Chapter 33
33
Justin replayed everything he’d said or done that would possibly draw Aubrey’s attention even more as he headed back to his department. He took a hard left when he saw Fields and Hiller coming up the hallway together again.
Those two assholes were always together. Always had been. And now he’d heard Hiller’s little sister that Doug had wanted so badly was going to marry Fields as soon as they could possibly make it happen.
Damned prick. He understood why Doug hadn’t liked him. And being that Justin and Doug had been friends and together almost as much as Fields and Hiller—people were going to be watching Justin now. It was just a given.
Mandy met him in the hallway outside his office. “Dr. Precious is really pushing things with her little audit, isn’t she? Does she get under your skin?”
He told her a two-word suggestion. He didn’t want to deal with Mandy’s petty bitchiness tonight. Now, if she were to bend over his desk—he could find a use for her. He always could. This woman turned him on, no denying that. Maybe he just had a thing for bitchiness and not the sweet-as-sugar type? Maybe he’d marry a woman like that nurse Eva and keep a woman like Mandy on the side?
He could make it work. And it would be fun to try. Up to a point. He was thirty-four years old. Maybe it was time he did the whole wife and kids thing? Settled down and built the future he wanted? “You want kids someday?”
The words just came out. And hell, she was getting older. She had to be twenty-seven or twenty-eight. She wasn’t getting any younger. Wouldn’t be able to get what she wanted from a man by shaking her tits and ass in his face forever. “Do you?”
“Haven’t really thought about it. But probably one or two. Why? You feeling all domesticated?” She ran her fingers over his chest, toying with the buttons. “Do you love me, baby?”
Hell no. A man would have to be stupid to fall in love with this bitch. But he understood her. And when it came down to it, he wanted what was best for her.
When in the hell had that happened? He… cared about her. Really cared about her.
But was it love? How in the hell was a man supposed to know? Maybe he needed to ask Fields for some pointers. “What would you say if I told you that I did?”
Her eyes widened and her mouth parted. Just a little. Justin leaned in, and kissed her. Just to see what she would do. Her fingers tightened on his shoulders and she pulled closer.
“I’d say you were… off your rocker a little bit.” But her words were soft. “I thought we were just playing around here, Justin. I’m not sure I’m ready for more than that.”
“Maybe you should take a fucking chance? Rather than just sneaking around this place, for the excitement of it. Tell me, what do you want from the rest of your life? You’re what, thirty now?”
“Twenty-eight, asshole.”
“You going to go around being the mean girl bitch of Barratt County forever? What if you had something else to occupy your time?” What in the hell was he thinking here? That the two of them would ride off into the sunset, have a couple of kids together, and live happily ever after?
Not fucking likely.
Still… was there a softer woman side in her? Somewhere?
“Maybe. If the right guy came along, and could give me what I want. I like working at BCGH. I wouldn’t want to do anything boring like be a stay-at-home mom or anything. And why should Aubrey Fisher and Genny Hiller get the fairytale life instead of me?”
“Good question. Aubrey is going to become a problem.” Justin had told Mandy about the inconsistencies in his department before. And his suspicions about Dale, even if Dale worked in Internal Medicine—with Mandy. He should have turned Dale in to the COM. That he hadn’t… Justin was going to face consequences for that eventually. It was just a matter of time.
He didn’t want Mandy anywhere near that shit. They weren’t officially dating or anything but hell… in this moment it sure felt like it. He didn’t want her near Dale for even a moment. But she worked in his department every damned day.
Justin didn’t like that at all.
“Detective Aubrey on the investigation. That woman pisses me off completely.”
Of course, Aubrey did. Underneath Mandy’s vicious exterior was the little girl whose father would berate her and slap her around over every little mistake. It had made her a bit foul toward other women who had what Mandy thought should have been hers.
But he saw through that now.
He saw Mandy for who she really was.