Game Saver - BJ Harvey Page 0,33
smile at him knowingly. “You have no freaking idea how distracting she is.”
“That is never a bad thing. You two looked good together at the ball. She wasn’t affected by the schmoozing or your parents.”
“She tried a sneak attack on her. Luckily, Callie and I deflected anything too bad.”
“Does Abi know about them?”
“I told her everything she needed to know to deal with them.”
My father works the room like a pro, lots of handshakes, smiles, and nodding. It wouldn’t be so bad except for the photographer documenting everything he does, making the whole scene pretentious.
“You should tell her why you are the way you are towards them.”
“It’s not serious between us,” I lie. The last four weeks with her have been good—really good—and I’d be kidding myself if I tried to say that I didn’t want to continue seeing and doing her.
Noah studies me and quirks a brow. “It’s not serious? You’re so full of shit.”
My head snaps towards him. “What do you mean?”
“I was at the ball, remember? Zoe said you guys looked good together and told me that Abi was a bundle of nerves and excitement all afternoon beforehand. That is not the behavior of a woman who is not wanting more than sex. Believe me, buddy, that woman likes you and watching you with her, you like her too.”
“Fuck, you sound like Thomas.”
“Thomas is one of the most onto-it guys I know.”
“Hey! What about me?”
“Aww bubbakins, you feeling unloved?” Noah teases. “All I’m saying is don’t rule out something more just because it started off as something less.”
It’s on the tip of my tongue to explain to him argue with him but I’m stopped by my father’s voice coming from beside me.
“Dr. Taylor, good to see you,” my father says, shaking hands with Noah before letting go and nodding towards me. “Caden.”
“Mr. Carsen,” I reply, keeping things professional in front of the Gerald Watkins, the board chair.
“Your father was here for a meeting with the hospital board about the new Carsen Wing and wanted to stop by to see his son in action. Isn’t that right, Cade?” Gerald says to my father.
I stop myself from rolling my eyes because my father never does anything without an ulterior motive. Some may call me skeptical; I call it being a realist who can see past my father’s pretentious bullshit. If he’s here in the ER, he’s here for a reason, and it has nothing to do with the new cancer wing he’s paying for.
“Lucky you caught me between patients,” I reply.
“Gerald,” my father says, turning his attention to my boss’s boss’s boss, “I actually have something I need to talk to my son about. Do you mind if I catch up with you back at your office?”
There it is—proof that this isn’t just a random visit.
“Not a problem, Cade,” the chairman says before turning to me. “Dr. Carsen, Dr. Taylor, if you’ll excuse me.” With a nod, Gerald spins on his heels and walks away from us.
“Noah, will you excuse us for a minute?” my father says.
“Not a problem. Cade,” Noah says, talking to me, “we’ll catch up later?”
“Sounds good. Say hi to Zoe and the kids for me.”
“Come ‘round and see your goddaughter soon, yeah? Bring Abi too,” he adds, a wicked grin on his face.
“Will do.”
“Is there somewhere we can talk?” my father asks, not wasting any time.
“Sure. Follow me,” I reply, grabbing my coffee cup from the desk and leading him down the corridor to the doctor’s lounge.
When we’re both inside the room, I close the door and lean my back against it, ready to face whatever he’s got to throw at me because knowing my father, it could be anything.
“We have to talk.”
“Gathered that,” I reply, taking a slow sip of my coffee.
“Caden, there’s no need to be so cavalier. I’m your father, and I deserve your respect.”
“Respect is a privilege, not a right.”
“You bear the Carsen name. My name,” Dad says in a strained voice.
“Yet there have never been two men less alike than you and me.”
“Enough!” he commands, and even I know that it’s not worth poking the angry bear, especially in my place of employment. “If you’d stop trying to prove your balls are bigger than mine we could get this over with.”
I wave my hand in front of me. “Of course, Dad. Forgive me. Carry on.”
He narrows his eyes and shakes his head before making my head explode. “I’d like you to stop seeing Abi Cook.”
Well that wasn’t where I thought