I’m led out of the dance to a chorus of cheers and boos. The very same boys who taunted me on stage now think I am cooler than cool in my handcuffed state. My street cred has doubled.
In all, taking over the stage at a middle school dance probably won’t go down as my most brilliant idea. I’m sure word will spread that I’ve gone off my rocker and am not suitable to practice medicine. Dr. McCormick will likely want to have a word with me at work on Monday, but I’ll explain my reasonings and I have no doubt his eyes will be moist by the end of it—not only because he’s a big softie, but because like most everyone in our life, I suspect he has secretly been rooting for Lucas and me all along.
Oh, right. Lucas.
Apparently the love of my life.
I laugh because to me, it is still funny.
I look back just as Lucas catches up with me and the security guard. He’s still wearing that secret smile and I want to throw my arms around him and hug him, but I’m handcuffed. A criminal.
“All right, miss,” the guard says, “If I catch you within twenty feet of that dance, I’ll handcuff you for good. You hear me?”
“Yes sir. I’ve learned my lesson.”
Lucas arches a brow, watching the exchange and probably enjoying it all a little too much. Once my hands have been cut free, I roll them out and rub my wrists like I’ve been tied up for years, not minutes.
“I thought he was going to take me down to the clink,” I say, chancing a glance at Lucas. I don’t want him to bolt now that I’m not in danger of being arrested anymore.
“You’re wacko,” he says, stepping closer.
But there’s adoration in his words and I think there always has been, but now I can hear it. I’m finally listening.
“I’ve missed you.”
He tilts his head. “Yeah?”
“Of course. I ate all the food in your apartment. I need you to come back and buy more.”
He laughs and reaches out. With one hand around my neck, he tugs me close and pulls me to his chest. I close my eyes and inhale. “Charming.”
“I’m really sorry,” I say against his shirt. “That thing with the CVs got out of hand. I never really wanted you to leave.”
“I know.”
“Where have you been the last few days?” I ask.
“Hiding out at Madeleine’s. Looking for jobs.”
I pull back so I can look up at him. “What?! Lucas c’mon, don’t be silly. Obviously you have to stay at Dr. McCormick’s.”
“Doesn’t look like that’s an option. You said it yourself.”
“I turned down the job. I want us both to stay at Dr. McCormick’s.”
“I appreciate the gesture, but…does it even matter?”
“I also have a really brilliant plan for how we can take down MediQuik.”
“Yeah?”
“Step one is simple: we work together.”
“Has hell frozen over?”
“No, hear me out. We were able to accomplish quite a bit competing against one another all these years. Just think what would happen if we were on the same team.”
“What do you have in mind?”
“Oh a ton! I’ve been thinking it over the last few days. Ways to smash them. Ways to bury them. Ways to—”
“Is any of it legal?”
“Oh, right. Well, I guess we’ll have to go back the drawing board.”
He nods and steps back, giving himself a little bit of space. It’s like he’s still in shock at what’s transpired and he’s not quite ready to jump back in with both feet. After so many years, I’ve conditioned him to be reserved, and I can’t force him to trust me right away—though that’s exactly what I want.
We wave goodbye to Madeleine—she wants to stay behind and chat with Tiffany—and then start to walk toward the parking lot. There’s space between us, a gulf really, and though I want to reach for his hand, I don’t.
He’s quiet. Contemplative. I’m scared he’s talking himself out of forgiving me, or worse, building up some kind of goodbye speech. So, before he can unwind the thoughts swirling around his stubborn head, I speak first.
“I realized I loved you before you left.”
His gaze stays straight ahead, but I watch his mouth tighten into a flat line. He’s heard me.
“I don’t know if that matters to you, but I thought you should know. It didn’t take you leaving or us having a massive blowup for me to realize what I felt for you. I was sitting in my office, staring at that signed offer sheet and wondering why I couldn’t send it back to Damian. Owning my own practice has always been my dream and yet, I was frozen in place, stuck right on the precipice of realizing the truth.”
He nods, understanding. “And then Mariah knocked on your door…”
“And then Mariah knocked on my door,” I echo. “I won’t go into the details of that offer or why I didn’t turn it down the first second it was presented to me. I don’t think it matters anymore. I just wanted you to know that I loved you before you walked away.”
He looks over to me and studies me.