Knowing You

Chapter 6

Alice

A week later I am driving myself to Lucy's house for dinner. My best friend from university  who also happens to be the chief dentist at one of my most profitable branches . While driving my mind wanders back to the interaction with Mr Stranger just like how it's been all the time this week whenever I've had a few minutes to spare .

I've replayed the entire interaction with him on loop in my mind and one thing is definite that he was watching me the entire time . The strange feeling I kept experiencing were his eyes on me . Thinking about him has me feeling butterflies in my tummy . 'I am really loosing the plot here . There is no chance I'm ever going to see that guy again ' I think  to myself as I park outside Lucy's town house

Why a girl living by herself needs such a huge home is really beyond me but hey who am I to judge her. I have weird quirks too . Like I enjoy collecting the rings of my soda cans . I enjoy investing lots of money in high end watches . Which is absolutely the worst investment of money.

I ring the bell to her home and as she opens it I am face to face with the one person I can be my most uninhibited  self with . I thank my stars that we crossed paths at university

" Hey you baby doll" she greets the bottle of her favourite red wine in my hand and takes it leaving the door open for me to walk in behind her

We settle down on the couch with wine glasses in our hands and talking about work .
"How's Stephen as the new surgeon ? " I inquire about the new hire I had added to her team . I personally sit in for the interview for every single person we select on my teams because it is extremely critical for me to know who is joining my team as quality work is of optimum importance .His skills were brilliant and his interview was very promising with great experience to back him too in the field of head face neck surgeries and implant surgeries

I look up to see Lucy trying really hard to control her blush that was creeping up . Oh did I mention Stephen was our age and extremely good looking . Totally Lucy's type with the kind of body that you could only get with dedicated gym time . I wouldn't be surprised if something would happen there.

" Do  you want to tell me something ?" I ask her with a sly knowing smile

She blushes harder and starts "so ...." and sighs 

"Yes ?" I wait patiently 

"So you remember last September I went for the conference ?" She is being coy
"Ahaan.. the laser and aesthetic one ?" I hint
"Yup that very one .. so I met Stephen there and we kind off had a one night stand." She is practically whispering
"So a wham bam Thankyou man ?" I probe
" Technically... no thankyou .. I left early in the morning without a word" she says
"Oh no . So that's going to be super awkward ? Would you be able to handle it or maybe I could transfer him to the other branches" I ask her trying to get to problem solving mood like I always am in.
"Really ? Alice? You think I can't be mature and professional ?" She taunts
"Oh no honey . You know I trust you with my life so I am not doubting you one bit  . Just wanted to make it easy for you" I try to placate her
"I know but no need. I'll handle it" she went on
"Ok...how was that interaction ? Was he cool" I switch to best friend mode
"A bit too cool" I hear her grumble
I cover my smug smile and ignore that last sentence knowing very well how she obviously has a strong attraction to this guy .
This will be fun to watch . Stephen is a great guy . If they end up together I would be more than glad . Lucy deserves all the happiness in the world and she has had a messed up child hood that would need a strong man to support her and help her trust again .
We talk about a lot of things and she asks me all about my date with Ronald
I tell her everything in detail
Even about 'Mr stranger' and Lucy is very impressed with the ability of this guy to have affected me this way .
With the wine bottle over and opening another  we sit to eat food and we talk about the upcoming meeting next week with an investor who we would be meeting for my plans to open up more branches . And I planned to start up branches of my practice at tourist spots which would promote dental tourism for which  we needed a good capital and that's when after multiple strategic discussions I decided to get an investment partner who would guide us in the right direction too . The business side of the dental practice interests me  as much if not more than the clinical side of it .
All the behind the scenes that goes into running a successful practice and having happy clients isn't an easy job . At the age of 29 I already had 3 successfully and award winning practices . The pleasure of setting up a new practice from ground up and turning it into a successful one was a high that I enjoyed experiencing and didn't plan to give it up
Lucy has been an integral part in the growth of my brand . She always heads the new centre along side me working on training the staff with our SOPS . So once the practice is set we assign a new head within the team and move on to the next . We've just successfully setup the one she is currently working on and I am itching already to be starting another one
The rest of the evening goes on as usual with our chatter and end up sleeping at her home after all the alcohol we had .