Adley

"You're blowing up all over social media right now, Ad," Tilly whispers to me as she readies the paperwork for the slew of patients waiting to see Dr. Hunt and the veterinarian he brought on board two months ago, Dr. Carolyn Gallo. Business is brisk.

I look at Tilly. I know exactly what she's talking about. Ellie sent me a one-line text message last night.

You're officially a #halesbabe.

Whenever a picture of Trey and a woman is posted online by either a Hale fan or the paparazzi, it's tagged with the hashtag halesbabe.  Last night I joined that club when an image of Trey and I that was taken outside Nova was posted to an Instagram account. The picture went viral within hours.

As of this morning, it's been shared more than ten thousand times and it has ten times as many likes.

Those stats don't impress me. I don't want or need that kind of attention.

"What's he like?" Tilly pretends to busy herself with the file in front of her. "Tell me everything."

I hate talking about personal things at work. I take this job seriously. Dr. Hunt took a chance on me when he gave me this position after I graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree and a love of animals. I've worked hard for him ever since.

"We had a burger, talked about our careers, and then he took me home." I don't look at her. I have too much to do today to waste time going over my uneventful date.

After Crew left the burger place, I told Trey that I needed to get home. He called for his chauffeured car and once we arrived at my apartment, I said goodnight without a kiss.

"There has to be more to it than that, Adley." Tilly sighs and taps her toe on the tile floor. "You don't have dinner with the most famous pitcher in the league and go home after dinner."

"You do if you're me."

Her eyes dart to the waiting room. We're booked full for the entire day. Neither of us has time to stand around talking about Trey. "Give me one juicy detail and I swear I'll leave you alone."

I pick up the file for Brazen, the small terrier, who is here for his yearly check-up. "Trey's left nipple is pierced."

"What the hell?" She doesn't even try to keep that to an acceptable level. Every single person in the waiting room turns toward us.

"Shh," I hush her. "You're going to get us both fired."

"You saw his nipple piercing?"

I shake my head as I tuck a requisition into the file of a labradoodle set to walk through the door any second with its owner.  "I met him at Veil East on Saturday night. He told me about it when we were dancing."

"That's hot."

"What's hot?" Dr. Hunt's unmistakable deep voice startles us both as he exits his office next to the reception desk.

I turn when Tilly answers him. "Beacon's temperature, Dr. The cat in exam room two is burning up. I'm ready if you are."

Skepticism knits his brow. "I'm ready, Matilda. Follow me."

She does, with her tongue hanging out of her mouth and her brows wiggling. Dr. Hunt is a handsome man. He knows it. Every person in the waiting room does too which is why all heads turn as he walks past with Tilly hot on his heel.

***

"It's been days since you two had dinner. Are you going to see him again this week?" Ellie chews on the end of a carrot. "If you are, I think you should wear that strapless red dress you wore to my birthday party. It shows off all your assets."

"Like my ass?" I squirm on the chair I'm sitting on next to her dining table. I came here to decompress after three very long days of work.  I've stayed late each night since my date with Trey. Two of my co-workers are out sick so that means extra overtime for everyone who hasn't caught the flu bug yet.

"That and other things." She circles her hand in front of her chest.

"My breasts aren't that big." I look down at the front of my scrubs. It's my go-to outfit for work since Dr. Hunt requires that every one of his employees wears the personalized blue scrubs he supplies. They have our names stamped above a small pocket on the left chest area. On the right side is the name of the clinic, Premier Pet Care. "I'm a C-Cup."

"I'm going to be a C-cup in a few months." She juts out her chest. "My boobs have already gotten bigger. Nolan is a fan."

"Don't tell me about what Nolan digs behind closed doors, Bean." I place my index finger over my lips to shush her.

"Fine." She huffs as she takes another small bite of her snack. "Let's talk about when you're going to see Trey again."

If he had his way it would be tonight. He sent me a dozen roses at work today. By the time I had a break and was able to text him to thank him, the flowers weren't my secret anymore. Tilly posted a picture of them with the halesbabe hashtag. She tagged me in it, so now my name is out there as the woman Trey is currently seeing.

"I don't know," I confess on a sigh. I'm in no hurry to go out with him again. That's why I told him I was busy tonight. My plans consist of this visit with Ellie before I head home to take a nice long bath. If I were into him, I would have taken him up on his offer straightaway.

