Everything I Hoped For

by Ann Christopher

  “See? Perfectly G-rated,” he said.

  She laughed. “Well done.”

  His eyes shone at her. It seemed like a real possibility that they’d lapse into another bout of mutual staring, but he snapped his fingers.

  “Before I forget to ask, how is your little car accident patient with the lacerated liver?”

  She grinned, both at his interest in her life and career and at the memory of the drowsy and angelic little girl she’d just left upstairs.

  “You remembered.”

  He looked vaguely offended. “’Course I remembered.”

  “She had a bleeding complication in the night, but her color was good on morning rounds, so I’m hoping she’s turned the corner. She’s adorable. Excited because her family just got a puppy.”

  He nodded with unmistakable satisfaction. “I’m sure you’re taking good care of her.”

  “I’m trying.”

  “This is a lovely hospital.” He glanced around with approval. “Everyone here is so kind and eager to make sure I’m not lost. Three different women pointed me in the right direction.”

  She shot him an incredulous look. “If you think those women wanted to help you out rather than come in for a closer look, then I’ve got a nice river nearby that I’d like to sell you.”

  He grimaced, flushing and looking sheepish.

  “Right. Well, thanks for that.”

  Laughing, she decided to let him off the hook before he expired from embarrassment. She pointed to the white shopping bag he carried, which was from Java Nectar, the local coffeehouse.

  “What’s all that?”

  “Breakfast. I thought you might like a change from the cafeteria food. Java Nectar is a nice little gem, isn’t it? They have twin boys, about eight, working there. They’re a bit cutthroat, to be honest. They each insisted on a tip for handing me my cutlery and napkins.”

  “Ah, yes. You met Jonah and Noah. The owner’s sons. Let’s sit over here.”

  She led him to a quiet spot with some modicum of privacy next to a giant pillar and a potted palm. He handed her the drinks and set the shopping bag on the little table between them as they sat.

  There were four coffee cups.

  “Are we expecting someone else?” she asked.

  “Ah, no. I may have, ah, gone a bit overboard. This one’s coffee for you. This one’s decaf for you, just in case. And this one’s English breakfast for you. Also just in case.”

  “No Earl Grey?”

  Poor Anthony looked so crestfallen that she didn’t have the heart to tease him.

  “Just kidding,” she said quickly. “I hate Earl Grey. I’ll take the English breakfast.”

  He snorted out the laugh of a good sport. “English breakfast. Well played.”

  “I strive. You’re very thorough.”

  “Or perhaps a bit manic. I didn’t want to get anything wrong, so I brought, well, you can see—”

  She peered in the bag. “Bagels. Scones. Danish. Yogurt—”

  “All busy surgeons need their protein.”

  “—fruit—”

  “And their vitamins.”

  “—and, yes, a couple of egg sandwiches.”

  “Just in case you eat like a lumberjack. Do you see anything you like?”

  “I like everything,” she said, touched by his effort as she smiled across the little table at him. “Thank you.”

  He’d been distributing napkins, but now he stopped and stared at her, arrested.

  “Can I tell you something?”

  “Yes.” Her heart thudded. “Of course.”

  “You’re beautiful.” He hesitated, the tips of his ears turning bright red. “And I’ve really missed you. So that’s two things, isn’t it?”

  Funny. She felt spectacularly beautiful with those vivid blue eyes sparkling at her that way. Just like any other woman in the throes of a new crush. She didn’t even feel the urge to smooth her hair and make sure the side of her face was covered. But she was no goddess and the moment felt far too meaningful for this early in their relationship.

  Naturally, she reached for her default defense mechanism.

  “Is it the bags under my eyes? The unkempt hair? The complete absence of makeup?”

  “It’s you,” he said flatly.

  She gaped at him, her entire vocabulary abandoning her.

  God, this man.

  He caused such a sweet ache in her heart.

