Today she needed to work. Not fantasize about the chief.
She reopened the door and walked over to Elijah’s desk. She wrote a note for her father on a Post-It to say if he needed her, she’d be across the hall. Then she sat down at Elijah’s desk with her laptop. His office was similar to her dad’s. A large mahogany desk, black leather chair for him, and chairs. The far wall had interesting stone inlayed. It almost looked like a waterfall with no water. Across from the door, just under the window, was a table. The pieces of artwork on the walls were abstract. She walked around the room to see if they were signed. It was hard to make out the signatures, but she had a feeling they were from New Zealand.
She sat back down at Elijah’s desk and opened her computer. As it loaded, she changed her mind and stood. She should be working on the table under the window so Elijah could work at his when he came back. She dragged one of the ottoman-type chairs over to the table and then carried her computer.
In between Internet searching and e-mailing companies she had worked with prior, she finished her coffee. Elijah came in just as she did a basketball shot with the empty cup.
“Score!” He laughed. “Nice shot!”
She laughed and dropped back against her chair, feeling a little shy and unsure if she should hug him, kiss him, or shake his hand. “How’d surgery go?”
“Really good. Put a broken femur back together. The guy fell off his roof cleaning his eaves and broke it.”
“Well done.”
He pointed to his desk. “You can sit there, you know.”
“I didn’t want to kick you out of your spot.”
“I don’t mind sharing.” He leaned against the wall, his arms crossed over his chest.
“Do you work everyday?” She had wondered that last night while lying in her bed.
“Not always.” He rubbed his neck. “But I am here a lot. I don’t mind.”
No family to come home to. “Is my father here all the time, too?”
Elijah tilted his head as he considered his answer. “I think the hospital is his home now.”
And his family. He still had a huge house and a daughter, but both
seemed irrelevant now. She sighed. “I think I know what you mean.”
“Hel-lo?” Charity’s father called from across the hall. He stood in Elijah’s doorway a moment later. “You can work in my office if you’d like a desk, Charity.”
Behind him, Elijah pointed to himself and then his desk. He mouthed, “I offered.”
“Thanks, but this is great.”
Her dad noticed the tray of baked goods on the table by her. “Are those from today?”
“I brought them in a bit ago. There’s coffee for both of you. Just not sure how hot it is.”
Both men came over and started eating the cookies. As they snacked, they talked about patients and procedures. Charity politely tuned out and went back to work on her laptop. The rest of the day continued in a similar manner. Elijah would come in, snack on whatever Charity had set on the table, and then scoot out again when his pager went off. Her father would do the same thing. He seemed to show up minutes after Elijah would walk into the room.
The heat between Elijah and her seemed to hit a simmering level. Inside of Charity it felt like it would boil over at any moment. It didn’t, and by the end of the day, she had caught up on everything she needed to do. Elijah was in surgery and she did not plan on sitting in his office waiting for him.
She packed her things back into her briefcase and left him a note that said she promised to text him this week. She underlined the word promise twice. In the hall, she tried her dad’s door. It was locked. She could call him tomorrow morning.
On the way back to the hotel, she stopped and bought a bottle of red wine and a set of wine glasses. Plastic cups from the hotel would not suffice, she wanted to relax and enjoy a glass or two.
Chapter 17
Charity poured herself a glass of red wine and settled on the couch. She set her phone facedown on the coffee table and picked up her glass. She took a sip and then pressed the tip of her finger against her lips. What was Elijah doing right now? Did she ever cross his mind? Instead of taking another drink, she set the glass down and checked her phone.
Nothing.
Should she text him?