The Alternate Journey

Chapter 29

"This is Doctor Forrester," Maddie was quick and light as she snatched up the phone in her office, leaning over the desk to reach it before the ringing stopped.

"Damn I love it when you talk dirty," Bishop's voice was warm over the line.

"Ha!" Maddie laughed, easing up as she rounded her desk to the chair. "I didn't see that it was you."

"Sure, sure," he chuckled. "I thought maybe we were about to live out one of my fantasies about you."

"Is this why you called me at work in the middle of the afternoon? So I would promise to play doctor with you?" She snickered.

"Why yes, Doctor Forrester. It is. I seem to have had this cough and..."

"You know I'm not that kind of doctor."

"Yes I do," he agreed. "And I also know that you keep a play stethoscope and a pretend syringe in that naughty box of yours."

"Bishop!" She clamped her hand over her mouth and sighed into the phone. "You stay out of that box!"

"No way. You leave a box full of naughty things in my possession, I get to look through it."

"I should have known better than to let you store my stuff."

"You really should have."

"Well at least bring it to the states next time you come."

"Ah now we're talking," his voice dropped lower. "You'll let me call you doctor?"

"If you'll wear the nurse's cap and assist with me with a sponge bath." She tossed back playfully.

"Done." Not one millisecond of hesitation.

"You're something else," she shook her head, her cheeks flushing at the images this flirtation drew up. "Now really. Is everything okay?"

"It is," he perked up. "I actually have incredibly good news."

"Go on..." Maddie sat up in her chair.

"They accepted the offer. The place is ours."

"Oh my God!" Maddie's hands rose in the air in victory. "Oh my God...Bishop!" She laughed and took a breath. "That's amazing news."

"It is," he agreed; his smile wide and his heart full. "They've scheduled the inspection for two weeks. Can I have Rubea call Jillian and check your calendar?"

"Of course you can..." Maddie sighed and leaned onto her desk. "God Bishop. We're buying a place."

"We are." He agreed happily. "As a matter of fact, in about four weeks, we'll be closing and we'll have the keys."

"And you just let me go on about letting you call me doctor and you dressing as a nurse..."

"Priorities love. A man has to have priorities."

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

When Maddie's phone rang out into the hotel room she had inhabited for a few weeks, she nearly fell over the couch as she leapt to answer it. Her entire face lit up as she swiped her finger across the screen; a small groan pushing from her lips as she laid back on the couch.

"I miss you," she let her lips frown just a bit as she answered the phone.

"Hello to you too love," he chuckled at the way she answered but it didn't faze her.

"So much Jamie...come home to me..."

"Oh Madeline," he groaned low and deep. "You're going to kill me with that voice."