  The stern warning she’d given herself earlier—it’s just a quick breakfast, girl; don’t lose your head—flew right out the atrium windows. With a quick glance around to make sure no one noticed, she half stood, leaned over the table and kissed his eager lips. She’d meant for it to be a quick peck, but his hands swiftly came up to cup her cheeks, holding her there long enough to elicit a helpless coo of pleasure from somewhere deep inside her.

  When he let her go, his lips were dewy and smiling, his eyes heavy-lidded.

  “You definitely don’t think I’m as big an arse as you used to,” he said with unmistakable satisfaction.

  “Eh,” she said, grinning. “Let’s see how you did on the bagel and cream cheese selections, shall we?”

  “Fair enough.”

  They got settled, picking out their food and prepping their drinks. Then she pulled out her list, unfolded it with a flourish and laid it on the table.

  “Uh-oh.” He eyeballed it warily. “What’s all this?”

  “My questions for you. Since I’ve been forbidden from looking you up.”

  He made a face around his bite of egg sandwich. “Can I eat first?”

  “No! Question number one: where did you go to school, and what do you do career-wise?”

  “Perhaps you’d like a copy of my résumé?”

  “Clock’s ticking,” she said, tapping her watch.

  “Eton. Cambridge. The Royal Military Academy and my training. Overseas for a bit. NYU Law.”

  “Hang on. You’re a lawyer?”

  “I’ve never practiced. I wasn’t quite sure where I wanted to settle, and then I sort of fell into what I do now. I help my, ah, grandmother with her charity work when she needs it, which is quite often these days. Especially the foundation.”

  “What does the foundation do?”

  “Provides medical care for underprivileged children worldwide. Primarily in Africa. I thought Baptiste had told you at least that much about me.”

  “Oh, that’s right!” She snapped her fingers. “You’re the friend of his who’s always looking for doctors willing to volunteer.”

  “Right. That’s how I knew about you.”

  “Knew about me?” she asked blankly, sipping her tea.

  Anthony stiffened. His expression slid into distinctly I’ve said too much! territory.

  “Yes, well…” He tugged on an earlobe. “I had, ah, glanced at your bio and watched your videos before I met you the other night.”

  Wait, what? He looked her up online?

  “You did?”

  “You might as well know the whole story. Before Nick blurts it out in his ongoing campaign to embarrass me at every opportunity.” There was a long pause while he drummed his fingers on his knee, took a deep breath and stared her in the face with those vivid baby blues of his. “I was very keen to meet you, to be honest. I thought there was something about your eyes. I mean…There is something about your eyes.”

  Melody’s brain blanked out. Something about her eyes?

  When he had the most striking blue eyes that God ever conferred on a human being?

  The possibility that a man like this would be excited about meeting her was far too thrilling and overwhelming to meet head-on.

  “It’s the scrubs, isn’t it?” Not bothering to hide her incredulity, she swept a hand down her body with a flourish. “You knew how sexy I’d look coming off a long shift with no sleep, didn’t you?”

  He stiffened. There was an awkward pause while something in his face closed off, causing a corresponding and painful twinge in the
area of her heart.

  He shook his head and looked across the atrium. Tried to smile. Failed miserably and looked back at her.

  His eyes weren’t so bright and sparkly now. They were subdued and muddy.

  Her heart fell.

  “Here’s the thing,” he said softly. “I’m not charming like Nick and Baptiste. I’m not a flirt. It takes a fair amount of courage for me to admit something like that to you. Maybe you shouldn’t be so quick to dismiss it.”

  She opened her mouth. Floundered.

  Ultimately decided to meet his honesty with her own difficult confession.

  “Men don’t lose their heads about me, Anthony. I’m not that girl.”

  His gaze never wavered.

  “Let me assure you. You are absolutely that girl.”

  She felt the sudden and unexpected flicker of hope.

  They watched each other in a wary silence for a couple of beats. She wished he’d stop bulldozing through every wall she tried to erect between them, then really wished she could tamp down some of her surging excitement.

