Boyfriend? Fainted? “I don’t have a boyfriend.”
“Really?” Leslie looks surprised. “I could’ve sworn he was your boyfriend. He stayed here until the doctor said you’d be okay. Just some dehydration, a lack of sleep and possibly stress. You should take better care of yourself,” she chides. “I heard you’re Robbie Choi’s assistant. We don’t want you getting sick, do we?”
“No, ma’am.”
She checks a few things, then walks away. My thoughts churn. Who brought me here? I can’t think of anybody who can be considered my boyfriend. I went out a couple of times with my coworkers, but the guys at the medical center are all taken. Jon can’t be it either, since going to the function together once doesn’t make us an item, and he would never presume that.
Now that I think about it… Who the hell came to my apartment in the first place? My coworkers don’t know where I live. HR does, but it’s most likely against policy to give out my address to—
Lucas.
I dismiss the possibility as soon as it pops in my head. There is no way he came by. He doesn’t even like me. In fact, he’s probably out with Faye at this very moment.
Suddenly the back of my neck prickles. I tilt my head and see Elizabeth speaking with a nurse.
She’s as beautiful as I remember, her golden tresses pulled back in a simple, elegant ponytail. Even her pale lavender wrap dress and the diamond solitaires in her ears exude simple elegance. Every inch of her is carefully groomed, and she easily outshines the basket of yellow and purple tulips she’s holding.
I turn away. The last person I want to talk to right now is Lucas’s sister. She’s probably here to observe or something. Although she’s not really hands-on, she is helping Nate Sterling in some kind of an advisory position.
“There you are,” Elizabeth says.
I wince, then remind myself she can’t see my expression.
“How are you feeling?”
I face her. I hate it that I’m down and she’s towering over me. I shrug. “Okay. What are you doing here?”
“I thought I’d bring yo
u some flowers. Everyone deserves some when they aren’t feeling their best.” She places the basket on the small table by my bed.
“Thank you.” The tulips are large and bright, and a small smile tugs at my mouth despite myself.
“And…I wanted to check up on you.”
“Why? We’re practically strangers.”
“Are we?”
“Just because I dated Lucas for a while… We’ve met only once.”
“Still, ‘strangers’ isn’t quite right, is it? And ‘acquaintances’ sounds a bit clinical. I prefer the term ‘Mia’s aunt.’”
I hide my shaking hands under the sheet, while she pulls up a chair.
“Aren’t you busy?” I rasp.
Her mouth curls into a pleasant smile. “Not particularly.”
“I’d like to rest.”
“You can listen with your eyes closed. The doctors didn’t say your ears were in pain.”
Guess she’s going to be obtuse. Well, I can be a grownup. “All right.” I shift until I’m fully turned toward her. “Go ahead.”
Her gaze drops briefly to the needle embedded in my arm. “You should take better care of yourself. This isn’t helping anyone.”
“I had a lot of work recently.”