The Love Doctor

by S. W. Andersen

"Perfect." She slapped Allie on the back and tossed a thumb over her shoulder at the griddle. "Now get to flippin', sweet cheeks. You know I don't like burnt cakes."

  "Yes ma'am."

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  Sofia groaned and rolled over to escape the persistent rays of late morning sun. Rapidly blinking away the sleep, hazy green eyes soon found their focus. She felt good. A pleasant, yet complete surprise given her solemn mood the last few days. Perhaps she was finally through that rough patch. There would undoubtedly be more moments in life when she'd spiral downward, but it was comforting to know she could find the light again.

  And why wouldn't she? Life was good. She was healthy and happy and she'd found a rewarding career. Why waste another day?

  She jumped from bed with a new start, stretched her limbs, and strode with purpose toward her daily dose of coffee. Few things were better than a coffeemaker with a timer. Best money spent ever. With Captain Janeway mug in hand, she picked up her tablet from the end table, then paused to look at her wedding photo hanging on the wall—a nearly daily tribute. Her joy fell away, replaced by longing.

  "Hey, beautiful. I miss you. I hope you've met Elvis and Buddy and Michael." A somber laugh led a tender touch to Kylar's smiling face. Kylar had promised to party it up in heaven with all the late, great rock stars—something Sofia prayed was true, as the thought had made their parting a sliver less painful.

  Despite it all, defaulting to a memory of their special day—the moment they'd said "I do"—had a way of bringing her back to happiness. "Catch ya later," she said, then walked out onto the balcony.

  It was a perfect Miami morning, the kind Kylar would've loved. The sea breeze kissed her skin as she sipped from her cup and read the morning news, glancing up now and then to admire the sun sitting atop the palms. She could just make out the glare of the ocean from her apartment. One of these days she'd move closer. Or higher. The beach had always soothed her soul and whether it was walking, laying out, or just staring at it, she always found peace.

  Looking at the time, eleven o'clock, the beach would undoubtedly be packed, but what the heck? It would be a great beach day. She picked up her phone and sent off a quick text to Reyna. In a matter of seconds, she received an enthusiastic response, smiling at the fact her friend was already there and had room for another.

  Thirty minutes later, Sofia stood at the edge where the street met the crushed shell sands of Miami Beach. Rey's lime green over-sized umbrella stood out like a beacon among the multitude of colors spackling the golden sand. With a smile and some pep, she approached with bag and cooler in hand, ready to relax the day away in the sand and surf. As she grew closer, her steps slowed. A second pair of long, well-muscled, fair-skinned legs stuck out from the shade beside her best friend's lengthy olive ones.

  Who could it be? Reyna rarely ever laid out with anyone besides her. She rounded the umbrella and stood slack-jawed as she stared at the two women lying side by side. "Runa?" She glanced at Reyna, whose shoulders rose to her ears as she offered a sheepish grin.

  "Hi, Sofia." Runa waved with a smile, oblivious to the awkwardness. "It's a gorgeous day, isn't it? I love Miami."

  "Yes…it is. I love it too." Sofia set her bag down beside Reyna, but couldn't take her eyes off the sculpted abs and lean, fitness model form of their client in a black boy short-style bikini. She'd always thought Reyna to be near perfection in the body department, but Runa, long and strong and toned just right, was definitely akin to the pictures of goddesses she'd seen in books. Reyna had sure nailed that analogy.

  "Good to see you, Runa. Glad things are going well."

  "Hey," Reyna said low and soft, treading with caution. "Runa had called about meeting before her next date," she explained, as if offering proof she hadn't forgotten the rules of their business. "We got to talking and found out she was just down the beach from me, so I invited her over. I hope you don't mind?"

  Smooth, Rey. Sofia schooled her face so as not to give away her frustration with being put on the spot. She grabbed her towel and rolled it out to buy time. Could she really say, "Yes, in fact I do mind? Please leave." Of course not. Even if she did mind, very much. But really, it wasn't the fact that Runa was here, necessarily. She liked Runa. It was more the fact that Rey hadn't given her a heads-up and that they had never met with clients outside of specific work-related meetings.

