The Nature of Love (Love in the Spotlight #3)

Chapter 3

Three

I stared at my reflection in the full-length mirror. The black evening gown was my go-to for events such as this. The lace top created a whimsical impression while the satin skirt—complete with pockets—maintained a professional look. Adding some black drop earrings completed the picture. I could now attend the governor’s dinner.

Why the man called it a dinner when the event was more of a who’s who and a scratch-your-back networking association was beyond me. Then again, titling the event a dinner gave an idea of what was to come. Over a four-course meal, Governor Jankowski would thank people and honor them by handing out certificates for various accomplishments—volunteering, model citizen, best business, et cetera. Attendees would network around the dinner tables before and after the awards ceremony.

It was utterly exhausting.

Still, I had sent in my RSVP, which meant I had to paste on a fake smile and prepare to sob internally while the night dragged on.

I grabbed my black-glitter clutch, checking to ensure my ID, credit card, and lipstick were inside. The small canister of mace was a just-in-case precaution I’d yet to use but always carried with me. Flicking the light off, I strode out of my bedroom, down the wood-floor hall, and out the front door of my condo building.

The governor’s house was in Denver, so I had about an hour and a half—depending on traffic—before I arrived. A mindfulness podcast would help keep my mind in a serene state. It didn’t do me any good to get anxious as I drove north to the capital city.

Halfway there, I turned off the podcast and selected my ’90s diva playlist. It held songs from powerhouses like Janet Jackson, Mariah Carey, and En Vogue. Maybe listening to the artists belt out songs about love would empower me to walk into the mansion confidently, without fear that someone would recognize me as a fraud.

Because did I, an orthopedic surgeon, really deserve an invitation? Yes, I’d saved the governor’s son’s leg, but any doctor would have done the same thing in my position. I just happened to be the one assigned to his case. That didn’t mean that I was any more deserving of recognition than the next surgeon.

Plus, I really hated schmoozing with the elite. I simply wanted to sit on my chaise lounge with a glass of red wine—keeps the doctor away—and talk to my sister on the phone. I hadn’t spoken to Ellynn in a couple of days. Since Ellynn had had her youngest in March, my niece’s evening nap time had become when we had our talk sessions. Our calls coincided perfectly with my work schedule. If Ellynn failed to connect, then it was most likely because her oldest daughter or husband vied for her attention.

I couldn’t complain, but at times, loneliness made me want to speak into the void, “What about me?”

Again, I couldn’t complain. I’d set myself on this course. My focus had been on getting into med school, becoming an orthopedic surgeon, then becoming the best. Now that I’d won a few awards implying as much, my life seemed to be ... adrift.

I sighed and shook my head. No melancholy when Mariah was singing “Always Be My Baby.” I pushed my thoughts aside and attempted to match my voice to Mariah’s higher octave. Yeah, good thing I was the only one in the car.

After I entered the driveway that ran alongside the governor’s mansion, I exited my car in the full demureness that hid my internal shaking. The valet nodded, and I followed the other well-dressed visitors entering the brick home.

I gave my name to the gatekeeper, who, unfortunately, let me proceed. I scanned the premises, searching for someone I recognized. Correction, knew. I recognized many of the faces—an actor from Yellowstone and a country star who sang “Settle for a Slowdown”—but didn’t actually know them.

Remember to breathe deeply and center yourself. You put bones back together and occasionally save lives. Surely you can chitchat with celebrities.

Instead of taking the words to heart, my mind’s eye searched for exits and potential rooms in which to hide to gather my breath and escape the noise.

“Erykah?” Disbelief coated a man’s voice.

A familiar voice.

I turned to my right, and a slight gasp escaped me. It was the man from the Skirted Heifer.

“Christian?”

“Chris,” he reminded while sliding his hands into his tux pockets.

My mouth dried as he stepped closer. How did his blue eyes shine brighter? He’d cleaned up his facial hair and turned his beard into a goatee. Without the beanie on his head, I could see the thick, perfectly groomed hair on top. My pulse skittered.

“I thought Chris was only used by your friends.” I swallowed. Did my voice hold a breathless quality?

“I could use a local friend.”

Heat filled my cheeks, and I glanced away. “How do you know I’m local?”

“You live in Colorado, right?”

My gaze found his once more. “Yes.”

“Then you’ve got a leg up on my other friends. They’re out-of-staters.”

“Oh.” Oh? That’s all you’ve got, Erykah? But considering my clammy palms, oh was a step up from silence.

Christian tilted his head. “What are you doing here?”

“I was invited. You?”

“Same.”

“Oh.” I groaned inwardly. I needed to learn how to talk without using medical jargon or barking out instructions.

“Can I get you something to drink? Do you know what table you’re sitting at?”

I shook my head. “I don’t.” I blinked. “I mean, I would like something to drink, and I have no idea where I’m sitting.”

“Well, let’s solve both problems, huh?”

“Okay.” Was it sad I wanted to applaud myself for not saying oh once more?

I followed Chris toward the bar, where he ordered a club soda and lime— yuck —and then turned my way. “What would you like?”

