Faye was standing on a stool with her head in the washing machine when she sensed a presence behind her. She closed her eyes as she realized who it probably was and that she was not presenting her best side to the world. She had learned a long time ago that scrubs did not do much for the female form.
She slowly pulled herself out of the washing machine and turned to look at Dr. DeGraff, who was standing with his hands in his pockets, watching her without expression.
"Is there a problem?" he asked.
Faye gave him her brightest smile. "Nope, not anymore," she said as she held up the shoelace that had been wrapped around the agitator. Her guess was that either Hayes or Alyssa had been washing their shoes and hadn't bothered to tie the laces.
"How are you settling in?" she asked for something to say as she started to throw her load of laundry into the machine. "Did you need the machine?" she asked as an afterthought.
"No." He shook his head. "I'm settling in fine, but I had a question."
She nodded and continued throwing her laundry in without a thought about sorting. She never sorted her clothes, who had the time for that? "Shoot," she said.
"Pardon?" he asked, not getting her meaning.
"Sorry, it's a way of saying 'ask your question'." She blushed. It had been a term her father had used a lot, but hearing it the way he must have heard it made her feel suddenly gauche.
"Is there somebody else that lives here? I saw a young man leaving this morning?"
"I'm sorry." She straightened to look at him with an apologetic smile, she couldn't believe that she had forgotten to mention Hayes and Alyssa. "That was my brother Hayes, he lives here, and my sister Alyssa is here sometimes too when she is on a break from classes. I completely forgot to mention them, probably because I never see them myself. If you would like to leave, I'll give you your money back," she offered, assuming he was displeased by the additional members of the household.
"Why should I want to leave?" he asked, tilting his head as he asked the question. She had a feeling that she was always under examination with him as if she was a patient whose problem he was trying to diagnose.
"Because you wanted privacy," she explained.
"I'm sure it will be fine, but if it becomes a problem, I will let you know." He nodded and then left, it was an abrupt end to an abrupt conversation. Faye tried not to let it bother her as she finished starting her load of laundry. Instead of putting her off his abrupt and blunt manner only drew her curiosity more.
She thought back to Chloe's and Lia's conversation earlier that day at work, remembering how she had hoped to hear more about Dr. DeGraff. They had been talking about Lia's neighbor, Ben, at first, and Faye hadn't been able to control herself when she asked if Chloe had dated him. What man wouldn't want to date Chloe? She was also secretly hoping that the question would lead to Chloe admitting that she had dated or was dating Dr. DeGraff.
Faye was sure that there was something going on between her and Dr. DeGraff, something more than just than just a family friend, and when the conversation had turned to Dr. DeGraff, she had kept her back to them so they wouldn't know she was overly interested as she had listened. She couldn't help but be disappointed when nothing personal about Dr. DeGraff had been said, only that he had brought news of Chloe's father.
She was having a hard time admitting to herself that she was fascinated by the man and that she may even have a crush on him, so there was no way she was going to admit her interest to Chloe and Lia. Especially not Chloe because if she was seeing him it would make everything very awkward.
Suddenly, Faye caught sight of her watch, she was meeting Lia for dinner and was running out of time.
*******
Lia and Faye had decided to go out for dinner that evening after their shift had ended. They both had the following day off, and with no need to get up early the next day they could unwind a little. The restaurant was a popular one downtown and was off one of the squares halfway between their homes.
It was located in the partial basement of a house and because it was below grade the view from the window was of people's feet and legs. The space was so small that they had covered one of the walls with mirrors to make it seem larger, and the mirrors reflected the candles on the tables giving the restaurant a warm and romantic vibe.
Faye was already at a table by the window when Lia walked in and joined her, ordering a glass of white wine as she accepted a menu.
"I just had the thought that it's a shame that neither one of us had any romantic suitors to bring us to a place like this," Lia said, looking around at the couples scattered around the place.
"But at least we have each other," Faye said, raising her glass. Thinking that it was indeed sad but for her, it was the norm, she had never really had anyone to take her out to fancy dinners.
Lia smiled toasting her. "Here's to good friends," she agreed.
"Besides, it's unlikely my relationship status will ever change," Faye said, "I'm too old and set in my ways." She tried to make light of it like she always did.
"Now that you've said that, wait and see if it doesn't happen," Lia teased.
They both knew that if Faye ever found someone to love that he would be a very special man indeed to take on her massive house and her thankless brother and sister. Although if her siblings had their way, they and the house would no longer be her problem in the near future.
"Hayes told me that he and Alyssa have been discussing the house, and when she turns twenty-one they want to sell it." Faye reached for some bread and a pat of butter as she voiced her thoughts aloud.
"That's a good thing, right?"
