What She Doesn't Know

Chapter 10

Isa was able to take a much-needed break. The beginning half of the day was draining due to the detox baby girl who was suffering from seizures. She and her staff attempted everything they could to try and save the baby; however, nothing was working. By the time they were about to try another route, the baby had stopped convulsing as did her breathing.

The heart-wrenching cry from the baby's mother cracked every crevice in her heart. After comforting the mother, she had to take time to herself and take a step back to decompose everything that had occurred in the first five hours of her shift.

Now, she was on a lunch break with Dr. Christian Hans. They went to a different cafe where she released everything of the day on him. She hadn't meant to, but when he reached across the table to hold her shaking hands in his warm ones, she was unable to keep her filter in check.

She took note of how patiently he listened to her and the manner in which his eyes never left hers. He was attentive and squeezed her hands whenever she would start to choke on her emotions.

Leonardo would never do that for her.

Wiping away her tears, she laughed a little and said, "I'm sorry I just unloaded all of that on you. You probably have other things going around in your mind."

He gave her a warm smile. "I am pretty alright as of now. Even when I am not, you can talk to me whenever you need to. I'm always ready to listen to you, Isabella."

Her stomach did a summersault and she swore he noticed her cheeks become red with embarrassment. "Thank you, it really means a lot to me."

He squeezed her hands once more. His beautiful teeth smiled back at her. "You're welcome." Their eyes stayed locked on each other for a moment too long. "I want to know more about you, Isabella. I hardly know you and yet I feel as though I've spent a lifetime with you."

Her cheeks heated up even more. She felt the same thing with him. Except for the fact that the butterflies of uncertainty fluttered back into her stomach and up to her throat, choking her into shame. Retracting her hands from beneath his, she wiped them on tops of her pants. it was as if the friction would deny the contact she had shared with him.

Dr. Hans' lips lowered and his jaw ticked upon seeing her actions. He could see the wheels churching in her head. Isabella did not let this go unnoticed. It stirred the butterflies of angst to torment her faster.

What on earth was she thinking allowing herself to replace Leo with this man? She never classified herself as a saint even when her friends and coworkers announced her as such. She was a sinner and the sins of an almost-affair burned her.

How did she let this get so far? Two dates, or whatever these get-togethers were called, already seemed to be too much for her. He was charming, no doubt. He was intelligent, caring, and she couldn't deny his handsome features.

But why now? Before they were platonic coworkers; he would only notice her if they so happened to work on the same floor and get information from her about the patients. Now he was digging deeper into her life, coming out of nowhere like a monsoon.

"Isabella, I believe we have overstayed our welcome." His voice pulled her out of her stupor and she reached for her purse in order to pay for her lunch. She put the money down on the table and was surprised when Dr. Hans's hand covered hers. "Remember, Isabella: a gentleman always pays." He also included the tip.

The words, she presumed, were to soften the angst within her; rather, they caused them to flutter more. When she and Leo were first dating, they would always switch who was paying and who was getting the tip. She had autonomy with Leo.

She couldn't help the feeling that she would need to pay him back one day. Leo never made her feel that way. He was always upfront with his feelings, never hiding from her. Dr. Hans was confusing and it didn't help the confusion swirling around her mind.

Leaving the cafe, she told him, "Dr. Hans-"

"Christian. I told you to call me Christian."

She frowned and reiterated, "Dr. Hans, I think we should continue this relationship as it was before. A platonic, business-level manner."

His face shone with confusion. "Have I displayed to you otherwise?'

Yes! She wanted to shout. The little get-togethers for lunch, you pay for my lunch, holding my hands on an intimate level, and let's not forget that you barely noticed me before last week! The list goes on and on Christian. "I feel unsettled with where this is going. I am a married woman and I love my husband."

He glanced at her from the corner of his eye. "I understand, Isabella. I assure you that I have no wrong intentions with you."

"What are your intentions, then?" She looked at his profile, scrutinizing it so as to see whether his features would falter.

Clearing his throat subtly, he said in a normal tone, "To understand you better. Patients have been praising you for your empathy and work ethic. As a doctor who is getting moved to the floor, I thought it only professional to know what makes you be able to accomplish such a beautiful record with each patient."

Though the compliment should have made her swoon, she stood straighter. First of all, Dr. Hans had only filled in for the doctor on her floor when she was absent. Now Dr. Hans was taking over? That didn't settle well at all. Secondly, she knew no other doctor who would go out of his/her way to meet with their nurses.

She wondered if Janice knew about the change. She made a mental note to ask her about it once she was out of the same vicinity as Dr. Hans.

"And besides, Isabella, maybe I'll have you as a patient one day."