Chapter One
Lilly
The campus coffee shop buzzed with excitement because handsome guitarist, Riley Patterson, was scheduled to croon for patrons for an hour this afternoon. My best friend Kate was a huge fan so of course, we had to take off from our busy college schedules to listen to him. Riley didn’t know it yet but he had an appointment with Kate—she was going to get to know him, or so she said. We’d been best friends since high school and Kate hadn’t changed much. Long brown, curly hair, hourglass figure and a confident attitude about everything—all things I admired about her.
When the tragedy struck, she’d proven to be a true friend, abandoning her life for weeks just to stay with me. I loved her for that. Now, I was moving on with life, or trying to and I had some self-improvements in mind. One of the things on my list involved a minor plastic surgery procedure, breast implants. I loved my small waist but my bosom looked small in comparison to my round bottom. No matter how hard I worked out, no matter how firm I got, my cleavage looked exactly the same as it did when I was in middle school. To some, it might seem like a small thing but to me, this surgery would be the beginning of a whole new life.
“Are you sure this Dr. Steinmann is the right guy?” I whispered to my friend as Riley tuned his guitar. “I mean, I didn’t think he’d be seeing me right away. Don’t they usually have long waiting lists, these celebrity doctors?” I might as well have been talking to Riley’s guitar because Kate was already focused on the dark-haired musician. I didn’t see what the fuss was but to each his own, I suppose.
“Are you getting cold feet Lilly? Maybe you should wait a while and think about things. It is kind of a permanent decision.”
“No, this is what I want. I’d like to have it done and have some time to heal before swimsuit season. I’m just wondering what kind of doctor is willing to see me right away. I don’t want some hack working on my boobs.” I laughed at my own joke and finished off my mocha coffee.
“Well, I hear he’s gorgeous and he likes giving his patients the ‘personal’ treatment, if you know what I mean. Amanda Dixon says that he’s got the best pair of hands she’s ever had.”
“What? I am not looking for a date—or whatever he’s offering. I just want to have an upgrade without fighting off some ‘skeevy’ doctor.” I turned three shades of red. I wasn’t getting a good feeling about Dr. Steinmann. What if he molested me or had sex with me while I was under the influence of the anesthesia. “I think he’s off my list now.”
“Look, Amanda tends to exaggerate about those things but he did give her a great pair of breasts and her nose looks a thousand times better than it did. Remember how crooked it was? You would never know it had ever been broken. I tell you the man is a miracle man. Also, I heard he just gave your favorite musician a booty boost.” I gave her a shocked look but I didn’t answer, I was still unconvinced. “Okay, the truth is his waiting list is short because he costs a small fortune and he travels. This is up to you though. You ought to at least meet with the guy before you say no. Take a look at his portfolio, talk to former patients and then make a decision.”
Riley plucked his guitar and sang like a poet. Okay, now I see the attraction. He’s not much to look at but he’s got quite a voice. I listened to a couple of songs and then checked the time. Oh crap! I had fifteen minutes to get to my French class. I didn’t interrupt Kate but I did show her my watch to let her know I had to go. She nodded and sang along with Riley. He had spotted her about two songs back and had been singing to her ever since. I don’t think Kate noticed but Riley had a girlfriend or at the very least a devoted fan who was giving her the stare down. My perky friend seemed not to notice and I knew she could handle it. Riley had a date, whether he knew it or not.
During my walk to class, I thought about the surgery. Both my attorney and Kate had recommended Steinmann but I wasn’t so sure. The rumors about his playboy ways were beginning to weigh against his glowing reviews. I was just crossing the quad to get to class when my phone rang. In a hurry and without looking at who was calling I answered.
“This is Lilly.”
“Good afternoon, Miss Brightwood. This is Dr. Steinmann returning your call. I’m going to be in your area tomorrow, if you have time for a consultation. The message said you were interested in a breast procedure?” His voice was warm, confident and young; he was not the old letch that I imagined.
I stopped and sat on a nearby wooden bench. “Yes, Dr. Steinmann, I did call about booking a consultation with you. I have heard you were the best and I do want someone I can trust. I’ve never had anything done before so I’m a little anxious.”
He chuckled warmly.
“It would be hard not to imagine being nervous your first time. I have found the best way to calm a patient’s fears is to explain the procedure step by step. First, I would need to take a look at you, determine what we can do and how we can do it. Just having a consultation is not going to commit you to anything. It is more an informative session to talk about your options. But that’s totally up to you, Miss Brightwood.”
That sounded harmless I supposed. “Okay, that sounds great. How about tomorrow at 3? Is that okay with you?”
“Absolutely! My assistant will call you to set up the details. I look forward to meeting you.”
“You too, doctor. Thank you.” I hung up the phone and took a deep breath. Well, here we go. It looks like I am one step closer to a whole new me and I will finally get to meet this legendary doctor.
I felt strangely excited.
Chapter Two
Bullet