Page 35 of Doctor Charmer

“A gift certificate for the spa. You win.” For some reason, I take the paper pushed in my face. He stalks backward, plopping back onto his chair.

I barely glance at the paper. “I didn’t win.” I hear indignation in my tone. “You didn’t kiss me.”

“I concede.”

“That’s not what we agreed to,” I push him. I don’t care about the spa; it was never about the spa. “You claimed to be a man of your word. We have a bet.”

“Had,” he corrects me for the second time.

“The bet’s not over until you kiss me,” I press on because this isn’t about the bet. I’m hoping he sees how everything that is going on tonight is connected.

“Or you kiss me.” There he is. Proof of life.

“That’s not going to happen. So, if you really want this bet to be over, you’re going to have to come kiss me.” I step center office, directly under the fluorescent light, angling my body, bending one knee, and tilting my chin. Men are visual beings, and I’m giving something he’s already been dreaming about.

“Why do you care about a stupid bet? As you might have heard, I have bigger concerns on my mind right now.”

“Bigger than this? Than us?”

He gives me anare you kidding me right nowlook. He’s concerned about his job, his livelihood.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it that way.” I raise my hands in apology. “What I meant is they are one and the same.” One look and I know I’ve lost him.

“That doctor upstairs…” I pace around the desk, sliding my rear to the desktop and crossing my legs. The short dress rides up, and Reggie diverts his eyes.

“Dr. Riggs, the head of the hospital.”

“Yeah, him. He suspended you because you refused to sign a piece of paper for HR, right?”

He shakes his head, and I wonder if I misread what happened upstairs. “No. He suspended me for insubordination. I made the cardinal sin of talking back to him in front of a crowd of our peers.”

“Got it. But he’s given you twenty-four hours to sign the paperwork.”

He nods, and I feel like I’m back on solid ground. The solution seems simple to me. “Louise, our HR rep, escalated it to Riggs. I’ve not signed the paperwork the prior two times either, but this is the first year Riggs has gotten involved.”

“Why? Why don’t you just sign it?”

“I can’t tell you why. It’s a stupid colleague fraternization attestation.”

Our small college has something similar. “It’s pretty stand stuff these days. Does the hospital have a no-fraternization policy amongst colleagues, and it’s crimping your style, Dr. Charmer?” I try to add some humor to this heavy conversation. It’s what I typically do, but I know I’m walking on a tightrope tonight.

“Not a no-fraternization. Anyone can date anyone as long as you disclose it to HR in writing every year.”

I uncross my legs and recross them, not liking where this is leading. “I don’t see the problem. Seems like you get to have your cake and eat it too. Why get suspended for this?”

“It’s not that simple.”

It sounds simple to me, but I don’t say that.

“If you sign the attestation and are caught in an undisclosed relationship, you can be fired on the spot.” Reggie’s gaze is pinned to the floor. He’d do everything in his power to not look at my legs, my best feature, which I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve caught him looking at.

I spare him and hop off the desk, moving to the safety of his guest chair, placing an entire desk between me and him. When he doesn’t expound any further, I have no choice but to say what’s on my mind. “You’re involved with someone and don’t want anyone to know about it.” My voice lowers as I puttogether the pieces. I slam my arms across my chest. This can’t be happening. “Someone—like me. Finding out.”

I’m a fool. All this time. I chased after him, feeling bad for him being suspended. “When someone tells them who they are, believe them. Isn’t that right, Dr. Charmer?” I rise slowly, fire in my veins. “You’ve never claimed to be a good man. Denied it when I said otherwise. I feel like…” My eyes turn glassy, water building, and I can no longer see him clearly. “You are in a relationship and openly pursuing me. Looked me in my eyes when you asked me out on a date and told me no woman had a claim on you. Is it just one? Two? Six? Do you play that playboy ‘I won’t kiss you first’ game with each of them?” I mouth three curse words, wiping the tears from my face and searching the floor for my shoes.

“You’ve got it all wrong, Ivy.” He’s back on his feet, stepping to the side of the desk but wisely keeping his distance.

I grab one shoe and wave it at him. “Don’t gaslight me, Reggie. You’re good. You had me fooled. Just tell me the truth. It won’t change anything between us.” I lower the shoe and realize I’m holding the damn spa certificate in my other hand. I toss it at him. It flutters in the air, spinning to the ground in a death spiral. “You can keep that. You’re going to need a spa day after you’re fired tomorrow.”

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