Page 62 of Operation Annulment
We slip into bed, completely drained, and I trace my fingers lightly across his ink. His voice startles me. “You asked me a few weeks ago about my tattoos. I know that I never gave you a straight answer.”
I continue moving my fingers over his chest, silently urging him to keep talking.
He clears his throat. “I didn’t consider getting a tattoo until I got married. She pushed me to get one—was constantly bringing it up in conversation—and one day, I broke down. I thought I’d get one, and that’d be the end of it. It wasn’t, though. You know people who have marriage problems and decide that a baby will fix everything? Well, it was like that. I got the tattoos to keep her happy. I tried to turn myself into what she wanted, convinced it would solve our problems. When we divorced, I spent every free minute covering up anything she chose. Strangely, the feel of the needle on my skin was cathartic.”
Nate’s voice is like the perfect cup of coffee in bed on a rainy day when you know you have nowhere to be. The rich timbre of his voice vibrates against my head as I lay on his chest.
I never knew that a voice could be deep yet soothing at the same time.
I pick my head up until our faces are mere inches apart. “That explains why you’re a doctor.”
He smiles. “Okay, counselor. I’ll bite. Why am I a doctor?”
I move my hands to rest under my chin. “You probably feel like there’s nothing you can’t fix—most doctors have a god complex to some degree. For example, do you ever approach a case and think you might be unable to save that person?”
His eyes look thoughtful as he mulls over my words. “I guess I don’t even consider it. I assume my training has prepared me to deal with anything I encounter.”
“Well, that’s part of what makes you a good doctor. You refuse to fail. If I were to guess, though, I’d say that trauma was not what you envisioned for yourself when you started med school. You’ve mentioned that the drama conditioned you until you began to crave it, and I think that also holds true for your profession. As chaotic as your career is, it still gave you more control than your marriage.”
“I always knew I wanted to help people in some capacity, but being in the emergency department was a high for me—well, it still is. There’s no time to worry about anything other than what’s coming through the door. That’s probably why I don’t mind working on-call shifts.”
He trails off, and I ask the question that’s been on my mind since day one. “What exactly—I mean, I know she cheated, but why did you get divorced?”
“Pass,” he groans. “It’s late—or early, at this point.”
I nod and lay my head back down on his chest. His hands lazily move up and down my spine, and I feel a shift. It’s no longer a game of twenty questions—I want to know what makes him tick. I like hearing his thoughts on things—it can be as minor as the orange juice he prefers.
If I didn’t know better, I’d say that I was falling in love with him. It’s still too soon, but maybe someday.
twenty-four
COMMANDMENT #25: THOU SHALT NOT BE OPPOSED TO ENDING SINGLE GIRL LIFE FOR THE RIGHT PERSON
Kate
“What about this one?” I hold up an ivory dress, and Dakota shrugs.
“It’s okay, I guess. I’m just not feeling any of these. God of thunder, I’ve been stuck on bedrest for two weeks, and this is how I spend my first day of freedom?”
I look around the sea of white, cream, and ivory. This is the second bridal shop we’ve been to, and I’m starting to worry that we won’t have time for alterations at the rate we’re going.
Dakota holds up a cream off-the-shoulder gown. “What about this?”
“It’s gorgeous.”
She gives me a mischievous smile. “Try it on.”
I manage to sputter, “Me?”
“Yeah. You never got a chance to wear one of these. Humor me and try it on.” I give her a strained look, and she rubs her belly and mouths the words‘bedrest.’
The assistant grabs the dress in my size and helps me slipinto it in the fitting room. I step up onto the carpeted pedestal to take in my reflection.
It’s the most beautiful dress I’ve ever seen.
I feel like a princess. When I spin around, the A-line skirt flares out slightly. This is why people get so emotional on that TLC show. I desperately want to say yes to this dress.
Maybe I’ll never have the wedding of my dreams, but I could probably wear this to clean the house—wait, what if Nate wants to renew our vows at some point? Wouldn’t it be helpful if I already had the dress?
