Chapter Two
Nick
“All right, Tanner, you’re all fixed up. I was able to get rid of the cavity and fill it in. Did Meghan talk to you about better brushing?” I ask the nine-year-old who’s lying in the reclined chair before me.
The boy nods his head profusely, and out of the corner of my eye, I don’t miss the smile that plays on Meghan’s lips.
Very sexy and totally kissable lips.
I mentally shake that completely inappropriate and unprofessional thought out of my head and give the boy my full attention. “You’ll be numb for about another hour. It should be completely gone by dinner,” I tell him, glancing up and noticing the mid-afternoon time.
“Tank you,” he replies, his mouth barely moving.
“You’re welcome. We’ll see you back in six months, okay? If you do better at brushing, we can add you to our no cavity club. You’ll even get a free pizza certificate,” I tell him as I pull the latex gloves from my hands.
“I wike pizza!”
“I figured,” I reply with a laugh. “But you need to make sure you’re brushing really good, hitting all of your teeth, and you have to remember to floss. Even those pesky ones in the back.” Standing up, I smile down at the boy and hold out my fist for the expected fist bump. “You did good. I’ll see you soon, Tanner.”
No sooner do I step into the hallway of my dental practice does Patty, our receptionist, flag me down. “Mrs. Ellis is on the phone. She says that tooth just fell out again,” she says as she rolls her eyes.
“Teeth don’t generally just fall out of your dentures unless you’ve done something to knock them out,” I say aloud to no one in particular.
“I’m aware, Dr. Adams,” she replies with a smile.
“Who do we have left?” I ask, glancing up at the clock again. Three o’clock.
“Two regular cleanings. We’ve been on schedule all day,” she says with a pleased look.
“Excellent,” I reply with a matching grin as I step into my office.
“Oh, but your four o’clock,” she starts but stops, causing me to turn around. Patty clears her throat before she confirms my final appointment of the day. “It’s Collette.”
“Oh goodie,” I mumble, choosing not to use the colorful language I normally say when referring to my ex, but resorting to Meghan’s standard response when she can’t curse.
Before my office door closes, Patty hollers, “Mrs. Ellis is on line two!”
Looks like I’ll be dealing with Mrs. Ellis and Collette today.
Awesome.
I spend the next forty minutes working at my desk, finishing up a few things, until I’m paged to Meghan’s room. My heart starts to race as I get up and make my way down the hall. Plastering on my best professional face, I step through the doorway. Meghan is there, standing at the small counter and writing in the chart. Her long, brown hair is pulled back in a messy ponytail that looks like someone might have just tangled his fingers in it.
Okay, so I might be that someone. It is my fantasy, after all.
Clearing dirty images of my dental hygienist from my mind, I turn my attention to the old woman lying in the chair. “Ahh, Mrs. Huxley. How are the tulips blooming this year?” I ask as I slide my hands into a pair of latex gloves.
“Wonderful, Dr. Adams. My entire garden is full of bright colors,” the elderly woman gushes. “My lilac bush is in full bloom, as well, and my entire garden smells so heavenly.”
Smiling, I glance over at Meghan to find her with a sly grin aimed directly at me. “Well, Mrs. Huxley, let’s see if we can’t get you back in your garden before dinner. Meg, how did Mrs. Huxley’s cleaning go?” I ask, slipping the paper facemask over my mouth.
“Perfect. Her x-ray images are on the screen for your review,” she replies, handing me the mirror.
I glance around inside my former high school English teacher’s mouth, making note of changes from her last appointment. As I turn to Meghan, I start, “Can you hand me–” but am cut off by the periodontal probe being placed in my hand.
“Thanks.”
She doesn’t reply, just makes the notes in the chart as I speak. We’re a great team. The best, actually.
When I moved back home to Jupiter Bay to work under Dr. Zastrow, it was with the option to buy the practice when he was ready to retire. That was three years ago. Last year, the good doctor decided to finally move away and relocate to Florida, where the golf courses were calling his name.
Meghan was a new hire straight out of college. She was young, energetic, and with a deep-rooted love for good oral health. She’s been here for six years now, and really has become a key part of the team. She makes my day a hell of a lot better, that’s for sure, and I’m not just talking about the hard work and dedication she has to her job.
“Time to stick out your tongue,” I instruct my former teacher as the gauze is placed in my hand. With a quick screening for oral cancer, I complete her appointment. “Everything looks great.”
“Everything feels great. I love it when Meghan cleans my teeth,” she says as I help her sit from the reclined position.
