Chapter Thirty-One Emily
Chapter Thirty-One
Emily
Flowers were everywhere, just like the last time Gavin had them delivered to my wing at the rehab center.
But this time they came with a card, and every nurse and patient knew they were for me.
And this time, there were even more of them.
There were so many, I put a vase in every patient’s room, on each table in the cafeteria, and I sent bunches home with the staff.
Gavin was trying to make my last day here as memorable as possible, and he certainly did. The only downside was that I wouldn’t be here tomorrow to enjoy the roses, but it made me smile to think my colleagues, some who I’d spent the last seven years with, would get to enjoy them.
“I’m going to miss you,” my charge nurse said as she pulled me into her arms once I’d collected my things from the nurses’ station, the rope that kept her glasses on scratching against the side of my face.
“No crying.” I leaned back to look at her. “You promised.”
“I can’t help it. We’ve been through a lot together, girlfriend. A marriage, divorce, two kids, a new relationship for you. Shit, that’s a whole lifetime.”
“This isn’t goodbye.” I held her hands. “This is I’ll be back in a couple of weeks to bring you all lunch. Besides, I’m not going anywhere. I’ll still be in Boston. You can text me for all the reasons and haul my ass out for drinks.”
“Don’t think I’m not going to.”
“You better.” I winked.
I gave her another hug and I made my way around the unit, saying goodbye to the people who I’d shared so many shifts with, even some who had been working my first day here when I was still a mess over Sarah.
And when I got outside, Gavin’s SUV was parked directly by the door.
Denis smiled at me through the window, getting out to open the back seat. “Good afternoon, Emily. How was your last day?”
“Sad. Emotional.” My shoulders lifted. “But perfect.”
“I’m sure they’re going to miss you.” He patted my arm.
I peeked into the back, Gavin’s handsome face smiling at me from the farthest seat. “What are you doing here?” I couldn’t hide my grin. “I thought I was meeting you at home?”
“Surprise.”
My hand gripped the doorway. “Don’t you have meetings all afternoon?”
“I canceled them. The office can survive without me.”
I laughed as I slid in, Denis closing the door behind me. “Can they, though? With Jordan on the road so much, they need you there to hold things down.”
He pulled his phone out of his suit pocket. “That’s what this is for.” He wrapped an arm around the back of me and hauled me toward him. “If I want to pick up my girlfriend from her last day of work, nothing is going to stop me. Not employees, meetings, or any of my brother’s unhandled bullshit.”
I moaned a little while he kissed me. “I know I already thanked you for the flowers, but thank you again. I can’t even express how gorgeous they are. You’re the most popular person at the rehab center right now. Don’t be shocked if you get fan mail.”
He chuckled. “You’re welcome.” He held the back of my neck. “You’re doing okay?”
Something he’d asked me at least every day since my connection to Sarah had been discovered. He just wanted to make sure my mind wasn’t going back there, drowning myself in a blame game that occasionally still returned.
I couldn’t say those thoughts were fully gone. They never would be. But hearing Gavin’s side of the story absolutely made me feel better.
I nodded. “It’s been an emotional day. I didn’t cry, so that’s a bonus, but it was hard to say goodbye to everyone.
That place has been like a second home to me.
” I ran my hand over the buttons of his shirt, feeling his muscles beneath.
“Maya popped in and brought lunch. She’s in town for a day, I guess, before she meets your brother somewhere. It was awesome to have her there.”
“Did she say where she was meeting him?”
I shook my head. “No. Why?”
“Just curious.”
He was up to something.
My brow furrowed, and I shifted my focus to the windshield. “Denis, why aren’t you going in the direction of home?”
“You know he’s not going to answer you,” Gavin said.
I sighed. “Denis, at some point, you’ve got to give in a little and lean toward Team Emily.”
Denis laughed. “I am Team Emily. I have been since the very first time I took you home. But I’m loyal to the man who signs my paychecks.”
I turned toward Gavin. “I have an idea. Maybe my monthly contributions should help pay Denis’s salary. That way, this SUV is equal territory.”
“Denis’s salary is two hundred and fifty thousand. Are you going to give me a hundred and twenty-five to cover your share?” He smirked.
“Damn! That’s what you make, Denis? I’m in the wrong field.”
Both men laughed.
“I expect a lot out of my team, and they’re compensated for it,” Gavin admitted.
