Текст книги "Unmistakeable"

Автор книги: Abby Reynolds

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CHAPTER FIVE

Ash

I had the same patient for the quarter, and I was getting really sick of her. Every time I walked in there, she asked me to read to her.

I was a fucking doctor, not a babysitter.

I checked her vitals when I walked inside. “Hello, Mrs. Pateo.”

“Patelo,” she mumbled.

Whatever. It sounded the same to me. “How are you feeling today?”

“Fine.” She seemed down.

I spotted the empty plate next to her. There were bits of rice and tortilla scattered everywhere. “Is this from the cafeteria?” I asked even though I knew it wasn’t.

She didn’t hide it. “My granddaughter brought it to me.”

“You know you’re on a strict diet. When you’re sedentary, it’s important to eat what I prescribe you.”

“Well, I can only eat horseshit for so long.” She lay her head back on the pillow.

I tried not to laugh at her words. The food in the cafeteria really did taste like shit. “Even so, it’s important you follow my regiment.”

“You aren’t even a real doctor,” she argued.

I held my tongue. “For all intents and purposes, I am.” I pulled the blanket back and examined her leg. There was still some intense swelling going on. I tried to elevate her leg above her chest but that didn’t help much. Then I used my stethoscope to listen to her heart and lungs. Everything sounded the same. “How was your visit with your granddaughter?”

“Good. She’s having boy trouble.” She sighed deeply. “I don’t understand why because she’s so beautiful. I know men kiss the ground she walks on just for a conversation.”

I doubt she was that pretty. Family members tended to have an unrealistic image of each other. “I’m sure she’ll figure it out.”

“I hope so.”

I finished my examination then dictated my notes on the chart. I ordered an MRI just to take a look at her leg. “Is there anything else you need before I go?”

She better not ask me to read to her.

She picked up the book from the nightstand. “You have a nice voice. I’d like to hear you read.”

God, this was annoying. “No.” I tried to keep my annoyance back. “How about a glass of water?”

She sighed and put the book down. “It sounds like you have more problems than you let on.” She didn’t look at me when she said it.

What the hell did that mean?

“You fear intimacy. You don’t like getting close to anyone.”

Okay…how did she know that? She figured that out just because I didn’t want to read to her? “I’m just busy. I have paperwork and other things to take care of. I’m sure a volunteer would love to read to you.”

“I don’t want a volunteer. I want you.”

Why couldn’t I be assigned to a different patient? Preferably, one who couldn’t speak.  “I’m sorry, Mrs. Pateo. I have to go.”

She sighed. “For the last time, it’s Mrs. Patelo. If you keep this up, you’re never going to make it in medicine. You can pass all your exams with flying colors, but if you can’t have compassion for your patients, then you will get nowhere. If all you care about is money, then you should work in the stock market instead of wasting my time and that of others. I want a doctor that actually cares about me and my well-being. My life is in your hands, Dr. James. You should remember that.”

I clutched her chart then walked out, not saying another word.

“Bad day?” Sage asked when he sat across from me.

As soon as I showered after work, I headed to the Gaslight. I needed a beer and a distraction. “You could say that.”

“What happened?”

“I just have an annoying patient. I want to do something more exciting, but I have a patient with DVT and she’s been in the hospital for a while. We’re waiting for her blood pressure to decrease before considering surgery.”

“DVT…?” He cocked an eyebrow.

“Deep vein thrombosis.”

He shrugged. “Still don’t know what that means.”

“She has a blood clot,” I explained. “Anyway, she’s always bugging me to read to her.” I rolled my eyes. “Fucking annoying.”

Sage looked confused. “What’s the big deal?”

“I don’t have time for that bullshit.”

“You text me all day during clinical and watched the game. And you always tell me how bored you are.”

“Whatever. I still shouldn’t have to read to her.”

He shrugged. “I’ve heard of worse things.”

“Then she told me I was a horrible doctor because I didn’t care about her…”

“Well, it doesn’t seem like you do.” He drank his beer then set it back down. “You even told me you’re going into medicine because it’s what your dad wants and you want the money.”

That just irritated me. “I still care about my job and doing it right.”

“If you’re going to be stuck with her for a while, maybe you should just read to her. Wouldn’t that get her off your back?”

