a hawk, honing in on her every word. Too soon, it seems, she stops singing and directs her attention back to her patient. For reasons I can’t even begin to explain to myself, I sit here, glued to my seat. I’m hanging on her every word like the woman at the well when she meets Jesus for the first time. She explains in great detail, step-by-step, what she is doing to Mrs. Davids before she does it. At first it seems like overkill, but then I realize that the patient has not said a word. It dawns on me then that the girl is being very sweet, trying to make the woman feel at ease. She talks about taking her boards tomorrow, about the new park they are planning to construct, and about her friend opening a spa of some sort. As mundane as these sorts of things usually are to me, I hang on every word enthralled, as if hypnotized by her voice. Shit, I’m actually disappointed when I hear her finish up the bath. I think I hear her picking up the mess and then I hear her in the bathroom. Dammit. Is she going to leave now? For some reason I don’t want her to. What the fuck is wrong with me? I laugh inwardly at my weird behavior. Why do I even care? I don’t even know who this girl is. She finishes up in the bathroom and returns to Mrs. Davids.

  “Okay, now that we have that out of the way, how about I read to you for a bit?” she offers.

  Why do I feel relieved that she isn’t leaving? Okay, that’s it, I want to see this girl. I get up as silently as I can manage. I listen to her soothing voice as she starts to read. I creep forward and pull aside the curtain ever so slightly to take a peek. Fuck me. My chest actually tightens. The girl is exquisite. Her skin has a delicate olive tone and even with seemingly no makeup on her face she is simply stunning. Her dark brown hair falls just over her shoulders and frames her beautiful face. Her eyes are so dark they are almost black, and yet they exude so much warmth. Her lips are full and perfectly shaped. Although it is hard to tell with her sitting down and wearing a hoody and jeans, she seems to be quite petite. I want to see that body of hers in a sexy little number and some mile high stilettos. I swallow hard. She hasn’t noticed me blatantly staring at her, most likely because her nose is deep in the book she is reading aloud to her patient. She flashes a smile, and fuck me if it doesn’t almost knock the air out of me. My heart is racing in my chest, so hard and so fast, it feels like it is trying to escape. This woman is nothing like the type I usually go for, but damn, I don’t think I’ve ever been this hard before. I want—scratch that—I need to bury myself in that girl. It will get me out of this funk, I’m sure of it. Why am I so nervous? It dawns on me that I am creepily staring at her from behind a curtain, which is probably not the best way to meet a girl. I hear footsteps behind me again. I slightly panic and let go of the curtain. Crap. I do not want to get caught in here right now. The footsteps pass me by once again. I hear the very annoying voice of the overly attentive little blonde, Nurse Barbie.

  “Thanks again Raeva for giving her a bath. I have been swamped!”

  I stifle a laugh. The girl has been in Mikaela’s room nonstop, apparently neglecting the rest of her patients.

  “Oh, it was my pleasure,” Raeva replies.

  “I think it is so sweet that you came to see Mrs. Davids today,” the blonde says.

  “Oh no, it’s not sweet at all. When you told me yesterday that she has no family or anything nearby to visit, it just broke my heart,” Raeva answers.

  I’m taken aback by this girl. Nurse Barbie excuses herself seconds later with an air of superiority as she leaves the room, and I watch as Raeva just goes right back to reading. I pull my phone out of my pocket and punch in a text.

  Mika - I need everything you can find on a girl named Raeva Ray and I need it YESTERDAY.

  “For the amount of money that I pay him, this level of incompetence is fucking unacceptable.”

  My eyes are fixed on today’s paper as my fist loudly makes contact with my desk. I cannot believe that asshole.

  “Calm down Kingsley, it’s not like anyone could stop that piece of shit from running to the first smut journalist to spout off some bullshit.”

  My head snaps up and I have to remind myself to count to ten.

  “I swear to God Hardwick, if you follow that statement up with ‘it is what it is,’ I will deck you.”

  It doesn’t even faze the bastard. A huge grin erupts on his face.

  “Feel free to do just that,
buddy. Just remember that you better make sure you enjoy it because it’ll cost you.”

