Time for Change (11 page)

After dealing with so much loss in her life, hospitals didn’t always
offer her that much hope.

She tapped her fingers on his desk waiting for him to get back. There
was no sex at work. She’d drawn the line when the head of the hospital had
almost walked in on them having sex.

God, Chris was taking over her life all the time. In most aspects she
didn’t mind. He took care of her job and dealing with her landlord, which she
was thankful for. At first she thought working with him would help their
relationship. Instead she’d heard the nurses whispering. They thought she was a
mid-life crisis for him and that it wouldn’t last. Her age, the fact she was
his dead wife’s sister, and also his playboy status had them convinced. She’d
even seen the bet they had going on for how long they’d last.

On the one hand, she knew he was never going to cheat on her at work,
but on the other, she got to see all the women he’d slept with. Most of the
women in the hospital had slept with him.

Rachel also struggled to make friends. It was something she’d always
struggled with even through college. The hospital was no different.

Staring down at her resignation letter, she felt her heart pounding
inside her chest. In the last two weeks she’d found a couple of things she
hated about their arrangement. The time spent with him was not an issue. In
fact, out of everything, being with him was the best part of her day.

When she lay in bed at night, she thought about all the women who’d come
before. She’d moved in with him in his apartment that was no better than a
bachelor fuck place. Staring into the mirror, brushing her teeth she had to
wonder how many other women had stood in that same place brushing their teeth.

The door to his office opened, startling her. “Baby, I’m sorry I can’t
stay. There’s some emergency in the ER. I’m needed there right away. I can eat
this stuff cold.” He dropped some wrapped food onto the table, on top of her
letter. Chris leaned down, kissing her lips then disappeared.

“Hi, honey, I can’t work with you anymore. Here is my letter of
resignation. It’s not you, it’s me, but you don’t really care.” She spoke to
the empty room. The scent of the food drove her crazy. She was so hungry.
“Yeah, Rachel, being with the man you love was a great idea. Working with him
every day would ease your mind.”

All it had done was torture her little by little.

Shaking her head, she pulled out the pulled pork sandwich he’d bought
her. She ate it while looking at the letter. It was perfectly worded, and when
he got to his office she wasn’t going to be there to see his reaction.

His telephone rang on the desk, and once again she ignored it. This
place wasn’t for her. When did anyone ever hear of a woman with no medical
knowledge working for a doctor? It was pitiful of her to even keep trying.

“No, I’m not going to try. I’m going to pretend I don’t care about the
fact that Chris has slept with most of the women who work here. I also think he
slept with the gynecologist, which is just freaky. And great, I’m now talking
to myself for amusement.” Shaking her head once again, she finished her
sandwich.

Clearing everything away, she left her note for him to see on the front
of his desk. “This is not who I am, Chris. I love you more than anything, but
this is so not me.” Grabbing a coat from next to his, she left the hospital.
Putting her arms in her coat, she ignored the blatant stares from the staff.
Her heels clicked on the tile floor on her way out, each click reminding her of
how many women he’d slept with. Some of the women smirked and nudged their
friend.

They were not pushing her out of Chris’s life, and if it was the last
thing she did, she was going to believe that he wasn’t sleeping with any of
them.

“Where are you going?” Tammy asked. She was a nurse and had been working
in the hospital for a couple of years. From the look in her eye, Rachel knew
Tammy had slept with Chris at some point.

Not that she blamed any of the women. Chris was a big catch and knowing
he had money, it made him more of a catch. Part of her wished she could just
see the money aspect of his attraction rather than the whole package.

“I’m leaving for the day. I’m sure you’ll find someone to take my
place.” She brushed past the other woman, trying to get away without another
word said between them.

“You’re not right for him, you know?” Tammy said, drawing her back into
the conversation.

Turning around she looked at the women. “And you are?”

“Your age doesn’t help you, honey. Chris needs a real woman to keep him
satisfied.” Tammy’s hand rested on her hip, and the tilt of her lips made her
look every inch the seductress even in the nurse scrubs she was wearing.

“Huh? You see, I thought men went for younger women because we’ve got
stamina.” Rachel was tired of feeling less than these women. She took a step
closer until she was staring down at Tammy. The other woman was thinner and
shorter than she was. “And let me tell you,
honey
.
He didn’t have any complaints last night or the night before that. In fact,
he’s been using you guys because he couldn’t have me. Think about the fact he
wanted me when he was inside you. No matter what you say, Tammy, you don’t
win.”

Turning on her heel she stormed out of the office. How dare that woman
even try to make her feel less than she was?

She was so angry at the way those women made her feel. Only when she got
as far away from the office as she could, did Rachel start to relax.

Rachel had never been mean to anyone in her whole life, and yet she’d
just been mean to a woman she didn’t even know.

Feeling angry with herself, she entered the first bar she came to. She
didn’t see the sign or care where she was drinking. Going to the bar, she
removed her coat and draped it along the back of the stool at the bar. There
were several businessmen drinking, eating and going about their own business.
The music in the background was quiet but loud enough not to make anyone feel
alone.

The barman stood in front of her as she took her seat.

“What can I get a pretty lady like you?” he asked.

“Tequila.
I need tequila and maybe a glass of your finest brandy.” She rarely
drank, and what she’d ordered would last her a couple of hours.

He poured her drinks and kept staring at her.

“What?” she asked.

“I’m just wondering what a pretty woman like
yourself
is doing all alone drinking after lunch?”