  How many other times had Rey blurred the lines?

  Satisfied with the placement of her towel, Sofia looked up and smiled. "Of course not," she finally answered. She kicked off her flip flops, then unbuttoned her white short-sleeved beach blouse to reveal a teal bikini top that matched her board shorts. She sat down facing the two women. Compared to them, she almost felt overdressed and out of shape. She was no slouch, working out regularly and enjoying watersports, but geez, those two could give a girl a complex.

  "So good." Runa rolled over on an elbow and tipped her glasses atop her head. "You two are amazing." Her smile beamed like the sun and her blue eyes dazzled, sparkling a little extra when they shifted from her to Rey. "Thank you, both."

  "That's what we're here for, right, Sofia?" Reyna's swallow was visibly hard. Her cheeks tinged a bit darker.

  Interesting. "Yes, it is," she replied while staring at her friend. "I'm glad to hear it." Sofia turned her attention to Runa. "So, when's the game?"

  "Tuesday night. I love hockey."

  "Runa used to play hockey. She was really good too."

  "Oh yeah?" The fact was intriguing, but even more so was that Rey had already known. How much talking had those two done?

  "Yeah, I lived in New York for a while. It was kind of a big deal there. I did well, but down here, it just wasn't the same. I still love it though. I'm a Rangers girl at heart, but I root for the home team too. Allie doesn't really get hockey, so I'm hoping to get her to see it in a new light."

  "I'm sure you will, Runa. And don't forget the tickets I gave you."

  "Oh, I won't. Allie can't get enough of hair bands, so it will be a big hit."

  "I miss the eighties," Reyna said with a heavier than necessary sigh.

  "You were three when they ended." Sofia laughed and Runa chuckled along with her.

  "So what, old lady? I can appreciate the classics."

  "I'm only two years older than you, but yes, you do love classics. I think everyone loves the eighties."

  "Right?" Runa chimed in with exuberance. "I wish I had grown up in them. Seemed like they had a fun vibe. It still brightens my day to hear those songs. In fact, we should listen to them now." She turned, grabbed her phone, and tapped the screen.

  "Sounds like a plan to me. Now we just need mimosas," Reyna added, frowning slightly.

  "Gotcha covered." Sofia clicked her tongue, then opened her cooler.

  "Oh man, you ladies know how to do the beach up right." Runa reached across and high-fived them both.

  Some eighties one-hit-wonder Sofia couldn't recall suddenly blasted from Runa's phone. She laughed out loud. Runa definitely had an energy about her that was free and easy. It was enviable in many ways and something she hoped the woman could hang onto if the relationship with Allie didn't work out. She knew all too well that losing the love of your life had a way of stripping you bare.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  Allie rushed around her office finishing the last of her work. She didn't want to be late picking up Runa. After talking yesterday, they'd decided it would be easier for her to swing past Runa's apartment. Runa would have had to fight traffic to get across town, only to go back that same way to the game. Her eyes located the clock on the wall again. The twist and turn of nerves in her belly grew with every ticking second. There would be no focusing on work. Not anymore.

  Is this a date? I don't think it's a date. But does Runa think it's a date? Do I need to bring it up? What if it was a date? Would that be a bad thing? We had a good time the other night. If tonight goes well, should I see about going out somewhere again? What if we did date and we got serious and
then she found out I couldn't fold a fitted sheet? Would it be a deal breaker? I mean, I just ball them up and shove them in the cabinet for crying out loud.

  Ugh, seriously? Too much thinking, Allie.

  That had sure spiraled quickly. She threw her folder onto the desk and blew out a hard breath. Dammit! The tornado of confusion was all Kat's fault. "Just relax," she'd said. "Runa's your friend. You've known her for years. There will be other people from work at the game. There will be no expectations. Just go and have fun."

  Some fun this is. And it's only just begun.

  It was one of those days she wished she kept a bottle of liquor in her cabinet like many of the guys. A shot sure sounded good about now. As if a bottle would magically appear, she opened her bottom drawer. Damn, still empty. An exhausted breath forced its way from her lungs. With another glance at the clock, she decided it was time to go. She quickly changed into the dark jeans and red t-shirt she'd packed. Her boss had assured her casual attire would be fine. After all, many of them would be wearing jerseys. At least that was one less thing to worry about. Before she could dwell on anything else, she grabbed her bag, double checked for tickets and her parking pass, and then headed to her car.

