Epilogue
Two years later
Tiffany was still trying to find her way around the hospital.
Needing a change after her residency at Boston General ended, she transferred to Emory University Hospital in Atlanta.
This was her third week, and so far, things were going well.
She liked the people she worked with, and she loved her condo and Atlanta’s proximity to home.
She didn’t even mind the four-hour drive to Charlotte.
Over the past two years, she’d worked to put her time with Gary behind her.
She was aware of his trial and sentencing.
Although Gary didn’t try to reach out to her, one of their mutual friends had, with a message from him.
An apology. He had truly believed his father’s lie and had since discovered the truth.
That was sad, but it was no excuse for what he’d done to her.
Now all she wanted to do was get on with her life.
She checked her watch. After a long day, it was time to go home. She walked to the staff parking lot, got into her car, and, as usual, followed the exit sign from the parking garage. When she reached the automatic pay station and held up her badge, the lever to let her through would not rise. Dang!
She tried again, and it still wouldn’t accept her badge.
Great! She would just pay, but when the machine demanded a ticket before taking her money, she blew out a frustrated breath, and to make matters worse, a car had pulled up behind her.
She tried using her badge for a third time when suddenly she felt a presence beside her car.
“Need help?”
She tilted her face back to look up into the man’s face. Although it had been nearly two years, his handsome features were ones she doubted she would ever forget. “Antwon?”
He smiled when he seemed to remember her as well. “Tiffany, right?”
“Yes. Small world. What are you doing here?” she asked
“I work here.”
It was then she noticed his doctor coat. “You’re a doctor?”
“Yes. An orthopedic surgeon.”
“Really? That night when I saw you at Mountain-Scape Lake Lodge, you were working in maintenance.”
He threw back his head and laughed. “No. I was helping out around the place. My family owns it.”
“Mountain-Scape Lake Lodge?”
“Yes. Every acre of it. My brother and sisters all followed my parents into the hospitality business, but I wanted to be a doctor. However, when I go home to visit, it’s all-hands-on-deck, and I pitch in, helping in any way that I can. Even if it means gathering up trash.”
“You’re a Bohannon?” she asked. She had gotten to know his brother, Seth, and his twin sisters, Amara and Amaya, during her time there.
He smiled and she felt her tummy flip. His dimples were gorgeous. “Dr. Antwon Bohannon, at your service,” he said, extending his hand out to her. “What about you?”
“I’m Dr. Tiffany Steele,” she said, trying to ignore the tingling sensation she felt when their hands touched. “I transferred here three weeks ago from Boston General when my residency ended. I am in Pediatrics.”
“Welcome on board.” When a car horn blasted, he said, “I think we’re causing a backup. Let me use my badge to get you out.”
“Thanks.”
“That will cost you.”
She chuckled. “Really? How much?”
“As for the price… I just got off and was about to grab a bite to eat. Will you join me?”
“Sure. Where?”
“Rocs in Buckhead. I live in the area.”
“So do I, and I know exactly where it is,” she said.
“Good. See you there in a few minutes. Depending on traffic.” He grinned. When he scanned his badge, the lever automatically went up, and she drove through. She looked back in her rearview mirror and saw Antwon jog back to his car and get inside.
She smiled. Their meeting two years ago had been a chance encounter, and she had thought their paths would never cross again. What a small world.