  He seemed to glow when he looked at her.

  “You’re going home to London tonight,” she reminded him. “I’m not sleeping with you before that. And we have no idea when we’ll see each other again. Maybe you should pump the brakes once or twice and stop looking at me like that. Just to be smart.”

  His eyes crinkled at the corners. One brow eased up. “Smart?”

  “Smart.”

  “Prudent advice. Too bad the door for, ah, pumping the brakes and being smart slammed shut when Baptiste first sent me your information.” He shot her a probing look. “Unless I’m misreading the chemistry between us? It’s been known to happen.”

  Melody veered straight into deer-in-headlights mode, her words disappearing on her again. A plausible denial never even entered the room.

  “Right, then,” he said with a gleam of triumph, reaching for a bagel now that he’d handily won that round. “Where were we?”

  She felt a wild swoop of relief to be released from all that intensity. And she could breathe again, so that was also a plus. But then it hit her.

  “Hang on. How come you can look me up, but I can’t look you up?”

  Anthony smirked. “Unfair, I admit, but rules are rules. And you did agree. So would you be interested in volunteering? We always need surgeons in the field.”

  “Oh, my God.” She pressed a hand to her heart. “I’d love to. And you should also speak to my plastic surgeon and mentor, Dr. Muhammed. She’s the best doctor I’ve ever worked with. She’s on staff at my hospital.”

  “I’ll do that.”

  “I’m so excited! I’ve always wanted to do something like this. But I haven’t had much of a chance yet with my training and all.”

  “Yes, I believe you’ve earned the distinction of having chosen one of the most difficult fields in medicine? With something like nine years of training after medical school?”

  “I’m a glutton for punishment.”

  “But you must love it.”

  “I do love it. Don’t you love your career?”

  He blinked. Made a face. “Love is a bit strong.”

  “Oh. Well, what would you like to do?”

  “I’m committed to this,” he said wryly. “What I’d like to do is irrelevant.”

  She blinked. Having known what she wanted to do ever since she was little, she couldn’t quite get her head around his fatalism. What the hell did he do all day? What was life like when your every thought, wish and dream wasn’t tied up in your dream career or a family?

  “What about practicing law?”

  He flapped a hand. “Not sure that’s still an option. It’s been awhile.”

  “So you’re no longer interested?”

  He opened his mouth. Closed it without answering.

  “Well, you should think about it.”

  “Think about it? It’s not that easy with my current duties.”

  She gaped at him. She didn’t handle ambivalence well, especially other people’s.

  “I’m not telling you to build a rocket and fly to the moon. Didn’t you just say you have a law degree from NYU? Don’t you know some people you could talk to about it? What’s the big deal? You’ll never have a great career unless you get started. You’re burning daylight.”

  “Burning daylight?” He seemed disconcerted. “Now you sound like my father.”

  She shrugged. “Smart man.”

  Anthony scowled and looked down at his bagel, his eyes sliding out of focus. He showed all the signs of a man who was stuck between what he wanted to do and what he thought he should do.

  Maybe it was time for a bit of motivation.

  “You know what’s really sexy?” she said, taking great care with spreading the cream cheese on her bagel. “A smart man who works hard and engineers the life he wants. Nothing’s a bigger turn-on than that. You didn’t bring any jam, did you?”

  His attention snapped back to her face.

  She channeled all the limpid innocence she could.

  “Are you challenging me?” he asked gruffly.

  “Is it working?”

  He thought it over. “I believe it is.”

  She felt an immense wave of satisfaction. A man like this could rule the world if he wanted to. She knew it. “Good.”

  “You’re quite a piece of work, Dr. Harrison,” he said, eyeing her with a wary new respect. “And don’t try to get me off topic. The question has to do with you working for my foundation.”

  “Right. So should I fill out an application, or…?”

  “Absolutely not. You’re hired.”

  Her heart leapt. “Are you serious? Easiest interview of my life!”

