Page 13 of Paging Dr. Breakup
She laughed, because any other reaction meant she acknowledged how the truth hit too close to home for her as well. Pretending to be okay. Pretending to have dealt with her grief. Pretending to be part of normal society. “Me, too!”
“Then we might have a deal.” Calvin stuck out his hand with a businesslike dip of his chin. “Deirdre Steen, would you agree to pretend to date me?”
Chapter Six
Cal ignored thezip of warmth as Deirdre’s soft, warm palm pressed against his. He ignored how perfectly their hands fit together. He ignored the curve of her full breasts under that silky, cream-colored blouse or the cute wiggle in her walk that those slacks showcased perfectly.
Ignored all of it. Because his was a business deal, born out of necessity. He had been driven to this decision by friends and family who had way too much free time. Technically, this farce was all their fault.
Technically, he and Deirdre weren’t really dating.
Technically, he had no feelings for Deirdre.
Damn it.
In medicine, he had learned early on to respect his patients when they described a sense of impending doom.
He had that same sense right now, settling heavy on his shoulders. Had he permanently altered a friendship of so many years, all for a self-serving lie?
If that was the case, so be it. This was a mutual decision with mutual benefit. Hey, Cal lived to be helpful to others.
He completed the handshake and eased back in the seat.
“So, how are we going to go about this… thing?” she said, her gaze sliding past his right ear to somewhere behind him.
Inappropriate answers, each one more sensual than the last, fast-forwarded through his mind.
Somehow, he focused and choked out, “An agreement. An informal verbal contract.”
Deirdre bit her lower lip, burning the image into his brain. A bolt of desire shot through him, and he shifted in his seat to manage his quickly changing anatomy.
“Go on,” she said, cheeks pink.
“We need terms. Rules.”
“You want me to get a pad and paper? We might need a notary public.” She took a few steps to her desk, returning with writing materials.
Cal laughed. “I think our handshake deal is solid.”
“I don’t know. How binding is this agreement? Do we need witnesses? I mean, you seem trustworthy enough.” She tilted her head and pushed her short hair behind both ears with a mischievous expression.
His abdomen tightened. He wanted to touch her pink cheeks and see if they were as warm as they appeared.
He curled his hand into a light fist. “Absolutely trustworthy. You can check my doctor ratings at RateYourDoc.com to verify. I also have references upon request. No malpractice claims either, knock on wood.”
“That’s medicine. This is dating. Maybe Ishouldcontact references?”
“In full disclosure, I don’t have a real extensive history on the résumé when it comes to dating.” He wasn’t embarrassed to admit it. Busy schedules made for limited relationships.
Guilt about his best friend and years of conflicted feelings about his high school crush didn’t help his dating activity. No partner had ever come close to Deirdre-level quality. At least, not the ideal version of Deirdre he’d created in his mind years ago. He had added layers to the iconic image as memories blurred. The person he envisioned now was darn near untouchable in a competition with any other woman.
Deirdre tapped the pen, making small blue marks on the pad. She didn’t meet his eyes. “Are you sure you want to do this?”
“We’re making an informed decision, weighing out the risks versus benefits.” He took a fortifying sip of coffee. “I sure as heck don’t want to play twenty uncomfortable questions about how I should be seeing someone. Not on every shift, and not with my parents.”
“I understand completely.” She heaved in a big breath and rolled her lips. “Then let’s do this. Ground rules? Terms?”
Rubbing his chin with his index finger, he said, “First of all, we have to sell the scenario. We’re already under a microscope. If there’s any doubt in our sincerity, then the social examination is going to get worse, not better. I don’t want to give Mom and Pop too much to chew on.”
