Oral Care

Chapter 25: Winning her Heart Over

*** Rafael's POV ***

Only a half a day stands between me and a long weekend. I'm pumped because I'm finally meeting someone important in Evelyn's life. For the past two months, she has accompanied me without fail to Sunday supper with my family. She has gotten close with my sisters and is a regular fixture at Nick and Kevin's rugby matches, even when I can't make it. Kevin teases that his teammates think they have a torrid affair going on behind my back. I tell him that he wishes.

But this weekend I get to impress her best friend, Meagan. I met her on a video chat and spoke with her a couple of times since but this will be the first time meeting her in person. I know the drill. A guy needs to get in good with the best friend or it's the kiss of death for the relationship.

Evelyn just recently referred to me as her boyfriend when I met a few of her colleagues from work. I'm not backtracking on that progress. Things have been solid between us and it's nice to not have the drama of my past relationship. I'm happier now.

"Shit." I look up when I hear her voice. Tara is sitting in the examination room. She's my first patient of the day. I never changed gyms, but managed to avoid any run-ins by switching up my routine. I can't say I've missed her. She looks at me almost apologetically now. "I should have requested to see your partner. My bad."

I try to handle her professionally. I can manage. I pull a pair of gloves from the box. "How have you been, Tara?"

"Good actually. You?"

Well this isn't so bad. I nod. "Doing good also."

We're pleasant but it is obviously strained. "Any problems with your teeth since I last saw you?"

"Nope. I've kept up my good habits, just like you preached." She opens her mouth for me to have a look. Everything looks as it should.

I pull back. "Well, looks like good behavior is paying off. Nothing to report."

"I was wondering...remember those concert tickets you bought me for my birthday?" It was for some country music festival that she wanted to attend. I bought her VIP access too.

"Uh yeah, the musical festival? They are your tickets to use how you would like. Both of them." I assure her.

"I wanted to see if you still wanted to come with me." She asks quietly, her eyes focused on me.

I try desperately to keep my face neutral. I really thought we were past all this. "Um, you know country was never really my thing."

"I know, but you agreed to go if I couldn't find anyone else and well... I'm in that position." She drops her voice like she is embarrassed by that admission.

"I agreed when we were a couple, Tara." I point out.

"We can go as just friends, you know. You paid a lot for these tickets." She tries to persuade me.

"Yeah, sunk costs, you know. I am going to decline." I confirm.

She huffs and rips her dental bib off. Claire has just come back into the room with a freebie bag for Tara. Tara throws her bib at her and starts to rant. "Is that cunt girlfriend keeping you from doing things with me?"