by Hazel Parker
“I’m so excited,” Jess said with a big smile.
“Please tell me you’re planning to shave for the wedding,” Eva said.
Jess crossed her arms over her chest. “Eva, you know how I feel about shaving.”
“It’s just one day!” Eva threw her hands up in frustration.
“Hair is natural,” Jess said, squinting at Eva with frustration. “Bodies naturally grow hair. I see no reason in shaving it all off because of societal constraints. Phil knows everything about me and loves me. Hairy or not. So no. I will not shave just because it’s my wedding day.”
Eva sighed but didn’t respond.
“Thanks for asking,” Jess said with tight lips and ended the conversation by putting a sushi roll in her mouth.
Talking ceased as they began to eat and commented on how good their sushi was or handed plates around to share.
When the majority of the food was consumed, Corrine signaled for the check. "I hate to say this, but I've got to get going, ladies."
"Oh no, it feels like we just got here," Jess said.
"I know, but if I stay any longer, my tits will explode," Corrine said.
Eva laughed and stood to hug her sister. "I can understand that. Godspeed, new mamma."
The waiter brought separate checks and everyone paid up.
Jess stood too and hugged Corrine. "I was serious about my offer to babysit. If you need a break or something, you just call."
"I will take you up on that soon. Date night has been on the schedule for a while now," Corrine said, hugging her tightly.
The sisters hugged, picking on each other or reminding the other of something. Corrine hugged Sarah and whispered, "It's time you found someone. If this hot doctor makes a move, go with it. You deserve love and a career, too."
Sarah knew of all the sisters Corrine was the sincerest. She was happily married with a daughter but took her time getting to where she was. She hadn't been in any rush and was the last of her friends to settle down.
"Thank you," Sarah said.
The girls walked out together and hugged once more on the way to their cars.
"Sarah, you want a ride somewhere?" Eva asked.
She was the only one without a car and preferred walking. It was a bit out of character, considering Jess was the tree-hugger but her car was electric.
"No. I'm going to do some last-minute shopping,” Sarah said.
“Okay. Be safe,” Jess said. “Bye, Sarah.”
“Bye Ducky,” Corrine said, climbing into her SUV.
“See you around, sis,” Eva said, throwing her leg over her motorcycle.
“Bye guys,” Sarah said, waving until every vehicle was out of the parking lot.
Even though they gave her hell sometimes, Sarah loved how she felt when they were together. It was hard with four girls growing up, arguing over boys, makeup, clothes, and attention with their parents. They weren’t close as children, but now, older and on their own, Sarah valued every moment they spent together. Even though they sometimes were at each other’s throats, spending time with her sisters was the best way for Sarah to spend her time and after a stressful week, it rejuvenated her spirit.
Sarah left the sushi restaurant feeling fulfilled and content. Even with all the ribbing. With a small smile on her lips she crossed the street to a plaza with her favorite store and went in. She needed new pants.
"Welcome to Lululemon. Please let me know if I can help you with anything," the sales woman, helping another woman, said.
Sarah nodded, approaching the pants table, and grabbed a color she liked. The dressing room wasn’t locked so she let herself in to try them on. Sarah whipped off her shirt and stood in her sports bra and examined her body in the mirror. Fit like a glove as usual. Another color might be in order though as she reached for the lock and unlatched it to grab one other color.
HOLY SHIT.
Doctor Struthers was standing there staring at her. In shock, she stood there a moment, not moving and feeling that heat of attraction in her stomach and pure dread. She felt her face turn red as she smiled shyly and tried to think of something to say. The door beside her opened and a little girl bounced out.
"Daddy, I love this one," she announced. "Can I have it, please, please, please?" she begged.
Tearing his eyes from Sarah, he looked at the small girl and said, "Give me a twirl." She gave him a 360-degree view and, satisfied, he said, "Yes."
