Page 6 of Huge Dynamite
“We did more than date. We were a couple. We were planning a future together—”
Staring up into his eyes, I speak as forcefully as I can. “You were planning a future for us.”
“Not just me. Your parents, too.”
“Myparents?” Shaking my head, I look deep into his eyes. “My parents. Do you hear yourself? I’m a grown woman. A smart, successful grown woman. My parents don’t decide who I marry.”
“They were upset when you called off the engagement.”
“I didn’t call off anything because we were never engaged. Yes, my parents were devastated when we broke up—they love you. You’re everything they want in a son-in-law.” My words are coming so fast I’m not sure I’m making any sense. “You’re clean-cut, smart, they can show you off at the country club, and to top it all off, you’re a cardiothoracic surgeon—like my father.Theywould marry you if they could.”
“Well, then, don’t you think that the people who know you best in the world would make the right decision for you?”
“Make the right decisionfor me?” Worried I might slug him, I take a few steps away and then, turning back, I rush up to him. Before I speak, I force myself to take deep breaths to calm my racing heart. “This isn’t the Middle Ages, Robert. I’m not going to be ‘given away’ by my father. You think you know me best? None of you—notoneof you—knows one damned thing about me.”
“I know that you’re a cardiothoracic surgeon, too, and you could be in practice with your dad, making seven figures like he does. But instead, you work as an ER doctor on the nightshift.”
“So do you.”
“I work as the surgeon on call, and you know it. But you, you’ll take any case. Hell, you even pulled a knife out of some asshole’s shoulder, and no one knows why you did it.”
“He wasn’t an asshole, and I know why—you don’t have to. Don’t you get it? Or are you just too damned arrogant to see that?”
“Oh, crap, here we go with the arrogant speech again. How many times did I hear that while we were dating? You think I’m arrogant? Well, you’re naïve. When are you going to get over your childish dream of being something you’re not?”
“What?” Narrowing my eyes, my heart thumps so loudly I can hear it. “What did you just say?”
“Come on, Holly. I know you have some secret dream to ‘help people out.’” He makes air quotes as he talks. “That’s fine. Really. Noble, even. But why not go to work for your dad, make a shitload of money, and donate to the less fortunate like the rest of us plan to?”
“I…” Staring up at this man, I have a hard time imagining that I ever saw anything good in him. A couple of weeks ago, when he sent those flowers, I was really touched and almost folded. Maybe, if I hadn’t been thinking about Seth nonstop, I might have. Robert never does anything spontaneous or romantic like sending me flowers at work, and I thought maybe he was turning a corner. Maybe he was thinking of someone other than himself.
“Come on, Holl.” Leaning forward, he nudges me with his shoulder. “We’re both tired. What do you say we go back in, finish our shifts, and I come by later? I’ll bring coffee. Good coffee. Not from the place across the street, but how about from that little place in Hoppa you like so much?”
“Hoppa?” My heart starts racing even faster just at the mention of the town. It’s been a month now, but he was here tonight. The way he was staring at me… was that all a coincidence? Or is there a chance that Seth Hardy remembers me?
“Yeah?”
“I live in Phoenix. What makes you think there’s anything in Hoppa I want?” My voice is low and breathy. I couldn’t have been that obvious, could I?
“Okay, there’s the Holly I always knew you could be.” He grins. “A little shithole like Hoppa couldn’t possibly have anything for you. Cool. I’ll stop at that place on High Street in Phoenix you like.”
“No.” I force back the bitter taste in my mouth. “It’s not Hoppa. And Hoppa’s not a shithole. I don’t want any coffee, Robert. We’re not getting together.”
“Why not?” He takes a step closer and my stomach aches. “Come on, Holl.” He reaches out and tries to stroke my cheek, but I pull away.
“No?” He raises his eyebrows. “Wow. I thought we’d decided this friends-with-benefits deal was good for both of us. We’re both incredibly busy, both have high-stress, demanding jobs, we work the same shifts…”
“No more, Robert. I’m done.” Turning away, I walk around to the front of the hospital. Coffee. I need coffee. I’m going to drown myself in an extra-large black coffee. Robert walks up next to me just as I make it to the door of the coffee shop. I wait as a man with a full-sleeve tattoo popping out of his T-shirt comes waltzing out.
“Hey.” He nods to me and raises his cup.
“Hey.” Instead of entering the shop, I turn back and call to the man who’s walking away. “Excuse me, can I ask you something?”
The man turns around. “Me?”
I nod.
“Yeah. Sure.” Shrugging, the man walks up to me and eyeballs Robert. “This guy bothering you?”
