His eyes softened, and he pinched her chin as he had so many times before. “Love, we won’t. You’re my best friend and nothing is going to change that.”
A tear fell from her eyes, and he smirked.
“You’re such a baby,” he said, grabbing a tissue and holding it out to her. “Get cleaned up, so we can go play the part of a loving couple for a few minutes.”
Love went to the mirror and grimaced at her raccoon eyes. “How about we just go back up to the room and let them think we snuck away because we’re in newlywed mode? I look like a crazy woman.” She eyed him in the mirror. “Hmm?”
“You’re beautiful.”
He turned her to him and his finger trailed down her nose before he hooked a hand behind her neck and pulled her closer. When his lips touched hers, it felt like a dream. The kiss wasn’t passionate, but achingly sweet. It was soft, warm. Just what she needed in that moment.
He pulled away and grinned. “Whatever you want.” He brushed his thumb back and forth over her earlobe. “You go on up, and I’ll find your mother and tell her that we’re turning in. I’ll also ask her to not tell anyone else, because we want to make our own announcement back in Michigan.”
Love let out a nervous laugh and tried to pretend Drake hadn’t just kissed her knees wobbly. “Let’s hope she listens.”
He wrapped an arm around her and led her out of the bathroom. “I’m praying she will.”
CHAPTER 6
The warmth of Las Vegas had been replaced with a Michigan snowstorm. In March. Ann Arbor was the sixth largest city in “The Mitten,” as some people called the state. It was home to the Ann Arbor Art Fair, “The Big House,” the annual Hash Bash, Zingerman’s Delicatessen and the University of Michigan.
Love had dreamed of attending “U of M” as a child. Maize and Blue was in her soul, running through her veins. Except she hadn’t expected Ann Arbor to be so cold, wet and humid at times. She had grown up in Las Vegas, after all.
Still, in her time there, she’d come to love the quaint college town, with its parks, many shops and diverse population. And the food…yum. I’m so greedy.
Love walked through the University of Michigan Health System, now known as Michigan Medicine, greeting several people in the halls. There was a flurry of activity as always, with individuals from all walks of life milling around. A musician played on a grand piano in the lobby area and patients readied themselves for appointments. As a medical resident, focused on Obstetrics and Gynecology, Love been assigned to all the many hospitals within the system. Her favorite, of course, was the Von Voigtlander Women’s Hospital, attached to the C. S. Mott Children’s Hospital. Considered one of the nation’s leading medical institutions, Michigan Medicine was on the cutting edge in many specialties, and Love was happy to be a part of it.
The elevator doors opened on floor five and Love rushed out, nearly slipping on the linoleum. Gripping the edge of a nearby counter, she stood still for a minute, taking a few deep breaths. It had been a day since she’d awkwardly said goodbye to her husband. They’d successfully finished the reunion weekend without ending up in bed with each other again. Which was a good thing. Well, that’s what she kept telling herself, anyway.
Except for that kiss. One kiss, and she’d felt like her world had titled on its axis. She’d been going back and forth about bringing it up. Sure, they’d had sex and got married, but that night of the reunion dinner he’d kissed her deliberately, while sober. Then he’d acted like nothing extraordinary had happened. She hated him.
They’d agreed to talk before she headed into work this morning, but she’d avoided his many calls. After a night of Drake-filled dreams, talking to the man was the last thing she needed.
“Hello, Dr. Jackson.”
Love stopped in her tracks and turned when she heard his name spoken, and Drake’s low-voiced response. He was grinning, like the flirt he was. And the stupid nurse who’d greeted him was eating it up. There was nothing about the encounter that was abnormal. Drake was well-known and well-liked by the staff, especially the women they worked with. Last week, the overly friendly nurse wouldn’t have bothered her, but this week that damn nurse was talking to her husband.
Closing her eyes tight, Love willed the jealousy away.
“How was your trip?” Nurse Annoying asked Drake.
“Good,” he answered. “How was your weekend?”
Love rolled her eyes when the nurse flipped her hair and giggled like a teenage girl with a crush before relaying the details of her weekend clubbing and drinking with her friends.