Page 15 of Love Medley (Med Wreck Romance #1)

Chapter ten

Jake

A fter I return home from talking to Luke, I drift to the piano keyboard in the corner of my living room, which I’ve been doing almost every night since meeting Lucy.

Thankfully, my apartment is reasonably-sized, so the keyboard can fit in my living room along with a comfortable couch and coffee table.

Immediately, I launch into “Your Song” by Elton John. The words hit me even harder than usual after the talk with my mom. I don’t have fancy degrees or a prestigious resume, but if I had a chance, I’d love to sing Lucy a simple melody. Maybe she’d even understand what I was saying.

As the notes fade, the next song that flows from my fingertips is “The Way You Look Tonight” by Frank Sinatra. My heart snags. Why is it that being around this woman that I barely know feels reminiscent of home?

And then my hands are forming the beginning arpeggios for “On My Own,” from Les Miserables.

Jesus. Apparently, now I’m playing the unrequited love song track.

Despite what Luke said earlier, I still feel like Lucy is an impossible dream out of my reach.

She’s going places, and I’m standing still.

She’s a fourth-year medical student that will be jetting off soon to her next opportunity, and I’ll be here.

All it took was a couple of days in Lucy’s presence to completely discombobulate me. What will happen once I spend even more time with her? I’m starting to think this staged relationship is a huge mistake.

The next day, I return to the ER for another shift. There’s a steady flow of patients to keep me occupied, which is good, because to my utter disappointment, there’s no sign of Lucy.

After losing myself in work for several hours, my stomach growls. I guess it’s time for a fuel break. “Hey, Alicia!”

The charge nurse lifts her ruddy face from her charting.

I pantomime eating, and she nods once and returns her notes.

She’s talkative, that one, but I don’t mind her.

She’s efficient and fair, and the ER flows well whenever she’s in charge.

There are other gas bags that take the reins and want to gossip nonstop. Things tend to back up on those nights.

My thoughts still full of Lucy, I make my way to the break room where there's a kitchenette, a couple of long plastic tables, a microwave, two large fridges, and a sink. Removing my Tupperware from the fridge, I glance at the contents: grilled chicken and broccoli. This meal is my standard during ER shifts—it’s easy to prep, and it's pretty healthy.

But right now, even though I need to eat to survive the next few hours, my routine meal looks unappetizing.

As I stick my meal in the microwave, I hear the door open behind me and a chair scuffing against the floor as someone sits down.

Before I even turn around, I know it’s Lucy. I’m not sure if it’s the whiff of lavender or the gentle tread of her walk that gives her away, but my body is reacting to hers in the most primitive of ways.

Slowly pivoting towards her, I feel the hairs on my arms prickle with anticipation.

As Lucy meets my eyes, she lifts a hand and smiles at me tentatively as she sets her sandwich in front of her. “Hey, Jake.”

Whatever my brain has stored as “Lucy” does not even come close to the reality of her.

Seeing her again hits me deep in the gut—I’m stunned to find myself reeling from an unnerving combination of desire, protectiveness, and longing.

What do I even say to a woman that has adjusted my internal landscape in just two days ?

“Sorry I haven’t called you yet. I was going to do that tonight,” I say, managing to get out a couple of coherent sentences.

And then I think…why didn’t I just contact her? I know part of it was that I didn’t know what to say—or maybe I was worried I’d say too much.

Lucy nods, twisting a strand of hair around her finger. “It’s okay. You aren’t obligated to help me. I mean, you barely know me! You can bow out if you want.”

Goddammit. This gorgeous woman thought that I was standing her up. Hell no. Quickly, the words tumble out. “There’s no way I’d miss out on a fake date with you.”

Lucy laughs. “Well, when you put it that way…”

At her response, I relax—it seems my fuckup was only minor. The microwave beeps, and I open it to remove my unappealing lunch. Before I can control myself, I add, “Is it okay if I join you?”

“Oh, sure!” Lucy waves a hand at the seat in front of her. “We should probably talk about next Tuesday anyway.”

Amazed that I don’t trip, I sit across from Lucy and lift the top off my Tupperware, allowing the steam to escape. “Where is this event happening?”

“It’s at the Hilton downtown,” Lucy says. “All you have to do is wear a suit and show up, and you’ll have my forever thanks.”

“I’m also happy to pick you up so we can arrive together.” I avoid thinking about why I offered.

Lucy bites her bottom lip. “I guess that would be more believable than meeting there.”

A little too eagerly, I say, “Yeah, we should do this right.”

Lucy nods. “Okay, why don’t you pick me up around 6pm?”

“That works,” I say, a thrill running through me when she gives me her address.

“I don’t know of a better way to bring this up,” Lucy starts. “But I heard about your ex dating your brother. That really stinks.”

Fuck. I wasn’t expecting that. “Yeah, it’s not ideal.”

“I mean, how could she do that to you?” Lucy scrunches up her nose in what I’m guessing is distaste, but instead comes off as completely adorable. Oh, this woman. Her defense of me sends a rush of yearning through me.

If only.

“Well, it’s a little complicated,” I say. “There are some extenuating circumstances, but long story short, my brother Sterling never knew we were dating, and she didn’t know he was my brother.”

Lucy’s eyebrows shoot up. “That does sound complicated. Did you guys not date for very long?”

I flush. My omission of Sterling’s existence to Sam was unintentional, but now it’s glaringly obvious how weird it seems. “Uh, we were dating for a year.”