She saw he was named David, from the tag on his shirt.

“Hi, David, well, let’s
see
. I just walked out
of my job with the man who I believe is my boyfriend.”

“You only believe he’s your boyfriend?”

“I live with him, and we’re a new couple.”

“Wow, and you’re already living together. He must be the most patient guy
I know or most committed guy in the history of dating,” David said, interrupting.

He put her drinks down in front of her. She picked up the brandy and
took a sip. The dark liquid burned her throat making her gasp.

“Yeah, he’s my sister’s ex. She’s dead, and it has been three years.”

David kept looking at her and added more brandy to her glass. “You’re
going to need it.”

She spilled everything to the stranger. Not all the gory details and not
names either. Rachel just talked. Every few minutes he left to handle a
customer or to fill a glass. She was surprised when he came back for more of
her story.

“Don’t you have anything else to do?” she asked, sipping at her brandy.
The tequila still sat at the bar, untouched.

“No, you’re pretty interesting.”

“You don’t think I’m a first class bitch?” she asked.

“Not at all.
I know most of the story, and if anything, it’s a pretty sad story. At
least you tried working with him instead of cutting your losses.”

“Yeah, I know. On my way out one of the women he fucked stopped me to
tell me how I’m not good enough for him or something. I don’t know. Maybe she’s
right. I’m not a great catch.”

“You’re not a dog either.”

Rachel burst out laughing. “Thank you. I needed that.”

They were silent for several minutes. He topped up her brandy, and she
thanked him for it. “What are you doing for work?” David asked.

“I don’t know. I’m out of a job.”

“How about you work here?”

She looked at him. There was no laughter to his face, and he appeared
serious. “You’re offering me a job?”

“Why not?
You need a job, and I need a new waitress.”

Rachel nodded. “I’d like that.”

“Good, you can start tomorrow.” He made to move away and glanced down.
“Why aren’t you drinking your tequila?”

Licking her lips, Rachel felt the tears were close. “It’s not for me.
Tequila is what my sister always drank.”

“Okay then. I’ll be back to check on you soon.” David left her to do
some work. Staring at the filled glass of tequila, Rachel took a breath.

“Miss you, big sis.”

****

Chris entered his office and was surprised to see it bare. He’d moved another
desk into his space for Rachel to work. When he got to his office he loved to
watch her work. Her scent covered the small area making him hard and wishing
she was there. Heading for his desk, he saw his sandwich left on top of the
desk. Next to his sandwich was a letter. He recognized Rachel’s handwriting.
Taking a bite of his sandwich, he opened up the letter and started to read.

With each word he read he felt himself getting angry. Rachel was
quitting on him. He was reading her letter of resignation.

The sandwich held little appeal to him. Throwing the food away, he tore
up her letter. At the same time, Tammy walked into his office. The nurse was
smiling, and he saw her hair was down. He’d fucked
her a
couple of times a year ago. Chris only touched her because Rachel was on
another date that he couldn’t stop.

“Hey, Chris.”
He didn’t like her tone at all.

“What?” he asked.

“I, erm, wanted to see how you were doing. It has been a long time, and
I guess I’ve been worried about you.” Tammy walked farther into the room.

He didn’t like the sway of her hips or the provocative way she was
looking at him. Fucking her had been a big mistake. Claire always warned him
that he would mess up by not thinking. For a doctor, he certainly knew how to
stop thinking.

“Why do you even care, Tammy? There’s nothing for you to worry about.”
He hoped Rachel hadn’t figured out who he slept with. Chris wasn’t going to
apologize for the life he led prior to being with Rachel. He was a man and did
whatever he wanted to do.

“We meant something to each other, Chris. Don’t pretend we’re not
important.”

Standing up, he glared at her. “What did you say to Rachel?” he asked.

There was a time when he thought Tammy was a kind woman. The glint in
her eye said different. Rachel didn’t deserve scorn from her or the other women
he’d slept with.

“I didn’t say anything to Rachel. She was leaving, and I simply told her
that you needed a real woman. She’s a girl compared to what we had.” Tammy
circled the desk, standing in front of him. “Come on, Chris. You know I can
make you feel good.”

Before he could stop her, Tammy had her arms around his neck and was
kissing him passionately.

Grabbing her arms he shoved her away. “What the fuck did you do?” he
asked, growling.

He couldn’t handle her. Sex was sex. Tammy was the one to agree with him
when he’d slept with her.

Tammy glared at him. “So I really was just a fuck?”

“I’m in love with Rachel. I’ve always been in love with her.”

In one swift move, Tammy shoved the items off his desk. The computer
crashed to the floor. “You’re a fucking pig falling for that fat bitch. She’s
better off without you.” Tammy slapped him around the face.

Staring around the room, Chris knew this wasn’t good. What if the women
had been picking at Rachel behind his back?
Crap.
He’d never even thought about what continuing a life with her would mean.

He took his coat and walked out of his office. The women he’d fucked
stared at him. He was embarrassed by how many he’d used. The walk he took was
one he needed to live through.

This is what you
did trying to heal.

Chris kept his head held high. They wouldn’t make him feel anything for
the way he treated them. They wanted sex with him, and he’d supplied it.

Never had he given them any kind of promises.

Letting out a breath, he walked, trying his best to think of where
Rachel would go. It was raining, and he was drenched in a matter of seconds.
Pushing the cold and the wet from his mind, he focused on Rachel. She didn’t
deserve the treatment the women at the hospital clearly gave her.