“But then she’ll think she can make me do other things. It’s a power struggle…”

“It sounds like an old woman just wants you to read to her.” He smirked at me.

“I’m done talking about this.” I ran my fingers through my hair then looked at the bar. I needed a distraction for tonight.

A busty blonde was standing at the counter chatting with a friend. She was wearing white shorts and a blue tube top. A silver necklace hung around her throat, and the blue eye shadow on her eyes really brought out her skin tone. She was a perfect ten. “I’m fucking her tonight.”

“Who?” Sage asked.

“Busty blue.”

He examined her then turned back to me. “She’s cute.”

“Cute?” I laughed. “She’s fucking hot.”

“She doesn’t have any flab on her stomach?” he teased.

“Not from where I’m sitting.”

“Why don’t you just jerk off?” Sage asked. “It would save you a lot of work.”

“I prefer the real thing.” I watched her for a while, making sure she wasn’t with anybody.

“But don’t you hate wearing a condom?”

“It’s not my favorite thing to do, but I’ve never had pussy without wearing one. I don’t know the difference.”

“It’s amazing.” He sipped his drink. “It’s why I prefer long term relationships.”

“Yuck. No thanks.”

He laughed. “You’re going to die alone, Ash.”

“We all die alone, right?” I pushed my drink away and stood up.

Then a different girl walked in.

Long strands of brown hair cascaded over her shoulders. It was layered, with several different lengths moving when she walked. It was silky and shiny, reminding me of a girl in a Pantene commercial. She pulled her hair over one shoulder, exposing her slender neck and a petite ear. Her side profile showed thin cheeks and a small nose.

A yellow dress hugged her chest and stomach and reached her knees. It highlighted curves that immediately caught my eye. She had voluptuous breasts, but they were proportional to her small size. Her waist curved in, mimicking a perfect hourglass figure.

A golden necklace hung around her throat, and the pendant was an hourglass. It was small and classy. It contrasted against her dark skin. I couldn’t tell what ethnicity she was. She was too dark to be white, but she was too light to be black. She had to be from South America or the Dominican Republic, something exotic.

Her legs stretched on for days, and her ass looked amazing in the dress she wore. Nude pumps covered her feet, but I could see her toe nails. They were purple. My eyes drifted to her hands, looking for a wedding band. There was nothing on her finger.

Bingo.

Stunned, I drifted back down into my seat. The other girl was forgotten.

Sage looked at me. “Out of your league, man.”

“What? You’ve never said that to me before.”

Sage eyed her then turned back to me. “Because she’s the hottest girl that’s ever stepped foot in here.” He looked around at all the guys. “And every other guy here is your competitor.”

“And they’ll lose,” I snapped.

“Whatever, man. A girl like that already has a man, or she’s sick of getting hit on. Either way, you’re going to get rejected.”

“We’ll see about that…” I wanted to be inside her tonight. I’d fuck her brains out and make her ask for more.

“I hope you aren’t going to use your usual material for this one, because I guarantee it won’t work.”

I pulled out my wallet. “A hundred bucks says I nail her tonight.”

He smiled. “I’m broke, but you’re still on.”

“Deal.” I stood up then slipped the wallet back into my back pocket.

She was talking to a girlfriend at a table then she headed to the bar to get her drink. I noticed her friend had dark skin too. They must be related. They looked too similar. But the other girl wasn’t nearly as attractive.

I sauntered to the bar then stood beside her, waiting for the bartender to turn his attention on me. I took advantage of our closeness and inhaled her scent. She smelled like lavender. Then I looked at her reflection in the mirror on the wall. She had full lips that were ruby red. She barely wore any make up, choosing to be natural.

That made her a million times more attractive.

She had eyes the size of almonds, and her mouth was stretched into a beautiful smile.

Fuck, she was perfect.

The bartender placed a bottled beer in front of her.

Hmm…girls usually ordered from the tap or a fruity drink. “Hi.” I turned my body to face her and plastered a smile on my lips.

She stilled like she wasn’t sure I was talking to her. Then she fixed her gaze on me. Her shoulders were back and she had a nice posture. She kept her back straight and held herself with an elegance that I hadn’t seen in a long time. “Hi.” She gave me a breathtaking smile, one that actually made my heart race.

Fuck. She was hot. “I’m Ash.” I extended my hand to shake hers.

“Alaska.”