"Why the hesitation to see him again?" Ellie puts the rest of the carrot on a napkin. "He's good-looking, successful, and he sent you flowers."

"How do you know that?"

She picks her phone up from the table and opens Instagram. The picture Tilly took of the roses pops into view. "That right there is the sign of a guy who is eager."

Eager to fuck. The feeling is not mutual.

"I haven't even kissed him yet, Bean."

"You can correct that by asking him out for dinner."

"I accept." Crew steps into view around the corner from the hallway. "Where are you taking me?"

"Where is my husband?" Ellie pushes herself to her feet. "I told him to pick up some groceries on his way home. Did he?"

"He got everything on that long ass list you texted him." Crew wraps his arm around Ellie's shoulder. "Your pregnancy cravings are disgusting, by the way. Keep in mind, that I don't say that lightly. My sister ate olives with peaches before she popped her kid out."

"That sounds delicious." Ellie licks her bottom lip. "We have olives. I need some peaches."

"You need to go find your husband." Crew jerks a thumb toward the kitchen. "He's half-way through a package of coconut cookies. Unless you stop him at the pass, you're not getting any of those tonight."

Ellie takes off at a quick walk.

"Did you come here straight from work?" Crew settles into the chair Ellie was just in. "Or are you trying to drive the male population of Manhattan crazy with that outfit."

"I look good in this."

"You look good in anything, Ad."

I feel a blush creep over my cheeks. He looks good in anything too, especially the navy blue three-piece suit he's wearing. "I did come straight from work. I wanted to see the kids, but they're having dinner with Nolan's folks."

He looks around the dining room. "I don't see a dozen red roses anywhere.  Your purse must be huge."

I'm taken aback by his admission. I know he follows the Premier Pet Care social media feeds. I didn't realize he followed them that closely. "You're talking about the roses Trey sent me."

"I sure am, Hale's Babe."

There's a hint of sarcasm in his tone or is it jealousy?

It can't be that. He reminds me often enough that I'm his best friend.

"I left them at work." I shrug. "That way I can fall in love with them all over again tomorrow morning."

His finger taps the edge of the wooden table. "Be careful, Ad. He tried to pick up my friend, Sophia, in the club right after it opened. He's a player, in more ways than one."

"What's that old saying about the pot calling the kettle black?"

A provocative smile covers his mouth. "You're on fire tonight, HB."

HB. Hale's babe.

Crew has to know how much I hate that.

"You're both welcome to stay for dinner." Ellie walks back into the dining room with a coconut cookie in her hand. "I'm making a veggie spaghetti dish. You'll love it."

"'I'll pass." Crew pushes up from the table. "I need to pack."

"Where are you going?" Ellie gets the question out before I have a chance.

"I'm heading west in the morning." He eyes me. "Back to the place it all began for the four of us."

"Vegas?" I lift a brow. "Why are you going to Vegas?"

I know he has a club there, Veil West, and there's a Matiz store there too. He has business there. I had no reason to ask him why the sudden trip to Vegas, but I want to know.

"I'm going to check in on a few things." He nudges Ellie with his shoulder. "Maybe look for a gift for a certain mom-to-be, and I'll take a day or two to hang with an old friend."

I don't bother asking who because I can guess within three tries. It's the woman he met the same night Ellie met Nolan. Lucia Turin, the co-owner of this club there. He bought controlling interest from her and re-branded the place with great success. 

A few months after the deal closed, I overheard him telling Nolan on the phone how he had christened the club with Lucia. They'd fucked in one of the private rooms of the club on the night of the re-opening.

I scratch the back of my neck, suddenly feeling the need for a long soak in my tub.

"You deserve it." Ellie pats his chest. "Nolan says you've been hauling ass at Matiz lately and I know the club sucks up a lot of your time."

"I need the break." His eyes drift over my face. "I feel like I'm suffocating in New York. A week in Vegas will give me the perspective I need."

It's cryptic. I can't tell if it's directed at me or not.

"Take care of this one, Ad." He kisses the top of Ellie's head. "That's my godson she's hauling around."

Mine too.

"I always do," I say softly. "Take care of yourself."

"That's the plan." He holds my gaze for a beat before he leaves the room to talk to Nolan.

I've never missed him when he's left on any of the countless trips he's taken before. I can still hear his voice in the kitchen, so why does it feel like he's already a million miles away?