Page 2 of Moonshot

It’s terrible the way Dr. Stark and many of the other providers treat Michael and the other sales reps who visit our office. They have a job to do and are providing our group a service. It wouldn’t have taken Dr. Stark five minutes to say hello and sign that damn form Michael needs for his boss, showing he was here today. That type of behavior is so unattractive. Who cares about your career success, your wealth, or your looks if you’re a dick?

“I feel awful about not grabbing you sooner. I went out to get patients on two different occasions and noticed you were there but thought you were waiting on one of the docs.” I wince.

“Ah, it’s okay, Ava. It’s part of the job. I make appointments each time I come to make it easier to fit into everyone’s busy schedule, but it doesn’t always work out. I appreciate you seeing me.” He gives me that megawatt smile I’ve come to dream about. The man should honestly consider doing toothpaste commercials for a living. He’s just radiant. But it’s probably every bit as much the buff bod and the charismatic banter, as it is the movie star teeth. He’s the whole package.

“Hey, I have an idea.” I quickly interject, placing my finger to my lower lip in thought. “Unless there’s something specific you need to meet with one of the physicians about, why don’t we just set up a standing appointment to meet every other Thursday at 12:30. You’d be my last appointment before lunch. I don’t run late often. Hopefully, it’ll ensure you spend less time sitting in a hard chair, hoping someone will stop what they’re doing to speak with you.”Plus, I get to look forward to a little eye candy, all to myself, every couple of weeks.

“Wow, really, Ava? That’d be awesome. It’s rare anyone has any real questions for me. I just have to visit to be sure everything with the product’s going okay. You’d be doing me a huge favor.” He beams down at me, and I can almost feel the current crackling between us. I could get lost in that smile.God, is it just me? Can he feel it too?

“Of course, I don’t mind at all,” I almost whisper, realizing my gaze is probably bordering on unprofessional. But those molten brown eyes are practically turning me into a puddle.

“Plus, I’d much rather meet with you than any of those guys.” He winks, causing me to blush. With my pale skin, that doesn’t take much and is impossible to hide once it begins.

All right, I know he’s just being flirty. He’s an unbelievably handsome guy. And he’s in sales. Isn’t that part of their training? Lay it on smooth to close the deal. He probably uses the same technique when he’s trying to pick up women. So, if I know this, why are my lady parts suddenly all abuzz? I feel my cheeks warm a little more and scold myself for allowing him to have this effect on me.I probably look like a tomato on heels. “Thanks, Michael. You’re sweet.” I quickly sign his form and hand it back, knowing he’s already spent too much of his day with us.

“I’ll see ya in two weeks, Ava. I’ll let Joanie know to pencil me in. Thank you, again.” He waves goodbye and heads out my door to the reception area. Unable to stop myself, I allow my eyes to casually drift down his torso to appreciate the nice way his well-fitted trousers hug his muscular ass. I guess that’s one good thing about sitting in the waiting room for an hour. He’d removed the suit jacket giving me an unobstructed view.Maybe I can crank up the heat in there in two weeks, just before he arrives. See if he’ll take off his shirt.

Giggling, I sit down in my office chair and can’t help but smile at our recent interaction. He’s so attractive. He’s kind of the boy next door but with a touch of smolder. He’s always dressed in business attire, but I’d seen him in the OR when he first started working with FlexPath. The colorful tattoos climbing up his arms had my mouth watering. I was mesmerized. And I don’t know which had me more captivated, the arms or the art. With or without the ink, the chorded muscles extending from his sleeves were panty-melting. I’m not sure if the rest of him looks like that, but those puppies were impressive. He must spend plenty of time in the gym.

It’ll be nice to have something to look forward to at lunch once in a while. Typically, my lunch breaks are spent with the door closed, the lights off, and my head down on my desk. I’ve been plagued with debilitating migraines since the onset of my menstrual cycle at age thirteen. It’s a gift of my DNA as my mother spent the majority of my childhood in bed with migraines. Her mood swings were like night and day. She was either miserable and in pain or a live wire. I no longer consider it a psychiatric issue. Since my headaches began, I’ve had first-hand knowledge of their debilitating effects. But I refuse to let them take over my life as her migraines had.

My mother is beautiful and smart but a slave to her vices. She smokes, drinks large quantities of caffeine, and indulges in wine and cheese. All of these, I’ve learned, often contribute to frequent migraines. I’ve made a painstaking effort to modify my lifestyle and diet to limit the headaches as much as humanly possible. I try to reduce stress where I can and do yoga. I’ve also embraced meditation as part of my daily routine. However, I still find the severity of the headaches more than I can bear several days a week and have to spend my lunch hour trying to curb the unrelenting tension. I’ve found if I take a prescription medication that doesn’t cause drowsiness, turn the lights off, and meditate, it will often get me through the rest of my day. I can’t afford to lose my job over this. I’ve already watched my mother lose so much.