“She’s the best,” I agree, winking at Meghan, who glances up from her notes and gives me another smile. “Come on, Mrs. Huxley, I’ll walk you up to Patty. She’ll make your next appointment.”
I leave Meghan behind to get ready for the next patient, dreading the arrival of my ex. Why she hasn’t transferred to the other dental practice in town is beyond me. Probably so she can keep fucking with me, waving my damn cat (albeit former feline) in my face in her fucked-up game of tug of war.
I miss that damn cat.
“Here you are, Mrs. Huxley. Patty will get you set up with your next appointment. We’ll see you in six months,” I say politely, shaking my former teacher’s hand.
“You’re such a doll, Nick. When are you gonna settle down and give your mama grandkids?” she asks innocently.
As I’m getting ready to reply, movement behind her catches my attention, and I realize Collette is sitting in the waiting room. She surely heard the question, but I choose to ignore her. “I’m sure she’s very anxious. I just haven’t found the right woman yet,” I reply with a warm grin, feeling slightly vindicated that my ex heard me. Without waiting for her to reply, I wave my goodbyes and turn back the way I came.
“Nick, wait.” Stopping dead in my tracks, I slowly turn and face Collette. She’s quiet for a few moments, allowing her eyes to peruse my body, before returning them to my face. I get no satisfaction that she may have been checking me out. “How have you been?”
“Fine.” My one-word answer is curt, but to the point. I’m not about to elaborate on my life post break-up.
“Good, good,” she says, flashing her bright pearly-white smile and twisting her long blonde hair around her finger. “I was worried about you.”
Raising my eyebrow, I reply, “It’s been nine months, Collette.”
“I know, but it was devastating for you when we broke up.” Her voice rises slightly, taking on a whiny, singsong tone. Did I ever find that attractive before?
“I was devastated that you cleaned out my house while I was gone to work. And you took my fucking cat,” I reply, teetering on the verge of anger.
“We got Cosmo together!” she bellows, her own voice rising to meet mine.
Glancing around, I quickly notice both Patty and Mrs. Huxley are both watching the show. “I’m sure Meghan is ready for you. Come on back,” I say politely, even though I’d rather kick her spoiled, pampered ass out onto the sidewalk.
We’re both quiet as I lead her down the hall. As I step into the small room where my dental hygienist works, I catch Meghan’s attention. “Hey, how was–” she starts, but stops when Collette steps out from behind me.
“Hi, Meghan. How are things?” she asks as she deposits her purse on the chair in the corner.
“Things are…fine,” she stammers with a smile (a fake one that she flashes too damn much lately). She glances my way with a questioning look in her deep green eyes, before mouthing “what the fuck?” to me.
“Your four o’clock,” I say with a shrug, knowing Collette’s presence in the office is as annoying to Meghan as it is to me. Meg was definitely Team Nick when the break-up happened, even going as far as to help me pick out all new furniture for my house. You know, the furnishings my ex took with her when she left?
“Oh, goodie,” she mumbles as she reaches for her gloves. “Have a seat, Collette, and we’ll get started in a moment.” Meghan reaches for my arm, wrapping her firm little fingers around my forearm. “A word?” she whispers pleasantly.
Following her into the hallway, I’m rewarded with a big whiff of her summery scent as she steps close, practically against my side. “Am I going to get fired if I accidentally pull a tooth?” she whispers.
Chuckling, I match her stance, leaning down just enough that my mouth is dangerously close to her ear. “Never. I mean, accidents happen.”
“Good to know,” she says with a deep exhale as she stands to her full five-foot, six inch height. I know this because the top of her head hits directly below my chin.
“Just try not to make her bleed too much,” I add humorously.
“I make no promises,” she huffs. “I mean, if she accidentally bleeds out on the chair, then we can sneak over and get Cosmo.”
That makes me laugh. After Collette and I broke up and she moved from my house, it was the fact that she took Cosmo, claiming him to be hers, that pissed Meghan off the most. She knows damn well that I fed, watered, and changed the litter box of our two-year-old gray and white cat.
“Your vindictive side is inspiring, Megs. Call me when you’re ready for me,” I say as I turn to head toward my office.
“Oh, hell no, Dr. Adams. If I have to deal with her, so do you,” she sasses as she grabs my arms and pulls me back. ‘She’s freakishly strong,’ I think to myself, which is quickly followed by, ‘Stop thinking about your dental hygienist in any other manner than professional.’
