Kissing My Dad's Friend

But he doesn’t show, and I can’t tell if I’m relieved or disappointed by that fact. Relieved, I scold myself as I change out of my scrubs and into my bikini, before I throw on a shift dress as a coverup on top of it. I’m relieved. Or at least, I should be.

Still, I can’t help hesitating in front of the mirror for longer than strictly necessary. I contemplate putting on makeup to go with my outfit, but I know how warm it is out by the pool deck. Any makeup I put on right now would only sweat right off, and I didn’t want to hang out with Russ while looking like some kind of raccoon. So I just added a light foundation, a faint sheen of lip gloss, and left it at that. As for my hair, I piled it on top of my head, into a slightly messy ponytail that went with my casual dress look.

Finally, I didn’t have any more excuses to hesitate any longer. I needed to go downstairs and face him. To try and resist the heated gazes I know he’d be flinging my direction.

In front of my parents, no less. If I survived tonight, it would be a damn miracle.

With one last check in the mirror, I headed back downstairs. Before I even reached the ground floor, I caught the sound of voices. A couple other guests had arrived, and I waved and gave brief hugs here and there, to the couples who made up my parents’ social circle. While they chatted, I couldn’t stop my gaze wandering past them, though, seeking someone I wasn’t willing to admit I was looking for.

I didn’t stop doing that until I made it back out onto the pool deck, where I found Russ reclined near my dad, who was still bent over the grill, hard at work on dinner. As I entered, Russ waved me in their direction, his expression the kind of grin you’d see on a fox as it cornered a rabbit.

Damn him, he’s going to tease me right in front of my own father, I just know it. Still, I can’t ignore him, not when he calls my name and tells me to come and say hello.

With a deep, steadying breath, I snatch up my mom’s latest drink concoction and head across the pool deck toward them.

“Russ was just telling me how impressed he is by your work ethic,” my father says by way of greeting. His doubtful tone tells me without words that he doesn’t agree.

“Was he?” My gaze finds Russ, unable to resist. My body can’t really help itself around him, not even when I want it to. The way he’s staring at me even now makes my breath hitch, my fist tighten around my drink. His eyes tell me, with just as much detail as I know he’d say with that dirty mouth he could right now, exactly what he wants to be doing to me right now.

The flush starts low in my belly and creeps up my chest toward my neck. To fight it, I tear my eyes away from Russ and force them to fixate on my father. That will kill anyone’s buzz.

“He suggested I give you more patients, by way of testing you. To see if you’re ready to handle a full load.” Dad’s looking at me thoughtfully now. Like he’s actually considering it.

Despite my distraction at Russ being here, I can’t help it. A hopeful smile sneaks onto my face, my eyes widening. Is Dad really relenting?

One look at my expression and Dad’s stern face returns. “I didn’t say I would do it. Not yet, anyway. But he’s given me a lot to think about. If you manage to impress the board members within the next couple of days by going above and beyond before each of their kids leave the hospital…” He clears his throat. “Well, then it will be time to give you that greater test.”

A mixture of relief and shock floods me, tinged with annoyance. I shouldn’t have to beg my father’s permission just to be allowed to do my own job—the job I spent years in school preparing to do, and the job he himself hired me for, no less. But still. It will keep the other nurses on my wing from whispering about me behind my back—at least, any more than they already have been. And who knows? Maybe given a little time, I can get Dad to come around and see my side of things. If I impress the board members’ kids, then get my full rotation of patients back and impress all of their families too… well, eventually, if I work hard enough, Dad will have to take my complaints seriously, right? He’ll have to admit that I have a point about all of this.