T h i r s t

t w e n t y s i x

Sign out could not go any slower. Due to the fact that Penn was chasing his wife through JFK, I had the blessing of handling his patients and that only meant more updates that took longer. I glanced at the clock and tapped my leg. 8:05. He wasn't here yet. Had he forgotten? Would he call to say he was running late? Did he still have my number? Or did he delete it like I did?

I sighed, my shoulders slouching at the prospect that this was all too good to be true. Maybe he got cold feet and thought this wasn't worth getting hurt over again. I sighed again, changing out of my scrubs. I had the sudden urge to cry uncontrollably.

But I held it in, saving it for when I got home and poured my sorrows into ice cream and Mamma Mia. I shrugged my sweatshirt closer and let my hair out as I headed for the exit, when I saw him. I stopped dead in my tracks.

He was standing at the front desk, clutching a bouquet of sunflowers and staring off down a different hallway eagerly. His hair was combed back and his thick beard tamed. He was even wearing different clothes from this morning.

Don't cry.

I had to say something smartass. Or I'd break down. And also, I loved the theatrics.

But as I went up to him with a playful smirk, he turned and met my eyes. There was something so sincere and heartfelt in them that dimmed my smile to a real one. He smiled a ridiculously big grin as I was within a foot of him. Damn it, I was gonna catch feelings again.

"Hey." He greeted me, his hand crushing the stems. He was nervous like it was out first date. I suppose it was, in a way.

"Hey." I smiled, my arms crossed at my legs. Why was I being so awkward?

"You look good."

"We fucked 7 hours ago."

Ice breaker

He sighed and ducked his head into the flowers. "I was trying to be platonic."

"Aw, I'm sorry, boo. Ask me again." I said, taking a step back.

He shook his head but said it anyway. "You look good."

"Thank you. So do you."

"Thanks." He shrugged.

"I see you've cleaned up." I smiled stepping up and smoothening a wrinkle in his t shirt. I could smell his cologne and got momentarily distracted.

"And went to the florist."

"Oh, right, these are for you." He thrust the bouquet into my hands.

"No! You didn't buy them for yourself?" I feigned surprise.

He sighed dismissively, but looked a little embarassed. Well, it wouldn't kill me to be nice.

"They're beautiful. Thank you." I wrapped an arm around his neck and kissed his cheek. Oh God, how did people do this?

"I can't believe you remember what flowers I liked." I said without giving it much thought. I really didn't think he'd remember.

"You doodled them all over your textbook." He scratched at his neck.

"Bailey and Love?" I asked, remembering that I couldn't find it. I must've left it at his place.

"That's the one. I found it in the nightstand after you . . ." He trailed off, visibly upset at the memory. Was he hurt more than he'd let on?

"And you read it?"

"No, it was a nightmare to read." He chuckled. "But I did read the footnotes and doodles you made. And the mnemonics."