Page 36 of Lost on Ice
Westbrook looks at me, his brow furrowing. “Oh, you know Abbie?” Westbrook asks in a curious but pleasant tone.
I don’t like the familiar tone he uses when he says her name. And why’s he asking me the question I just asked him instead of answering it?
With a biting laugh, I reply, “Everyone knows everyone here. Just the nature of a small town. Abbie and I went to high school together, so yeah, I know her pretty well.”
“I see.” Westbrook appears thoughtful for a moment. “She and I actually worked together back in Harrisburg. We made a pretty good team.”
I frown, annoyance stabbing through me. “I didn’t realize you two had worked together before.”
Westbrook chuckles and replies, “Oh, yeah. We go way back.”
There’s something suggestive in his tone that has me on edge. Like he knows her more intimately than a strictly professional relationship would allow. Why the fuck would this guy be interested in the small town of Ivy Glen if he worked in a large hospital like Harrisburg. If he thinks he can follow Abbie here and claim her, he has another thing coming.
The thought crosses my mind that maybe he’s Lilah’s father, but I quickly dismiss that idea. If that were the case, Lilah would be with him at least part time, right?
The way he said that they “go way back” gnaws at me like a fucking tick and jealousy bubbles up inside of me.
“I’m sure she’s happy to have you here,” I say through clenched teeth, forcing myself to stay civil since Dr. Wixx hired this guy. There must be something good about him…I just have yet to see it.
Westbrook grins. “I hope so. All right, should we get started with your physical?”
“Sure.”
He flips through my file with a frown. “May I ask why you don’t get your physicals done by your team’s doctor?”
I don’t want to answer, but I suppose I should give him some sort of explanation. It is a little unusual, after all.
“I’ve been coming to Dr. Wixx since I was a kid,” I shrug. “He’s dealt with just about every issue and injury I’ve had, and I like having connections here still.”
We go through the usual routine—checking my reflexes, eyesight, blood pressure, all that jazz—and at the end, he gives me a clean bill of health.
“All right, you should be good to go,” Westbrook tells me, marking things on his tablet. “I can get a copy of your physical sent to your team’s doctor right away.”
“Thanks. I appreciate that.”
Westbrook gives me that weird little grin of his again. “It was nice to meet you, Jake. I’m sure we’ll be seeing more of each other, especially since we’re both close to Abbie.”
Irritation jolts through me at his words. The nerve of this asshole. He really thinks he’s as close to her as me?
Fuck, what if he is? I don’t know for sure that they haven’t slept together.
There’s something about this guy that I don’t like. It’s not just my jealousy. There’s something off about him, but I just can’t put my finger on what that is.
“Right,” I murmur. “I should get going. Thanks again.”
I hurry to leave the exam room, needing to get as far away from this guy as fast as possible before I punch his stupid, nerdy face. I head straight out to the parking lot, and sure enough, that’s when I finally see her. There’s Abbie, beautiful as ever, getting out of her car. I stop to admire her.
God, she looks great, even bundled in her winter coat. Her hair is pulled back into a ponytail, leaving her slender neck exposed. I immediately latch onto the image of running my lips along her throat.
She looks up, spots me, and I can’t say she looks thrilled.
Making my way toward her, I clear my throat to get her attention. “Um, hey. How’s it going?”
“Absolutely wonderful. Or I was, until a moment ago.” Her jaw is tense. “You have a good excuse to be here?”
Slipping my hands into my coat’s pockets, I shrug. “I had a physical.”
“Ah, okay.” She smirks. “Well, at least you got to meet Dr. Westbrook. He’s pretty great. We worked together before and he’s always been so good with patients. Amazing bedside manner and so smart.”
