Chapter 4

Ansley

I laid in bed forever the next morning, my thoughts all over the place. I should have taken my sister, Gwen's advice and left Boston Gen the minute Nolan and I filed for divorce, but I'd been there my whole career. It was home to me too.

There was no way in hell I was losing my marriage and my career in one fatal swoop. I wouldn't have survived it. Not even with Aiden and Gwen holding me up like they both always did.

"Speaking of Gwen," I muttered and got out of the bed. I glanced down and growled, hating the way I looked simply because it felt like the right thing to do. Nolan liked me sleeping naked, and though I'd never wanted to, I'd done it for him. Now, after nine years of it, I was in a habit, which seemed odd. It was a stark reminder how much I'd changed for him.

I got dressed in a pair of slacks and a button up shirt before twisting my long, black hair into a bun. A little bit of makeup to make sure my younger sister didn't give me shit for looking old and tired and I was off to my favorite bistro just outside of downtown.

The weather was so nice that I rolled my windows down and turned up my jazz music. I almost felt free for the few minutes it took me to get to the restaurant. A handsome valet opened my door and gave me a sexy smile as he backed up.

"Morning, Ma'am." He lifted his eyebrows quickly as if his pick-up lines were facial expressions instead of words.

Ma'am. Ugh. Why it offended me was a mystery, but it had to do with my age, no doubt. If I was married with kids and settled into the life I thought I should have had in my mid-thirties it wouldn't have mattered, but I wasn't, and it did.

"Morning." I moved around him and walked to the door, nodding politely at the guy who held it open for me.

"Welcome to Destrada, Doctor Reigns." The pretty hostess was one of my favorites, always happy and upbeat. Or so she seemed. It amazed me how depressed people had the strength to put on a facade that fooled all of us. I couldn't help but wonder if her joy went beyond skin deep.

Stop it. Jeez. It's too early for that shit.

"It's Doctor Crawford now. Divorce is final, and my name change is done." I shrugged and offered a subtle smile. Divorce was always such an odd topic. You never knew how someone might take it, and honestly, I could care less. It was my life, my decision, my divorce.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Well, as always, it's nice to see you."

"Nice to see you too, Angie." I lifted up on my toes and glanced over to my normal spot. "Gwen isn't here yet, hm?"

"Not yet, but I'll be sure to show her over to you the minute she gets here." She extended a menu to me. "Want me to show you to your table or did you want to wait up here for her?"

"I can show myself." I smiled warmly and took the menu. "Thanks so much."

"Of course."

I walked to the back of the restaurant and sat down near the window. I laid the menu on Gwen's side of the table and leaned back, letting out a soft sigh.

The sound of laughter, or rather giggles, caught my attention just outside. A young mom and her two little girls were dancing around as they walked through the parking lot to the car. I took them in, their emotions and excitement to simply be together.

Every desire I'd had swimming inside of me welled up. Was my time over? Was I really going to traverse life without knowing what it felt like to hold a child of my own? And all because of Nolan's manipulation.

"You're at fault too. You wanted him to love you. Idiot," I mumbled and turned back to find my younger sister standing beside the table, watching me.

"I hate it when you do that." She moved over and hugged me as I stood.

"What? Talk to myself?"

"Talk ugly to yourself." She kissed my cheek and brushed my hair off my shoulder. "You're the most beautiful, brilliant woman I know."

"Mom was prettier," I smirked and sat down. Just seeing her brought a warmth to my soul that I missed when she was busy traveling the world. "You look so good."

"I look like you."

I snorted. "I wish." My sister was a younger version of me, but lithe. Being a ballerina all of her life did that for her. "Anyway. Tell me about Paris. Did you find some handsome billionaire to fall in love with?"

She crinkled her nose, but her blue eyes filled with mischief. "You know I hate snooty rich people. I would much rather fall in love with a hardworking man that barely makes it by."

I laughed at her naivety. It was beautiful and innocent. "That hard working man would rock your world."

She rolled her eyes. "Speaking of rocking our worlds... how are you? You said your name change went through finally, right?"

"Yes." I nodded. "I'm a Crawford again."

"Good. I hated the name Reigns. So stupid sounding." She reached for the wine menu. "Want to share a glass or a bottle this morning?"

"Both?" I smiled and leaned back, letting my eyes run over her flawless face. She was the spitting image of my mother, which left me filled with a sadness that was somewhat peaceful. "Get a bottle. You can take the rest back to your place with you if you want."

"If there is any left." She set the menu down and locked gazes with me. "Paris was nice. I would have been much happier if you had come with me."

"You know I can't do that. I have a million things going on at the hospital, and they've yet to bring in another strong neurosurgeon. I can't leave my people in a lurch like that. At least not in the name of fun."

