Chapter 7
Laney
I so wasn’t ready to be back in New York.
I’d landed six hours ago, but part of my brain was still in Italy.
My first shift at the hospital was tomorrow, so today was my last day of freedom.
I planned to spend it with my best friend.
I was excited to finally see her place. I’d bought her a huge-ass present and couldn’t wait to see her expression when she saw it.
It was a professional espresso maker by a famous Italian brand.
My friend was even more addicted to coffee than I was.
I swear that in the time I’d been in Rome, I’d forgotten how tiny my apartment was.
It had a small bedroom and a slightly larger room that doubled as foyer and living room.
My kitchen was in a closet. I’d been so grateful to just move in this little cubicle of an apartment when I’d first arrived.
A fellow doctor had just vacated it, and it had been fully furnished, so all I had to do was move in with my luggage.
The best thing about the apartment was that it was two blocks away from the hospital.
The Liberty was in the East Village, and I was happy that I didn’t have to commute at all, given how early I had to be at the hospital.
Before leaving, I called my parents, checking in on them. I’d also bought them an espresso machine and had mailed it from Rome a few days ago. It still hadn’t arrived.
“Darling, the photos you sent us are amazing,” Mom said.
“You would love the city. The whole of Italy, honestly.”
“So… I couldn’t help but notice a hunk of a man in one of your pictures.”
Instantly, I felt my lips stretch into a grin. I’d sent the pic we took after our lunch in the Colosseum. I’d known Mom would quiz me about it but sent the pic anyway.
“He’s a friend of Isabelle’s. I just showed him around the city.”
“He’s a hunk,” Mom said.
“Gloria,” Dad admonished.
“What? I’m just calling it like I see it.”
“Darling, we love you. When you’re ready to move on, you will do so on your own. Without pressure. From anyone.”
I could practically feel Dad glaring at Mom.
I laughed, running a hand through my hair.
About a year after I lost Ryan, Mom started campaigning for me to go out and meet people…
move on. They’d loved Ryan, taken a liking to him from the get-go.
They’d like Cole too. Actually, I was sure that Ryan would even have liked Cole.
Deep in my heart, I knew she was right. But deep in my heart, I also didn’t know how to move on. How did people do that? I still had that dull ache in my chest. For a long time, I didn’t even really notice men in that way… until Cole.
“Dad, it’s okay. I know you both just want what’s best.”
“That we do.”
We chatted about Isabelle for a while, and after hanging up, I looked at the picture of me and Cole. It brought back our crazy climb on the stairs and our run-in with the guard, and well, I couldn’t tone down my smile. And now that I was on a slippery slope, why not also reminisce about the kiss?
I licked my lips. My entire body was warm all of a sudden. I touched two fingers to my lower lip, breathing in deeply. Holy shit, how could the memory of a kiss feel so real?
As I was about to open my front door, I felt my phone buzz in my purse and decided to check it, just in case it was Isabelle, asking me to pick up something for her.
Cole: Hey, doc. How was your first day back at work?
I blinked twice. Wow! If I thought I was giddy before, it was nothing compared to now. My fingers were actually a bit shaky as I replied. My heart was beating insanely fast.
Laney: I only start tomorrow. I wanted to rest today.
Cole: Do you have time to talk now? I want to hear your voice.
I didn’t think my heartbeat could accelerate even more , but it just did. I drew in a deep breath, still grinning. Cole wanted to talk! I was still swooning as I thought about his message.
I want to hear your voice .
I was powerless against this. I couldn’t wait to hear his voice too.
Laney: Yes.
I couldn’t believe I was so giddy just because I was going to talk to him, but giddy I was. Cole, Cole, Cole . How could he affect me so much? I called him right away.
“Hi, Laney!”
I’d always thought the saying “You had me at hello” was silly, but now I was rethinking that.
“Hi!”
“How was the rest of your week in Rome?”
“Great. I had another gelato at that place at the Trevi Fountain just before leaving. How… how are you? How have things been since you’ve been back?”
“Busy, and the jet lag didn’t help, but I’m back on track.”
“Did your family like the gifts?”
“Oh, yeah. They did.”
I laughed, loving the affection in his voice.
“I wasn’t expecting you to call.” I bit my lip, staring at the doorknob.
“Well, technically you did.” His tone was teasing, but I sensed he wanted to add something more, so I didn’t reply. “I’ve thought about you a lot, Laney. Plain and simple.”