“A Roy Rogers, please.”

Chris chuckled. “No Shirley Temple?”

“I’m not a lemon-lime fan.” I’d much prefer adding Coke to any mixed virgin drinks than a Sprite.

“So first we meet at the Skirted Heifer and now the governor’s mansion.” He stared into my eyes. “What are the odds?”

“Wild, right?” I forced a laugh even though my emotions were stuck in my throat.

Because seriously, what were the odds? I’d never seen Christian Gamble before in my life, and in a matter of a week, I’d run into him twice. And in the most random places!

“How did you enjoy your burger?”

“It was perfection.” I smiled. Burgers were neck and neck with mountain pie. No one could beat Colorado-style pizza.

“How often do you go there?”

I arched a brow. “Were you looking for me?”

“Maybe.” Chris glanced away, taking a sip of his club soda.

A thrill shot through my middle, my curiosity piqued. “How many times have you gone back?”

“I plead the fifth.” His lips curved.

Oh. My. Word!

Were we flirting? It felt like flirting, but I was solely judging this moment on the movies I’d watched. I almost felt like Sanaa Lathan in Something New . Though Chris wasn’t a white guy like the hero in the movie, something told me we were still opposites in every other way.

“Maybe the restaurant is a guilty pleasure and I don’t go that often.”

“But something tells me that’s not true.”

I pursed my lips, hoping to stay the grin threatening to form. “What if I like mountain pies more?”

“Do you go to Molly’s Mountain Pies?”

“Are you from Colorado Springs?” He knew the spots, but now he was here in Denver.

So are you, girl. Right. We were both out of our natural environments.

“Answering a question with a question?” Chris smirked. “Okay. I was born there but don’t currently reside in the city.”

“Then what made you choose the Skirted Heifer?”

“My work is in Colorado Springs, but I live in Woodland Park.”

“Oh.” That was a thirty-minute drive. “You commute in every day?”

Chris shook his head. “No. I’m a wildlife conservationist and run a nonprofit. Sometimes that means I’m in-house doing admin work or educational outreaches. Other times, I’m out in the wild for a variety of reasons.”

“Clever use of words.” I didn’t know what else to say.

“What about yourself? You said you’re a surgeon. Do you have more days in the OR, or do you have to do admin work equally as much?”

“It varies as well. I have days devoted to paperwork, days when I’m visiting a patient before surgery or after if they require a follow-up, then there are the OR days.”

“Do you work a lot?”

I took a moment to think. “Not really. I’m an attending, so my time of staying in a hospital all hours of the day and night are over. I’m on a pretty regulated schedule now.”

“Do you like routine?”

“Yes.” I studied him. “You don’t?”

“Not at all. I don’t like to be still.”

Another personal tidbit of his filed itself away in my mind. There was something about Chris that made me comfortable. Sure, I’d started out awkward, but the more we talked, the more relaxed I became. Was it because he’d asked about work, or did something about the man himself put me at ease?

“What’s an average day look like for you?” I asked.

“Average, huh?”

I nodded.

“It looks like me going into the center and checking on the animals that live with us either permanently or temporarily. Usually, I feed them breakfast unless a staff member has beaten me to the office. Then I answer emails, make phone calls, fill out grant paperwork or whatever funding details I need to. Then we do classes with schools and homeschooling co-ops.”

“Really? What kind of animals permanently reside with you?” His job fascinated me. I couldn’t imagine hanging out with animals all day long. The longest amount of time I’d spent with an animal was dissecting animal cadavers in college. Make sure you keep that to yourself.

“Well, there’s Kimble, the ferret.”

I chuckled. “A Kindergarten Cop fan?”

“Yes!” His eyes lit up. “My staff is too young to catch the reference.”

I groaned. “When did we become middle-aged?” At least I assumed he was around the same age as me.

“Probably around the time we stopped listening to current music.”

“It’s trash,” we said simultaneously.

The sound of our laughter mixed so harmoniously I stopped, breath catching. When had I ever had a moment like this with a man? My stomach clenched, and I stepped backward.

“Uh, I think I’ll go find my seat now.”

Chris glanced around the place. “Good idea. Maybe we’ll be seated next to each other.”

Please no. I couldn’t sit next to this man and attempt to schmooze whomever else was at the table. My mind would be too focused on cataloging how his eyes crinkled with delight or the way he smelled. If I said mountain man , would every woman on the planet understand that was a total swoon-worthy scent? How could I sit next to Christian Gamble and keep my wits about me?

Erykah, you’re an award-winning surgeon. Of course you can keep your cool. Remember the self-control that envelops you in the OR? Focus on that for the dinner. Surely one man won’t weaken your resolve as you network.

Except I’d been talking to him nonstop from the moment we caught eyes.

Sounds like the perfect meet twice. Because our meet cute was officially over the love of burgers.

Too bad I couldn’t text Ellynn and have her save me from myself. But like all the times before, I would gather my inner strength and do what needed to be done. And right now, Operation Stay Away had commenced. Satisfied with my plan, I walked around the round tables until I found my name ... right next to Chris’s own placard.

We were seated right next to each other.