Perfectly Honest

Chapter 3

happenstance horoscope

ARIES (March 21-April 19) Don’t let uncertainty lead to disappointment. Be prepared and follow through with your plans. Taking a risk will help you achieve more than you thought possible.

What the hell was she thinking? Two nights sleep and time to ruminate left her wondering why she had ever agreed. Okay, she knew his name. Sam O’Brien. He was six foot two, looked great in Armani suits, and ironed his own shirts.

She winced at the memory of that conversation.

Needing more, Mikaela had done some investigating. She called Margo and asked her what she knew. Which hadn’t been much. Google and Facebook weren’t very helpful. She could contact her dad and he’d check Sam out and give her all the information she needed. He wouldn’t mind, in fact, he’d prefer it. But she didn’t really want to go there. In the end, she did the next best thing and called Jack, her father’s head of security. It was a little scary how much information was out there, if you knew what you were doing.

So. Sam O’Brien. Healthy, financially secure, three credit cards, one line of credit, no major debts, owned property in Rivermede and in Emerson, no police record, not in the FBI or Interpol database, and had three outstanding parking tickets. Jack said to go ahead and date him.

Mikaela took a deep breath. She hadn’t mentioned she was going to spend the weekend with him. Next problem?

She had no idea what to wear.

Mikaela looked around her bedroom at the mess. Her normally tidy room was littered with various combinations of leggings, long sweaters, skinny jeans, lacy tops, scarves, and a cropped jacket. She loved clothes, but putting together an outfit was crazy. There was the weather to consider, the activity, her mood that day. By the time she factored in all the variables, she was ready to throw in the towel and wear a paper bag.

And the footwear decisions. Flats, stylish ankle boots, fashion forward thigh-high boots, casual sneakers, and heels. It was all too much.

She glanced out the window and focused on the soothing sound of the waves gently lapping the shore. She had been living in a condominium on the shore of Lake Ontario for the past two years and never tired of watching the changing pattern of the lake. Whether it was smooth as glass in the winter, slow and steady in a light breeze of the summer, or crashing wildly in the high winds of the fall, it never failed to calm her and help her keep things in perspective.

She needed a little fun and wanted a little adventure. And didn’t that happenstance horoscope agree? She needed to stop worrying. But maybe she should stick with flats over heels, just in case.

Finally, dressed in skinny jeans, a pale blue lace top and a cream scarf, Mikaela finished the rest of her packing. She hung up the clothes she chose not to bring, debating again whether she might need them and then, with a shake of her head, put them away. Everything was hung or stacked neatly in the walk-in closet.

Mikaela checked the time. Twenty minutes to spare.

She carried her case downstairs, set it by the front door and wandered into the living room. She had recently painted over the builder’s beige with a warm buttery yellow. It reminded her of a sandy beach on a sunny day. A pale blue-gray sofa and two small armchairs in white surrounded a frosted blue glass coffee table. A stunning watercolor, painted by Margo as a housewarming gift, hung above the sofa and pulled all the colors together. The sunlight streaming in the huge picture window added to the ambiance of a relaxing seaside beach house.

When the doorbell rang, Mikaela took one last deep breath and opened the door.

Sam was dressed casually in jeans and a short- sleeved black shirt, showing off a broad chest and muscular arms. “Hi. You look lovely this morning.” He greeted her with a smile. “More rested.”

Mikaela smiled ruefully. “Thanks. Come in.”

As Sam stepped in, his cell phone rang. He checked the caller ID and looked at Mikaela apologetically. “Sorry, it’s the hospital. I should answer.” He turned his back slightly. “Dr. O’Brien.”

Dr. O’Brien? Sam’s a doctor? Jack didn’t mention that. Maybe he thought she already knew. She looked at Sam closely, wondering if she’d seen him at the hospital. And then it hit her. Dr. Sam O’Brien. The ophthalmologist? The one they called Dr. Eye Candy? She hadn’t met him, but had heard about him from the operating room nurses. He was a playboy, but interestingly, they had a lot of good things to say about him, despite his reputation of lovin’ and leavin’ ‘em. Apparently, he was just as good at loving as he was at leaving. He left the door open a crack, and they hoped he would walk through again. That may be, but she certainly had no intention of becoming part of his gaggle of female followers or being another notch in his bedpost. Forewarned was forearmed.

“Sure, put him through,” Sam said into the phone. “Hi, Nick, what’s up?” After a few minutes of listening, Sam started asking questions to clarify the history he was obviously hearing about. “What’s his vision? And that’s documented? When did the accident happen? He’ll need an enucleation. I’m heading out of town until tomorrow, but send him to the General and admit him. Get the CT scan results, too. I have OR time on Monday and could operate then.” He paused and listened. “Fine, I’ll see him tomorrow night. Sure. No problem. Bye.” Sam sighed as he disconnected. He turned back to Mikaela. “Sorry about that.”

“No problem,” Mikaela said. “So, you’re a doctor?”

Sam tilted his head. “Yes, I’m an ophthalmologist, an eye surgeon. Problem?”

“No,” Mikaela said hastily. “I overheard your conversation. Are you on call?”

“No, I’m not, but I’ve had extra training in orbital problems, so I always get called for those.”

“I see.” Ophthalmology, she thought. That explained why she hadn’t seen him around. She worked at St. Peter’s Hospital, the ophthalmology department was at Rivermede General.

“Don’t worry,” he said. “You’re in good hands. If anything happens, I can check your vision.”

Mikaela laughed.

He picked up her bag and turned toward the door. “Ready to go?”