She hurried back into the dressing room, perhaps afraid he might change his mind, and Danny returned his eyes to Sarah. Unable to take his gaze from her, she realized he had the upper hand and didn’t care to hide just how attracted he was to her. His eyes started at her face and slowly trailed down her body. She could feel the heat of his eyes as he lingered on the bare skin of her abdomen and then returned to her face. She blushed even harder and spouted, "I just need a different color," she said grabbing another pair not even sure they are the right size.
"I like what you're wearing," Danny said as she ran back into her dressing room and hugged the pants to her chest totally freaking out.
Totally forgetting about the second color, Sarah redressed and tried to compose herself to come back out and face Doctor Struthers.
Chapter 10
Sarah stared at her red face in the mirror and tried to calm herself. Doctor Struthers had just seen her half-naked. It was mortifying but also a bit of a turn-on because it was clear he liked what he saw.
She started to pull her pants on, balancing on one foot and as she slid her leg in, she lost her balance and fell into the wall with a loud thud. The situation just got more embarrassing.
"Are you okay, Sarah?" Danny asked.
Mortified, Sarah responded, "I'm fine. I'll be right out."
She needed to get herself together before the situation got any worse.
Re-dressed, she took a deep breath and opened the door. Danny was standing in the same place smiling and, of course, she blushed again.
"It's cute how you blush like that," Danny said.
Not knowing what to say, she asked what he was doing there. "What are the chances that we’d cross paths in Lululemon?"
"It's Molly's favorite pastime," Danny said.
“She’s a real girlie girl, huh?” Sarah said.
Danny chuckled. "Yeah. We have a deal that if she saves enough for half of an item, I cover the other half."
"Wow. That's very responsible," Sarah said.
"It would be fun, but she spends two hours in here trying on everything and I have to be careful. Last time, I said ‘yes’ without realizing the back was missing from the shirt. Daddy learned a lesson. Now I make sure she gives me a twirl before I say ‘yes,’" Danny said.
Danny was incredibly sweet. She didn’t understand how this hot dad could be single. She knew he was single because the nurses’ gossip was strangely accurate. He was hot, sexy, and wielding that damn grin. She was practically swooning and was saved from saying anything because his daughter came jumping out. She immediately started talking to Sarah.
"Hi! My name is Molly. What's yours?"
"I'm Sarah," she said, holding out her hand to shake. "I work with your dad."
"That's awesome. Nice to meet you."
"Not as awesome as you are. Your dad told me your Saturday plans. I'm jealous. I wish I had someone who took me shopping. It's nice to meet you."
"No, you don’t. If he's buying, he gets to say ‘no.’" Sarah laughed—the little girl had a point.
"Well, I hope he doesn’t say ‘no’ all the time."
"Only sometimes," Molly said.
"Then I think it's worth it, right?" Sarah asked and Molly nodded.
Unsure what to say next, Sarah was about to excuse herself, but Molly interrupted. "Do you like milkshakes?"
"Doesn’t everybody?" Sarah asked.
"We were just going for milkshakes. Why don’t you come with us?!" The girl had enough energy for both of them.
Sarah was unsure what to say. Instead, she looked at Danny. Danny grinned, that grin she couldn’t resist, and she said, “OK. I'd love to."
Chapter 11
Bobby Jo’s Diner was a little place off the side of the road in Tampa that had the best milkshakes ever. It was exclusively ice cream in various servings from waffle cones, root beer floats and ice cream sundaes. Molly and Danny frequented the place for milkshakes made with the strangest mixtures. This time Molly was feeling daring as she ordered a caramel candy apple and red velvet cake milkshake. Danny went simple this time in ordering an Oreo milkshake and Sarah ordered a pumpkin spice one
Sarah followed Molly into a booth and sat her huge glass of milkshake down, excited to try something new. She leaned forward and took an enthusiastic suck of her milkshake. Her eyes closed and she let out a moan of pure pleasure that reached across the table and got Danny’s attention.
Sitting across from Danny she listened to Molly talk a mile a minute. Sarah getting a totally clear picture of her little life.
