Page 22 of Hearts on the Table
I tugged on my suit, reminding myself that I’dknownpeople were probably interested in her. But now I had solid proof of that. Right now, when she’d started looking at me as more than just her attending, the concept put a sick feeling in my gut.Dammit.
I fiddled with my bowtie in the mirror, trying to convince myself that it didn’t matter because Lainey didn’t date people she worked with. Even if she made an exception, she certainly wouldn’t dateme. Not with Cooper on the hook. He was an outstanding surgeon. Best in our field, many might argue. Bright, well-connected, and good looking. Me? I was…quiet.
I cursed, jerking at the tie, starting over when it wouldn’t stay straight.
Right. This was fine. Great.Great.
???
The ballroom was packed. And Lainey was short. It should have taken me much longer than it did to find her, but I apparently came pre-built with some sort of radar where shewas concerned. That, and she was standing next to her mother. People flocked to the woman like moths to flame.
Their little corner of the ballroom buzzed with activity. People circled the fancy red-and-gold carpet, trying to get closer to them. Chandeliers glittered overhead, their dim light encouraging a sense of intimacy in the cavernous space. A jazz band played softly on stage across the room, where tables and chairs were set up for dinner.
Too captivated by Lainey looking likethatin a dress likethat,I hardly noticed anything else.I knew the general shape of her body, I’d just never seen it outlined so damn clearly before. The black fabric of her dress hugged every curve, clinging to her torso and hips before flaring out below her knees. I didn’t know much about dresses. I’m sure there were words to describe what she was wearing, but the only ones that came to mind wereholy shit.
I snuck peeks while I stood in line at the bar. She smiled at something her mother said and engaged in conversation with the man next to her. Her laugh tinkled over the heads of the crowd. Another woman approached her and they hugged. She was good at this. The schmoozing.
Not surprising. Lainey charmed the pants off of everyone she met. Given her upbringing and her mother’s celebrity, it made sense for her to be well-versed in the art of working a crowd. And damn, she worked it. As people orbited her mother, desperate for some of her attention, Lainey circled the fringes, attentive and engaged, not taking up too much of anyone’s time. Everyone she talked to left the conversation with a smile, and she caused more than one riot of laughter.
“Your eyes will dry out if you don’t blink soon.”
“Fuck off.” I dragged my eyes away from her at Blake’s warning. My old friend clapped me on the back as I scowled.
“Any chance you’ll introduce me?”
“Fuck. Off.” I ordered him another drink, along with mine. Under no circumstances would I introduce Blake Dresden to Lainey Carmichael. If she charmed the pants off people, heactuallygot the pants off people. My friend hadn’t changed his M.O. since we were roommates in med school, and he didn’t show any signs of slowing down his bachelor lifestyle. After the conversation I’d just had with Cooper, the idea of him and Lainey hitting it off felt too raw to consider.
“Not the little one. Mama Carmichael. We could use the good vibes. Think she’d take pity on a poor, struggling cardiac department?”
“Probably. Not yours, though.” Blake glowered, knowing I was right. Mercy Midwest Hospital was just down the street from Cedar and currently an absolute dumpster fire. They’d practically cleaned house last year when it had come out that the previous director was working with the board to embezzle funds and report false patient data to CMS. Not a good look. Blake was young for the director position, but he was one of the few willing to take on the challenge. Now he and the Mercy cardiac staff were still recovering, trying to restore a semblance of stability. “What are you doing here, anyway?”
“Recruiting, mostly. Getting people drunk and begging them to come work for me. Hello.” A shit-eating grin stretched across Blake’s face, aimed at someone behind me.
“Hi. Sorry, I got stuck over there.” I turned at Lainey’s voice. She fanned her face and set an empty champagne flute down. “It’s a madhouse. I’ve been dry for over an hour.”
Speechless, I pushed my glass in her direction, watching as she smiled and took a sip. Had she come over here for me? Wrestled through the crowd of adoring fans and department heads who wanted to snap her up now that her fellowship was ending? I smiled at the thought.
“Seemed like you were having fun.” I watched her drain my drink. That made me smile, too. Something beastly and proprietary growled in my chest, adoring the sight of this girl, walking over to me, taking my drink without fear.
Her shoulder bobbed as she swallowed. “Daughterly duties and all that. I think my obligation is fulfilled, though. I’d rather hang out over here than with my mom’s fan club.”
“I’m Blake.” He stuck his hand out, practically leaping over the table to get to her. I gave him a warning look that he didn’t see, too engrossed with her.
“Lainey. Nice to meet you.” Her eyes widened when she read his nametag. “Mercy, huh? Wait. Blake Dresden? As in the new director over there? You might need this more than me.” She slid the near-empty glass across the table. Blake laughed.
Pants. Charmed.Dammit.
“You’re probably right. Hey, any chance you want to ditch a brand-new, state-of-the-art facility and come slum it with my scrappy crew? We’ll name an OR after you.”
“Don’t poach my fellow,” I muttered. This time, he spotted my warning glare and shrugged.
“I have to try, dude.”
Lainey laughed, craning her neck towards the bar and the long, snaking line. “I don’t know. I’m fond of the attendings over there. Hard to beat good, hands-on instruction these days.”
She pointedly evaded eye contact with me when she spoke, which somehow made it even more clear that I was the attending she was referring to. Blake’s eyebrows jumped, gaze darting between the two of us while we avoided looking at each other. I struggled to wrench my mind away from picturing the kinds of hands-on I could get with her, if she would give me a chance.
“Well, sure. Reese has always been the best. Helping people is his love language.” Blake leaned in, propping up on the table.“He used to organize study groups for the first years in med school. President of our class year three and four.”
