"Doctor?" Helen knocked on his open door. "Is everything alright?"
Daniel glanced up and frowned. "Yes, why?"
"Mr. Jessup has been in the exam room for five minutes and you haven't been in to see him yet."
"Oh, right. Sorry, I'll be right there." He stood up and pocketed his phone.
Twenty minutes later, his nerves had him reconsidering tonight's grilling out date with Aurelia. After an hour, he decided he needed to cancel. At least until they could figure out who this man was and what he was doing. With a heavy heart, he sat down at his desk again, waving off Helen and Josie as they went to lunch. He pulled his phone back out and opened the last text he'd gotten from Aurelia but hadn't read yet.
Any jealous ex-girlfriends around who might be behind it? ~Aurelia
Sorry, just got that text, had to take care of patients. And no, haven't dated in a long while. Also, I think we're going to have to put grilling out on hold. I think maybe I need to stay away from you for a bit. I don't want to, but if this guy is trying to get shots of us together, I can't risk it, Aurelia. I'm sorry. ~ Daniel
He turned his phone to mute and set it aside. His heart hurt just sending that text. He felt like he was punishing her, them both, for something that he couldn't control. It wasn't fair, but he didn't see any way around it right then.
Chapter 12
Aurelia
Aurelia frowned at the text from Daniel. Was he breaking up with her? Her heart raced and her breathing quickened as she started to fall into a panic attack. She couldn't fall apart at work. She just couldn't. She set her phone down and started doing her breathing exercises and worked to calm her pulse.
Here she was falling in love with him, and he was setting their relationship aside. She wanted to cry. To scream and shout about how it wasn't fair, but it was unprofessional to do at work and she wouldn't do that here. Instead, she set the phone aside, but even sitting there innocently on her desk it mocked her. Grabbing it, she shoved it in her purse where she couldn't see it.
She spent the rest of the day going through files, but the thrill of the hunt was missing. She was near tears most of the day and was so thankful when it was finally five p.m., and she could go home. She made it onto the bus as tears blurred her vision. She sat in a middle seat, her face positioned toward the window and every now and then she brushed a watery drip from her cheek.
As soon as she made it home and she was behind her front door, she dropped to the floor and let it all out. The tears streamed down her cheeks and she cried and rocked herself, until she was all cried out. Then she got up, went to the bathroom, and splashed her face with icy water. She looked in the mirror and decided she would figure out who this man was, and what the hell he was doing, then she and Daniel would be able to see each other again. She wasn't going to let this be the end of the best thing that had ever happened to her. But first, she needed to hear his voice, talk to him, even if it was just on the phone.
She moved back out to the hallway and picked up her purse. She dug through it, looking for her phone. Pulling it out, she dialed his number.
"Baby, you shouldn't be calling me," he answered wearily.
At least he sounded as miserable as Aurelia felt.
"I… Daniel this isn't fair," she pleaded sniffling a little. She wanted to sound stronger, but knowing he was just as miserable had brought her tears back.
"I know. I know it's not, but it's my career, sweetheart. I've worked so hard to get where I am. I don't want to lose it. Please, don't make me choose between it and you."
"I'm not… that's… I wouldn't do that, Daniel."
"I know. Damn it. This sucks, I know. But it's just for a couple of months, just until I can discharge you and you can start seeing your regular doctor for check-ups."
"It's not just a couple of months, it's nearly five months!"
"You think I don't know that? I do, but what else can we do? I don't want to lose my license."
Aurelia sighed. "I know. I don't want that either. I'm going to figure out who this guy is, then we're going to work this out, okay?"
He chuckled. "Another mystery for you to hunt, hmmm? Okay, let me know what you find out. And we can still talk on the phone, or through texts. We just can't see each other in person. Except for your scheduled visits I mean."