First Real Kiss

Chapter 16

Luke

I unwrapped a Twinkie and dipped the end into my mug of hot chocolate. Food of the gods. When I took a bite, it was as sweet as the way Sheridan had been looking at me yesterday afternoon. Yeah, she was into me. I could see it in every ripple of her movements. She’d even closed her eyes and parted her lips when I leaned in to whisper in her ear.

Yeah, she was getting there. I’d be able to tell her soon.

I was going to kiss her. Our first kiss in real life was going to be even better than the one in my dream. And she was going to give me her secrets, and I was going to share all mine, and she’d guide me through the darkness, and together we’d—

“Luke.” Lola knocked and came into my apartment in a single motion.

Oh, right. It was Saturday night dinner with Lola. Time was moving weirdly.

“You’re not eating that, are you?” Her nose wrinkled and she set two takeout trays on the counter. “I brought us chopped kale salad.” While finding forks and filling glasses of water, she hummed a show tune—on key, unlike some people’s singing I’d heard. “So, what about karaoke?” Lola lifted a big bite of greens to her mouth. “You said you’d think about it.”

“I’ve got another idea for where to take Sheridan on a date.”

She eyed the Twinkie and hot cocoa I’d brought to the coffee table. “Does it involve junk food?”

“No, but maybe it could. Have you been to the new restaurant on the bluff?”

“Say you’re not going there.”

“How can a person resist its name?” I flashed my hand open and made a sunshine with my palm. “Bacon! Pshhh!”

“For a heart doctor, you have no clue.”

Oh, I had a clue, but I also had very demanding taste buds. “I work out. Workouts counteract lots of bacon grease.”

“You don’t work out while you’re in recovery.”

True. I should talk to Dr. Cook about when I could get back to the gym.

“Speaking of that, have you had a talk with the police yet about the attack? I hear they are looking for the assailant everywhere.”

“Assailant. You watch too many TV crime dramas.”

“I watch too much TV, period. But seriously. Haven’t they come to take your statement?”

Torrey Junction police weren’t accustomed to violent crime investigations, so maybe they hadn’t gotten to that point yet. “I’ll talk to them.”

“Yeah, the streets aren’t safe until that guy faces justice.”

Uh, I doubted the guy had a vendetta against anyone besides me. But … why me? He’d said I hurt his brother. What patient had I harmed? All my heart surgeries in the past year had been hundred percent successes. That’s why I deserved the MVS award.

If I could ever get back to work.

Lola left, post-kale and TV watching, and I was still hungry. I shot a text to Sheridan.

Have you eaten dinner?

It was late for dinner now. She didn’t respond. I watched my phone for a full five minutes. My stomach growled. I kept staring. No answer.

Hmm. Why wasn’t she answering? It was Saturday evening. No way did she have clients at this hour. My stomach growled. Maybe I’d go eat alone.

I ordered a Ride Along, and went downstairs, and the guy was there in two minutes.

“Bacon, huh?” he said. “I haven’t been there yet. How is it?”