Their Miracle Baby

Chapter 2

Venetia managed to only be a few minutes late for lunch, a real miracle considering the patient load she was carrying. She rushed into the room, slightly out of breath, worrying that he might have left already. When she saw him across the room, sitting at a table with files spread in front of him, she instantly felt guilty. He too was a busy man, and it had been rude to keep him waiting.

“I’m so sorry,” she said, rushing up to the table.

“It’s fine, I brought some work to do. I know how busy you are,” Lewis said, getting to his feet. “I don’t know about you, but I’m starving. Let’s get something to eat and then we can get to know one another better.”

Venetia was strangely nervous. She’d never been nervous around a man before, but there was something different about Lewis. She couldn’t quite put her finger on it, but she’d never felt this way in the past. It could also be because in this case not only was she attracted to him, but she wasn’t in control. After they’d gotten their food and were seated at the table, they ate in silence for a few minutes before Lewis cleared his throat nervously.

“I’ve been wanting to meet you for a while but haven’t had the chance. I think you’re doing great work with the clinic. I hear that parents travel a long way just to bring their kids to the clinic.”

“I’m really proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish, but I didn’t do it alone. I have a wonderful staff who are really dedicated to helping kids,” she said, finally looking at him across the table.

She was almost sorry that she did because when their eyes met, there was no doubt in her mind that this was more than a professional lunch. The desire she saw in his eyes was a shock, but even more shocking was that she felt a responding desire that flashed through her like a sudden storm. The tingle she felt in her loins was both pleasant and alarming at the same time.

The sound of her phone ringing saved her from any more thoughts of how attractive Lewis was. When she broke eye contact, it was with a little regret, but her patients were her first priority. Pulling the phone out of her pocket, she sent Lewis a regretful look and checked her messages.

“I’m sorry, but one of my hospitalized patients has gotten worse, I’m so tired of this flu. It’s been especially hard on the kids, too many of my patients don’t get the proper food they need so they’re especially vulnerable to it.”

“I understand. I’d be happy to walk upstairs, if you like.”

Venetia only hesitated for a second. “I’d like that.”

Lewis was disappointed that their lunch had been cut short, but it had been a last minute thing, so he accepted it with grace. But he was determined to get her to agree to a date before they parted ways.

As they rode the elevator up to the patient floors, he said, “I really enjoyed lunch, but I’d love to get to know you better. How about dinner some night?”

Venetia considered his offer; the elevator would be stopping soon which didn’t give her much time to think about his offer so she went with her gut. “I’d love that. Let me give you my number, call me, and we’ll figure out when.”

He followed her from the elevator to the nurses’ station where she wrote down her number then walked away feeling pleased with himself. He’d gone from not even knowing her to a date in just a few hours. Today had turned out better than he ever could have hoped for.

As she walked away from Lewis, Venetia couldn’t resist one more look at him. Standing at the elevator, he was checking his phone, giving her a chance to look at him without him noticing. He was certainly handsome, maybe not the kind of guy she was usually attracted to, but he definitely got her blood pumping.

Blushing at the direction her thoughts had taken, she refocused on why she was there. This was not the social hour, she had patients that needed her, both here in the hospital and in the clinic. She’d worked hard to build a life that made her happy, and she wasn’t sure that a relationship, even a casual one, had any place in her life right now.

But she had to admit that she was intrigued by Lewis and was looking forward to seeing him again if she could find time in her busy schedule. This might just be one of those times that she’d have to make an effort to be available, something she rarely did. She’d learned a long time ago that making plans was a wasted effort since she almost always had to cancel.

The only people she made room for right now was family. However, something inside her kept pushing her toward adding Lewis to that group of people. Shocked at her own thoughts, she pushed him from her mind and concentrated on what the nurse was telling her about her patient.

At the end of another long day, she was finally home, the extra shifts at the hospital mercifully cancelled since the flu had finally played itself out. She threw her stuff onto the chair by the door, placed her phone on the table, realizing with a sinking heart that Lewis hadn’t called. He had probably just been being nice she decided heading for the bathroom and a much-deserved hot bath.

It wasn’t like she needed romance in her life, her life was fine the way it was. She’d been silly to get her hopes up, love didn’t just bump into you on the way to work. A gorgeous guy like Lewis couldn’t possibly be interested in her, she was way too short and carried those few extra pounds that no amount of diet and exercise could eliminate.

After she got out of the bath, she refused to look at her phone, knowing that she’d be disappointed if Lewis hadn’t called. How, she wondered, had she gotten to this point after less than 24 hours. If nothing else that should have raised the red flag, but the part of her that was all woman really wanted him to call.