Page 28 of Stolen Kisses
Krista focused on the salad she’d ordered. She stabbed a lettuce leaf, working out her frustration. She wasn’t enjoying this date. She’d rather be home in her pajamas, watching TV. And Chandler’s steak was still a mile long. She’d be here for at least another hour.
“Dr. Dale!” a woman’s voice said, approaching Krista from behind. “Looks like we’re in the mood for the same thing tonight.”
Krista sat rod straight, tipping her chin toward the table. She’d know Karen’s Southern drawl anywhere. Oh, God. If Karen saw her out with a colleague—she hadn’t even considered that when she’d said yes to dinner tonight.
Krista let her hair fall across her cheek, using it as a shield.
“Yep. Krista and I were both in the mood for fine dining,” he told Karen.
Krista’s heart sank into her no longer hungry belly.
“Krista?” Karen stepped up beside her. “Oh, it is you.” She looked between Dr. Dale and her.
Crap.Krista could kiss her promotion goodbye for sure now. If getting personally involved with patients wasn’t unprofessional enough, now she was dating the hospital’s lead cardiac surgeon.
And she didn’t even like him romantically.
“Hi, Karen,” Krista said, her skin burning. She was positive that even the dim lighting couldn’t hide her fully flushing cheeks.
“You didn’t mention that you were going on a dinner date with Dr. Dale today,” she said.
Krista shook her head. “No, this isn’t a date.” Her gaze jumped to Chandler, who looked disappointed. “I mean, it is. Yes, it is, but it’s our first. Unless you count our lunch date the other day.”
The corners of Karen’s mouth dipped down. Krista didn’t have to guess what was running through her mind.
A sinking feeling settled over Krista, pushing her down farther in her seat.
“I see. Well, you two enjoy your meal. I’m going to go get one of my own.” She smiled at Dr. Dale and then looked at Krista with what wasn’t exactly a smile. Or maybe Krista was imagining it. Maybe this wasn’t as bad as she thought.
“It’s okay,” Chandler said after Karen had gone. “People date at work all the time. We’re not supposed to, but it’s not going to be a problem.”
Krista was surprised he even knew what she was thinking. “Really?”
His eyes were warm. “Really. I could name about a dozen off the top of my head right now.” He leaned in. “And Karen has been known to have dinner with a coworker in the past, too.”
Krista’s mouth dropped open. “No way. Who?”
Chandler held up his hands. “I don’t spread gossip around. But it’s a certain doctor who frequents your floor and specializes in orthopedics.”
Krista gasped as her hands flew over her mouth. “No way,” she said again. “Dr. Peters?”
Chandler pretended to zip his lips and Krista laughed out loud, enjoying herself for the first time tonight. “Feel better?” he asked.
She nodded. “Much. Thank you.”
He shrugged. “I don’t want you to regret having dinner with me.”
A little warm tingly sensation lit inside her chest. Maybe Chandler did have some dating potential. She added a tally to the list of pros for seeing him again. He was sweet and he’d just made her laugh as hard as she did sometimes with Grace and Abby. And with Noah. That was a good thing.
She picked up her fork and started eating, not worrying about Karen anymore. Instead, she was on a mission to find out how many more tallies she could add to Chandler’s pros list.
