Page 26 of Nate

At five-thirty, she entered the diner, found a booth, and waited for Sydney. She didn’t have long since she had just sat down when Sydney entered the restaurant.

“Hi, sorry I’m a little late.”

“I just got here, so no problem.”

“Hello, ladies. What can I get you?” Connie asked them.

“My usual, please.” Markie smiled.

“Same here. Thank you, Connie,” Sydney said as she removed her jacket. “So, what’s going on with you?”

“I messed up.”

“How?”

As Sydney listened, Markie told her what had happened between her and Nate. When she finished, she looked at her friend to see her sitting there with her mouth open, and Markie couldn’t help but laugh.

“You… you had sex with Nate?”

“I did.”

Sydney sat back in the booth. “Holy shit. I thought you didn’t like him?”

“I didn’t. I don’t.”

“Oh, you already said, didn’t. Don’t try to change it now. So, how was it?”

Markie fanned her face with her hand. “Hotter than hell.”

“So, what’s the problem?”

“It was because we were having an argument. It just… happened.”

“I need more than that.”

“I went to his office to raise hell with him about a horse not being cared for—”

“Whoa, Nate would never let that happen. That man loves horses.”

“Yes, well he pointed it out that someone missed the cut on the leg and he just saw it that morning. That was why the hospital was called. I was the one to go and I just jumped all over him about the wound. It got heated between us, he asked me what my problem with him was. I told him he appeared cocky.” She shrugged. “And when I said I didn’t like him, he said he bet he could prove me wrong.”

Sydney bit her lip. “And did he?”

“What he proved was that he is not self-centered, just a man confident in himself, and I know he’s not like Jarrett at all. If he had been, he would have boasted about getting me to have sex with him. I also know, and I don’t know how, but I know if I had said no to Nate, he wouldn’t have pressured me. He would have let me alone.”

“So, why do you think you messed up?”

“I left my medical bag in his office and today he brought it by. He left it with Jodi. When she told me, I ran after him to apologize to him for thinking of him the way I did. I told him I wanted him too, and I was attracted to him, but I thought he was like Jarrett and I’m sorry I did.”

“And? God, Markie, it’s like pulling teeth getting you to talk about this.”

“Sorry. It just hurts that I did that to him. He said he accepted my apology and to have a good day…Dr. Russell.”

“Oh, wow. Yeah, he’s not happy with you.”

“Gee, ya think?”

“Sarcasm does not become you, Markie.”

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