Page 9 of Dr. Off Limits

I laughed. “The weird thing is that I went back to that boat for years after that first time. Each time it had the same effect. And then one day, I went looking for it and it had disappeared.”

“Maybe the owner claimed it.”

“Maybe. It just felt... This is going to sound—no, forget it.”

She slid her hand over mine. “Tell me.”

We locked eyes and I could tell she was genuinely interested in my story. Not the story of Jacob Cove, son of Carole and John Cove, or the oldest of five Cove brothers or Dr. Cove. She was just interested in me.

“It felt like the boat had done its job for me and because I was over the part of my career—in my life—that I really needed it... It kind of disappeared.”

She nodded. A comfortable silence wound between us.

“Like it was magic or something.” She didn’t say it in a jokey way—not in the way of a jaded scientist being told that because she was a Taurus, she was destined to feel x or y. She said it like she accepted entirely how I felt about that boat—like it was slightly magical. Like it had been healing for me when I needed it for as long as I needed it.

“To anyone else it would sound stupid—”

She shook her head. “Don’t say that. The day we stop believing in magic—just a little bit—is a sad day.” She withdrew her hand but I leaned my knee against hers, wanting a continued physical connection with her. She didn’t move away or flinch, just looked up at me and smiled a smile full of fondness, like we were old friends.

“I agree,” I said. “Science is full of magic.”

We grinned at each other like a couple of idiots. The more I saw her smile, the happier I felt.

“I didn’t want to come tonight,” she confessed. “But I’m really glad I did.”

I took a sip of margarita because if I allowed myself to respond straight away, I was pretty sure I’d get arrested for being ridiculous. “Same,” I said. “I don’t know what I was expecting but it wasn’t...”

“I wonder if you’ll see the boat again. Or something else like that will come into your life at the right time.” She was so beautiful, I wanted to jump up and tell the restaurant to come see how glorious she was.

“Who knows. Maybe if you get thrown out of all the London libraries and art galleries, you might need a new spot to ease your anxiety and you’ll find a rowing boat.”

She narrowed her eyes as if she was really thinking about what she was saying. “You might be on to something. Perhaps I need to be outdoors.”

“It’s worth a try.”

Somewhere during our conversation, our plates had been collected and replaced with our main courses. I ate mine as slowly as possible. I didn’t want tonight to end. I knew she thought I was leaving the country next week. She thought I was Beau. There wasn’t supposed to be any connection beyond tonight. If that was the case, I had to make our time together last as long as possible.

---