Lucy's brow furrows. “Let me get this straight. You dated this girl for a year, but you never even told her that your brother worked in the same hospital as she did?”

Fuck me. Heat creeps up my neck. “I don’t get along with my father or Sterling.

Early in our relationship, I told Sam about my issues with my dad, and she urged me to do everything in my power to make things right between us.

I didn’t...react well to that suggestion, and never really talked about them again.

Maybe if I had done things differently, Sam and I wouldn’t have ended like we did.

” This is already way more than I typically divulge to someone I’ve just met, but I’m finding that I’m desperate to make Lucy understand.

“Hm,” Lucy says, tapping her chin, and I have this sinking feeling that she’s going to write me off as an asshole. “Maybe it’s just me, but it sounds like you and Sam just had some communication issues. While tough, it’s not an insurmountable problem.”

I have so much whiplash from this conversation that I’m not sure I’ll ever recover. “Huh?”

Lucy laughs. “Well, it would be really awesome if our fake dating could help you too!”

“What do you mean?” I’m more than a little chagrined to find that Lucy and I might be having some communication difficulties of our own.

She bounces a little in her seat as the words come tumbling out.

“It sounds like you have some second thoughts about how you handled your relationship with Sam. And things are a little weird right now, especially since Sam just started dating Sterling, but it’s still early on in their relationship.

Maybe we can help remind Sam of what you guys had together before they get more serious? ”

I beg to differ, but before I can ponder that any more, Lucy barrels on.

“What if we use our fake dating scheme to convince Sam that she misses you and wants to give your relationship another shot?”

Wait, what? How did Lucy take what I just said as me wanting to get back together with my ex? “I’m not sure—”

Lucy immediately shutters. “Oh, you’re right, it’s a dumb idea. Why do I always do this? I’m so sorry, I shouldn’t have even mentioned it.”

She laughs dismally, not meeting my eyes.

“You’ve twice had a front-row seat to my signature verbal diarrhea.

It’s bad enough that I sucked you into this fake dating scheme.

Coming with me to the dinner is already super generous of you; I don’t want to take up more of your time.

I think I was just excited you’d be getting something out of this too. ”

Her whole body crumples inward, as she stares at her sandwich.

Well, fuck. That bastard Weston really did a number on Lucy, and it pisses me off more than I could ever express.

Suddenly, this doesn’t seem like a big deal.

If I let Lucy run with this, who would it really hurt?

I’m pretty sure that Sam won’t give a damn—she’s obviously moved on.

But Lucy appears to feel really guilty about getting me into this fake relationship, even though I was totally on board.

Maybe having Sam as an additional “reason” for our fake dating will make Lucy feel more comfortable with the whole situation.

Luke’s right. I’m a goner when it comes to Lucy Chang.

He told me to go for Lucy, but it’s clear from this conversation that she’s not interested in dating me. Still, I can’t turn away from an opportunity to spend more time with her, even though the likelihood I’ll end up hurt is increasing by the second.

I clear my throat. “No, you’re right. I just needed to wrap my head around this. I think this could really help both of us.”

God, how do I get myself into situations like this ?

But then Lucy beams, unfurling like a flower turning to the sun, and all of my misgivings fall away at her upturned lips. I’d do a lot to keep that smile on her face.

“It sounds like most of the ER thinks we’re already dating anyway, so now we just have to figure out ways to showcase our relationship in front of Sam,” Lucy says, pulling out her phone. “I spotted Sam’s schedule behind the nurse’s station earlier.”

This is moving a lot faster than I expected. But I decide as long as Lucy is excited about this, I’ll just go along with it. “Yeah, I guess we’d have to find a time where all of our shifts overlap.”

“Let’s exchange shift schedules,” Lucy says, already typing. “What’s your email address? That might be easiest so I can just forward you mine.”

Okay, this was an unexpected benefit to our crazy fake-dating scheme.

My spirits rise slightly from the fact I’ll know exactly when I’m going to see Lucy Chang next.

Of course, all of this is just pretend, but maybe at least we can be friends?

Regardless of how this turns out, I just want the chance to get to know her better.

After telling Lucy my email, I scan through my phone for this month’s schedule.

“Sent!” Lucy says, her eyes dancing.

I haven’t seen her this pumped since that resident told her she could assist with an I and D. I’ll do anything to preserve that light in her eyes. “I sent you mine back.”

“Perfect. I’ll create a spreadsheet with all three of our schedules and send you access.

” Lucy scans down my schedule quickly. “Actually, what would you say to meeting up for coffee on Friday? It looks like we both have the morning free. That way we can talk a little more about this when we aren’t at work.

We need to get to know each other better so we can sell this to both Sam and Weston. ”

Even as I’m still caught in the eye of Lucy’s tornado, my body recognizes what my brain does not—I'm seeing her again soon…outside of the hospital. Endorphins flood my body as I stutter out, “Uh, sure. That makes sense.”

“Great! I’ll see you at 10am at Coffee Conglomerate?” Lucy picks up her food container. She barely even ate a bite of her sandwich.

“You didn’t eat your lunch,” I protest.

“I didn’t need the calories anyway,” Lucy says, shrugging, as she throws it away. “If I don’t see you before the end of your shift, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Wait, Lucy thinks she needs to lose weight? She’s fucking tiny!

But the swinging door in her wake is the only response I get to my unasked question.