Page 23 of The Phyre that Burns
“I wasn’t offended because, as far as I know, having children won’t be a problem when I’m ready. I just get sick of people, especially men, assuming certain things when it comes to women.”
“You’re right. I shouldn’t have assumed you were waiting because that may not have been the case. Again, I apologize.”
“All right. This conversation isn’t work-related, so we should get back to the office.”
Without another word, I started my car. When I stopped in front of the building, Ginae hopped out of the car before I put the car in park. I shook my head in frustration because I wasn’t sure I’d be able to honor her wishes.
I had high hopes when I realized the only woman I’d ever loved would be working with me. The thought of being inher presence every day filled me with excitement about the possibility of us having a future together.
It hadn’t been two full days yet, and my hope was fading, but I wasn’t prepared to give up. I’d been waiting for this moment for too long. We crossed paths again after all this time for a reason. God knew my heart, and I believed He gave us a second chance.
No matter how adamant she was about keeping things professional, I would only respect her wishes to a certain extent. As much as I wanted to rush the process, I had to be patient. I finally cut the engine and went inside, and the first thing I witnessed when I entered the office pissed me off to no end.
“I’m available if you ever want a tour of the city,” Waylen, my sole male nurse, offered.
“Although I haven’t been back since I left, I completed my undergraduate and a semester of my graduate degree at Black Elm University, so this isn’t my first time in the city,” Ginae told him.
“Oh, yeah. I think Dr. Jordan might have mentioned that. What years did you attend?”
She shared the years she’d attended the university, and coincidentally, Waylen had completed his last two years of undergrad at the university during her first two years.
“I don’t know how we never crossed paths because I’m positive I would’ve noticed and remembered. The city has changed quite a bit since you were last here, and I’d be more than happy to show you what’s new.”
“From what I’ve seen so far, it definitely has. I might take you up on that offer,” Ginae responded.
Waylen looked at me and smirked before returning his attention to Ginae. His flirting was intentional, and his goal was to get under my skin. Everyone in the office knew of the history between Ginae and me because I’d talked about her for years.
When the question of why I was still single arose years ago, I told them who my heart belonged to. Of course, I didn’t give them all the gory details, but my staff was well aware of how deep my love ran for Ginae.
The moment Ginae accepted the assignment, I shared the news with my staff, and I had to give them three extra vacation days to keep their mouths shut. Waylen was on the verge of losing those extra days if he kept flirting with my future wife.
“Ginae, you gotta be careful with Waylen. One thing he’s not short on is women,” Lauryn warned.
“Aye, don’t do that, Lauryn. I’m just trying to show her around the city.”
“She’s not lying, Ginae,” Tania said. “Waylen is a big flirt, and these women eat it up.”
“How’d everything go?” I asked, interrupting and hopefully ending the conversation.
“We had two cancellations, and everything went smoothly. How’d it go at the hospital?” Lauryn asked.
“As expected. Ginae was a hit with the new moms.” I looked at my watch. “How many patients do we have before lunch?”
“Four,” Tania responded.
I nodded and headed to my office, fuming because I didn’t like the way Waylen looked at Ginae. It was clear he was attracted to her, but I couldn’t tell if she was attracted to him. I’d seen him in action many times, and I’d be the first to give him his props. Waylen had a way with women, and I refused to sit by and watch him work his magic on my woman.
I had no right, but I wanted to check Waylen about stepping to Ginae. It may have seemed innocent to her, but those who knew him knew he could charm most women right out of their panties. We’d heard many stories of his conquests and even seen women fawning over him.
Lunchtime had arrived, and it seemed everyone had gone out. I remained in my office, still simmering, replaying the interaction between Waylen and Ginae. I was tempted to see if Ginae was in the break room, but I thought against it since I’d pissed her off twice already today.
Besides my entire staff, I’d only shared with Lennon that Ginae would be working with me. The only other person I’d talked to about her was Phoenix, and I’d yet to tell my sister that I was on a quest to win back my only true love. I needed some advice on how to move forward, so I called her.
“What’s up, Phy?”
“Nothing much.” I paused. “Actually, a lot. I need your advice. You got a minute?”
“Of course.”
