“Oh, my friend wants to see what you look like. Mind if I get a shot?”
She laughs and we both fall silent, deep in thought. “What are you going to do?” she eventually asks.
I narrow my eyes. “Well, first things first, I’m going to ace up the work clothes and look hot. Second of all, I’m going to drag him into an office and ‘fess up about my lie.”
“You should kiss him.”
“What?” I smirk.
“Can you imagine? You look really sexy and then you ask him to come into the office and you kiss him all seductive like.”
I look at her, deadpan. “This is my job and there are rules that I can’t break.”
She smiles and raises her glass. “I would like to propose a toast.”
I sip my wine and raise my glass.
“To breaking rules in French, in offices, on desks with doctors.”
I laugh and snort my wine up my nose the wrong way. I begin to cough uncontrollably. “Shut up, I am not seducing a doctor in French on a desk.” I cough. “I will get fired.”
“Or fucked hard.”
I continue to cough as I laugh.
“Oh, we we mouser, we shall see,” she retorts in a fake French accent.
I wait for the boom gate to rise in the car park. Its 6.40am and I am preened to the nines. After today I will be wearing scrubs while I’m working, and then there is zero chance of impressing anyone. Least of all Dr. Vegas.
Black fitted dress? Check.
Hair out and straightened? Check.
Makeup? Check.
Sheer black stockings and heels? Check.
Absolutely no sleep and running on empty? Check, check, and double check.
I blow out a frustrated breath. Go up, you stupid thing. The boom gate is not going up. Why? I put on the parking brake and get out of my car. My card got me through the first gate, but then stopped me at the second. Now I can’t go back because I have to get back through the second boom gate.
For fuck’s sake.
I glance at my watch. 6.45 am. I’m already late because I was thinking dirty thoughts about a certain doctor all night and hardly slept right up until an hour before my alarm went off. I push the little red help button and wait while it rings.
“Hello, can I help you?” The male voice comes through the speaker.
“Hello, I’m through the first boom gate, but now it won’t let me through the second.”
“Have you used the card before?”
“No, I’m new. I’m a doctor intern.”
“The card must be faulty. You will have to come to level two in the car park and get it swiped through the machine.”
I frown and look at my watch again. I don’t have time for this shit.
“I’m sorry, I don’t have time. I’m due at work. Can you just lift the gate and I will sort it tonight?”
“No. It’s against policy.”
“Are you kidding me? I’m blocking traffic. If anyone tries to get in behind me, they will get stuck, too.”
“Most of the staff park in B block,” he replies sarcastically.
I narrow my eyes. “Well, not this staff member, so can you open the gate?” I snap.
I glance back down to my watch. Fuck, it is 6.50am.
“Nope, come down to level two.”
Oh God. “How do I get there?”
Leave your car, walk down the stairs, and up the other end is an office.
“I’m… I’m going to be late for work,” I stammer in a panic.
“Seems so,” he replies sarcastically.
Shit!
I hang up, lock my car, and half run to the stairs, taking them two at a time. I get to level two, take my heels off, and bolt to the other end of the parking lot with my heels in my hand, with only my stockings hitting the bare ground. I arrive panting and a skinny guy who couldn’t care less looks up at me.
“Oh, are you the lady whose parking ticket isn’t working?”
“That… would… be me,” I pant. Oh, man, I’m out of shape.
I give him the ticket. He scans it and then opens the gate with a button. I watch on his security camera as it rises.
“You couldn’t do this for me when I was up there?” I snap. Honestly… some people.
“No. I don’t want to get into trouble.” He smiles sarcastically as he hands over my card.
I snatch it from him and turn to run back to the stairs and up to my level, and then over to my car. I’m out of breath when I glance at my watch. 6.58am.