"Sure, Bullet. I think that would be nice. I'm not sure of your schedule, I
barely know mine, but maybe we can get together before you leave town?" Lilly tapped her lip nervously. If she knew how that drove me crazy, she would quit that immediately. Have I mentioned that I love her lips?
I reached across the table and touched her hand. "I would like that a lot. I think we will skip the tavern next time. I know a great place to have lunch, over by Cathedral Park. It is a sidewalk café with a great view and even better coffee. I will check my schedule and maybe text you later, if that is okay?"
Lilly squeezed my hand. "I would like that. Okay, I will wait for you to call me. If I don’t answer, just leave me a message. I have orchestra practice this afternoon so no cell phones. Our conductor is a bit of a pain when it comes to phones ringing. I hate being called out."
"I understand. Shall we?" We decided to go Dutch on the bill. It made her happy so I did not object. As we walked out the door, I heard a woman's voice. "Bullet? Is that you? It is you!" Of all the people on the planet it had to be Carmen Fuentes, my stalker and greatest fan. What were the odds of her showing up here?
"Good afternoon, Mrs. Fuentes. How are you?" She wrapped herself around me with a generous hug. I recognized her Amber perfume; she always wore way too much. "So much better now that I have seen you. We have an appointment in a few minutes." She looked down her long, cosmetically altered nose at Lilly. "You won't be long, will you?"
"As always, I will be on time, Mrs. Fuentes."
"Why the formality? I will always be Carmen to you, Bullet. See you soon." The older woman pressed out of the tavern in her leather high heels and ridiculously expensive designer clothing.
Lilly looked white as a ghost and I was beyond embarrassed. Of all the people on the planet Carmen was the last person I wanted to see, especially with Lily by my side. Here I was, trying to make myself out to be a decent guy and she appears. Put your game face on. You are not a fucking virgin for Pete's sake. Lilly couldn't even call this a date.
We stepped out into the bright sunshine and I saw Carmen sashay across the street into the clinic. Lilly was still beside me- she had not run away yet. That was a good thing. "One of your patients, Doctor?"
I sighed, "Sadly, yes and she is my next appointment. And technically, until I walk into the clinic, it is still Bullet."
She gave a sheepish smile and nodded. "You are right. Sorry, I wasn't trying to make fun of you. She's just — well she is..."
"She is jealous of seeing me with you. She has made a few plays for me before with no success but that comes with the job. Seeing you with me, reminds her of how old she really is. She is locked in an unhappy marriage and spends a lot of her time and her husband's money on minor surgeries. I try to talk her out of them but in the end, it is up to my client what they do with their bodies. All I can do is give my advice and hope that they listen. There is nothing between Mrs. Fuentes and myself, except in her own mind."
"It is really none of my business." Lilly raised her angled chin at me, her green eyes glistening. She said one thing but definitely meant another.
"If that were true, Lilly, you wouldn't have brought it up." I chuckled. "It is okay, you are bound to meet one or two of my clients on these lunch dates."
Lilly looked up at me. "So was this a date?"
"Well, you tell me. What do you think?"
She rubbed the toe of her shoe on the sidewalk, a move that made her look like a kid. I guess she was a kid; at least she was younger than I was. Perhaps I was more suited for someone like Carmen.
"Yeah, I guess this was a date." That seemed to make her happy. I hugged her goodbye, careful not to press my hard penis against her. This was going to be a delicate dance that she and I played.
I really didn’t know what I wanted from her — all I knew was that I wanted something from her. And until I figured that out, I was willing to play along with whatever game Lilly wanted to play. I did not try to kiss her although I think she wanted me to. Sometimes it is best to leave them wanting more. I strolled across the street and gave a quick glance back as I opened the door. She stood there, watching me. I knew that I would need a few minutes alone in my office before I met my next client.
Chapter Eleven
Lilly
I thought the "date" went well for an unplanned event. Bullet had been attentive, funny and relaxed — just what I needed. Getting to know him a little more took some of the "weird" out of our hook up — at least it felt that way to me. There were a few times where things got weird like when Carmen whatever her name was showed up. I thought she was going to gobble him up. She obviously felt comfortable enough to be familiar with him right in front of me. I wondered if he was telling me the truth about their relationship but hey, who was I to judge.
When I got home, I called his office as he suggested and booked my surgery. That was easy to do; I was scheduled for surgery in two weeks at Kansas City Memorial. We tidied the payment arrangements over the phone and then Bullet's assistant, Page, told me that she expected my call. "Dr. Steinmann says that you need available dates from his personal schedule too?"
"Yes, is he free tomorrow or the day after? Will he be in town?" I tried to get a read on the assistant who seemed friendly one minute and standoffish the next. Well, what did I care?
"Let me check...not tomorrow but he does have a lunch opening for the following day. That is Thursday at 12. Dr. Steinmann says you know where to meet him?"
"Yes, I remember where to meet him. Thank you, Page." I hung up the phone happy to be one-step closer to my surgery and a few days closer to seeing Bullet again. I answered a knock at my door; it was Kate and her friend Riley. Over the past few weeks, Kate had really warmed up to her musical boyfriend. For the first time in the four years that I knew her, Kate was involved in a monogamous relationship. I had no doubt that Riley was happy with the situation. He seemed sincerely interested in my friend. Riley brought his guitar with him- I supposed he wanted to jam. I was in such a good mood I was up for that.
Kate was all smiles and she retrieved three beers from my mini refrigerator. Popping the bottles open like a pro, she said, "Are you ready to be shocked?" Her big smile unsettled me. Riley was just happy to be there.
"Riley and I have something to ask you." I hoped Kate was not going where I thought she was going. She knew very well that I was not into the couples scene, nor did I want to be part of any ménage a trois. She read me like an open book and laughed. "No! Nothing like that. Besides, Riley is a one-woman guy, right babe?"
He hugged her and kissed her. "You know it. Nobody but you." He sat on the couch holding his guitar. He picked a few strings, tuning it as we talked.