Alaska? Like the state? “I’ve never heard that name before.”

She shrugged. “My parents wanted to make sure I had a unique name. And I’ve never heard the name Ash before.”

“It’s short for Ashley.” Shit, why did I just tell her that? I never told a single soul. Only Livia knew my birth name.

She nodded slowly. “Are you British?”

“No…”

“Oh. Well, that’s an interesting name.”

She actually had the grace not to make fun of me. “Yeah…” Okay, now what? How did I get this girl on my sheets? “I’m in medical school.” I blurted that out of nowhere, but I was nervous. How did you talk to a supermodel?

“That’s nice.” She made an awkward face like she didn’t know what to say.

“So I’m good-looking and smart.” Wasn’t that redundant?

The beautiful smile on her face started to fade. Her openness and friendliness started to disappear. Suspicion and distrust started to take hold of her frame. She tensed, making her shoulders stressed. “Nice to know.” The humor in her voice was gone.

“My family is very wealthy.” What the fuck was wrong with me? God, I had the worst game in the world.

“Congratulations on all the cash.” Now disdain was heavy in her words.

I was losing her. Shit, how do I backtrack? “You look hot in that dress.” I just needed to shut my mouth and walk away.

She didn’t accept the compliment. She grabbed her beer. “Have a good night.”

I couldn’t believe she was still being nice to me. “Wait.” I grabbed her arm and steadied her.

The look she gave me made my heart rate spike. “Let. Go.” The warning was in her eyes and her body. She was small and petite, but I could tell she was a girl I shouldn’t mess with. I had a feeling she could throw a good punch. When I didn’t let go, her body tensed. “Now.”

I loosened my hold on her wrist. “Sorry, I’m usually better at this sort of thing. Honestly.”

“Then go practice on someone else.” She turned away.

“Wait.” I refrained from touching her this time.

She turned around and looked at me, the irritation obvious.

Uh…last chance. Fuck. What do I say? “You want to hook up at my place?” Someone needed to take me out back and just shoot me in the head. I had no confidence when I said it and I was flustered. I didn’t even say it in the right way. Panicked, I was blurting whatever came to my mind. I had horrible moves with this girl, and I successfully made her despise me.

She didn’t react to my words. “No, thank you.”

“Can I get your phone number then?”

The fire burned in her eyes. “I have something better. You want my advice?”

Huh?

“In the beginning of our conversation, you were real. You listened to me and responded. When the lines started coming out, I wanted to get the hell away from you as fast as possible. Next time you hit on a girl, just be yourself. Cut this bogus crap.” She turned around and headed to her table, joining her friend in the booth. Her friend looked at me then snickered, clearly overhearing our conversation.

I totally struck out.

Depressed, I walked back to the table and sat across from Sage.

Sage tried not to laugh. He smirked and stared at me.

At least he didn’t kick me when I was down. I pulled out my wallet and tossed the hundred-dollar bill at him. “Congratulations.”

He pocketed it. “Thank you.”

CHAPTER SIX

Alaska

The photo shoot was going well.

The groom-to-be dipped her down then kissed her, smiling while he did it. She giggled then looked up at him with warmth in her eyes. I snapped a few shots, using my special lens. It captured close shots without running the clarity.

When he picked her up again, she kept laughing, nervous. Then he cupped her face and kissed her. Her laughter ceased immediately and she melted into him. I almost forgot to take the picture because I was so entranced by them.

I’d done a lot of these shoots, but never before had I taken a picture of a couple more in love. He stared at her like she was the only thing in the world. Their affection was natural and spontaneous. I didn’t need to direct them or show them how to move. They did everything on their own.

Jace and I were nothing like that.

We used to be affectionate all the time. He couldn’t keep his hands off me, and his lips caressed my body obsessively. He wanted to be in the bedroom all the time, making love to me until I screamed his name.

Now he cared more about baseball games and hitting the bars with his friends. He was always too tired from work to do anything. He was attracted to other women more than he was to me.

Was I doing something wrong? Had I gained weight? Maybe I wasn’t fulfilling his needs? I wasn’t sure.

Realizing I was getting distracted, I finished their photoshoot and got more pictures than I’d ever need.

“You guys are cute,” I said with a smile.

The bride smiled. “No, my fiancé makes us cute.”

He rubbed his nose against hers. “I just think we’re adorable together.”