  I can’t help but chuckle at my best friend and lawyer, Eric Hardwick. Highly intelligent, charming, and very popular with the female population—probably because of the tall, dark and handsome thing he’s got going for him—he’s the best damn attorney in the state. “You damn lawyers, always ready to sue and suck people dry.”

  “You didn’t think he was just going to roll over, did you? We both knew that being served with those annulment papers would set him off.”

  I know he’s right. All this crap with Mikaela has me off my game. I definitely need to get my shit together. I hold down the intercom button.

  “Ellie, get Matt Simon on the phone and tell him to be in my office within the hour.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Oh and Ellie?”

  “Yes, Mr. Kingsley?”

  “Tell Mr. Simon that if he isn’t here within the hour he can consider himself unemployed.”

  “Certainly, Mr. Kingsley.”

  My eyes flutter open. Was that the doorbell? I sit up quickly. Wait... what time is it? I look over at the clock on my night stand. It’s seven a.m. I realize then that the spot next to me is empty. He’s gone…of course he is. My heart sinks. I can’t believe I slept with him. I barely even know the man. He must think I’m such a tramp. No wonder he snuck out.

  “I’m a freaking idiot,” I mutter out loud.

  Again, the doorbell rings. Seriously? I put on the robe hanging on the back of my bedroom door, my irritation growing as I stalk to the front door. I just know that it is Jill who, once again, must have forgotten her keys. I yank the door open without even looking through the peephole to see who is standing outside my door.

  “Damn it, Jillybean!” I bark roughly.

  A pair of big brown eyes look back at me. I feel bad when I see that the girl in front of me has a look of pure terror on her face.

  “M…m…Ms. Ray?” she stutters.

  Well shoot, now I really feel bad. “Oh, I’m sorry…” I muster up the biggest smile I can manage as I assess the woman in front of me. I can’t help but admire her beautiful auburn hair which she has pulled back in a beautiful French braid.

  “Yes, that’s me, can I help you?”

  “My name is Megan Knight. I’m here to cook and serve you breakfast, courtesy of Mr. Kingsley.”

  She manages to smile sweetly at me despite the unsure look that paints her pretty face.

  What in Hades’ name is going on? Is this guy for real?

  “Can I come in?”

  I look at the girl and I notice that she is holding several grocery bags. Well, what can I do? I am not sure how I feel about this, but since I’ve already been rude to the poor girl once I smile and step aside.

  “Please, come in. The kitchen is the last door on the left.”

  I’m about to shut my door when I see a van pull into my driveway. What now? I watch as a stocky man jumps out and walks toward me with a humongous bouquet of flowers.

  “What in the world?” I mumble to myself.

  “Ms. Ray?”

  “That would be me.”

  The man hands me the flowers—a beautiful bunch of lavender and pink roses—tips his hat, and walks off. He didn’t even wait for a tip? I pluck the card from the gorgeous arrangement.

  Good morning Sweet Pea,

  I’m sorry, I had to leave this morning to take care

  of some business. You were sleeping so peacefully,

  and looking so incredibly delectable…

  I didn’t have the heart to wake you up.

  And if I stayed…well…I wouldn’t have been able to leave if you were awake.

  Enjoy your breakfast.

  X Mika

  What? Who does this? I can’t deny that this man is seriously getting to me. This crap happens in movies. It doesn’t happen to girls like me. I let out a heavy sigh as I close the door and lean up against it. I feel like I’ve been on a rollercoaster since the moment I’ve met this man. My emotions are all over the place and for some reason, I’ve lost the ability to think and act like the responsible adult that I always strive to be. It’s like all logic and reason goes out the window the second he enters a room. I stand here, just for a moment, and try to catch up with my thoughts and emotions. I decide to go and take a shower before breakfast. As I step away from the door it swings open. I swiftly turn and am face to face with Jill. I have not seen her in days as we have been like ships crossing in the night lately.

  “Girl, where is the morning paper? Serenity is featured in an article and we are not even open yet!” my friend exclaims enthusiastically.

  She stops for a moment, giving me a highly dramatic once-over.

  “Dang Rae, you look like shit. Did you have a party and forget to invite your bestie?”

  I burst out laughing. “Well lovely to see you too, Jillybean. And um, I don’t know, wasn’t the paper on the porch?”