  Thirty minutes later, she pulled up to Runa's apartment. Before she could turn off the car, Runa bounded out of the complex doors like an excited puppy carrying a shopping bag in her hand. Dressed in blue jeans, sneakers, and a jersey, a gigantic smile adorned her face and grew brighter as she approached. All worries faded from Allie's mind. She sure is happy to see me. It was…nice. Not to mention unexpected.

  Runa pulled the door open and leaned inside. "Hey, Allie."

  "Hey." Her own smile grew without effort and the coil of doubt in her belly relaxed. "You sure are happy to go to a hockey game, aren't you?"

  "Hell yeah, but I'm also happy for the company."

  A tinge of warmth flushed Allie's cheeks. Kat's words of warning flashed before her eyes. "Well, uh…" She cleared her throat. "Get on in here so we can catch warm ups."

  "Great. Oh, I got you a little something."

  "Me?" What it could be?

  "I figured you didn't have one since you don't like hockey, so…here." A brief moment of indecision held Runa in place before she pulled a team jersey from the bag and handed it over.

  Eyes wide, Allie asked with awe, "This is for me?" And it's red, my favorite color.

  Runa tugged her bottom lip between her teeth. "Mhm."

  "I've never had a team jersey before. Thank you, Runa." Allie's smile was honest and something warm bubbled in her chest. Not only was the gesture sweet, but with those blue eyes staring at her with such adoration, it was hard to remain unaffected.

  "You're welcome. Thanks for inviting me. And I promise, by the time we're done, you'll have a whole new love for the game."

  "We'll see about that." Again, Allie smiled. Runa made it easy to do. She undid her seat belt and pulled the jersey over her head. As she buckled back in, Runa settled herself on the passenger side. A moment later, they were on their way.

  Traffic was worse than expected, but they made it with half of the warm up time still left. As the pair entered the corporate box seats, a wide-eyed Runa walked right up to the front to check out the view. Allie stared at her as she went, but didn't miss a few of her co-workers checking out her date...err, her friend. It was no secret she preferred the ladies, so a few even offered her a wink and a thumbs up of approval, to which she merely rolled her eyes. Deep down though, it felt good to have someone by her side who was not only beautiful, but could hold her own. She'd done beauty over brains before and the lack of substance left her feeling empty.

  Before the office slime ball, Drake, could make his way to Runa, Allie intervened with a light touch on her back and an offer of a drink. Runa smiled and nodded, holding Allie's eyes for a long moment until she turned her attention back to the ice. Allie's grin gave way to a slack jaw as she backed away, confused and intrigued by the mix of feelings bombarding her in the moment. Excitement. Caution. Happiness. Fear. The emotions rose and fell in her chest like a bad day at the stock market.

  Drinks. I should get drinks. Yet, she found herself rooted in place staring at the woman three feet away. She was curious to see where the sudden fondness would take her, though nervousness kept poking its head in, keeping her in check. Remember, tread carefully, Allie. As if her dedicated gaze had tapped Runa on the back, she craned her neck over her shoulder and their eyes locked again. Allie nearly choked, but returned the smile aimed at her and willed her feet into motion.

  As the game wore on, Runa explained more and more, including rules and strategies. It wasn't until the second intermission that Allie realized how close they were sitting and took note of the casual touches they'd been engaging in. It hadn't felt uncomfortable though. Not like she thought it might. They actually fit pretty well, all things considered. There may not have been a "BAM" moment, but it had a natural feel—something she found herself enjoying. If only she could figure out whether or not their connection was real or just a side-effect of the way Runa looked at her. Probably zero chance she'd have the debate settled before Runa came back from the bar.

  Right on cue, Runa returned with two beers in hand, offering one to Allie. "How ya doin'? Am I boring you with all the hockey talk? I get a bit…overly enthusiastic about the sport. Well, most sports, actually."