I would be lying if I said I wasn’t jealous.

We packed up everything and parted ways. “I’ll have these ready for you in a week.”

“Awesome.” The groom shook my hand. “Thank you so much.”

“Of course.” I hugged the bride then got into my beat up Ford. It was made in 1980 and didn’t have an AC. But it was my grandfather’s and I could never get rid of it. They didn’t make them like this anymore. I rolled down the window and took advantage of the San Diego breeze.

When I got home, I got to work on the picture. I had all the equipment I needed to enhance and edit each one. I used Photoshop but I tried to limit the number of alterations on people. While I wanted them to look good, I didn’t want them to be so altered that it wasn’t believable. Besides, every person I’d ever photographed was beautiful. I didn’t need to do anything.

I had an interview with a gallery tomorrow. I wanted to sell some of my photographs in an established and respected gallery. While I loved doing freelance photography, I wanted to be respected as a real artist. And I took pictures of things besides people. Actually, it was my favorite type of photography.

My phone rang and I saw Jace’s name on the screen.

I was nervous to talk to him, and not in a good way. Things were different now. I couldn’t put my thumb on it, but our relationship had changed in a negative way. I didn’t want to sit down and talk about it, but I didn’t know what else to do at this point. I answered it. “Hello?”

“Hey, baby. Sorry it took so long to get back to you.”

“It’s okay.” I’m used to it anyway.

“Something wrong? You sound down.”

He finally noticed. “Can we get coffee or something?” I preferred to have this conversation in a public place. If we broke up, which I had a feeling we would, I didn’t want to kick him out of my apartment or leave his house.

“Coffee?”

We never got coffee so I understood why he thought it was odd. “Just somewhere we can talk.”

He was quiet for a while. “Is this because of lunch the other day?”

I didn’t want to have this conversation over the phone. “Can we just meet somewhere?”

“I’ll just come to your apartment.”

I sighed. “Fine.”

“I’ll be there in a few minutes.”

I hung up without saying goodbye. I guess I didn’t realize how mad I was until now. I got back to work and tried not to think about it.

A few minutes later, he knocked on my door.

The anxiety pooled in my stomach. I took a deep breath before I walked to the door and opened it.

The concern was in his eyes. He studied my face, examining my lips and eyes. “Hey.”

“Hi…”

The tension was obvious to both of us.

He came inside and shut the door behind him. “Alaska, what’s going on?” He kept his arms by his sides but he still seemed threatening. He was jittery, uncomfortable. I could hear the fear in his voice. If he was so scared I was going to dump him, then why didn’t he act happier to be with me?

“Let’s sit down.”

He sighed and clenched his fists before he did as I asked.

I stared at my kitchen while I felt his heated gaze on me.

“Alaska?”

“I just feel like our relationship isn’t the same anymore. You don’t look at me the way you used to. You’re always too tired after work to see me. You don’t touch me anymore. When we first got together, you couldn’t keep your hands off me, and now I’m lucky if you hold my hand. We used to have sex nonstop and now it seems like you aren’t interested in it anymore. And when we went to lunch the other day…you seemed more attracted to our waitress than you’ve ever been to me…” I swallowed the lump in my throat. The moisture built up in my eyes but I blinked them away. I tried not to be emotional around anyone. “If you aren’t happy anymore, I understand. If it’s time to call it quits, I accept that. But I don’t want to waste my time anymore. If you want to break up, then let’s do it. If our relationship is dead, it’s time we both walked away before we start to resent each other.”

He stared at me, his face unreadable. He took several minutes to process what I said. I didn’t think he would say anything at all because time stretched for so long. “I don’t want to break up.”

I wasn’t expecting him to say that.

“I’m sorry I’ve been a shitty boyfriend to you. I let work and life weigh me down. It’s not you, Alaska. It’s me. I’m sorry I hurt you and made you question everything.”

I finally looked at him. “You still want to be with me?”

He grabbed my hand. “Of course I do. I guess I get caught up at work. When you see the things I’ve seen…sometimes it’s hard not to think about them.”

I couldn’t even begin to imagine. “Yeah…”

He scooted closer to me on the couch. “I’ll be better from now on.”

That was all I needed to hear. “Okay.”

Later that night, I walked with him to his car.

“You didn’t need to walk me.” He held my hand while we stood in front of his car.