  “Yes,” He grimaced at her list as she picked it up again for a quick perusal. “If only I could say the same. How am I coming on your questions? And what is the precise position I’m under consideration for?”

  “Potential recipient of my affections.”

  He laughed. “Sounds delightful. Fire away.”

  “So do you have brothers and sisters?”

  “Just me. You?”

  “An older sister. Carmen lives in the city. And my parents live in Chicago now. All doctors.”

  He looked aghast. “What, all?”

  “All.”

  “What a collection of overachievers! I think my father took a page from their book. My whole life, he’s pressed me to work harder and do more. Whatever that is. No accomplishment is ever good enough.”

  “Is that why you and he don’t get along?”

  His expression darkened. “It’s in the top ten reasons, yes.”

  “And your mother?” she asked, determined to steer the conversation back into waters that didn’t make him look so severe.

  Wrong move. A storm cloud drifted over his face and settled in.

  “They split when I was ten. Then she was, ah, killed. When I was thirteen.” His lips thinned. “Bad fall while skiing.”

  “Oh, no.” She pressed a hand to her chest. “I’m so sorry to hear that.”

  He nodded, making a game attempt at a smile even though his attention seemed far away. “She introduced me to the work with the medical foundation. Took me to Africa when I was twelve. Life-changing experience—”

  “Well, well, well,” said a sardonic male voice with a French accent. “What have we here?”

  Startled, Melody and Anthony glanced around to discover Baptiste and Samira standing there watching them with identical expressions of stunned delight.

  10

  Samira and Baptiste both looked very chipper this morning, their faces alight with keen interest to discover Melody and Anthony together and, unless Melody was much mistaken, excitement about something else.

  Anthony quickly stood to shake Baptiste’s hand, then kissed Samira. “You’re looking much better today.”

  “I’m feeling much better.” Samira gave Melody a veiled what the hell is going on and why didn’t you tell me? lo
ok as she leaned down for a quick hug. Melody tried not to blush too hard, but that was like trying not to get a sunburn when you lay out on a Bermuda beach all day. “And what’re you two fine folks up to?”

  “I would say they’re on a date,” Baptiste said, now all but levitating with mischief as he gave Melody a double-cheeked kiss. “That’s what it looks like to me.”

  “Just a quick breakfast.” Melody, who wasn’t quite ready to define or discuss her blossoming relationship with Anthony with anyone, decided that the best defense was a good offense. “And what are you two doing here?”

  Baptiste and Samira exchanged a shifty look.

  “Nothing,” Samira said quickly. “I just had a quick checkup to, ah, make sure everything’s okay. With my stomach.”

  “If I didn’t know any better,” Melody said without thinking, reaching for one of the Danish, “I’d think you were pregnant and had an ultrasound appointment or something.”

  Her little joke was met with wide-eyed astonishment from Baptiste and Samira. Melody put the Danish down, a growing suspicion now crawling over her nape. Baptiste turned to Samira. Gave her a silent beseeching look. Samira sighed, rolled her eyes and nodded.

  Melody’s bottom jaw clanged to the table.

  Anthony looked up from peeling open his yogurt, frowning.

  “What’s going on?” he asked carefully.

  “We are pregnant!” Beaming, Baptiste whipped a glossy strip of ultrasound photos out of his pocket and flashed them in their faces. “Look at this! The baby has a very strong and loud heartbeat! I think it’s a boy.”

  “Let’s get one thing cleared up,” Samira said. “We are not pregnant.” She pointed back and forth between herself and Baptiste before jerking her thumb at herself. “I am pregnant. Never say that again.”

  “I am also partially pregnant,” Baptiste said quietly, with more than a tinge of defiance.

  “No, you’re not,” Samira and Melody both said.

  They all laughed as Melody and Anthony surged to their feet to hug and kiss the parents-to-be.

  “Oh, my God,” Melody said, her mind effectively blown. “I can’t even… I can’t even…”