Dr. Attending (Midtown Memorial #4)

7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Weston

She’s on her way.

I read the message and then re-read it to make sure I’m not hallucinating.

I felt terrible when I had to text Parker this morning to tell him that I wouldn’t be able to come to his wedding this weekend. It’s a step in the right direction for our friendship and while I appreciate the hell out of the invitation, my son’s safety comes first.

When I took my car in yesterday for a quick tune up, they told me that the side door airbags had just been recalled and the replacement part wouldn’t be in for another few days.If I had childcare, I probably would’ve brushed it off and made the drive to Virginia anyway. But my parents are out of town, and I didn’t want to deal with the hassle of trying to find a rental car during a holiday weekend. Plus, the thought of making the trip alone with Carter was somewhat daunting, so backing out almost felt like a relief.

Until Parker called me and refused to accept no for an answer. He simply told me that I was coming, and that Caroline would pick us up on her way out of town this afternoon. I’m not sure what he said to convince her, considering she loathes me, but I guess I’m about to find out.

I type back an appreciative response before glancing down at my son. He’s been hanging out in his high chair for the past ten minutes, watching me like a hawk as I pack his snack bag.

“Yes, I remembered the puffs. You ready to go?”

Carter flashes me a toothy grin as he bangs his hands against the plastic tray table like he’s giving me a drumroll.

I have no clue how he still has energy since we’ve barely slept all week. But then again, his last lateral incisor finally pushed through overnight so he’s probably just thrilled that he’s not in pain anymore.

I press a kiss to his rosy cheek and scoop him up, making my way to the front of the house.

My jaw nearly drops to the floor as I round the corner and see the pile of bags laid out by the door because it looks like we’re leaving for a week rather than a few days.It’s possible that I might have gone a little overboard when I was packing, but since this is my first overnight trip with him, I’d rather lug around too much than risk forgetting something essential. When you think about it, how many diapers are too many diapers, really?

Carter babbles something incoherent, and I grin. “I know, buddy. You think daddy is crazy too, huh?”

As I’m adjusting him on my hip, my phone vibrates to notify me that there’s movement in my driveway. I glance out the window, spotting a familiar black Audi Q5 rolling to a stop.

I give the bags by the door one last glance, mentally ticking through the checklist I made this morning. Wipes? Check. Extra clothes? Check. Snacks for the road? Check. His favorite pacifier that he refuses to go without? Check. I’m probably forgetting something, but most of the small stuff can be picked up at a local grocery store if necessary.

I open the door and watch as Caroline walks toward us, her focus glued to her phone as she furiously taps the screen.

It’s been two years since I last saw her—two years since I got to enjoy the look on her face when we’d spar back and forth. The way her nose would wrinkle in frustration, or her full lower lip would thin as she pulled it between her teeth, fighting to keep her temper in check.

You’d never know it because of how much I messed with her back then, but I always felt weirdly protective of her. Even at eighteen, she was the one person who never fell for my bullshit—it was refreshing, and I’ve always admired the hell out of her for that.

“Hey, princess. Thanks for the ride,” I say, leaning casually against the doorframe as I purposely resurrect the nickname she used to hate.

I can’t remember the origin of the nickname, exactly, but I started it the first summer I spent at their lake house, and it kind of stuck around from there. When we grabbed drinks, Parker mentioned that they still call her that occasionally, and it made me smile because I know it means she’s forced to think of me, even when she doesn’t want to.

Caroline stops mid step, rolling her full lips between her teeth like she’s holding herself back. Her sapphire-blue eyes snap to mine, and for a second, I forget how to breathe because she’s the same woman I remember, but somehow completely different at the same time.

Her dark brown ponytail is pulled back so tight that it highlights every sharp angle of her high cheekbones. Her beige tennis dress flutters against her long, toned legs as she moves, and all I can think about is how stunningly beautiful she is.

