Page 32 of Perfect Imperfections

“Is that a piñata?”

“Yes. We ordered it, but then decided against using it because the crowd was so big, we didn’t want any of the kids hurting themselves or anyone else swinging a bat around blindfolded. But I figure it will be perfect for a birthday party. Can’t have a birthday without a piñata, right?”

“Indeed.” He placed the hot mug of tea on the counter in front of her. “Ellie, thank you for all this. I really appreciate it.”

She smiled with a small shrug. “Anything to make Charlotte’s big day special.”

“You’re amazing.”

Her gaze locked on his, and the surrounding air crackled with energy. He felt himself being pulled toward her as if by an invisible wire. A live wire, shocking him with bolts of lust. Her lips parted, and it drew his gaze to their soft, plump pinkness. He wanted nothing more in this moment then to lean forward and capture them, see if they tasted as good as they looked. He found himself stepping forward, hand raising to reach out.

“It’s nothing, really.”

Her softly spoken words broke whatever spell he found himself under. Sensing her need for space, he leaned back against the counter, lifting his mug and blowing across the top before taking a small sip.

“How much do I owe you for all this?”

She snorted. “Are you kidding? When I asked Tammy, she practically shoved the stuff in my arms.”

“Tammy? The zoo director?”

“Mmmm, hmmm.” She grabbed her mug, blowing the hot beverage as he did. “I think she’s worried you’ll sue because of what happened with Charlotte. You could probably ask for free lifetime membership and she’d give it to you.”

He chuckled. “No need for that. I know what happened wasn’t the zoo’s fault and the boys responsible have been properly reprimanded. No suing from me. Tammy can rest at ease.”

She smiled. “That’s good to hear.”

Ellie took a sip of her tea, wiping the edge of the mug with her thumb and tapping the side three times. It was a move he’d seen her do a few times at dinner the other night. He assumed it was a compulsion tied to whatever anxiety disorder she had, so he said nothing. It wasn’t his place. However, when he glanced up, the worried expression on her face told him she’d observed him noticing.

Dammit.

Her smile vanished, along with the cheerful mood in the room. Shit, he didn’t want Ellie to feel uncomfortable. The last thing he wanted to do was upset her. Especially when she’d done so much to help his daughter.

“I’m sorry,” she said, setting down her mug.

“You don’t have to apologize, Ellie. Ever.”

She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath before opening them again. The beautiful, deep brown gaze staring him directly in the eye. “I…I have obsessive-compulsive disorder.”

“OCD.”

She nodded. As a doctor, he was familiar enough with the condition. He didn’t treat it, as he wasn’t a psychologist, but he had referred a few patients he suspected suffered from the disorder. It wasn’t what most people thought. Movies and other entertainment forms got it completely wrong—as they did with most mental health issues.

“You don’t have to explain anything if you don’t want to.”

She smiled then, a small one, but enough of a curl to her lips to make his heart race again.

“It’s okay. My therapist said I shouldn’t feel shame about discussing it with people.”

Very good advice. Society held ridiculous stigmas over neurodiversity and mental health conditions. He always believed talking about things, educating people, helped reduce the fear and stigma surrounding things. It was one of the reasons he became a doctor in the first place.

“My specific type is harm based,” she said with a small sigh. “It used to be really bad.”

“How bad?”

She glanced down, her right hand coming up to tug on her earlobe. Another compulsion he’d noticed in the time they’d spent together.

“I had to drop out of school after I got diagnosed. I homeschooled for a little over a year. Saw a few different therapists. Got put on some meds.”

---