Page 21 of Daddy to Go

I smirked. “Because calling him Mr. Tuba soundsweird. If I found him in an egg sandwich wrapper, would I call him Mr. Egg Sandwich?”

Ryder chuckled, shrugging. “Mr. Egg. I like that. Very sophisticated.”

I giggled, turning and looking at the living room of his new place. It was very sparse. It was freshly painted in a grey color, with obviously expensive furniture, but nothing to make it feel like home. There was a huge flat screen mounted on the wall, a rug under the grey and silver perfectly rectangular couch, two armchairs in vibrant blues next to the fireplace, and that was about it.

Ryder looked around as well.

“Well, they told me this was homier than the penthouse, but clearly not.”

We took a quick tour of the rest of the place. The kitchen was stocked with everything he would need, including a fridge full of food, but again, there was nothing personal or warm about it. The bedrooms were the same. There were huge king-sized beds in each room with plush bedding and swags of drapery, but nothing cozy or comfortable.

Walking back out to the living room he put his hands out with a smile.

“Here we are.”

My hand trailed down the back of the couch.

“Why is the place so formal?”

He was pulling the long thick blue drapes closed on the front windows.

“Most places I stay are pretty corporate, from the hotels to the service apartments. Everyone from visiting doctors to interviewees from out of town is hosted here.”

My eyes shifted around with a nod.

“Gotcha. I don’t know, I’ve stayed in hotels before but there’s nothing like going home to your knick-knacks, warm fuzzy blankets, and a broken-in couch. It’s just nice.”

His eyes skimmed over me, bringing a rush of heat to my chest. Suddenly I felt nervous, but he smiled.

“I’m a traveling doctor,” he shrugged. “That part of it I got used to a while ago. I don’t own a place of my own and everything I have, I travel with. I don’t have my own practice so I am not obligated to stay in one place.”

I crossed my arms and leaned against the sofa with my hip. “So how do you get gigs?”

He shrugged.

“I work with a staffing agency, and I also have a good reputation,” he replied. “I put myself out there, and people call and book me. It’s usually for vacation coverage, funerals, weddings, and things like that, but sometimes it’s for a special consult. I have made myself marketable over the years by attending just about every updated training session available as I travel. Plus, I’ve seen a lot of things from traveling so much.”

I smiled. “Yes, there probably isn’t much variety in a place like Farmington.”

Ryder chuckled, walking over next to me. His eyes sat on my neck as he brushed his finger through my hair.

“Most young doctors want action. They don’t want to deal with chicken pox, routine exams, and sniffles. They want adventure.”

“What about your action and adventure?” I asked, my voice slightly lowered as my eyes latched onto his.

Ryder put his finger under my chin and lifted it, giving me a very gentle kiss. My heart felt like it was going to explode right out of my chest.

“I travel all over the country, sometimes even consulting overseas. That’s my adventure. I was born and raised in small town Minnesota. Most of the people there will never leave, and their children will never leave, and so on. This was a way for me to break free and see the world. Get that travel bug out of my system.”

The rested a hand gently on his arm.

“I have to say, I’m kind of jealous of that. I’ve lived right here my whole life. Other than one trip to Chicago, and my eighth grade field trip to Washington DC, going to the next town to pick up something for my mom is the extent of my travel. I’ve always wanted to see the world though.”

He tapped his finger to my nose and turned, looking around the room. I followed him into the kitchen. It was like he was sniffing something out, but I had no idea what it could be. Finally, he flipped open the end cabinet to find shelves of liquor.

“Aha,” he laughed. “I knew it would be here somewhere. Would you like something?”

I shrugged. “Sure, you pick. I don’t have very much experience with alcohol.”