I is for Ian

“Doctor,” she corrected. “Dr. Romina Davis. Like the sign says.”

I turned to look out of the passenger’s window at the sign on the parking space.

“So it does,” I said.

“I need you to move your truck,” she said, attempting to calm her voice.

“No.”

A devious grin was starting to pull at the corners of my mouth. She was cute. Really cute. And I was enjoying annoying the hell out of her. It was weird how I could feel simultaneously bothered by her and like I wanted nothing more than to shut her mouth by kissing it. She had big, pouty lips too. They seemed to be perfect for the job.

“Look,” she said, clearly trying to regain her composure. “Maybe I got off on the wrong foot here. There is no need for us to be nasty to each other.”

“True.”

“So, let’s start over,” she said. “I am Dr. Romina Davis. You are parked in my spot, along with three other doctors and the entire sidewalk that most people cross over to when there is weather. I would greatly appreciate it if you would move.”

She smiled mirthlessly at me. It was a Stepford Wife smile, clearly intended to get a job done while masking a true emotion by appealing to the idea that she was pretty and should be treated as such. I was just supposed to give in to her because she smiled. It was below her, and she knew it, which somehow made it even funnier. A woman smart enough to be a doctor at a hospital with the famous Dr. Sutton was way better than sinking to the depths of chivalry for what she wanted.

Then it hit me. That’s just what she thinks of me. She thinks I’m just some meathead who can be swayed by pearly whites and red lipstick.

“Unfortunately, the answer is still no.”

“Oh, come on!” she yelled.

“Sorry, lady,” I began.

“Doctor,” she corrected.

“Doctor,” I sighed. “But I have instructions from the hospital to park here to keep the workflow tight and protect people from getting too close to dangerous zones. In a few days, I will be parking further down, then a few days after that on the other side of the hospital. I suggest you wait it out.”

“Ugh.” She turned away from me and stomped toward the entrance of the building.

“Nice to meet you again, Doctor,” I called out, grinning as she walked away. Momentarily, she stopped, almost like she was going to turn around and lay into me again, but then she kept moving forward and disappeared behind the tinted windows of the lobby.

I became aware of another person in my personal bubble and looked around to see Bryant at the passenger’s window. He had a half-eaten sandwich in one hand and was chewing a mouthful as he watched her.

“She didn’t seem all that happy,” he said.

“No, she didn’t,” I agreed.

“The hot ones never seem to be.”

“What is that?” I asked. “Why are all the hot ones annoying?”

Bryant shrugged.

“Because no man can be that lucky,” he said. “Myself included.”

7

MINA

It wasn’t so much that he was in my spot. It was the principle of the thing. No one warned us ahead of time, no one apologized for taking our spots, and no one seemed to care about inconveniencing us for the sake of Dr. Sutton getting his fancy new office. The argument I had with the stupidly attractive and highly annoying construction guy seemed to solidify it. He was only parking there because the windows of the new office were open, and debris could fall on people.

It was so selfish, so stupid. I hated that the entire hospital was under the whims of Dr. Sutton, even with how important he was turning out to be as a brilliant surgeon. He didn’t have the right to make all of us dance for his pleasure.

Probably taking it out on the construction crew wasn’t the most effective use of my frustration. But after the paint incident and then them parking in my spot, it was at least a little cathartic to get it off my chest. Plus, I hoped that I would come in the next day, and they would have moved the truck down some.

Indeed, when I pulled into the parking lot the next day, I noticed the truck was pushed down a little bit further. Driving up like I normally did, I went to get into my spot and realized what they had done. My spot was the last of the four spots being taken up by the truck before.

Now it was the only one.

Four spots were filled with other department heads, including Dr. Sutton. But the nose of the work truck was now sitting in my spot, the only one still blocked.

I was fuming when I went inside, but I went into the breakroom, calmed myself down, and went out to work like a professional. I probably deserved it, I thought. He was getting back at me for taking all my frustration out on him. I’d let it go, not say anything, and tomorrow my space would be open again.