“He’s the best, I get it, and he’s worth every penny.” I smiled at Denis through the rearview mirror. “But seriously, you two, why does it feel like we’re going to the airport?”
Gavin’s hand lifted to my cheek. “Because we are.”
“Is Ben meeting us there or something?”
“Ben’s not coming on this trip.” His fingers lowered to my chin. “It’s just going to be us.”
I stared into his eyes, looking for answers. Not that it ever helped. The man was like a lockbox—the only way to get information was for it to come out of his mouth. “How long are we going to be gone? I’m going to miss little man.”
He shook his head. “You’re not getting that info out of me.”
I looked over the seats—there were two suitcases in the back. “One of those is for me?” I glanced down the front of me. “Since the only thing I have is the scrubs on my body and some lip gloss in my purse.”
“You know I’d never take you anywhere and not bring what you need.”
I played with the back of his dark hair. “You take such good care of me.” I loved that about him. The constant thoughtfulness whenever we did something or went somewhere. “So why did you choose today to run away?”
He ran his hand over my thigh. “We have something to celebrate. Yesterday you weren’t able to fly away with me. Today you can. Tomorrow you can, too, and every day going forward. Of course, we wouldn’t leave Ben that much, but now we have the flexibility to go wherever, whenever.”
“Hold on a second, mister.” I tapped his chest. “I’m going to be working for Dr. Kaplan, let’s not forget that. I’m not going to be totally unemployed.”
“Ah, but Dr. Kaplan is different. That’s a work-as-you-want kind of gig.”
“And I plan to work. Lots.” I gave him an evil smile.
He held my neck, tilting my face back, biting his lip before he replied, “That’s up for negotiation.”
There was a black American Express card in my wallet that Gavin had given to me with the instructions to buy whatever I wanted, to never ask, and to use it for everything.
I had no intention of using it for everything or anything.
But the man endlessly made me feel spoiled, and he made it clear that he really wanted to take care of me.
“Kiss me,” I ordered.
As he did, I felt the SUV slow, and when our lips separated, I saw Denis pulling into the airport, going through the locked, armed gate of the private wing where Gavin’s jet was stored.
And that jet was quite a sight—all black, incredibly sexy, and waiting on the runway. Denis parked beside it and opened the door to the back seat.
I climbed out first, just as he was saying, “Have a wonderful trip. I’ll see you both when you get back.”
I thanked Denis, Gavin did, too, and we ascended the steps of the jet.
Gavin led me toward the back and lifted some folded clothes off one of the seats. “An outfit for you to change into.”
I took the pile of soft cotton, giggling at him. “Do you ever forget anything?”
“Not when it comes to you.”
I gave him a kiss and brought the clothes to the back of the plane in the bedroom, shutting the door before I quickly removed my scrubs and put on the leggings and oversize off-the-shoulder top.
When I returned, the flight attendant was placing drinks on a table in front of the couch Gavin was sitting on.
“I’ve prepared a glass of wine for you, Ms. Wren,” his flight attendant said as I joined him. “I’ll be serving some light snacks per Mr. Worthington’s instructions once we’re in the air. Is there anything aside from water that I can grab you in the meantime?”
“No, this is perfect. Thank you, Gretta.” I picked up the wine, Gavin holding his scotch. “Cheers to a surprise vacation that I know is going to be amazing.”
Would I ever get used to this life? This way of travel? I doubted it.
Once he clinked my glass, I added, “I’m guessing Maya and Jordan are meeting us, since they’re not on the plane?”
“In a few days, yes. We’re going to Jordan’s home in Windermere Island in the Bahamas—I’m sure Maya has told you about the place.”
“She has.” I folded my legs in front of me. “She said it’s extra dreamy.”
“Dreamy, huh?” He smiled. “We’re going to have a few days to ourselves before we fly there to meet them.”
“And where are we spending those few days?”
His brows rose. “Do you want me to tell you?”
“Hmm.” I took a drink of my wine. “How about I take a guess.”
He loosened his tie and removed his jacket, Gretta delivering two bottles of water before she disappeared again.
“Go for it,” he offered.
“There’s a part of your life you haven’t shown me yet. A place you spent a good amount of time in. A place I want to see and a place I think you want me to see.” I set the glass down. “I think we’re going to Tampa.”
“That’s your final guess?”
I nodded. “Yep.”
He held my face. “In a little over three hours, you’ll find out if you’re right.”