"Fun is the spice of life." She lifted her eyebrow and gave me a look our father might be proud of.

"I thought sex was," I smirked and picked up my menu as the server walked up. We ordered the usual and got back to teasing each other.

"Speaking of sex..." She leaned in and smiled.

"You didn't. Did you?" I leaned in too, both of us looking like two small children sharing a secret, no doubt.

"Me? No. I'm not sleeping with anyone until marriage. Period." She shrugged and gave me a contented look. "He's going to have to put a ring on it before he gets to enjoy it."

I was proud of her, and it seemed lofty to keep her virginity intact until she found the right man, but maybe not. Nolan was the only one I'd ever slept with.

"So what were you going to say about sex, then?" I pursed my lips as the waiter walked up and poured us each a glass of wine, the pink liquid enticing more than I wanted it to be.

Gwen waited until the server left to speak again. "Are you still sleeping with Nolan or have you finally cut the cord?"

"The cord is officially severed. We had a fight yesterday, and we're done." I picked up my glass and drained it, not meaning to.

"So much for taking the bottle home." She picked up the bottle and poured me another glass. "You know what would be good for you?"

"Do tell, please." I took a sip of the wine and put the glass down. I had to drive home, and I was a bit of a light weight as it was.

"Sleeping with some hot, bastard of a guy. Just let him rock you for the night. It'll help you wake up."

"This coming from my virgin little sister." I laughed and tilted my head to watch her. "And why would you think I would let a younger man in my bed? I'd much prefer an older man who wanted to take his time. If I'm getting naked, it better be worth it."

She lifted her glass, and the look on her face concerned me. She shrugged and took a sip, but didn't respond.

"What's that look for?" I reached for a piece of bread in the basket that sat on the table between us. "I know that look."

"Look? Is there a look?" She smiled, and the room seemed brighter.

"You know the look. Like you know something I don't."

"I was just thinking that the last time we talked about this." She pulled her napkin into her lap and brushed her hands over it, smoothing it down. "You said you've never climaxed with Nolan."

"So?" I slathered butter over my roll and took a greedy bite. "Not all women can climax."

"Lies." She rolled her eyes. "I don't believe that for a minute."

"Why? Because Cosmo says we should all be having mind-blowing orgasms?" I laughed internally at the conversation we were having. I had one friend, and she was sitting across the table from me. Thank God she was my sister. It made it easier to skip the bullshit and get right to the heart of the matter.

"It's true. You just need to find a young stallion that can make your body explode." She shrugged and leaned back, looking so nonchalant that it was humorous. We might as well have been talking about the color of paint on the walls.

"I'm a doctor, and it's not true."

"You're a brain surgeon." She smiled up at the server as he delivered our soup. "I have a question for you."

I almost swallowed my tongue. "Gwen. Don't."

"Sure." The guy's eyes lit up a little as Gwen turned her pretty face up toward him. Everything about her was petite, feminine, dainty. She could have any man she wanted, and yet she was alone, just like I was.

"My sister and I are having a bit of a fight over something. Can you be the tie breaker?" She glanced over at me. "And I won't tell you which one of us thought one way or the other."

"Don't," I warned her, my voice dropping.

"Alright. Go for it." He glanced over at me and his smile widened. "I have sisters. It's no big deal."

"Right." I picked up my wine and downed it as I watched my sister flirt her way through the orgasm question with our server. He pulled off his side of the interaction well, and I wanted to clap for him, but my thoughts moved from the present to the future.

My older brother Aiden had his protégé coming my way on Monday morning. I was pissy about it up to that moment. Maybe I was over-thinking things, but if he was at all the kind of guy everyone said he was, maybe the young stallion I needed in my bed was already headed my way.

"Ansley. You still here?" Gwen smiled as she waved her hand in front of my face. "See? I told you."

"Shit. What did he say?" I glanced to my right where our server had disappeared to.

"He said that all women are capable of coming. You just need to find a guy who knows what he's doing. A young stallion." She laughed and wagged her eyebrows. "And Aiden told me about this Doctor Feelgood guy."

I almost spit my wine out. "Aiden told you that they call this idiot Doctor Feelgood?"

"Oh yeah." She laughed again. "His favorite pick up line is supposedly, 'Hey girl. Tell me what ails you. I'll make you feel real good.’"

The laugh that bubbled up out of me felt good - pure. Parks might be a total whore bag, but he was a brilliant doctor and surgeon. Where I wasn't looking forward with putting up with his shit for the next month or so, I knew without a doubt I needed something to shake up my world.

Maybe he was just what the doctor ordered.