  "No, not at all. I've learned a lot. The game is more fun than I thought, and honestly, I do love the fights," Allie replied with a chuckle.

  "Yeah, people do love the fights." Runa sipped her beer. "It's much better live too."

  "Very true. Did you get into fights when you played?" Runa had always been tall and had probably been an intimidating presence in pads, despite the shy nature she'd had in her youth.

  "I've been in a few, but then I became a goalie and that was that."

  "I see. You kept playing hockey down here too, right?"

  "I did, but it wasn't as competitive back then. I mean, ice hockey in Florida? It wasn't the sport of choice here. So, I turned to other activities."

  "Like what?"

  "Dance and basketball, but I wasn't any good at basketball." She rolled her eyes. "There's not a word for how bad I was," she added, ending with a cross between a snort and a chuckle.

  Allie smiled, enjoying the tidbits from Runa's past. Sad to believe she didn't know much about her after all these years. "Were you good at dance?"

  "Better than basketball." She laughed and Allie couldn't help but follow. "I really preferred competitive sports though. Since I was tall, I gave volleyball a try. I wasn't too bad at that, but…I don't know. It just wasn't right for me. I didn't love it."

  "I get that." Allie kept finding herself staring at the woman whose smile brightened whenever their eyes met. She tipped her beer to Runa in a toast. "Here's to finding things we love," she said with unintended intensity, her eyes still locked with brilliant blues.

  Her heartbeat stumbled over itself. All breath froze. She hadn't meant…that came out…well…she'd meant that as an overall toast to happiness, but was it really so farfetched that it could happen with Runa?

  The answer was a long way off. Lost for what to do next, she took an abnormally long pull from her beer. Hopefully, Runa hadn't read too much into it. The redness creeping into her cheeks, however, said otherwise.

  Shit. She didn't want to lead Runa on, but she was interested enough to maybe, possibly, try a real date. But love? Maybe it could happen, right? They always say it's when you least expect it.

  The buzzer to start the third period startled Allie from the circle of insanity going around in her mind. Runa was slow to move her attention to the ice and Allie mentally kicked herself for making things awkward. That little voice urging her to explore chimed in again, silenced only when Runa broke in to explain the penalty that had been called. Allie admired the clean angles of her statuesque profile as she spoke, then extracted herself from her trance. The rest of the game, she watched
and listened and absorbed as much as she could, slowly accepting that she had found some affinity for the game, and the woman she was sitting beside.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  Following a long work day preparing their five-year plan and meeting with a new client, Sofia and Reyna decompressed at O'Malley's. They had lucked out finding Sofia's favorite seat at the end of the bar beside the patio—the only place you could enjoy the sea breeze, make an easy exit, and still see all the televisions. Sofia avoided the one with the hockey game. Instead, she used a familiar distraction, a game they used to play years ago. The duo spent the evening analyzing the single people and how they'd help them get a date, while chatting up Smitty and indulging in a few of the new craft beers he'd gotten on tap.

  Runa had sent several text updates from the hockey game, including one saying Allie had accepted her offer to the concert. It seemed she had easily broken through the barrier with Allie. Good for her. Now it was just a matter of time to see whether or not their relationship could progress as desired.

  As the evening grew late, Rey excused herself, but Sofia stayed for one last drink. Even though it had been a good day, she wasn't ready to go home yet. The fingers of her right hand touched the vacant spot her wedding ring had once occupied. The gesture left her feeling no less naked than the first day she'd taken it off—five years ago come August 30th. I should probably stop keeping track of that date. She moved from her finger to her chest. The cold metal beneath her touch brought some sense of relief, but only made the idea of going home even less desirable.

  With her glass nearly empty and no further excuses available, Sofia finally accepted the inevitable. "Smitty, let's settle up my tab. I think it's time to call it a night."

  "Sure thing, Sofia." The bartender slid her bill over and moved on to the next patron.

  She pulled the cash from her wallet, including a healthy tip, as always, and set it on the bar. With one last, long swig, she emptied the remainder of her mug, but as she lowered the glass, she nearly choked. In the middle of the room, looking every bit as breathtaking as the first time she'd laid eyes on her, stood the woman haunting the corners of her mind. Red really is her color.