  “I didn’t see it so I assumed you brought it in. Oh well, I’ll show you later. Whoa, those flowers are gorgeous.”

  Her eyes snap up to meet mine and she raises a brow.

  “We have some catching up to do, huh?”

  “Oh darling, you have no idea,” I say, amusement lacing my tone as I lead her into the kitchen.

  “And who is this?” Jill asks as she notes Megan, who is already cooking up a storm.

  “Let me fill you in while we eat. Would you like some breakfast?”

  “You did what?!?!”

  Jill stares at me in disbelief.

  “Who is this guy? This guy must be something else. So? What’s his name? Was he any good? Is he hot? Details please!”

  I shake my head and a girlish giggle escapes my lips. Jill is bombarding me with questions, firing one after the other without giving me a chance to answer. I look over at the huge bouquet of flowers that was delivered here less than an hour ago and I can’t help but smile.

  “There really isn’t too much to say,” I reply coyly.

  “Don’t you dare hold out on me now, missy,” Jill says as she mock glares at me.

  She takes a bite of the fabulous fruit salad that Megan, the chef who Mika sent over, just served us.

  “Sweet baby Jesus, this is delish,” she grumbles with her mouth full.

  “That’s freaking disgusting. Don’t talk with your mouth full,” I scold her.

  The look she throws me is highly amusing and I can’t help but crack up.

  “Don’t change the subject, Rae.”

  I am about to fill her in when the doorbell rings once more. I shrug apologetically and head to my front door. I am surprised to find Sean on the other end. He smiles brightly as he greets me.

  “Good morning, Ms. Ray.”

  I return his smile. “Good morning, Sean.”

  “I just wanted to let you know that I have returned your car,” he says as he holds out my keys for me.

  I am about to thank him when I note the car parked in my driveway. I look from the car to Sean and back to the car again. “Um…Sean? That is not my car.”

  “I assure you, Ms. Ray, that this is most definitely your vehicle,” Sean says, grinning widely.

  “Mr. Kingsley’s mechanic has given it the once-over and fixed a few minor electrical issues, replaced the brakes and tires, and took care of some of the cosmetic issues.”

  What? I just stand there for a second or two, perplexed. What am I supposed to make of this?

  “He had my car fixed?” I say, stating the obvious. “Minor issues? I’m pretty sure the thing was very nearly a death trap. This is... this is too much. I can’t accept this. I have to reimburse Mr. Kingsley.”

  Sean throws an amused look my way.

  “Good luck with getting him to accept a reimbursement. Besides, believe me when I say that the cost of fixing your car is, quite literally, nothing to him. Mr. Kingsley was adamant that we make sure your car is roadworthy which, if you don’t mind me saying, was far from that
when I picked it up.”

  What do you say to something like that? I can’t argue that my car was a far cry from being roadworthy or even safe, but this is just a little too much. Right? I decide that arguing with Sean is pointless and, if I want to get anywhere with this conversation, I should bring it up with his bat shit crazy employer. I instead thank Sean graciously for returning my vehicle to me. I must have been taking too long because Jill appears behind me.

  “Well, well. So is the guy who is responsible for that idiotic grin you’ve had on your face since I got here this morning, Rae?”

  I turn and face her and she silently mouths to me, “Oh my god! He’s hot!”

  I shoot her my best ‘shut the hell up’ look, which of course has no effect on her at all.

  “What? Am I lying?” she retorts, clearly amused.

  Embarrassed, I flash my eyes over to the man in my doorway. Sean winks at me as he answers Jill before I even get a chance to open my mouth.

  “Unfortunately for me, my employer met her first, so I missed my chance,” he says, flashing his pearly whites at Jill.

  “Speaking of my employer, I have to go and do what I am paid to do.”

  He turns to me and says, “Oh, and he will be pleased to hear about the idiotic grin thing.”

  I feel my cheeks heat up in mortification. Both Jill and Sean are grinning widely, clearly enjoying my embarrassment. We both tell Sean goodbye and start to turn to go back into the house.

  “Hey, when did you get a new car Rae?” Jill inquires as she notes my brand new looking vehicle.

  I sigh heavily and fill her in as I lead her into the living room.