I smile at his silly text and write back. Alive and well. Even if that’s not exactly the truth.
Go out with me when I’m in Miami this weekend. Say yes. Please? I can’t stop thinking about you.
I’m in absolutely no condition to be considering his invitation, but I find myself clinging to his offer like a lifeline. He can’t stop thinking about me. In truth, I can’t stop thinking about him, either, and maybe a night with a man who makes me feel good about myself is just what the doctor ordered—pun intended.
I reply before I can talk myself out of it. Yes.
He writes back right away. Tomorrow night?
Ok.
Where should I pick you up?
I’ll meet you at Giordino’s parking lot at seven-thirty. We’ll figure out a plan from there.
See you then. Can’t wait.
I can’t wait, either. A sexy guy with a crush on me is just what my fragile ego needs to recover from what Marcus did to me. Maybe another hot night in Wyatt’s bed would help things, too. It took me days to recover from the first one. I had aches and pains in places I’d never ached before, which showed me something else—that Marcus wasn’t very good in bed. He’d certainly never tended to my needs the way Wyatt did. He discovered needs in me I hadn’t even known I had, and I walked around in a daze for weeks after the wedding.
And then he began texting me, continuing something that was supposed to have been one and done. As I pack a bag to hang out with my sister’s family for the weekend, I include my sexiest black dress and a pair of come-F-me heels I bought for the wedding festivities but didn’t end up wearing.
My life is a big fat mess at the moment, but Wyatt can’t wait to see me tomorrow night. That makes me feel a thousand times better than I did before I agreed to see him. Not that I’m putting any eggs in his basket. He’s a fling, and that’s all he’ll ever be.
In the other room, I hear Maria on the phone, her voice raised. “She doesn’t owe him a goddamned thing, Bianca. After dating her for years, he married someone else and didn’t even have the decency to tell her. He let her hear that from other people. We’re sorry he’s in the hospital, but you need to stop this guilt-trip shit with Dee right now, or you and I are going to have a problem.”
Yikes. Don’t screw with my big sister.
Thank God she’s taking care of that. I can’t bear to have Marcus’s family think this is my fault in some way. What did I ever do besides love him with my whole heart, which he crushed without a single look back until his “marriage” went bad? Then he was all about me again. To hell with that. To hell with him.
I’m moving on.
WYATT
I’m an asshole. There’s no other word to describe someone in my situation looking for more from a woman who was supposed to be a one-night stand. If only that one night hadn’t been so freaking awesome, I would’ve moved on by now.
But memories of the incredible day and night I spent with Dee have plagued my waking hours and many of my sleeping hours, too. I wake up hard and horny and ready to go, realizing I’ve had yet another dream about my sexy bridesmaid. It’s not for nothing that I’m going back to Miami for the weekend after hearing from my friend Dr. Jason Northrup that the hospital where he works has an opening for a cardiothoracic surgeon.
Before I went to Jason’s wedding, I wasn’t thinking about changing jobs, but now that’s all I seem to think about when I’m not reliving the hottest night of my life.
The flight from Phoenix to Miami lands ten minutes early and taxis to the gate. I used the in-flight Wi-Fi to make plans with Dee, and ever since she said yes, I’ve been flying higher than thirty thousand feet.
Which brings me back to how I’m an asshole for wanting another night with her. I have my reasons for not getting involved with the women I date or sleep with, and I’m usually pretty disciplined about sticking to my own rules when it comes to these things. But everything about Dee is an exception to my rules. She’s smart, funny, gorgeous and sexy as all hell, and what’s best about that is she doesn’t even know how hot she is. I loved seeing her partying with her sister, brothers and cousins, and witnessing their close bond firsthand.
There’s a refreshing innocence to her, especially when she admitted to me that ours was her first one-night stand. How cute is she? I’ve had more one-night stands than I can count, but that’s by design. It wouldn’t be fair to drag someone else into my reality. I know that, and yet I’m elated that Dee has agreed to see me tomorrow night.
I’m definitely an asshole.
Another thought occurs to me, and I’m not sure if I need to check with her or not, but hey, any excuse to talk to her…
Do you care if Jason and Carmen know we’re going out tomorrow?
She doesn’t write back until I’m in an Uber on my way to Jason’s place in Brickell. It’s very difficult to keep anything private in my family, so I guess it’s okay if they know. I’d rather they NOT know we already spent time together if that’s all right.
No problem. I get it. Any chance we can eat at Giordino’s? That’s the other thing I haven’t stopped thinking about since the wedding weekend.
Sure, I can make that happen.
Something else to look forward to. Just landed in Miami. Can’t wait for a great weekend.
When is your interview?
Monday morning. What’re you doing tonight?
Hanging out with Maria and Austin at their place.
I’ll see what J&C are doing, but maybe we’ll connect later. Hope so.
She responds with a thumbs-up.
I hope that means she wants to see me as much as I want to see her. What is it about her that makes me feel like a teenager in the throes of a first crush? Maybe it’s because I never got to crush on anyone when I was a sick teenager. I barely left my house or hospital room. I’m making up for lost time with Dee.
I text Jason to let him know I’m on the way to his place. I wish I’d gotten a hotel now that I have plans with Dee tomorrow night, but Jay would’ve had a fit if I hadn’t stayed with him this weekend. He’s excited I’m interviewing for a job at the hospital where he and his wife work.
Jay responds right away. Can’t wait to see you!
I met him in medical school at Duke, which was the first time I ever lived away from home. When we weren’t studying, I was a bit wild during those years, and Jay assigned himself to be my wingman, making sure I didn’t do anything stupid or dangerous. I’ll never forget the freedom of those years, the fun, the laughs, the friends, the hard work. Those were the greatest years of my life, and Jay is one of the best friends I’ve ever had.
When he asked me to be in his wedding, I was thrilled and honored. After what he went through in New York with his crazy ex, I was so happy to hear he found someone great in Miami. And once I met Carmen, I was even happier for him. She’s awesome, and her family is, too. Their restaurant… Holy shit. Best food I’ve ever eaten in my life. I can’t wait to eat there again tomorrow.
I’ve almost forgotten I’m here for an interview. The job feels secondary to the other “attractions” in Miami. I call up the one photo I have of Dee, a candid from the wedding, taken by the official photographer. Jay sent it to me, not knowing anything about what happened between Dee and me after the wedding, and I’ve looked at it hundreds of times since then.