“I can hear you,” Collette says in an annoyed tone, from the room behind me, which makes both Meghan and me laugh quietly.
“Come on. Inside,” she giggles, pushing me into the small cleaning room.
When I step back into the room, Collette is glaring daggers at me. “I’m just going to…assist.” I throw her an unapologetic grin before stepping over to the counter and grabbing Collette’s chart, flipping open the file and glancing down at the information from her last appointment. It was a year ago.
“You need updated X-rays,” I say aloud before looking over my shoulder. Meghan is already there, the lead bib fitted across Collette’s chest, and the paper placed in her mouth for bitewing X-rays.
“On it,” Meghan says with a wink. “Care to step out?”
It takes only a few minutes for Meghan to take the images we need, readjusting the paper and the machine between each one. I watch her work effortlessly, getting everything done and in a timely manner. It’s probably so she can get rid of my cat stealing ex that much quicker.
When she completes the X-rays, we both slip back into the room, and Meghan gets to work. Occasionally, she asks me to add notes in the chart, but for the most part, everyone is quiet. There’s no small talk that usually takes place during appointments. In fact, it’s an uncomfortable silence; one that speaks of untold secrets and strong dislike. It makes me adjust the tie at my neck in an attempt to suck in a few extra breaths of air.
“It’s okay, Patty dear. I’ll only be a minute,” we hear coming from the front office. Meghan and I glance at each other at the exact same moment and know what’s about to happen next.
“Meggy Pie, are you here?” her Grandma bellows down the hall, moments before popping her head in the doorway. “Oh! There you are!”
“Yep, here I am. Working,” Meghan replies sarcastically without looking up from her task inside Collette’s mouth.
“I was just in the area,” Emma says with a bright smile. “We were out of KY.”
I choke on air. “KY?” I ask, giving my full attention to the old woman before me.
“Oh, yes. I’ve developed a liking for the one that also warms your–”
“Why are you here again?” Meghan interrupts loudly.
“To invite you to dinner tomorrow evening. That is, if you’re not doing the good doctor tomorrow after work,” Emma says, followed by collective gasps.
“What?” Meghan gasps.
“What?” Emma asks innocently.
“You just said I was…doing… Nick,” Meghan says, mortified.
“No I didn’t,” Emma insists, even though we all clearly heard her. “I said if you weren’t doing anything with the good doctor tomorrow night,” Emma adds, an ornery, evil glint in her light green eyes. “Your mind is always in the gutter.” Emma glances down, as if noticing the patient for the first time. “Oh! Is that Collette Cartwright? I’m surprised to see you, dear. You let your ex near your mouth with his tool?”
Now I really am choking on air.
Quickly, I realize I’m not the only one who took her seemingly innocent statement and turned it into a porno. Meghan’s face is beet red, and Collette looks completely mortified. And Emma? Well, if the grin on her face is any indication, I’d say her “seemingly innocent” statement was anything but.
“I’m sorry Grandma, but I have book club tomorrow,” Meghan says, getting back to work on finishing Collette’s cleaning.
“Book Club? Have they added erotica to their reading list yet? Irma Daniels keeps trying to get me to join her little club, but I just can’t read without the good stuff,” Emma says, waving her hand dismissively. Turning to me, she adds, “It’s like having to read Playboy without the pictures. Boring,” she sings.
“Anyway, I should go. If you’d rather go read and discuss books where the hero and heroine don’t even dip the pen in the inkwell, then you just go right ahead. Grandpa and I will be at home, giving the dog a bone,” she says with a wave goodbye.
“But, you don’t have a dog,” Meghan refutes.
“I know,” she grins widely and winks before walking out of the room.
“Did that just happen?” Meghan asks, her wide green eyes locked firmly on mine.
“‘Fraid so, Meggy Pie,” I tease, unable to stop the laugh. She hates it when I call her that. “Let’s get this appointment finished so we can get on with our nightlife.”
* * *
That night, while the sun sinks behind the trees, casting shadows on my living room, I sit at the kitchen table with my sister, Natalie, and her husband, Stuart, as they continue to make googly eyes at each other, like I’m not even in the room.
“Stop it,” I tell them in a firm big brother voice.
“What?” Nat asks, a mischievous smile cresting her face. Then I notice her lower body move and Stuart slightly jump in his seat.
“Are you playing footsy under the table? Please don’t make me look. I’ll have nightmares.”
“You definitely don’t want to look,” Nat teases.
