Our Way

Marias eyes flicker to me. “Go away,” I mouth to the intercom.

“Yes, Doctor.”

Haley and Maria giggle. “Are we done?” I ask.

“He’s all yours.”

“Thanks… I guess.”

I walk down the corridor to his office to find him swinging on his chair as he looks at scans on an x-ray box.

“Hi.” I drop my bag onto his couch.

He turns and gives me a broad smile. “There she is.”

“Do you always have to be such a grouch with your receptionists? It’s embarrassing to listen to.”

“Then don’t listen.” He looks me up and down, and then raises an eyebrow.

“What?” I ask.

“You look a bit sexy for an interview, don’t you think? Are you trying to get the job or trying to get laid?”

I roll my eyes. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

He stands and comes toward me. Grabbing my shoulders, he turns me away from him and inspects me up and down.

“You like?” I smirk and give a little wiggle of my hips, knowing he’s about to lecture me.

He exhales heavily, turns me toward him, and he fastens my top button. “I’m not sure about this job.” He mutters, distracted, as he does another of my buttons up. “Why would you want to work for Dr. Morgan when you could manage my office?”

Here we go again.

“You could manage Berlin from here. I could get you a nice office in San Fran.”

“Nathan.” I sigh. “Will you stop? I am not working for my best friend. We’ve had this conversation before; it would be weird.”

He goes back to his desk and sits down with a huff. “What’s weird is that you don’t want to work for me.” He yanks an x-ray out of the light box. “Do you know how many people would snap up an opportunity like this?”

I place my hands on my hips. “If I worked for you, we would fight every day.”

“Why?” He snaps incredulously.

“Because you’re a grumpy ass, and I wouldn’t put up with it.” I undo my top button.

He glares at me. “Do that button back up or I’m not fucking taking you anywhere.”

I giggle and do as he says. I’ll undo it in the elevator at the interview, it isn’t worth the argument with Nathan right now. “You ready to go?” I ask.

“Yes.” He closes down his computer. “What am I supposed to do while you are in this interview?”

“Have a drink in a bar and google somewhere new to take me for dinner.”

He rolls his eyes as he stands and walks toward me. “I’m not your personal assistant, Eliza.”

I smile up at my handsome friend. His hair hangs over his forehead, and his big blue eyes hold mine. He’s too good-looking to be this intelligent. He should be a model on the cover of a magazine. I rearrange his tie, and I smile because I know I’m the only person who gets to boss him around. To the rest of the world he’s a bastard, but to me he’s a big pussy cat.

“Yes, you are.” I rise onto my tippy toes and kiss his cheek. “And you know it.”