Page 54 of Auctioned to Dr. Daddy

“Emma was here?” I interrupt.

Demi goes wide-eyed. “I was supposed to tell you, I’m sorry. I got caught up with the farm and… She was here looking for you.”

“Is that all she was doing? She didn’t say anything to you?”

Demi looks away. I frown, catching her hand.

“You can tell me.”

“I’m not going to cause issues between the two of you,” insists Demi. “She said that she wanted to talk to you. Everything else is not my business.”

“You’re my girlfriend,” I counter. “And a big part of my life.”

Demi turns to look at me, tears making her eyes glisten.

“And that means I want you in my business. The good and the bad,” I insist, “And whatever part of that Emma falls between. If she said something else, you can tell me. I know that she’s been bad-mouthing me at conferences. I’ve got a friend who’s already told me that.”

Demi glances away for a moment and then admits, “She recognized my name. I guess Tabby must have told her about the picnic and the horses.”

I wince. It hadn’t crossed my mind that Emma might come by at work. In hindsight, I should have just answered her calls or blocked them. “She was a dick to you.”

“She just—” Demi pauses, looking thoughtful and sad. “I don’t think that Emma likes me being around Tabby.”

“She’ll get over it,” I say, instinctively. And then, more softly, “I’ll talk to her so that she doesn’t come bother you again.”

The door to the roof access opens.

Phoebe, the head of pediatric surgery, steps out onto the roof. Her hair is pulled back but it’s frizzing out in spots, and she looks more tired than I’ve seen her in years. She’s almost fifty now and has seen a lot.

Sometimes though, patients get to you. No matter how long you’ve been in the business.

Not wanting to disrupt what’s clearly an attempt to get away from it all, and not wanting our own conversation listened to, I take hold of Demi’s hand. She seems to be of the same mindset because she heads for the stairwell first.

I catch Phoebe’s gaze and nod at her on the way past, but don’t get anything in return. We hit the stairwell the door closing behind us with a click. My hand is still tangled up in Demi’s. Without letting go of her, I say, “I meant it, Demi.”

She stops to look at me. “You don’t need to cause an issue with your ex on my behalf. I didn’t mean to not tell you. It just slipped my mind after talking to Mindy.”

Gripping her hips, I press Demi to the wall of the stairwell and kiss her senseless. It’s tongue and tooth as I try to convey to her everything that my words seem to be failing at. When we pull away, she’s pink-cheeked, breathless, and finally seems to be paying attention.

“You said it right. She’s my ex,” I tell her, firmly. “And you’re the one that I’m dating. I’ll talk to Emma on Friday when she comes to pick up Tabitha for visitations. Just focus on getting through your shift today, alright?”

“Okay,” she says, softly.

“And Demi?” I cup her cheek, running my thumb over the soft skin just beneath one eye. “You’re not alone in this. I promise you that.”

If there’s a way to help her, I’ll do it – gladly.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Demi

Thewholeshift,theonly thing I can think about is what Nathan said, how ready he was to help me, and that he wanted me involved, even in this mess with Emma.

It’s like he’s been able to come to terms with the fact that we’re in a relationship ages quicker than I have.

I tell myself it’s just because he’s not carrying around a secret, but that’s not it, either. Nathan didn’t have to tell me about Emma. He didn’t have to side with me. He didn’t have to do a lot of things.

Biting my lower lip, I slide the last clipboard into the holder just outside of a patient’s room and take a steadying breath. At that moment, a nurse, Kitten, appears at my side.

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