“Wow. That’s really interesting,” Sarah said, keeping up with the conversation. “So she said that you couldn’t play because your hair isn’t blonde?” Sarah asked.
Molly nodded with so much force her hair flopped into her face. “Yes!”
“And what did you say?” Sarah asked, leaning forward to rest her chin in her hand.
“I told her I didn’t want to play with her anyway, then,” Molly said, throwing her hair back behind her shoulder.
“Good for you. Her loss. That’s a bad reason to not play with someone. But I remember school was like that when I was a kid too,” Sarah said, smiling with empathy.
“But you have blonde hair,” Molly said, reaching forward to finger a strand of hair that had gotten loose in the front from her braid.
Sarah nodded and said, “Yes, but I had glasses. You had to have it all to play with the popular girl’s in my class. Blond hair, pretty face and you had to have a boyfriend.”
Danny caught the slight look of shock on Molly’s face and couldn’t help himself from asking. “You have a boyfriend, Molls?”
Molly shook her head and leaned forward so her face was hidden. Sarah smirked and Danny continued talking. “Good. You’re too young for a boyfriend. You can’t have one until you’re thirty.”
Sarah giggled and changed the subject again. “You don’t need blonde hair to be pretty, Molly. I like your hair,” she said, reaching forward to push a strand of Molly’s hair behind her ear. “It’s very pretty.”
Danny sat back to sip on his milkshake, enjoying the fact that, for once, he wasn’t on the other end of Molly’s famous musings. The girl could talk. His eyes wandered to Sarah and his brain reminded him of the image of Sarah in nothing but a sports bra and skin tight pants. Her body was beautiful and the vision of her in front of him caused some stirring in his pants. He reached forward to adjust himself under the table to focus.
He remembered holding her in the supply closet and feeling her breast against his upper abdomen. He wanted to kiss her right there but he missed his chance. Being honest with himself, if she was any other girl he might have tried to fuck her right there in the closet. Clearly, the thought was inappropriate, but hot nonetheless.
His eyes focused and caught Sarah’s eye as she continued listening to Molly. She smiled at him and he felt flutters in his chest.
Fuck, she was so gorgeous.
He couldn’t remember being truly attracted to a woman since Kim and Sarah was so good with Molly. Everything about this moment was fantastic except that one little fact that she was a nurse on his unit. God damn, life was so cruel. Her being a nurse was great. One on hand she understood what his work was like and his hectic schedule. She was always around and they could work together. Suddenly he caught himself thinking of all the places he could do her at work. His erection was fully raised under the table.
He had to get it together. Now was definitely not the time nor was this the place.
The waitress came around again and asked if they were ready for the check.
“Yes, ma’am,” Danny said.
“Great,” the waitress said with a smile. “Will it be separate checks?”
“Yes,” Sarah said at the same time Danny said, “No.”
Danny turned to her and smirked. A woman that was willing to pay for herself—he liked it, but he wasn’t a total ass. Usually women had no trouble spending his money on dates, especially knowing he was a doctor. Not that this was a date or anything but he did invite her and it was getting pretty late. “No, ma’am,” Danny reiterated. “One check, please. I’ll get it,” he said, turning back to Sarah.
“Thanks Danny. I’ll getcha next time,” Sarah said without thinking. Mortified she just implied there was a next time and stumbling her words now to try to cover up.
“Next time sounds good Sarah,” he said with a grin and saving her from herself.
Oh my God when will this be over? This is pure torture. I am such a moron.
Danny glanced at his watch. It was 4 p.m. and his glancing at the watch made Sarah check hers. “I’d better get home,” she said.
“Where do you live?” Molly asked.
“Not too far from here,” Sarah said, smiling at the little girl.
“Can I come over to see it?”