Faye only shrugged as she buttered her bread. It would be hard to say goodbye to her childhood home, and deep-down part of her wished that she had enough money to buy it from them and fix it up the way it deserved to be.
"You look pretty tonight," Lia said, reaching for a piece of bread, breaking Faye out of her private thoughts
"So do you," Faye said with a grin around a bite of bread. "Did your new boyfriend see you looking this beautiful, if he had, I bet he would let you do whatever you wanted to his house." It was an effort to pull herself out of her morose mood. It was becoming a habit. It must be due to a handsome and unobtainable man living so close. It made her realize just how lonely her life really was.
"Haha," Lia said dryly. "No, thank goodness, I didn't see him, and Huck was on his best behavior."
"Is Huck ever not on his best behavior?" Faye asked, confused. Huck was a sweet even-tempered but lazy dog.
"Not when the nasty neighbor is around. It's as if he draws the worst out of that dog," Lia said, launching into the story about Huck's great escape and making it into Ben's house, and the way she was telling the story had Faye laughing so hard she had to bury her head in her hands.
Faye was so caught up in the story she didn't see Chloe and Dr. DeGraff enter or approach their table, and when she looked up, she was still laughing, and it took her a minute to note the newcomers. Chloe was smiling and Dr. DeGraff was wearing his usual serious mask.
Clearing her throat, Faye kept her smile in place as best she could, but it felt forced. "Chole," she greeted. "Lia was telling me a Huck story, Lia this is Dr. Silas DeGraff. Dr. DeGraff, this is a friend of mine and Chloe's, Lia Haven."
"Ms. Haven," he greeted solemnly.
"Won't you both join us, we haven't ordered," Lia offered. "I think all the commotion we were making kept the waiter away." She gave him a brilliant smile which he returned, although it didn't reach his eyes, it was still more than he had ever offered Faye and she felt jealousy stab at her.
"I take it you're the Doctor that is renting Faye's apartment?" Lia asked as they settled into the other two chairs at the table. Chloe sat next to Lia and Dr. DeGraff next to Faye. She could feel his massive presence next to her. He made her feel as if she was taking up to much of his space as they bumped elbows, and she was torn because part of her wanted to move closer but another part of her wanted to move away. She hadn't been this close to him before and she could feel the heat as it radiated off him. He smelled wonderful too, like peppermint and something completely unique.
More drinks were brought, along with more menus, and after they were settled, Dr. DeGraff answered Lia's question as if no time had passed.
Lia tried to draw him out about his book, and he spoke about it some, before completely turning the tables on them, asking them how they met, and continuing to draw them out so that he had Lia and Chloe laughing within a few minutes. Faye didn't want to stand out, so she forced a few laughs where necessary. The man could be charming when he wanted to be, but underneath all of his small talk, she had a feeling that he was continually assessing the situation just as he had assessed her earlier, looking for weakness and potential pitfalls.
They were served and ate, but the meal seemed to take forever, and all Faye wanted to do was run away. When the check finally came she had to keep herself from jumping up and racing for the door, and when Dr. DeGraff insisted on paying Faye made a little protest, but she was so charmingly told that it would be an honor for him to pay for such beautiful ladies she stopped protesting because to keep objecting would just cause questions.
As they rose to leave, Lia held Faye back. "What's got into you?" she asked softly.
"Nothing," Faye insisted, realizing that her casual act had failed miserably.
Lia shot her an 'I know you better look'.
"Fine, he intimidates me, alright? Look how perfect he looks next to Chloe, they make me feel self-conscious." It was all that she could think to say without giving too much away.
"Did you realize that while you were sitting next to him, you looked like a beautiful little china doll, soft and breakable. I would give anything to look like that next to a man. All feminine and helpless, granted I don't really want to be helpless I only want to look like I am," Lia said in her forthright way.
It caused Faye to laugh and shake her head as she leaned in for a hug, but it made her feel a little bit better.
"You'll be safe getting home? Should we walk together, then you can drive me to my house?" Lia suggested.
They had worked long enough in the ER to know what horrors could befall a single woman alone at night. Faye was about to accept when Chloe interrupted.
"I'll take Lia home," she offered, opening her car door. Chloe was the type who always got a parking spot right by the entrance. "Silas can walk back with you Faye since you're both going to the same place."
Faye inwardly cringed at the idea. The idea of spending time alone with the man was daunting. What would they have to talk about? It was at times like these that she wished she wasn't so shy. She'd give anything for a little of Lia's or Chloe's self-confidence.
Faye agreed because to do otherwise would have been silly and he gently placed his hand under her arm and turned her away from her friends; the shock of his touch on her bare skin made her heart jump. She felt as if she was stepping off a cliff and into the unknown.