“Jesus,” I grumble, rubbing my temples, as if fretting a headache. “You two are too much. How long does the honeymoon phase last again?”
“Forever. It’s never going to end,” Natalie replies, taking a sip of her wine.
“Lies. It’ll end,” I retort, taking a pull from my own beer bottle.
“Don’t transfer your relationship woes and troubles on us, big brother. Stuart and I are perfectly content and happy in our own little marriage sex bubble,” my horrible sister adds with a shrug.
“Don’t say sex.”
“Sex, sex, sex, sex…” she trails off, an evil smirk on her face.
“Gross,” I grumble lightheartedly and turn to my brother-in-law. “Can’t you control her?”
Stuart smiles. “Why would I want to? She’s so much more fun when she’s out of control,” he adds, making my chicken breast and baked potato threaten to make a reappearance.
“For fuck’s sake, you two,” I chastise to a chorus of laughter. “Now you sound like Meghan’s grandparents.”
Natalie gets up and starts to clear the dirty dishes. I try to stop her, but she waves me off. “How are Orval and Emma? I haven’t seen much of them since the infamous Viagra brownies incident. That was, what, almost two years ago?”
That brings a smile to my face. I remember hearing all about the time Orval laced homemade brownies with the erectile dysfunction drug and proceeded to give them to the guys at Jaime and Ryan’s joint bachelor/bachelorette party. “Emma stopped by today when Collette was in the chair.”
“Wait, your ex still comes to you for dental work?” Stuart asks, his eyebrows arched.
“Apparently. It was a pleasant surprise at the end of my workday.”
“You should have accidentally pulled all of her teeth,” Natalie sneers an unhappy look.
“Now you sound like Meghan,” I point out, recalling her saying the exact same thing earlier.
“Ohh, Meghan,” she coos in a singsong voice.
“Stop it,” I chastise, knowing exactly where she’s going with this. It’s the same place she goes every chance she gets.
“How is your Meggy?” Natalie places her chin in her palms and gives me one of those dreamy, far-off looks.
I roll my eyes. “She’s not my Meggy. She’s my employee.”
“Keep tellin’ yourself that, big brother.” My annoying little sister grins at me, which results in very maturely sticking my tongue out at her.
“Meghan is…” How to explain it. She’s miserable, but tries to hide it. She’s sad and doesn’t know what to do with herself, so she keeps herself so overly busy that she barely has time to breathe. But I suppose that’s the point, right? Then she’s not forced to think about the love she lost and the life she’ll never have with him. “She’s doing fine.”
That’s all I got, because even though she’s anything but fine, it’s not my place to tell her secrets or talk about her. I see everything she tries to hide from the world, including me. She paints on her pretty smile and pretends.
And it kills me.
Because her smiles aren’t real. They haven’t been for more than two years.
Her laughter is hollow.
Her eyes don’t sparkle like emeralds anymore.
She’s just going through the motions.
I hate it.
“I couldn’t imagine going through what she has. I mean to lose your fiancé? No way. You might as well throw me in the hole with him,” Natalie says, reaching over and grabbing Stuart’s hand.
“She’ll get there.” I really do think that. She’s getting closer, but she’s not quite there yet. One day, she’ll move on and let love in again. Oh, I’m sure it’s terrifying as hell, but if anyone is strong enough to do it, it’s Meghan.
As for me? I’m still scared as hell that the next woman I fall for is going to steal my furniture again. I mean, who does that shit, anyway? My ex, that’s who. I’ve always been attracted to the crazy ones. Cat stealers.
I’ve been feeling the itch to get back on the horse for a few weeks now. I think that’s why I’ve suddenly started to see Meghan in a new light. One that bosses and friends shouldn’t take notice of, that’s for sure. It’s a lawsuit waiting to happen.
Instead, I try to focus on other women around me. A single mom of one of my Little Dragons, an hour-long class, one day a week, for five to eight year olds who are just learning karate. The barista at the coffee shop uptown. Hell, even the divorcee who cuts my hair. Anyone besides my brunette employee with emerald eyes, a dazzling smile, and a quick wit that makes me laugh.
But no patients.
Never another patient.
Or employee.
New rule.
Actually, old rule, but one I’m highlighting and bolding in the next edition of the employee handbook.
It’s time to try the whole dating thing again. Dinner. Maybe a movie. Hopefully, a little kissing. It’s been a while, but I think I remember how to do this. It’s like riding a bike, right?
Find a date.
Enjoy said date.
How hard can it be?