Oh, God. I hadn’t expected this, not in a million years.
“Didn’t you think about me?” he asked.
“A bit,” I teased. “Just very, very little.”
“I see. So you didn’t miss me photobombing your pics or carrying you on stairs when your muscles cramped?”
“Hmm… now that you mention it…” Heat coiled through me just at the memory of it.
“The thing is, Laney, I can’t stop thinking about you. You’re on my mind when I’m supposed to focus on calculations, working out at the gym, or just crossing the street.”
My face exploded in a smile again.
“Sounds like I’m very, very dangerous for you.” I was fighting to keep my voice serious, but I was on the verge of laughter.
“You definitely are. But your absence is even more dangerous.”
Melting. Yep. I was utterly and completely melting.
“Cole…”
“I know we said what happens in Rome, stays in Rome, but I want to see you again.”
My breath caught. I hadn’t been prepared for this conversation.
I fiddled with my fingers, pulling at my lower lip.
We’d both had good reasons for not making plans after we returned to New York.
Cole was a free spirit, and I was practically living at the hospital.
My trepidation wasn’t just because of my schedule, but Cole didn’t know that.
If I agreed to see him again, I’d have to tell him everything eventually. I couldn’t do it. I wasn’t ready.
“Cole,” I said gently. “I have some baggage…”
“Want to tell me about it?”
“It’s not something I can easily talk about. You and I going out… I don’t know if it’s a good idea.”
“It definitely isn’t.” The conviction in his voice had me laughing out loud.
“Why do it then?”
“Because I can’t stop thinking about you. And you haven’t admitted it, but I have a feeling that you’re thinking about me more than you’re letting on.”
“Is that so? Presumptuous of you, don’t you think?” I teased.
“I can prove it.”
I bet he could. My toes curled at the promise in his voice.
“Besides, you’d be doing everyone a favor,” he went on.
“What do you mean?”
“Let’s see. Most of my team is avoiding me or scared of me.
My business partner is playing referee because I’ve apparently been on an asshole spree since I’ve been back from Rome.
He was so desperate that he actually asked my sister to find out what was up with me.
We only do that under extreme circumstances. ”
“I sort of figured that out.” I was smiling from ear to ear now.
Cole had surprised me from the evening I met him, but this was on an entirely different level.
I put a hand on my belly, where I felt a strange rumble.
Were these butterflies? I hadn’t felt those in years.
Cole was waking up this side of me that had been dormant.
“I need to see you again. Kiss you. Explore you…”
I gasped, straightening up. A hot current shot through me, straight between my thighs.
“Cole…”
“Just tell me when you have time for a drink or dinner.”
“Let’s see… I’m working four twelve-hour shifts this week… and I’m working one night this weekend.”
“Sounds like you’d benefit from someone taking your mind off things.”
“Well, yes, but after a shift, I usually just grab something on the go and crash as soon as I’m home.”
“I’m very good at taking care of you.”
His voice was deliciously raw. Just like that, I was on fire. And I did want to see him. He’d awoken so many things inside me in the two days we spent together that I couldn’t help wondering what would happen if I saw him again. I had to stop being afraid. I wanted to.
“Fine, Mr. Winchester. Meet me at the back entrance of the hospital tomorrow at 6:00 p.m. I might be late, but hopefully I’ll manage to message you if that’s the case. And then we can do whatever you want.”
“My pleasure.”
Now that I’d taken this leap, I couldn’t wait to see him. Tomorrow was going to be crazy at the hospital, but I didn’t want to give myself too much time—I might chicken out.
After hanging up, I was even more giddy, but I didn’t have time to daydream about tomorrow, because I was already late to Isabelle’s.
The Uber driver gave me the side eye because I insisted on keeping the espresso machine next to me instead of putting it in the trunk.
I couldn’t wait to see my best friend, tell her everything.
I’d told her about my day with Cole in Rome, but this was different. I needed all the advice I could get.
Isabelle’s apartment was in the Parkchester neighborhood in the Bronx, a forty-minute ride from my apartment.
It was really pretty. The buildings were mostly red brick, and they only had between six and ten stories.
The walkways connecting the buildings were full of bushes and trees that were starting to turn green now that spring was here.
I clutched the espresso machine with both hands, pressing the doorbell with my elbow.
When she opened the door, her eyes widened as she took in the box.
“Oh my God. You brought that with you from Italy?”
“Yes, ma’am.”