Total pages in book: 43
Estimated words: 42745 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 214(@200wpm)___ 171(@250wpm)___ 142(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 42745 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 214(@200wpm)___ 171(@250wpm)___ 142(@300wpm)
She studies my face for a long second, then nods. “Okay,” she whispers.
I put the car back in drive. But before I can pull out, she reaches for my hand and brings it to her mouth. She kisses my knuckles, and the simple touch nearly undoes me.
“I’m sorry about your patient,” she says.
My throat tightens. “Thank you.”
She keeps hold of my hand the rest of the drive.
The restaurant is busy when we get there, and I can tell right away this is going to be one of those dinners where everyone talks too loudly and laughs too much because they’re all trying to impress each other.
Normally, that would irritate me, but tonight, I’m just grateful Aria’s hand is in mine.
Her boss, Dr. Hensley, is at the head of the table with his wife beside him. A few physical therapists are already there, along with some nurses and admin staff I recognize from around the hospital.
Cathy waves us over. “Aria! Penn! Over here.”
Aria smiles and pulls me toward the table. I see Knox standing closely to another man, and my steps slow.
Aria notices and looks up at me. “What?”
Before I can answer, Knox turns and smiles. “Hey, Aria.”
“Hey.” She gestures to me. “You know Penn.”
Knox nods. “Yeah. Good to see you again.”
I force myself to nod. “You too.”
The man beside him reaches out a hand. “I’m Ben. Knox’s husband.”
For a second, I just stare at him, but I quickly recover and take his hand. “Penn Brody.”
Ben smiles. “Nice to meet you.”
Aria is quiet beside me. When I look down at her, she’s biting the inside of her cheek like she’s trying not to laugh.
I lean close to her ear. “Don’t.”
She loses the fight and smiles. “I didn’t say anything.”
“You didn’t have to.”
Knox looks between us, then grins like he knows exactly what’s happening. “Everything okay?”
“Perfect,” Aria says way too sweetly.
Hell, even I smile. I guess I deserved that.
We sit down, and I glance between Knox and his husband. I was jealous for no reason.
Aria leans over. “Do you feel better now?”
I look at her. “No.”
Her smile widens. “Liar.”
I lower my voice and lean in to whisper, “I still didn’t like him sitting beside you.”
She whispers back, “He’s married to a man.”
“I heard.”
“And you’re still jealous?”
I pull back and look into her eyes. “When it comes to you, I’m not reasonable.”
CHAPTER 18
ARIA
My smile drops, and just for a few seconds it feels like we’re alone.
Penn is looking at me in that way that makes my lower belly pull. I love when he shows me this possessive side of him, and I’ve been unsettled since our makeout session got cut short in his office. I’m about to tell him that when Cathy drops into the seat across from us and points a roll in Penn’s direction. “Dr. Brody, I have to say, you made quite an entrance in the cafeteria yesterday.”
I groan. “Cathy.”
Penn leans back in his chair, and if I didn’t know him so well, I’d think he was completely unaffected. “I’m sure I don’t know what you mean.”
Cathy snorts. “Sure you don’t.”
Heat rushes into my cheeks because I know exactly what she means. I also know there’s no point pretending the whole hospital didn’t see Penn march across the cafeteria, take my hand, and lead me away like a jealous husband on a mission.
I glance at him, and his mouth twitches like he’s trying not to smile.
“Don’t look so proud of yourself,” I mutter.
His eyes come to mine. “I’m not.”
I point at him. “You are.”
He shrugs, but his eyes never leave mine. “Maybe a little.”
Cathy laughs, and I shake my head.
The dinner goes better than I expected.
Penn is quiet, but he’s here. He listens when people talk to him. He answers when my boss asks him about a surgery, but he doesn’t let the conversation take over the whole table. He smiles when he can even though I can tell the day has really worn him out.
I know he’s thinking about the patient he lost today, but he’s here and he’s trying. And that means a lot to me.
Under the table, my hand stays on his thigh, trying to offer him some comfort. Almost the whole time, he’s kept his hand on mine, like he needs to hold on to me.
His phone buzzes once during dinner, and I tense before I can stop myself.
He pulls it out and checks the screen, and I hold my breath until he sets it facedown on the table.
“It’s not urgent,” he says quietly, just for me.
I nod.
A few minutes later, it buzzes again.
This time, he checks it, types a quick response, and sets it down. Then his hand goes back to my hand on his thigh.
I don’t say anything, but my hand squeezes his leg, and when his eyes meet mine, I know he understands.
By the time we leave, he looks exhausted.