My father had hung in there for years with my mother’s chronic pain but finally waved the white flag and surrendered via divorce. I initially saw him every other weekend, but this soon trailed off once he met his current wife and started a new family. I’ve never had any relationship with my stepmother or stepsiblings and just accepted that’s how men are. They’re in your life until something better comes along. Then they’re gone.

I love my mother. However, we don’t often see eye to eye. She’s focused on my looks, and I want to be taken seriously. She wants me to meet a nice man and settle down. I want to be able to stand on my own two feet. I’m determined not to end up the way she has. She’d been abandoned with a child, often bed stricken by her migraines. I quickly learned to fend for myself and her. Dad’s alimony and child support got Mom through financially, but between the constant headaches and raising me, she never entertained a relationship with a man. There was the occasional date, but nothing lasting.

This reality inundates my thoughts. Could there be someone who’d want to care for me at my worst? Someone who I didn’t fear would leave when something better came along?

CHAPTERTWO

Mick

“Thanks, Ava. I appreciate you taking time out of your schedule to meet with me.” It’s been a month since we established the set appointment times at the clinic, and every time I return, I worry I’ll be banished back to the metal chair.

“Oh, I’m happy to do it, Michael. It’s no trouble.”

My eyes drop down her form as her slender hand dips into her starched white lab coat pocket, pulling out an ink pen to sign my paper. Unable to help it, I lean a little closer while she’s distracted, inhaling her scent. Peppermint. She always smells like peppermint. It figures. Everything about this enchanting woman is sweet.

“Any questions?” I laugh. No one ever has questions for me. I pray that the sheer quantity of surgical prostheses used by this clinic will be enough to keep me coming back. If my bosses get wind of how little I have to do to keep the sales coming, I could get sent to another region or given a different item to hawk.

“No.” She giggles. She’s so fucking cute. “Maybe I should come up with a list in case your job ever asks what you do when you’re here.”

“Hell, you’re a mind reader. I was thinking the same thing. Thank goodness my sales are so good. I don’t think they care so long as that keeps happening.” I grin back at her. She probably thinks I’m a little crazy. It seems I’m always smiling at her. But she probably gets that from every man she meets.

“Well, I’ll work on it all the same. Brightening my day will be at the top of the list,” she says, placing her pen safely away.

As I reach for the form, my eyes connect with hers. Her translucent ice blue eyes are hypnotic. Between her beauty and the kind words, I’m a little star-struck as a frisson of current warms my fingertips as they graze her hand. For a beat, I stand there motionless. Just watching her eyes on mine. Noticing the soft way her lashes dance as she blinks. There’s the finest stray lock of hair lying against her cheek I’m dying to tuck behind her ear.Shit. I have to take a steadying breath. “Thanks, Ava. I’ll see you in a few weeks,” I manage to get out. My voice feels thick.Jesus, what’s happening to me?

“Bye, Michael.” Her eyes seem to sparkle with the salutation.

There’s a strange pull in my chest as I turn toward the door. Every other Thursday, I come to the Central Ortho clinic and sweet Ava’s in the waiting room to greet me within five minutes of my arrival. Like clockwork, I can count on her to usher me in and out. I’m finding I wish I didn’t have to be shepherded out quite so quickly. Granted, I’m thankful to avoid endlessly sitting in the uncomfortable chairs of the waiting room. Yet, I discover I’m looking forward to returning almost before my current visit’s over.

I’d love to ask this amazing woman out. Everything about her makes my spirits soar. She’s gorgeous, kind, intelligent, and sexy as hell. Yet there’s no way around it. I could never date Ava once and walk away. She’s a forever kind of girl, and I’m just not sure I’m ready for that.

The sting of Paula’s betrayal had left a scar. We’d met in middle school and had become fast friends. She was a cheerleader, and I was the star leadoff hitter of the baseball team. The friendship quickly morphed into teen crushes and later, love. It was always comfortable. She was one of the prettiest girls in school. She’d made all of the Homecoming courts and as cheer captain, was one of the most popular girls in school. I was fairly popular, given my baseball reputation, but the school social class system tended to make me uncomfortable. I preferred the company of my family and my friend, Zach, to hanging out with a bunch of jocks and their backstabbing girlfriends.

With Paula, there were no deep conversations or feelings of longing. We didn’t sit up all night on the phone, both waiting for the other to hang up first as I’d heard others speak of. But it’d been the two of us for so long, it simply felt right. Until it wasn’t.

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