Chapter Twenty-Five
Wren
D aniel peered over, reading the Sunday paper on his iPad, and I felt a huge smile break all the way up to my cheeks.
“What? You have an evil look on your face. What are you thinking?” he asked, raising an eyebrow over his eyeglass frames.
“It’s just, you look sexy like that.”
“If sexy means old, then okay, thanks,” Daniel countered.
“Plain old sexy,” I stated, leaning over to kiss him.
We had been cohabitating for a month, and it still felt a bit like we were playing house. It wasn’t until the second week that Daniel had lived with me that he’d admitted to needing reading glasses. I’m vain , he’d teased when he told me.
“Want to go to the game today?” he asked. “It’s a pretty big game, but I assume you don’t need tickets?”
“The basketball finals, you mean? I usually only go when there is an emergency…”
“Wouldn’t it be exciting to go for fun?”
Over the last month, Daniel had set about pampering me, encouraging me to live life, in between my schedule and his reviewing various whatevers for the studio. I didn’t quite understand the making of a movie, but it seemed like a grueling process.
“It would. Although, it’s one of the biggest games of the year, you know?”
“I do know a thing or two about sports…”
“Ha, ha. This isn’t golf, where you act all sophisticated.”
“I am surely not sophisticated.” He snatched his glasses off and shoved them into the neck of his shirt, kissing me.
Our mouths tasted of coffee and want, but if we went back to bed, it was certain we wouldn’t get out. Breaking free, I said, “I can call over there and arrange it.”
His hand slipped over and took mine in his. “Good. Then we can go to an early dinner before or a late one after? Make it a date.”
“Rourke?” It was so strange…I only had to mention his name and Daniel knew what I meant.
“We’ll come back and let him out in between.”
“You’re not going to cook?”
“I never said I didn’t have limitations.”
“I have to see patients early in the morning. Why don’t we do a late lunch and then come back and go downtown later for the game?”
“Late lunch? I like where your head is at, Birdie.” He winked and got up, taking his mug to the sink, leaving his iPad on the counter.
“I will call about the tickets,” I said, grabbing my phone.
“I love having a woman in high places…”
“Please—when every guy is coming over to say hi to me, tell me that again.”
We’d had a small spat over a football player calling me late at night with a phantom ache. Daniel thought it was a ruse to talk to me.
As he walked out of the room, he announced, “I’m going to get contacts next week.”
“Oh, don’t you dare!” It was my turn to wink as I held the phone to my ear.
“It was a last-minute thing for us to go. How could he have known we would be there?” I felt the frustration boiling in my chest. “Obviously, no one planned this in advance, Daniel.” His name came out as a growl, but I was feeling hot as we walked down the foyer toward the kitchen.
Blowing out a long breath, I attempted to gather my emotions and hung a left up the stairs. I didn’t know what to do or how to act, but space felt necessary.
“It was blatant how much he wants you,” Daniel tossed back like gas on a fire as he trailed behind me.
Trying not to raise my voice, I counted to five in my head.
“Whether it was planned or not, he wants you…”
Daniel continued to get the better of me as I walked into my—our—bedroom, which was part of the issue. We’d rushed into this whole “together” scenario. This wasn’t me. I was pragmatic, methodical. A surgeon for freak’s sake.
“He’s a patient,” I countered.
That goddamn freaking football player. I’d fixed his foot two years ago, but he had nightmares about it getting reinjured. No matter how much I assured him that it was as good as any foot not having been repaired, he called with every ache.
“I don’t know, but he couldn’t wait to rush over to you. It was one thing on the floor, but when we went up to the box, he followed.”
From the adjoining bathroom, I said, “If he has a hangnail, he calls me. He worries constantly. You’re turning this into something it’s not, and it’s juvenile, Daniel.” I put an emphasis on his name, scolding him like he was a kid, and I didn’t care for that at all.
“You’re right. I am acting childish, but it hurts. I know I’m in the wrong here, but I don’t know…I felt intimidated.”
Popping my head out of the door, I said, “Don’t. He thinks he’s going to get hurt. Ruin his career. He needs a lot of support.”
“Maybe he needs a shrink or meds, then,” Daniel lobbed back.
Fully moving to the threshold of the bathroom in just my jeans and a bra, hand on my hip, I looked at him. “That’s not nice, and something I wouldn’t expect out of your mouth. You know as well as me that athletes have fragile egos. And many of them don’t like meds because they think it will dull their performance. They’re wrong, but don’t be a dick.”
He nodded, seemingly acknowledging what a big baby he was being.
I turned to finish getting changed. I was tired and had to be up early. Although I suspected sleep would not come easily.
After changing into my bathrobe, I said, “Danny, please. These are work contacts. That’s all. He’s a star on the football team. Of course he’s going to be at the NBA Finals when our team is in it.”
He shook his head, taking off his big watch and setting it on the vanity. We’d been cohabitating without any rules. We just fell into this playing house routine, and here we were, having a fight. It was uncharted territory.
What was the protocol?
“I’m a fecking idiot. Here I am, a grown-ass man with the woman of my dreams, and I’m carrying on like a schoolboy.”
“Look,” I said, grabbing my pillow, “I’m not sure what to do here. Maybe we rushed into this. But you’re right, we are grown adults, not young kids. I have a demanding job that requires my attention. I don’t begrudge you any opportunity that comes your way. Part of my practice’s responsibility is to care for these teams. And I had to scratch and claw to be a part of this practice.” I stopped rambling and caught Daniel staring at me from across the bedroom.
“I know you worked hard. I don’t ever want to diminish that.”
“Good, but I’m going to sleep in the guest room. I need rest, and I’m at a loss for what to do. We sort of did this move-in thing on a whim, and I’m thinking it wasn’t well thought out.”
“This is your room…”
“It’s been yours too. I’ll be fine. Good night.” Without any other preamble, I left the room I’d called my own for many years and went to sleep in the guest room no one ever used.
Despite making the move to get some extra rest, sleep escaped me. It was only an hour or two before my alarm when tiredness finally took over and I felt myself fall into a deep slumber. Later, after slinging back a cup of coffee and snagging a banana, I grabbed a piece of paper and scribbled a quick note.
As I penned the words, I wasn’t proud of my actions. But I still went through with the deed.
Daniel—
This time has been a dream, but all I have to show for the last 20 years is my work. I was never enough for my parents, and now I am more than enough for the medical community. I cannot sacrifice any of it. I’m sorry.
We rushed, and that’s on me. I couldn’t keep traveling, and the idea of you being here was enticing, but it’s time we took a break.
I hope you can find some peace and refuge in your California place.
Always yours,
Birdie
As I stepped out my door and went to my car, I rethought my writing Always yours and signing with the nickname he had for me, but it was done. Truthfully, it was how I felt—I was always going to be Daniel’s. Crazy as it sounded, I thought it had been that way since I’d met him. And we had a few glorious weeks. Like now, just a short time and I was completely his—again—but I couldn’t afford to let him get in the way of what I’d built career-wise.
He was acting like a jealous teen, and my breakup note matched his maturity. Oh well, it was time to move on…
My phone buzzed as I arrived at the hospital. Part of me was afraid to look, but my nature forced me to glance at the screen.
Sella. Oh boy. She was going to have a fit when I called her back.