Private Partners (Doctors in Training 2)

“I really do. I’d tell you if I thought otherwise. Didn’t I gag when you put on that pukey green one?”

“Yes, you did. I can always count on you to be honest with me, Anne.”

Anne winced, but fortunately Haley didn’t seem to notice.

Haley laughed and tossed the “pukey green” top over the door. “Hang that up for me, will you? I’m just going to try on this one last dress and then call it a day.”

Anne had just hung the top on the rack provided for dressing room discards when the door opened again. She tilted her head with interest when Haley stepped out in a deep coral dress with a plunging scooped neckline and three-quarter-length sleeves. A soft, full skirt swirled beneath the belted waist, making the dress look very feminine, somewhat retro and quite figure flattering. “Oh, I like that.”

“Do you?” Haley plucked at the stretched bodice. “I think it’s a little too snug for me across the bust.”

“Maybe a little. Do you want me to bring you the next size up?”

“No, that would be too big in the shoulders. It is a pretty dress, though. Why don’t you try it on? Your boobs aren’t as big as mine.”

“Oh, gee, thanks.”

Haley laughed. “Seriously, try it on. The color would be gorgeous on you.”

Anne hesitated, then nodded. “Okay, sure. Not that I have anywhere to wear it, but it wouldn’t hurt to try it on.”

A few minutes later, Anne opened the dressing room door to model the dress for Haley. “It seems to fit pretty well.”

“Are you kidding? It’s perfect! See for yourself.” Haley motioned toward the three-way mirror at the end of the short, dressing room hallway.

Anne eyed herself in the mirror. The dress did look nice. The cut emphasized her small waist, yet made the most of what few curves she had. The neckline was just low enough to hint at cleavage—not that she had any to show if it had been lower, she thou

ght in self-deprecating humor. And the length of the sleeves made the garment pretty much a year-round style, very practical for someone living on a budget, as she was.

She thought Liam would like it. And that was all the impetus she needed to say impulsively, “I think I’ll buy it. After all, it is marked down thirty percent.”

“Always frugal,” Haley teased. “You should definitely buy it. It has your name written all over it.”

“I wouldn’t go that far, but I do like it.”

She stepped back into the cubicle to change into the clothes she’d worn shopping.

Haley spoke through the door. “You never said what you did last night. Did you crash at home, too, or did you do something interesting?”

Anne froze with one hand on the zipper of her jeans. “Uh—just a sec.”

She finished dressing, ran a hand through her hair and picked up her purse and the coral dress before opening the door. “I went out for a little while with a friend last night,” she said casually. “We saw that new action film that opened last week. The plot was kind of weak, but it was fun, anyway.”

“Oh, yeah, I’ve heard it’s pretty good. Who’d you say you went with?”

Haley’s expression resembled that of a dog who’d picked up an interesting scent, Anne thought nervously. Maybe she hadn’t sounded quite as nonchalant as she’d hoped when she’d mentioned her “friend.”

“An old friend from college,” she said, assuring herself it wasn’t exactly a lie. “No big deal.”

She must have done a better job of masking her emotions that time. When she immediately changed the subject to their class reading for Monday, Haley went along without further questions.

Driving the short distance home not long afterward, Anne entertained herself by making plans for letting Liam see her in her new dress. The next day was Valentine’s Day. Most of the medical students had expressed pleasure that the informal holiday fell on a Sunday this year, rather than in the middle of the week when it would be harder for them to take time off from studying.

As for herself, she’d told Liam she wanted to celebrate the occasion with him at home in private, rather than braving the crowds in the local restaurants. After all, they’d just spent an evening out—and there was no need to press their luck on him not being recognized the next time.

She would study in the morning, then take off early to cook him a special Valentine’s dinner—complete with candles and flowers and wine and a sinful dessert. It was definitely her turn to cook. She would change into the dress before sitting down at the table with him. A cozy, intimate evening for two, she thought with a smile of anticipation. Maybe she should have bought some sexy new lingerie to wear beneath the dress—not that Liam would notice. Once he had her out of her clothes, he rarely paused to admire whatever she’d worn underneath.

As a warm feeling spread deep inside her at the thought of how nice their private Valentine’s Day celebration would be, she slid out of her car in her parking space, the new dress in its plastic covering draped over her arm.