Mr. Park Lane (The Mister)

He sucked in a breath. “It’s difficult. I don’t want to get my contact in trouble. Big pharma can be . . . tricky.”

“I just don’t think we have much firepower without talking about Calmation directly.”

“Let’s put a plan together—one we can put into action as soon as Merdon files in the US.”

I nodded and handed over the folder I’d been clutching. “This is what I have.”

Gerry shot me a suspicious look and opened the file. He flicked through the launch plan I’d been working on.

“I was thinking that as soon as we can go public, I might be able to get Joshua’s input—you remember Joshua Luca, who I brought to dinner? He’s in PR and marketing. I’m sure he would help us if I asked him. I know he’s doing some work for a pharma company at the moment. He might have some good insights.”

“This is all excellent work, Hartford. I’m impressed. But it must have taken you a great deal of time to do all this without any help. Have you still managed to create some balance in your life? Have you managed to properly get away from thinking about medicine?”

I wasn’t about to confess to Gerry all the things Joshua had done to me the previous night that had caused my mind to go entirely blank and my limbs entirely weak. “Absolutely. I’ve been taking those baking lessons, I went to the National Gallery the other day, and . . . I’ve been dating.”

Gerry smiled. “Well, then this is a good day. We can only deal with what we can control and my goodness, you are doing exactly that.” His tone was like a warm hug. I couldn’t help but be proud that he was pleased.

“Do you know when Merdon are going to file for approval in the US?”

“I don’t have exact dates,” Gerry said. “I just know it’s imminent.”

“As soon as they do, I can get Joshua’s input on my plan and see if there’s anything we’ve missed. But there are things we can do the day they file.”

“I agree. Let’s hold off on these articles until we can name names. Excellent work, Hartford. Not just on your planned crusade against Merdon, but also trying to create a life for yourself outside of medicine. I’m proud of you.”

“Thank you.” I smiled and stood, pulling his office door closed as I left.

I was proud of myself too, and grateful to Gerry for pushing me. Finding things to do outside of the hospital hadn’t been as horrifying as I’d expected it to be. I’d thought that if I wasn’t consumed with medicine, I’d go back to how I was before I’d found it. I’d go back to being a girl who couldn’t dance anymore. But I’d kept busy and not found my thoughts sliding to the past any more than usual. The regret I’d thought would flood in about what my silly infatuation with Joshua had cost me just hadn’t materialized.

Maybe that’s why I’d shut off my forcefield last night and kissed him back. The fear of what he could do to me had dimmed. I knew him now in a way I hadn’t done when we were teenagers. Things were different now.

Twenty

Hartford

As I stepped out of the lift, my entire body buzzed with excitement at seeing Joshua. He’d said sleeping together wouldn’t change anything between us, and I hoped that was true. I really wanted to talk to him about Calmation. We could strategize together—a pastime bound to be more successful than baking together. That wouldn’t happen tonight because of having to keep Gerry’s contact confidential. But soon.

I paused at my front door to find my keys. Joshua’s door opened behind me.

“Good evening,” he said, in that relaxed, gravelly tone that usually meant he’d just woken up or had been deep in thought. “How was your day?”

I turned and smiled at him. God, he was pretty. “Good. Busy. Gerry’s pleased with my extracurricular activities.”

Joshua’s eyebrows lifted. “I hope you didn’t go into too much detail.”

I laughed and tried to ignore the flush of heat creeping up my neck.

“Well, I’m going to show you another way to spend your time outside of the hospital tonight.” Joshua picked up my bag and held out his hand. I took it, and he led me into his flat.

As I followed him inside, I spoke to his back. “We should have a conversation before we get naked again. You only do the casual sex thing, and I know that. Like, I really know that.”

“We can talk, but first, I’m going to let you in on a secret of mine.” He guided me to the kitchen island, dropped my bag on the side, and pulled out a glass from the cupboard and a bottle of wine from his fridge. He poured, but instead of handing it to me, he picked it up in one hand and held out the other. I didn’t question him. All my energy was being channeled into curiosity about what he had in store for me.