She picked up a file and eyed it. “Says here she’s single.”
I swallowed as the older woman with dyed fire red hair narrowed her eyes but couldn’t contain the threatening smile on her lips.
“Is this a good story?”
“Not sure,” I said hanging my head as droplets of rain hit her desk. “But I’m begging your pardon for lying and for your mercy. In the most unromantic gesture imaginable, I’m about to barge into her appointment and demand she marry me.”
Her eyes widened. “In an OB appointment? You’re serious?”
“Quite serious, yes.”
“Love your Australian accent.”
I held my bite. “Thank you.”
“Down the hall, last door on the right, but if anyone asks you found it on your own.”
“Thanks again.”
“I hope she says yes.”
We shared a smile. “Me too.” I raced down the hall and burst through the door just as Koti sat down in a hospital gown tying it in place behind her. Shock, confusion and then anger transformed in seconds over her beautiful face.
“What in the hell are you doing here?”
I couldn’t wait a single second longer. “What in the hell are you doing here? What is this? What am I too late for?”
“Ian, you can’t be here.”
“The hell I can’t,” I said, closing the door. “Tell me what this is.”
“This is none of your damned business. Get out, I’m not decent.”
I raised a brow. “I’ve seen you in far more compromising positions with a lot less on.”
“How did you know I was here and you were too late for… Jasmine?” Without confirmation, she closed her eyes and shook her head. “I’m going to kill her.”
“I just took a ride with her ex, Steven on his plane. Seems to be some unfinished business there.”
“Yeah, well she has three men madly in love with her.”
“Three?”
“Toby, the water guy is in the running too, may the best man win.”
“Wow.”
“Yeah, wow. Great talking to you, can you please leave now?”
It took every bit of strength I had not to sweep her off the bed and into my arms. I loved her sass more than I should, but even in a hideously loud hospital gown with bright orange flowers, she had me at her mercy. Still, panic more than anything strangled me at the thought she could betray me in a way I could never forgive.
“Are you pregnant?”
“Knock, knock,” the doctor said, entering the room and looking at me in surprise.
“Hi there, didn’t realize she had company. I’m Dr. Zanders,” she introduced herself and I shook her hand. Koti spoke on my behalf before I could get a word out.
“He was just leaving,” Koti offered before looking pointedly at me, “now.”
I gave her a menacing smile. “Not a chance, puffer fish.”
Dr. Zanders laughed. “I thought you were single, Koti.”
“I am.”
I cut in with an answer of my own. “She’s not, I assure you.”
Koti straightened herself on the bed in an attempt to muster as much dignity as she could in her gown. “You assure wrong. This isn’t cute, Ian, you need to leave.”
“No. Fucking. Way.” I stood, my chest heaving as I looked her over. If she was pregnant, I would have to find a way to forgive her, every part of me hoped it was true, but a larger part of me was boiling mad… She wasn’t showing, at that thought my chest sank at the idea something could be wrong. I turned to the doctor who seemed to be enjoying our back and forth.
“So, this is just routine then?”
She nodded. “There’s no need to worry. Hysterectomies are very common. I perform about ten a week.”
I felt sick as I tried to swallow the threatening bile. Not pregnant. Most definitely not pregnant.
I turned to face Koti who was staring at her red painted toes. Wrong color, wrong place, wrong news. I didn’t know if anything would ever be right again.
Fighting a hundred different emotions, I spoke up to try to save face. “Dr. Zander, could you please excuse us for a moment?”
“Sure.” She made her leave as I stared at the woman who owned me and refused to look my way.
I WONDERED WHAT COLOR COFFIN Jasmine wanted, or if she wanted to be cremated, either way, I hoped she was enjoying her last day alive with Julian and that she’d broken her abstinence streak because she was a dead woman.
Seconds after the door closed, Ian stalked over to where I sat, pulled me to stand and grabbed the clothes I had laying over the chair and threw them on the bed toward me.
I stood arms crossed as he gathered my shoes throwing them my way as well. “This is like the opening of a bad joke. Your ex-boyfriend walks into your OB appointment. Care to tell me the punch line?”
Furious gray eyes met mine. “I’m still madly in love with you. Get dressed.”
Trying to ignore the shock at the sight of him and his words, I shook my head.
“That’s unfortunate, crocky because I’ve moved on.” He looked gorgeous in a form-fitting button-down that matched his eyes and slacks. His hair was a little longer and even more unruly and it looked dead sexy on him. He was in even better shape than when he left the island and I tried my best not to stare too long. It hurt me to see him that way. It hurt me to see him at all. But I’d done my share of mourning over the way he’d left me with no trace of his love, of us.
“Moved on?” His eyes drank me in before he moved toward me. “Sorry if I don’t believe you. And I’ve been chasing you all over to find you doing this? The surgery is not happening, get dressed.”
“Sorry, Ian, I’m not that scared woman you left bleeding in the sand anymore. Things have changed. I’ve changed.”
“Well now, that would be unfortunate, but fortunately I don’t believe you on that either.”
“This needs to happen.”
I refused to believe the genuine fear that covered his features. “Are you sick?”
Ignoring him, I shed my nightgown as his eyes greedily took in my naked form. Eat your heart out, buddy. He wasn’t the only one who’d been working out. It wasn’t a lie, things had changed, I just wasn’t sure if I was happy with all of them.
“Answer me, Koti,” he commanded. “Please.”
I sighed out my answer. “No, I’m not sick.”
“Are you at risk of anything?”
“Well… no more than usual.” Pulling my panties on, I could see desire stir in his eyes. I pretended to ignore that too.
“Then it’s not happening.”
“It is happening, tomorrow morning and you need to leave.” I moved to grab my slacks and he stopped me with a hand on my arm.
“Not a damned chance.”
I ripped myself away feigning indifference to his touch. “How about you answer some questions for me. Like, why are you here?”
“Because I came to tell you I was an idiot and I want another chance with you.”
“That’s not going to happen.”
“Oh, it’s happening.”
Hand on my hips, I faced him head on. “Are you taking steroids now? Who in the hell are you to tell me what’s happening?!”
“I’m the man in your life.”
“You’re the man who left me!”
“And I’ve paid for it in every imaginable way. You remember the hell I told you I didn’t believe existed? I’ve been living in it because I can’t stand life without you. And you aren’t having this surgery.”
“Ian, I’m having it. It’s what’s best for me.”
“Why?” He shook his head, calling bullshit. “Because you’re mad at me?”
“Still an egomaniac? It’s sad to see not much has changed for you. Not everything revolves around you. Endometriosis is painful. Trust me on this.”
“And there’s a possibility the pain can lessen with childbirth.”
“Did you YouTube that fact on the way over here? Good for you.”
He narrowed his eyes. “No, I read up when I was on the island, making love to you every night and fucking you every day.”