When I first met her, she was full of stubborn fire and unamused scowls—Parker’s kid sister who was too smart for her own good and immune to my charm. But now, as she holds my gaze like she’s challenging me to say something else, I realize something I should’ve seen long ago.

Caroline Winters isn’t a princess.

She’s a goddamn queen.

“I’m going to kill my brother,” she sneers, turning on the heel of her bright-white tennis shoe abruptly.

I’m about to call after her as she storms down the stairs, assuming this trip is already a lost cause. But she turns and throws a dangerous glare over her shoulder. “Let’s go, asshat. We’re already late.”

I chuckle as I look at my son who is also gawking at the stunning woman walking away from us.

“Don’t let her scare you, buddy,” I say, loud enough for her to hear. “She likes to pretend she hates me, but we both know she secretly has a thing for daddy.”

Carter giggles as I grab his car seat in my free hand, following behind her at a safe distance since she’s been known to throw things at me when she is feeling particularly feisty. And considering she clearly didn’t know about her brother’s grand plan, I’d say she’s already left the feisty station and is headed full speed toward Angertown U.S.A.

Caroline doesn’t look up as I approach the car, still muttering under her breath as she moves things around her trunk to make room for our assortment of bags.

I give her some room and open the back door, freezing as I set the car seat down on the tan leather interior because I have absolutely no idea how to install this thing. I left the base in my car because I assumed that it wouldn’t be that hard to use the seatbelt method.

Turns out it is.

It almost looks like the buckle should feed through the opening at the bottom and click into place, but the more that I think about it, that doesn’t seem secure.

I take a break to buckle Carter first, hoping that a little extra time will help me work through the mechanics of where everything should go.

It doesn’t.

So, I try my first idea and attempt to feed the seatbelt through the bottom. I tug on the side when the buckle clicks into place, but I feel myself frown because it still doesn’t look right.

“You’re a surgeon, and you can’t figure out a car seat?” Caroline’s silky voice cuts through my haze of confusion. “Haven’t you done this a million times?”

My mouth twitches, wanting to smile despite my frustration. She hasn’t changed one bit.

I straighten and turn to find her standing behind me with her hands on her narrow hips. She looks like she can’t decide whether she should be concerned or amused by my incompetence.

To be fair . . . neither can I.

“I haven’t had to,” I answer, tossing the same tone back to her that she used with me. “And I was almost there, but you interrupted before I could finish.”

Caroline’s thin brow arches in challenge, like she knows I’m talking out of my ass.

“Go on then,” she says, crossing her arms like she’s settling in for a show.

Damn.

I should have known she would call my bluff—that’s one of the reasons I’ve been drawn to her since the day I met her. She’s always seen straight through me.

I look back at the car seat, hoping that it’ll magically transmit the answer for what’s wrong into my brain. The instructional image on the plastic looks identical to what I just did. The level on the side is centered. Aside from pulling out my phone to watch a help video, I’m not sure what else to try.

Fortunately, Caroline doesn’t make me pretend like I know what I’m doing for long.

“Move,” she drawls, her tone just as fiery as her touch as she pushes me aside. “I’ll do it. Go get your stuff.”

I blink for a second, distracted by the warm tingle on my arm where she pressed into me.

That’s weird.

I shake it off and step back, watching her for a second too long as she bends down to undo everything I just did.

“You know, you’re kind of hot when you boss me around.”

As soon as the words are out of my mouth, I regret them. Sure, I might have been thinking it, but thinking something inappropriate and saying it are two very different things. Especially when the person I’m saying it to is Parker’s sister.

Caroline doesn’t reply. She simply reaches one arm behind her and straightens her middle finger as she continues to work on the car seat.

I grin as I head toward the house.

Caroline was always a grounding force—someone who would put me in my place without batting an eye. I’ve wondered if that side of her would transform over the years as life inevitably beat her down, but I’m glad to see that it hasn’t. She’s just as fierce as I remember.