Chapter 4
Chapter Four
SUTTON
“ Y ou are smiling like a fool,” Jameson tells me.
“I am not!” I kick my feet up on the couch as I settle in for my quick, fifteen-minute break. Enough time to scarf down an apple before I head back out into the chaos of the ER at the children’s hospital.
Jameson gives me a cocky smile from across the room as he munches on his own apple. “Honey, I heard about that hot single dad that came in. I’d be mooning over him too if I saw him.”
“I was not. Stop spreading rumors.” I hide my face in my phone, mindlessly scrolling on another social media app I don’t need to be on.
I did my absolute best not to moon over him. But even now, I’m still thinking about his crooked smile. And the way he was with his son. There is nothing that tugs at my heartstrings more than watching a man with his kid.
“At least you’re not sleeping with any of the doctors.”
I twist my face in disgust. “Please. As if I would ever do that and you know it.”
“Not even with Doctor Fanning?”
“Not even with the best looking doctor in the hospital. ”
My life is busy enough being a single mother to my daughter. Lydia is my entire world. After my ex ran off with a poker dealer from one of the casinos, we had to move back in with my mom to make ends meet.
I hate it. But it’s better than having to scrimp and save every penny to make things work.
“It’s why I like you so much.”
“Because I don’t sleep with the doctors?” I look up at Jameson.
He gives me a knowing look. “Because you’re not competition for me.”
“Are you going to give me an update on your big date from the other night?” I ignore Jameson, wanting to get the attention off me and my nonexistent love life.
“I see what you’re doing, but I don’t care.” Jameson stands and comes over to drop down onto the couch next to me. It’s the first time we’ve worked together since his big date, and I haven’t had a free moment to talk to him about it. “That sushi place? Lives up to everything we’ve heard about it.”
He waggles his dark eyebrows at me.
“Ugh. I hate you.”
He slaps my leg. “I’m seeing him when I get off work tonight.”
“So he really could be the one?”
A dreamy look washes over his face. A look I’ve never seen. “God, I hope so. Because that dick of his…”
“Jameson!” This time I slap his leg.
“What?” He throws his hands up in defense. “You asked.”
“Sometimes a lie wouldn’t hurt.”
“Just because you’re only dating your vibrator.”
I laugh, because it’s the truth. “Okay, don’t you have to get back to work?”
Another nurse pops her head into the break room. “Sutton. There’s someone here to see you.”
“What? Who?” I jump up from the couch .
“I don’t know. He said he wanted to thank you.”
He? Could it be Derek? Oh shit. I was not expecting this today.
“What did he look like?” Jameson asks, ears perking up at the information.
“I didn’t get a good look.” She ignores us and heads back to the nurses’ station.
“What if it’s your mystery man?” Jameson waggles his eyebrows at me.
“It’s not.”
“But what if it is?”
I smooth back the flyaway hair from my ponytail, trying to look presentable. “Let’s not get my hopes up.”
Even though butterflies are starting to swarm in my stomach.
Jameson runs to the door, peeking his head out. “Sutton, if that’s him, you need to lock him down.”
“Stop it!” I hiss. I doubt it’s Derek, but if it is, I don’t need him hearing our conversation.
“I’m just sayin’…”
He trails off and I peer out the door around him.
“Holy shit!” I breathe out.
“It’s him, right?” Jameson peers down at me.
“Yes.” I elbow him out of the way. “Now go away!”
“And miss this?”
I point a finger in his face. “If you don’t get back to work, I won’t cover any more of your shifts. And then what will happen to Gunnar and his magic dick?”
“Ugh. I hate you.” He grabs my finger and pushes it back at me. “But if you don’t tell me what happens, I’ll hate you forever.”
“You love me.”
“I don’t know why.”
I duck out under his arm to go meet the man standing in the lobby .
Wow. I do not remember him being this good-looking. Maybe it’s because he was wearing a jacket the other day, but today? It’s a polo that squeezes his biceps just right, exposing a sleeve of tattoos.
“Hi.”
He turns to face me, a smile widening his face. “I was hoping you’d be here today.”
“How’s Troy doing?”
“Good. Trying to milk it for all it’s worth. More dessert. More screen time. Toys. You name it, he’s trying to get it out of me.”
I laugh. “Of course he is. But you’re not letting him, right?”
“Never.” The way he shakes his head tells me Troy’s getting everything he wants.
“Well, I’m glad he’s feeling better.”
“I wanted to pop over before practice today. Give you this.” Derek hands over a piece of paper with three stick figures on it. One has a blue cast on his arm. “Thank you” is scribbled across the top in what could only be Troy’s handwriting. There’s footballs, trees, and…
“What’s this?” I point to a blob in the sky.
“I was told that was a superhero.”
“Interesting take on it.”
“I got an eye roll for even asking.”
“If only we as parents knew what all the blobs they draw mean,” I tell him. “It happens to me on a daily basis.”
“I get that.” Derek shifts awkwardly, shoving one hand through his thick, brown hair. “I did have an ulterior motive for wanting to drop by.”
“Oh yeah?” I cross my arms, careful not to crinkle the sheet in my hand. I have enough papers like this from my own daughter to last me a lifetime, but something about the sweet drawing from Troy makes me want to hang it up in my locker.
“I was hoping to ask you out. ”
“I think that may be against doctor/patient confidentiality,” I sputter out, grasping for some reason to turn him down.
“Does that apply to nurses too?” Now he looks confused.
“I don’t think it does. But I don’t know if it’s a good time for me.”
I want it to be. God, how I wish it could be, but what precious time I do have, I spend with my daughter. She’s the most important thing in my life.
“I have Lydia.”
Derek shakes his head, a smile flirting on his lips.
God, why does he have such good lips? I shake the thought away.
“Sorry, I wasn’t clear. I was thinking you both could come over. She could play with Troy. Make it a playdate of sorts.”
“A playdate for all of us?”
“I do make a mean grilled cheese.” He laughs. “About all I can make, it seems.”
“Break’s over, Sutton. Need you in room three,” Linda calls out.
“Sorry, I have to go.”
“What do you say? Playdate on Saturday?”
I grab a piece of paper from the desk behind me and scrawl down my number on it and pass it over. I’m not missing this second chance with the sexy man in front of me.
“It’s a good thing I like grilled cheese.”