Page 77 of Must Be Love - Irresistible Bachelors

I don’t give a shit. The mess can stay. I’ve lost everything important to me because of that stupid serum.

Giving it to Amber was a mistake. I hurt her in ways I never intended, but intention doesn’t matter. I made my bed, and now I have to lie in it. Alone.

Someone knocks on the exam room door. Technically, Amber’s appointment isn’t over yet, and my lunch hour is immediately after. I’d hoped we could go out and enjoy some time together. I was far too optimistic about how this conversation would go.

“I’m busy,” I call out.

I don’t have any patients, so there’s no reason for the nurse to be knocking on my door.

The handle turns anyway, and Ginger walks in.

“What did you do to that sweet girl?” she asks, hands on her hips.

“Not now, Ginger.”

She takes a few steps closer to me. We’re around the same age, but Ginger has always reminded me of a grandmother. She’s kind and caring most of the time, but she isn’t afraid to stick it to you when she thinks you deserve it.

I wish she would go away. I’m not in the mood for a lecture.

“You’d better fix it, AJ. You’re an idiot if you don’t.”

“There’s no fixing this.”

Ginger rolls her eyes. “There’s always a way to fix it. Buy the girl some flowers and grovel. I’ve never seen you happier than you’ve been since you started seeing that girl.”

“Seeing her? You mean as a patient.”

She laughs. “Oh, please. Everyone from here to California could see that girl was more than just your patient. These walls aren’t that thick, remember.”

I flush. I suspected the office knew, but the confirmation is embarrassing. I’ve done so many stupid things since meeting Amber.

Maybe it’s for the best we don’t talk anymore. I don’t deserve her.

“Get out of your head and go win back the girl.”

“It’s really bad, Ginger.”

Ginger sighs and squeezes my shoulder. “You’ll do the right thing. You always do.”

I swallow down a scoff as Ginger leaves the exam room. If I always did the right thing, I wouldn’t be in this situation right now.

Alone in the exam room once again, I stare at the serum drying on the floor. As much as I’d like to, I can’t just leave it there. I grab some paper towels and start cleaning it up.

I can’t be in this room any longer. Everything here reminds me of Amber. Why did we have to have this fallout in the very room we had sex in? The good is now tainted with the bad.

My office is better. Amber has never been in there. I sink down into my cool, leather chair and drop my head onto my desk. If I didn’t have more patients after lunch, I’d sit like this all day.

Someone knocks on my office door. What the hell is going on? Why did everyone pick today of all days to bother me?

“Come back later,” I order. “I’m eating lunch.”

The door opens, and Briana walks in. “We both know you’re not eating lunch. I was walking in when I saw that girl from the convention run out. Did she find out what you did?”

I nod. Briana sits across from me and laughs.

“I told you this would happen.”

“I really don’t need to hear this, Briana. I already got a lecture from Ginger.”

Briana doesn’t seem to care. “I like you, Dr. Blake, and that’s why I’m telling it to you straight. You fucked up.”

“Thanks, Briana.”

“But you can still fix this.”

“Ginger said the same thing. The two of you don’t understand.”

“I understand just fine, Dr. Blake. The personal shit? That’s your problem. I’m not getting involved in your love life. Even though you were fine getting involved with mine.”

I can’t help but laugh. “How are things with Carter?”

“Better than things between you and Amber, that’s for sure. Not the point, though. We need to talk about AJB-9.”

“I don’t want to.”

She rolls her eyes. “Too damn bad. You trust me to steer you in the right direction. I’m your connection to lab, legal, sales, marketing, and every other department of this company. You didn’t listen to me when I told you not to give Amber the serum, and now look at you. So you’re going to listen to me now.”

Briana has a point. I nod, giving her permission to continue.

“Good. Here’s what we’re going to do. AJB-9 doesn’t exist. It never existed. The trial never happened. Your personal connection with Amber is the only thing saving your ass.”

“We weren’t together when I gave her the serum.”

“It doesn’t matter. Well, it does, but hopefully, it won’t. As long as Amber doesn’t try to sue the company, we should be fine.”

“She won’t do that,” I say with confidence.

Despite everything, we cared about each other. Amber wouldn’t destroy my career over this.

“Good. She better not. From this point on, you do not put any of your bodily fluids into any of your products. Do you understand me?”

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