It was definitely a very bad idea to not read the patient files the day before. Because yesterday I still would have had the time to run. Which I couldn't do from inside this monstrous tube, in the middle of nowhere between the clouds.
I watched with my heart drumming loudly as the clouds passed by. My eyes lingered on the name Blackwood with a bitter taste. I couldn't help but wonder if the patient was one of his traps. It wasn't like I could go up to raise a complaint with my dean. I sighed again trying to rid my mind of the Blackwood blasphemy and focus on the file.
Six hours later.
I had been assigned a chaperone. I should have expected as much from my dad. So much for being a working woman. A dry chuckle escaped my lips causing Louis to open his mouth.
"See you haven't changed much. At least it was your father this time." He laughed throwing his head back.
"Eyes front, Louis. I don't want to die so soon," I shot back grinning. We were both looking at each other conspiratorially before bursting out in fits of laughter.
He maneuvered easily amidst the San Francisco roads and its bustling traffic. "I was surprised when Nate called. Couldn't believe it was only your boring little assignment."
I snorted at that. "Come now already. Being a medic isn't boring." I air quoted boring to him shaking his head in a disappointed manner. "Did you think it was another one of my vacations?"
"A guy could hope. Like how last time you took a vacay with Sean and broke up with him on the beach, in a party and I had to rescue you because you were too delicate for an altercation?" He grinned devilishly.
"Not that again. He was being a total a-hole. What with you being satirical? It was self defense." I huffed indignantly remembering the time Sean was my boyfriend. He was having too much fun at with one too many girls in that party. People break up for that right?
"But they don't go gorilla on the guy and break his neck." I shot him a glare and he raised one arm in surrender. "Or maybe they do."
With a sheepish grin Louis turned his attention to the road, driving us the rest of the way in silence. I fell into thinking about Sean and that one pathetic excuse for a relationship I had with him. We were civil, polite and occasionally had fun. Until he finally told me I wouldn't dance to his tunes like those girls, so I had to deal with it. Not so nice, is it?
So I, being me, not so nicely broke up with him by announcing it using the band on the beach. Apparently that infuriated Mr. Douchebags and he took a swing at me. Totally unfair. We fought, literally and I went overboard breaking his neck.
"That day if not for you I would be rotting in jail." I turned to Louis with a sleepy smile. "I have an inkling there's a guy this time," he said casually and my sleep vanished just like that. I jolted straight, looking up at him with wide eyes.
"Wow, am I missing something?" He wiggled his eyebrows earning a punch on his arm.
"It's just I had a not so pleasant run in with Nicholas Blackwood the other day." He whistled to that information and I don't blame him. How many people had a run in with him?
"Now I'm here to look after Mrs. Blackwood, his grandmother and continue my residency. I was transferred Louis!" I sighed, sinking into the seat.
"What do you have to lose if it does come to having an altercation? You might just be the perfect match for his devilish ways."
"Aren't you taking this a little too lightly? Like way too much?" I asked him with suspicion but he just shook his head. "Your dad may have asked me to keep, well, Blackwood safe."
"I should have known when I saw you." I resigned to finally getting some much needed sleep since tomorrow would be a long day. I needed my beauty sleep to face the man himself. Louis didn't think so as he shook me awake rather violently.
"I can't carry you and your luggage. Wake up." I woke up, still half sleepy and walked into the apartment. "I'll be back in the morning to brief you on other things. Good night, sleepyhead."
I heard the door click shut. My dad needed to stop babying me. Or he doesn't. Apparently he rented me a nice apartment, found me a chaperone, more like gave a free pass to Louis so he could have fun at my expense and have him a copy of my key. "Just peachy, dad."
I snuggled into the covers, my eyes drooping shut when my phone started ringing loudly. An unknown number. Just what I needed when I was about to fall asleep. But I didn't want to ignore the call and wake up to something like the Blackwood file today. Or god forbid, a patient who needed me.
"Hello, Dr. Wilde speaking?" I cringed at my groggy voice. There was a pause like the calm before the storm.
"Dr. Wilde, huh?" My heart stopped for a moment before galloping to it full pace.
"Blackwood? How nice of you to call me. I didn't even give you my number."
He chuckled as if he knew something I didn't. Definitely this assignment and transfer is a trap. Before I could give him hell for it he said something totally off beat.
"Like anything has ever been normal for us. So, can I come over now?"
"Wait, where do you think I am right now?"
He was quiet for a moment. "It's a weeknight. I assumed you are home. Am I interrupting something?" His voice tightened at the end. He can't be serious, now can he?
"Maybe, maybe not. And like you said weeknight. I'm busy, I have an appointment with a patient early tomorrow. So, no you can't."
"Don't play that game, Olivia." He growled out and added softly. "We can meet outside, if that's what you want?"
"I mean what's your deal? Besides, I'm out of town. So, valid reason. Goodni-"
He cut me off. "You are? That's why I... nevermind. Let's meet later this week."
"Oh, you miss me, cause you'll be out of town too." I teased, fully awake now. He chuckled in response not denying it.
"Well, it's too important to reschedule. Maybe I could fly you down with me?"
"Oh, no you won't. Let me sleep, will ya?" I grumbled back and he laughed in response. His laugh sounded so genuine I didn't want him to stop.
"Goodnight, love." He hung up with that poisonous statement and I was frozen in shock.
We just had a normal, silly and healthy banter. And I liked it. Maybe he really wanted to try with me? Who am I kidding, I was just a challenge to him. Yet, I was deceiving him. God, what's wrong with me?
Amidst that fuzzy feeling, something dawned on me. He didn't know I was the doctor assigned to his grandmother. Nicholas Blackwood didn't know? Maybe this was another trap or he genuinely was clueless. It did sound like he was surprised to hear that I was out of town.
The plan to deceive him long forgotten, I eased into a deep slumber, ready to surprise the devil himself.