Danny could see Sarah wasn’t sure what to say. Once again, his daughter left her speechless and Danny was enjoying every fucking minute of it. He winked at Sarah and awkwardly she said, “Sure…”
Chapter 12
Molly continued talking in the car about everything, ranging from how great her milkshake was, her shopping trip was, how much she wanted Sarah to meet a girl named Liza, to a new book she was reading. Sarah listened while growing more nervous the closer the car got to her apartment. She couldn’t remember the state of her apartment before she left and worse, she knew her apartment would be about the size one of Danny’s bathrooms. He was loaded and she knew he lived in a posh area of the city. She wasn’t just putting her insecurities on him either. He was driving a gorgeous Audi and she was a starving student just finishing nursing school, living on savings from a waitressing job and a small monthly allowance from her parents. Sure her place was fine but it was definitely nothing fancy.
Sarah climbed out of the car and looked around, trying to see it through Danny or Molly’s eyes. The outside of the apartment was clean though bare. There was nothing decorative. Everything was function. Cement sidewalks, tan apartment walls outlined in chrome and a glass door that only opened with a code. She walked forward without talking, her feet feeling heavier with every step she took towards her door. In the elevator, Molly asked if she could push the button.
“Sure,” Sarah said with a smile. “I live on the third floor.”
The elevator dinged loudly, alerting them they were on the third floor and Sarah unlocked the door to her apartment, peeking into her space quickly before opening the door all the way.
“Well, this is it,” she said.
Danny didn’t comment as he followed her inside, which furthered her insecurity. She wanted to know what he was thinking.
“This is cute,” Molly said, walking around the perimeter, taking everything in. “I love it.” Molly peeked out of the window that barely had a view of the sidewalk beneath them and the apartment building across from them. “Can I see your room?”
Sarah was seriously being tested with this fireball of a seven-year-old. Even though she asked, Molly was already in Sarah’s bedroom, walking through the open door, and Sarah followed her, silently thanking God she remembered to make the bed that morning. Mortified, she ran to grab the few lace bras she left out to dry and shoved them in the first drawer she could open, which happened to be her nightstand drawer. Sarah could feel her face turning red and she decided to take control. She couldn’t believe how her day was ending.
“Come on, let me give you a tour of the kitchen,” she said.
Together, Sarah and Molly walked back out to the main room where the kitchen and the living room were. Danny was standing by the small TV, looking at the pictures of her standing side by side with her sisters and their parents.
“Daddy, I’m hungry,” Molly said, walking towards him to stare at the picture as well.
“Me too, kiddo, we will grab some supper soon,” he said.
They hadn’t ordered food at Bobby Jo’s since at the time Sarah was still full of sushi and Molly only wanted a milkshake.
“Can we order in?” Molly asked.
It was Danny’s turn to look unsure and, not wanting to kick them out since she was actually having a good time, Sarah considered letting them stay.
“Do you mind?” he mouthed and she nodded no, even though she just ate sushi and a giant milkshake.
Molly jumped up and down with excitement. “Pizza! Pizza!”
“Pizza it is,” he said. “Are you okay with a meat lovers?” He directed the question to Sarah.
“Sure,” Sarah said.
He walked out of earshot to order the pizza on the phone as Molly turned on the TV.
“Can I watch cartoons, Sarah?” Molly asked.
“Sure, I think that’s channel 10.”
Once sure Molly was on a channel with children-friendly cartoons, Sarah went to the kitchen where Danny was finishing up their order. “I hope you like cheese-stuffed crust,” he said, slipping the phone in his pocket and leaning back against the kitchen counter.
“I hope you ordered a lot, because I can crush a whole pizza,” she said, winking at him before leaning against the counter opposite of him.
He looked shocked. “I somehow doubt that.”
She giggled. “I might surprise you,” she said.
He smirked and in the companionable silence she felt more comfortable than when they’d first arrived.
“Can I get you anything? Soda? Beer?” Sarah asked.
“I’ll take a beer,” Danny said. She pulled a six pack of craft beer out and held it outstretched to him to pull one out while he smiled at her choice.
