The Doctor's Damsel in Distress

She had to snap out of her melancholy mood. She had to. Regardless of what happened with Levi, she had a good life, a career she loved, good friends, family she could call on if she needed to. Regardless of what happened with Levi, she would be okay.

She would be okay.

No, she wouldn’t try to take on a new persona the way she had after her debacle with Simon. Then again, maybe she would. Maybe she’d take on the persona of a woman burned repeatedly who’d finally learned her lesson regarding the “stronger sex.” Maybe next time…well, maybe there just wouldn’t be a next time. Maybe she would focus on herself. No man necessary.

Which actually brought a real smile to her face.

“Seriously, I’m fine.” She was fine. Pregnant or not, she was fine and would remain that way. She was woman, strong, confident, bold…well, maybe all that was stretching it at this point, but she was going to think positively. She would come out of whatever happened as a stronger person. “I appreciate your concern, but I just haven’t been sleeping well.”

True enough and not something Karen didn’t already know. Her roommate had commented several times on how little rest Madison was getting, on how she heard her about the house at all hours of the night.

Karen gave her another worried look. One that said her friend wasn’t buying her feigned smile. “Have you tried talking to him?”

“Who?” Madison asked, stalling for time, hoping Karen would just let the subject go.

Karen met her gaze dead-on. “You know who.”

Nope, she wasn’t going to let the subject drop. “We’re finished. What would be the point of talking to him?”

Karen’s lips pursed. “The point would be that you went from walking on air to looking like your whole world has crashed down on you. I can’t stand the hurt in your eyes.”

Did she really look that bad? She’d been trying to keep it together, to smile at all the right times, not to let her co-workers in on how hollowed out her insides felt. Obviously, she wasn’t doing such a great job.

“Of course, he doesn’t look much better,” Karen mused, watching Madison way too closely.

“He doesn’t look any better?” Madison’s head jerked up, her breath caught, and she knew every cell in her body was blinking like little neon signs at the news Levi might be missing her too, that maybe he hadn’t been completely unaffected by what they’d shared.

Each glimpse she’d had of Levi, he’d looked wonderful. Like that Greek god she’d compared him to. Like temptation in a delectable male package. Like that hot fudge sundae she often compared his eyes to, leaving her craving another bite. And another.

“Well, if there had been any doubt in my mind—which there wasn’t—about what caused your sadness, there wouldn’t be now,” Karen pointed out, a brow raised meaningfully.

“I’m not sad.” Much. Well, maybe a lot, but what she was mainly was worried. She might be pregnant. By a man who’d had sex with her and moved on to his next conquest. Or had he? She hadn’t heard anything through the hospital grapevine about Levi dating anyone. Then again, it wasn’t as if he’d taken out a billboard or announced it over the P.A. system that they’d made love—had had sex—so it was definitely possible that he was still making his way through the female staff.

But what if he really did look affected? What if he really hadn’t gotten all he’d wanted? What if he’d been as blown away by what had happened that night as she’d been?

Madison, stop that. Quit trying to force your feelings on Levi. Either he cares about you or he doesn’t.

If he’d cared, he wouldn’t have avoided her for four weeks. Wouldn’t have pretended she didn’t exist. Would have asked how she was. Something. Anything.

“You barely eat. You have dark circles under your eyes. You don’t sleep, and you walk around on the verge of tears.” Karen’s hands went to her hips. “Don’t tell me you’re fine when we both know that’s not the truth.”

Madison sighed. “What do you want me to say? You were right. I’m not player material and never was. I messed up and got involved with someone way out of my league. It hurts, but I’ll survive and really will be just fine.”

Eventually. Maybe.

“He’s not out of your league. No man is,” Karen quickly denied. “You’re the one out of most men’s league, Madison. You’re a good person. A good friend. A good woman. Don’t let whatever happened with Levi send you into another tailspin the way your break-up with Simon did. Please don’t do that again,” Karen pleaded. “Tell me how I can help.”

Did cutting off Levi’s favorite male appendage count?

Okay, maybe that was a bit extreme, but how could he just so thoroughly exit from her life after sharing something so special? Okay, maybe he hadn’t thought their love-making special, but she had. Oh, how she had.

“Would you feel better if I cut Levi’s ‘man boys’ off and hung them from my rear-view mirror?”

Madison wrinkled her nose up at Karen, but couldn’t keep the smile off her face. “Probably not a good idea, but thanks for the offer.”

Both women looked up from the nurses’ station desk to see the object of their whispered conversation step out of the elevator. Before Madison could look away, her gaze clashed with his and her breath caught.

Karen was wrong.