“I don’t mind. I prefer being outside anyway.”

“I’ve noticed.” He smiled slightly then kissed my forehead. “I’ll see you later.”

“Okay.”

He gave me a warm kiss before he dropped my hand and got into his car. I waited for him to drive away and head down the road. I stood outside for an extra minute, relishing the cool breeze.

I expected to be single by the end of tonight, but surprisingly, he wanted to make it work. He said he would be different, be my boyfriend again. And so far, he kept his word. This is what I wanted, and I’m glad I said something to him. Perhaps if I had communicated better from the beginning, none of this would have happened. Maybe all of this was my fault.

A car pulled into the space beside mine. It was a white BMW, and it looked cleaner than a sterile surgery room. The engine was so quiet it was almost unnoticeable.

I decided to go back inside so I wouldn’t have to make small talk with one of my new neighbors. I headed up the stairs then turned to my apartment. I heard footsteps behind me, close behind me.

When I reached my door, I turned around.

The guy from the bar was staring at me, his eyes wide. He was standing in front of the apartment across from me, wearing light blue scrubs. His keys were in his hand.

I was so surprised to see him I didn’t know what to say. What are the odds of this happening? Judging the surprise on his face, he didn’t know what to say either. I felt bad for him. It was pretty clear he preferred meaningless sex instead of passionate relationships. He cared more about the expensive car he drove and the amount in his bank account instead of things that mattered, like friendship, love, and respect. It was a lot to gather from someone I only spoke to for five minutes, but as a photographer, I could read people pretty well. Body language and keen subjects gave me all the information I needed to know.

He kept staring at me, like he wasn’t sure if I was real.

Should I say hi? He was going to be my neighbor so I may as well get along with him. “Good night.”

Speechless, he watched me walk into my apartment. I had a feeling he was still there long after I shut the door.

I was nervous for my interview. I arrived at the gallery with my portfolio. In order to shake off the nerves I felt, I examined the art for sale. Getting lost in someone else’s world was a great way to feel calm.

I found a line of paintings on the wall. They were bright and beautiful. Each one featured a woman. She was wearing a sun hat with a yellow dress. She was in different places, sitting in a tire swing, walking a dog on the beach. And there was another that particularly caught my interest. The woman was wrapped in the arms of her lover. The sheets were smothered around them, covering their private areas. His chest was to her back and his face was nuzzled in her neck. The woman looked peaceful, safe. The detail of every aspect of the painting was phenomenal. I felt everything the painter wanted me to feel.

“Do you like it?” Rydell asked.

I was caught off guard by his presence. I didn’t even notice his approach. “It’s…wonderful.”

“It’s one of my favorites too.”

I needed to have it. “How much?”

He walked to the painting and checked the price tag. “Seven-hundred.”

Way out of my price range. “Oh.”

“This artist is very famous here in San Diego. But her work is worth every penny.”

“It really is.” I couldn’t stop staring at it.

A young woman appeared beside me. “You like it?”

I had no idea who she was. “It’s fantastic.”

“Thank you.” She smiled and a blush overcame her cheeks.

I cocked an eyebrow.

Rydell cleared his throat. “This is Livia, the artist.”

I turned back to her, surprised. She was so young but so talented. “You’re amazing,” I blurted.

“Thank you again.”

And she was humble. “But I can’t take all the credit. My boyfriend inspired this piece.”

“You two love each other very much,” I blurted.

She studied my face. “Are you an artist?”

I held up my portfolio. “A photographer. I’m hoping to sell my work in this gallery.”

“Can I see?” she asked excitedly.

“Sure.” I handed it over.

Rydell came beside her and they looked at it together.

They said nothing while they examined each piece. Rydell rubbed his chin while he looked over her shoulder. Livia didn’t blink every time she looked at a picture. Her eyes roamed to every corner.

Now I was really nervous.

“These are amazing,” Livia said. “They remind me of my own pieces.”

Wow. That was a compliment.

“I’m an awe too,” Rydell added. “I think it’s safe to say we’d love to feature your work here.”

What? Seriously? “Really?” I couldn’t hide my surprise.

“Yes.” Rydell smiled at me. “I don’t accept new artists very often, but I want these. I know people will buy them.”

My cheeks were starting to turn red.

Livia smiled at me. “Welcome to the family.”