Page 48 of Doctor One Night

I sigh, setting my coffee down and meeting her gaze. “Okay, fine. Yes, it does.”

Her eyes widen, and she leans forward eagerly. “I knew it! Give it to me, girl. What happened?”

I swallow, trying to keep my voice even, matter-of-fact. “We slept together. After the gala, we both had to go back to the lab to finalize some things, and… one thing led to another.”

Carly’s mouth drops open for a split second before she recovers. “Wait, you and Hunter Parrish? Slept together? Again?! Oh my god, Frankie! That lab is like an aphrodisiac for you two!”

I nod, forcing a small smile. “It was great, really. But it was just a heat-of-the-moment thing. Same as las time. You know how these things happen—adrenaline, excitement, a few drinks…” I leave out that we came back to my house for rounds two, three, four and five.

Carly’s expression shifts from shock to something more concerned. “And what happened after?”

Shit.

I hesitate, then finally admit the part that’s been bothering me the most. “He came back here. And then left early Sunday morning before I woke up. He didn’t say goodbye. And he hasn’t called or texted since.”

Carly’s face softens, and she reaches across the table, placing a hand on mine. “Frankie, I hate to say ‘I told you so,’ but… I kinda told you so. Hunter’s got a reputation, you know? He’s not exactly the settling-down type. But you got a little fun out of it. You can never expect too much with him.”

I nod, trying to keep my emotions in check. “Yeah, I know. And honestly, that’s fine. I don’t have time for a relationship, and I definitely don’t want to get involved with a coworker. It was just a little jarring there for a minute yesterday, that’s all.”

Carly’s eyes search mine, looking for any sign that I might be lying. “Are you sure? Because it sounds like maybe you were hoping for something more.”

I force a laugh, shaking my head. “No, really. I enjoyed it, but that’s all it was. A one-time thing. I’m not looking for anything more, and I’m certainly not going to get my hopes up about someone like Hunter.”

But even as I say the words, a small part of me knows they’re not entirely true. There’s a sliver of disappointment, of hurt, that I can’t quite shake. I thought maybe I was different to him. There was a part of me that thought there was something growing between us. Then I remind myself how foolish that thought is.

I give Carly a reassuring smile, trying to convince her—and myself—that I’m fine. “Really, Carly. I’m okay. It was just a little action, nothing more. Let’s just focus on the fact that we secured the sponsor and move on.”

Carly looks at me for a long moment, then nods slowly. “Alright, if you say so. But if you ever need to talk about it… you know I’m here.”

“Thanks,” I say softly, squeezing her hand. “I know.”

UAB Hospital

11:13 am

The hospital is bustling with activity for a late morning on a Monday. It seems unusually lively, but maybe Mondays always are.

It’s strange being here in the middle of the day when I'm usually working from home. I try not to come until later in later in the day if I need to for any reason. My visits to the hospital are rare and often brief, but today is different. Today is a big day.

I make my way to the admin office, where the sponsor’s representative is waiting for me to sign off on some paperwork.

This is it—the moment we’ve been working toward for months, years, really. The FDA approval is just a signature away, and once it’s done, the real work begins. There’s still so much to do—recruiting hospitals, finalizing protocols, getting everything ready for the human trials. But this… this was the hardest hurdle to overcome. Without the money, nothing else can happen.

As I step into the office, the rep greets me with a smile, and we exchange a few pleasantries before getting down to business. The stack of paperwork in front of me is daunting, but I’m used to it.

I’ve been through this process before, and I know the drill. Still, as I start signing page after page, there’s a heaviness in my chest that I can’t shake. Maybe it’s the weight of the responsibility, or maybe it’s everything else that’s been piling up lately.

I try to focus, pushing everything else to the back of my mind. I can’t afford to be distracted right now. Not when something I have been dreaming about for so long is about to come to reality.

After signing the last page, I hand the papers back to the rep, who smiles warmly. “Congratulations, Dr. Renna. This is a huge step forward. We look forward to working with you and to a successful clinical trial.”

I nod, offering a small smile in return. “Thank you. I’m just glad we’ve made it this far.”

The smarter people who deal with the money and the financial side will handle all of those mundane details. My work has nothing to do with that part of it, but capitalism pays my salary and makes it all work, so it is an important element, too. It is all symbiotic.

The rep leaves, taking the signed paperwork with him, and I’m left alone in the small office. I should accept the sense of accomplishment, relief even, but only a gnawing anxiety in the pit of my stomach remains.

There’s still so much to do, and now, on top of everything, I’m going to have to work with Hunter more closely than ever to finalize the protocol. The thought of spending more time with him, especially after what happened, is unsettling, to say the least.

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