Wash

“And I wonder where I got that from.”

“Yes, well okay then.” He checked his watch and stood. “I really don’t care what you do with the evening. I’d just like the focus to be on the hospital. I figured my sixty-fifth would be a good excuse to throw it. If it makes money, great. If not, that’s fine too.”

“Sure.” She knew what he meant. He wasn’t expecting much from her. Well, she would surprise him. Six months to plan it would be tight, but if she flew up two or three weekends a month she could make it a great turnout. “What time do you want to meet at the Threaded Cork?”

“Meet? I just thought we’d drive back to the house together and go from there.”

Charity’s cheeks grew warm. “I, um, I booked a hotel room. I just thought it’d be easier for me to work and –”

“Right,” he cut her off. “I have some work here to do as well. Why don’t we aim for six o’clock then?”

“Six o’clock it is. I’ll have some ideas and check out some possible venues. We’re going to need to pick a spot as soon as we can.”

“Perfect.” He went to the door and held it open for her. “I’ll see you there.”

Charity pressed her lips together as she bent to grab her purse. Six months of being uncomfortable seemed like a prison sentence at the moment, but she owed it to her mother to make the effort.

After leaving the office, she took the stairs down to the main floor and let the cool wind soothe her face. Heading to the parking lot, she grinned when she found the Mustang. Maybe a new outfit to go with the car might be something to cheer her up. She could shop and brainstorm at the same time.

Charity turned the blow dryer off as she finished straightening her hair. She’d managed to find a simple black sleeveless dress at Michael Korrs and a pair of black shoes with just the right amount of heel to look sexy without looking like a stripper. She wondered how Elijah would be like outside of the hospital. She mentally kicked the thought out. Tonight’s dinner had to do with her father’s fundraiser gala. Her dress was fun but also completely business suited. Eye shadow followed by mascara and a dab of lip gloss and she was ready to go.

She stuffed her iPad into her briefcase and her jacket. Its length matched the dress’s – perfect without even trying.

Parking downtown turned out to not be as easy. Friday night in a busy city had everyone and their neighbour looking for a parking spot. Charity drove the block around the Threaded Cork three times before getting slightly lucky and spotting a couple getting into their car. She flipped her blinker on and carefully parallel parked the car. Good thing she hadn’t gone with the higher heels, as she had a few streets to walk. Tossing her keys into her purse, she stepped out and walked around the car to grab her briefcase.

Someone whistled. “Wow. That’s quite the ride.”

Elijah. The accent was hard to miss. She smiled, lo

cked the car, and turned around. “Rental place gave it to me. I honestly didn’t ask.”

“Let me get that for you.” He offered his hand and took her briefcase, slinging it over his shoulder. “You must have made quite the impression to the car clerk.”

She laughed as they started walking. “He was kinda young. You have to troll around for a parking spot as well?”

“I actually took the subway. Surgery went a bit longer than I thought, so I showered and changed at the hospital.”

She glanced down at his outfit from the corner of her eye. Black pants, fitted button up, and she caught a whiff of a delicious men’s cologne. “How did the surgery go?”

“Quite well, thank you for asking. The patient is a young woman in her early forties. She had a small hiccup while on the table but we fixed it, and her heart, in the end.” He slipped his hands into his pockets.

“You could have stayed at the hospital if you preferred.” She said it just to be polite but was more than pleased he had come. Talking to her dad over dinner on her own seemed daunting.

“And miss seeing you dressed to the nines?” He pretended to clutch his heart. “I’ll have to get mine checked out when I get back to the hospital.”

“You are really, really cheesy.” She laughed, despite the corniness.

“A bit too much?” He grinned and small lines crinkled near his eyes. The look was striking.

“It suites you,” she replied honestly.

They turned the corner and headed down the last block length to the Threaded Cork.

“So what is it your father wants to hire you to do for the hospital?”

Charity pushed the fallen strap of her purse back on her shoulder. “To be honest, I’m a bit surprised he called me. He doesn’t quite agree with my career choice.” She waved her hand, embarrassed to be sharing that information with him. “I mean, he’s turning sixty-five, and since he is the Doctor Scott Thompson, he knows he has to do something big with the ol’ milestone number. He’d rather make the emphasis on the hospital than him.”

“It’s a great idea.”