He was leaned up against a silver car, dressed in a T-shirt and jeans. It was the first time she’d ever seen him outside of his scrubs.

“Hi,” she said, forcing a smile, and he pushed off the car and walked toward her.

“Listen, I switched you over to Dr. Lawrence’s care,” he said as he shoved his hands in his pockets.

“Yeah, he told me,” she said, the same contrived smile in place as she looked down and continued searching for her keys. She was so aware of herself, of her awkwardness as she tried to ensure that she wasn’t flirting, but at the same time, wasn’t showing her disappointment.

“He’s wonderful,” Adam said. “Taught me everything I know.”

Lauren smiled politely, glancing up as she finally pulled her keys out of her purse.

“You’re in good hands with him,” he assured her. “You only have about two weeks of therapy left anyway, so you’ll be fine.”

Lauren nodded. “Okay, well, thanks for everything,” she said before she turned and started walking toward her car.

Then she stopped.

No more avoiding unpleasant things, she reminded herself, and she turned to see him still standing where she’d left him.

“Can I ask you something?” she asked, straightening her posture.

“Of course.”

“Why did you switch me?”

Adam took a deep breath, running his hand through his hair. “Well, I just thought it would be unprofessional if I asked out one of my patients.”

Lauren blinked, her hand dropping to her side. “What?”

“I know. I could have waited the two weeks until you finished your therapy, but I’ve already waited seven, and it hasn’t been easy.”

She blinked at him again, unmoving, and he smiled his trademark grin.

“So, can I take you out? You basically have to say yes at this point, otherwise I’ve given away my favorite patient for nothing.”

What he was saying finally registered, and Lauren tried not to smile. “So basically I have to go out with you now out of sympathy? Like a pity date?”

He laughed her favorite laugh. “You can call it whatever you want, as long as you let me take you out.”

And when he looked up at her from under his eyelashes, she couldn’t fight her smile any longer. “Well,” she sighed, “I guess one pity date couldn’t hurt. I can always have a friend call me with a fake emergency.”

“Or excuse yourself to the bathroom and escape out the window.”

“That’s right,” she laughed. “I always forget about that one.”

“But Lauren?” he said, beginning to walk backward toward his car.

didn’t have to come here.”7 shoulder“Yeah?”

“Give me a chance. I promise you won’t want to escape.”

She bit her lip. “I believe you.”

Adam grinned. “I’ll call you later. We’ll make definite plans,” he said, holding up his hand before he turned and walked back toward his car.

And Lauren watched him go, fighting the urge to jump up and down like a little girl.

Michael stood in the vestibule of Learn and Grow, disappointed to see it was the curly-haired woman who stood in the doorway of the pre-K room dismissing the children today.

He moved over to the bench along the wall, resigning himself to the fact that this was a sign he should leave well enough alone. But as soon as he sat, his new vantage point gave him a clear view of Lauren sitting on top of a table inside the classroom, writing on some type of clipboard.

He watched her chew the corner of her lip the way she always did when she was deep in thought, and he smiled.

She glanced up then, scanning the vestibule, and after a second her eyes landed on him. Before he’d even fully decided to do it, he motioned for her to come out, and she pointed to herself and raised her eyebrows as if to ask, me?

Michael laughed at her innocence and nodded, and she put down the clipboard as she hopped off the table and walked toward the entryway. He stood and circumvented a group of waiting parents as he met her at the door.

“Is everything okay?” she asked.

“Oh, yeah, everything’s fine. I just wanted to run something by you.”

“Okay, what’s up?” she asked, smiling and waving at a little girl who ran past her and out to her mother.

“I wanted to know if you wanted to try that dinner thing again. A real restaurant this time. Someplace without games and kiddie rides.”

“Oh. Um, I have class tonight.”

“Not tonight. I was thinking this Saturday.”

“I can’t.”

Whatever expression crossed his face, it must have been pathetic, because she immediately added, “It’s not because I don’t want to. I just…I already have plans.”

“A date?” he asked, instantly embarrassed by his own brazenness. “Sorry,” he added quickly. “That’s none of my business.”

“It’s okay. But, um…maybe another time?” She smiled politely up at him, and he nodded.

“Sure. That sounds good,” he said, and as soon as she turned and walked back into the classroom, he pulled his brow together and looked down.

“Erin Delaney,” the curly-haired woman called, and seconds later Erin came bounding out of the room.

“Hi Daddy!” she beamed, hugging him around the leg, and he bent and scooped her up.

“Hi baby girl. Did you have a good day?”

“Yes! We played hide-and-seek and I won!”

Michael laughed. “Good job,” he said, kissing her forehead before he put her down and took her hand. “Maybe we can play tonight after dinner.”

“Okay, but you’re gonna lose!” she sing-songed. “I’m really, really good.”

As they walk straight ahead"> shouldered out to the car, Michael tried to focus on what he’d make for dinner that night and where he would hide when Erin asked him to play later.

But instead, his mind kept going back to the fact that Lauren had a date this Saturday night.

He had been right when he said it was none of his business. It wasn’t. Yet he couldn’t help feeling irritated by the whole thing. It was ridiculous; he knew that. He was trying to reestablish a friendship with her, so why should he care if she was dating someone else?

He kept asking himself that question, although he damn well already knew the answer.

It would be hard enough trying to win back her trust, he reminded himself, hard enough trying to earn back her friendship. So he needed to put a lid on whatever possessive, jealous bullshit was fueling his thoughts. He needed to get a grip, and fast.

Because if he thought for one second he had a shot at anything else, he was out of his mind.

.

June 2001

Lauren sat on Jenn’s bed, reading aloud the questions to the latest Cosmo quiz titled, “Are You Good-Girl Hot or Bad-Girl Hot?” to Jenn at her insistence.

“Last question,” Lauren said. “You spot a cute guy across the room at a party, and your interest is piqued. Do you: (a) Stroll right over and whisper, ‘Need another drink?’ breathily in his ear; (b) Stay put until he finally chats with a mutual friend and then make your move; or (c) ‘Accidentally’ brush up against him, smile, and introduce yourself?”

“Hmm,” Jenn said as she put the cap back on her nail polish and gently blew on her freshly painted fingernails. “C.”

Lauren smiled and shook her head, jotting that down as she totaled up Jenn’s points. “Okay,” she finally said. “According to the Cosmo gurus, you are a Badass Bombshell.”

Jenn nodded proudly. “Damn straight. What else does it say?”

“It says you strike the right balance between being naughty and nice, and you lure guys in by being playfully provocative. You put just enough out there to keep guys guessing, and anticipation is sexy.”

“Sounds about right,” Jenn said with a smile, hopping up on the bed next to Lauren and holding her hands up with her fingers fanned out. “You like?”

“Very pretty,” Lauren said, closing the magazine and tossing it to the floor as she flopped onto her stomach. “What do you want to do now?”