Page 83 of Fierce-Jax

“A sandwich sounds delicious,” she said. “You know, I got thinking maybe you wouldn’t mind spending the night on Friday with Gianna there. Or is that too much too soon?”

“I’m fine with it,” he said. “If you are. I’m leaving you to call those shots.”

“Maybe we can take her to dinner or watch a movie with her. Something fun. She goes to bed early and sleeps in on the weekends too.”

“Meaning you want me to be gone before she wakes up?” he asked as he pulled out bread and two kinds of sandwich meat.

She reached for the turkey and then snagged a slice of cheese.

“You don’t have to leave,” she said. “But that is up to you. I thought we could do something together, the three of us, on Saturday. Gianna sleeps in, so she might not even realize you spent the night anyway if we’re up and downstairs.”

He nodded. “I’m good with that. Mustard or mayo?”

“Neither,” she said, putting her sandwich together and taking a bite.

“You eat dry sandwiches?” he asked, looking appalled. “That’s a crime.”

She laughed. “You learn to eat many things when you have no time in the hospital,” she said.

“Good point,” he said. “I was talking to Roni when you texted me earlier. She had a visitor today. Two of them.”

“Who?” she asked, chewing. She couldn’t believe how hungry she was. She moved over to his cabinet, found the chips, pulled the bag out, and put it on the island. The two of them eating in the kitchen, standing up.

“Carolyn and Diane. They wanted to know if we’ve had our date yet.”

Dillion laughed around a mouthful. “It took them long enough to ask questions. Wonder what they’d think if they could see us now?”

The polite never-a-hair-out-of-place doctor was no more when she was with Jax Hollister.

She walked over and pushed some of his hair back into place too, knowing she wasn’t the only one that was discombobulated.

He filled her in on what Roni said. “I expect someone will seek one of us out. Not sure how we want to play this.”

“We say we are dating. It’s been long enough and they don’t need to know how many dates or how long it’s been, do they?”

“Not at all,” he said. “I wanted to make sure we had our facts straight.”

She frowned. She did not like hearing that.

It reminded her of what she’d said before when she was hiding things from people.

Or they were hiding things from her.

She didn’t want to be that person.

“How about we tell the truth if asked direct questions? I’m not keen on lying or hiding things when there is no reason for it.”

“I didn’t mean it that way,” he said. “I’m sorry if you feel it. That I’m hiding what we’ve got. I’m not. I’m ready to be open but not sure if you are. You’ve got a practice with employees and ifI wanted to stop in and say hi, I’m sure they’d figure it out soon enough.”

She moved over and put her lips to his. “I expect to see you in my office to say hi anytime you want.”

27

FALLING INTO PLACE

“This worked out well,” Dillion said on Saturday morning.

He turned from where he was making pancakes. He’d woken up before Dillion and showered.

---