Chapter 19

Connor

Back in the party, I polished off my glass of champagne and swiped another off a passing tray and took position against the long, sweeping copper bar. Alice’s strange reaction to the news of my transfer stuck in my mind.

I knew that I’d taken too long to let her in on the news, so I was expecting her to chew me out a little. However, she wasn’t just upset in the angry way that I was expecting—she looked genuinely disappointed, like I’d pulled the rug out from under her.

Had she developed feelings? And had I? I knew that I’d be lying if I said that I hadn’t begun to feel something for Alice these last few weeks. Those same sentiments that I’d developed for her when we dated in high school were bubbling back to the surface, and I didn’t know what to do.

Before I could lose myself too deeply in my thoughts, however, a voice spoke out from nearby.

“That fiancée of yours is quite the catch.”

I shook my head, the voice bringing me back into the world of the living. It was Richter. And he was alone.

‘Yeah,” I said. “She’s a great girl. And Hunter loves her, too.”

“You really lucked out,” he said, standing next to me, just a few inches closer than felt comfortable. “Not just with her, but with the promotion. But don’t they say that some guys just have all the luck?”

Something struck me as strange about Richter’s tone. It sounded to me almost like there was something he wasn’t telling me.

“We all have our streaks, you know?” I said. “Run of good fortune here, then a bit of bad luck there. Just how the universe balances itself out, I suppose.”

“Perhaps,” said Richter. “But sometimes I wonder if you’re just one of those golden boys. I mean, look at you: about to be married to a beautiful woman, getting ready to start a position that doctors twice your age would kill for, and on top of that, just about every girl here would cut off her right arm just for a chance to be with the fabulous Dr. Connor Rex.”

I narrowed my eyes in slight suspicion, wondering just where Richter was going with this.

Then, he made himself very, very clear.

“Be a shame if a little secret of yours got out and brought this whole thing crashing down around you.”

My tone took an edge like sharpened obsidian.

“Tell me what you know,” I demanded. “And tell me now.”

“I know enough to say that you’re not really in a position to be making such demands, Connor. But I’ll indulge you.”

Richter brought his glass of whiskey to his thin lips and took a long, slow sip, as if wanting to let me stew in uncertainty for as long as possible.

“I began to have my suspicions at that little dinner party of yours. Well, to be honest, my suspicions began when you just so happened to find yourself a fiancée so soon after Lionel let us both know we were in the running for this promotion. I’ve known him long enough to understand his views on bachelors, and your deciding to let a girl make an honest man out of you so suddenly just seemed a little too pat for me.”

“But I gave you the benefit of the doubt. Love can find you at the strangest times—I know. But it was at the party, when the two of you couldn’t seem to keep your story straight, that I realized there was something going on between you and Alice that you didn’t want the rest of us to know about.”

He opened his mouth to continue, but stopped himself before going on.

“Her name is Alice, correct?” he asked. “I mean, one never knows with liars like you.”

I didn’t say a word. Anger boiled inside of me, and I had to resist the urge to clock Richter right then and there.

“The board may have been charmed by your story, but I could see right through it. And when I saw you two step out onto the balcony to have a little private chat, I just knew that I needed to be a fly on the wall for that particular conversation.”

“You were eavesdropping?” I shot out.

“I just happened to be in the right place to hear the, ah, broad strokes of what you both were discussing. And quite the interesting conversation it was. So, to get to the heart of the matter, I know everything.”

“And this is supposed to mean what to me, exactly?”

Richter shook his head in a chiding manner.

“Connor, I’m the one holding all of the cards here. You’d be wise to speak to me with a little more respect.”

At that moment, a fellow doctor from the hospital stopped by to say “hello” to the both of us. I did my best to put on a charming face as I went along with the pleasantries. Once he was gone, however, the tension came right back.

“Then tell me what it is you’re planning on doing,” I said.

“That, Connor, is up to you. Here’s what I’m proposing: You let the board know that you’re more than gracious that they considered you for the position, but that after consulting with your fiancée, you realized that a cross-country move wouldn’t be the best idea for your budding family. You’ll tell them that after much thought, you feel that I would be the best choice for the position in LA. You’ll give me your full, ringing endorsement, and tell them that they’d be fools not to choose me. And this would all be delivered with your normal good humor and charm, of course.”

“And if I just tell you to fuck off?”

“That wouldn’t be the wisest move you could make,” he said. “Because I’d simply tell the board everything that I know. You’d not only be removed from consideration for the position, but likely be terminated from the hospital. You’d go from the name on everyone’s lips to a pariah in your own city.”

“That’s if anyone believed you,” I said. “Before you get too cocky, just remember that it’s your word against mine.”

Richter nodded slightly.

“I suppose you’re right about that,” he said. “But do you really want to take that chance? You’d be running an awful risk. And even if you did somehow manage to employ that golden charm of yours, the stink of scandal would hang on you for God knows how long.”

He finished his drink and set the glass down on the bar.

“Well,” he said. “I’m sure I’ve given you more than a bit to chew over. Enjoy the rest of your evening, Connor. And I certainly hope that you make the right decision.”

With that, Richter left, a smug little smile on his lips. He was right about one thing: I did have quite a bit to think about.