I hang up, thinking about what Mom said, and it hits me hard again just what Archer gave up for me. And I swear, I’ll do whatever I can to make things right between Dean and Archer again.
10
Archer
I haven’t seen Quinn in over a week, and when we met a week ago, it was brief. She was finishing a project and I was doing back-to-back call shifts. We’ve talked and texted every day, and FaceTimed as often as we could. I miss her like crazy, and now I agree that absence makes the heart grow fonder.
I just got done working a long shift, and I’m hot and sweaty from standing in the OR for the last surgery I performed. It took twice as long as we expected; once I opened the guy up, I realized the damage was much, much worse than anticipated. It was a tense process, and I’m so fucking grateful I had my preferred team working with me.
“You ready to go get some pussy now?” Sam asks, pulling his scrub top over his head. We’re in the locker room, changing out of our surgery scrubs.
“I’ve been ready since the last time we said goodbye.”
Sam shakes his head. “I couldn’t do long-distance.”
“You don’t do long-term.”
“That is true. Maybe someday I’ll knock up a chick and be forced to settle down.”
He’s joking, but his words hit a nerve. Sam has a special way of doing that to pretty much everyone. He knows I’ve liked Quinn for years. He encouraged me to ‘fuck her out of my system’ weeks ago. I’m not being forced, but the worry that Quinn is becomes salient in my mind again. “We’re not being forced.”
“I’m just giving you shit,” he says, able to see the question in my eyes. “She’s crazy about you.”
I toss my surgical scrubs in the laundry and tuck in my shirt. I have to do rounds with patients and meet with another for a consultation before I can leave. I’ve been here all night and I’m tired, my shoulders are sore, and I want off my fucking feet.
“And she’s good for you, man,” Sam says, checking his hair in the mirror. I hang my stethoscope around my neck. “She’s hot, smart, and rich. All things I love about a woman.”
“Glad you have your priorities in check.” Quinn is so much more than that, and I’m feeling even more anxious to see her now. She knows I worked a long-ass shift and thinks I’m going home to sleep for a decent six hours before heading out. We’re meeting in Eastwood and are staying at her parents’ house for the weekend. We haven’t seen her family since we told them about the baby, and Quinn has some sort of grand plan to get Dean to stop being an asshole.
Sam and I stop in the breakroom for water, the whole surgical team makes it a point to stay hydrated between operations, and then I go out to the PACU to check on my patients.
Doing patient rounds, reviewing nurses’ notes, and writing in new orders takes a long time, but hey, at least I’m sitting down at a desk for a while. Then I meet with another patient, a nineteen-year-old girl who needs her gallbladder removed and finally do one last check-in with the guy I sliced open hours ago. I’m a bit concerned about his vitals, and probably annoy the on-call surgeon by going over things twice.
Finally, I go home, shower, pack my shit for the weekend, and take a power nap. Quinn was leaving for Eastwood this afternoon, only having to work a half day at the office. She thinks I’ll be sleeping the whole afternoon, but I have a different idea.
I put my Jeep in park and get out, feeling the hot summer sun beat down on me already. Dogs run along the fence of the Dawsons’ yard, barking and wagging their tails. I go around and grab my bag from the passenger side. Quinn left Chicago not that long ago and should be here in an hour or less.
I’ve never been this excited to see someone before.
The gate creaks open, and I look up, seeing Mrs. Dawson trying to sneak out of the fenced-in yard without the dogs escaping. There’s four of them, and Carlos, the smallest, slips right past and runs full speed at me, jumping up with excitement. I set my bag down and pick him up, hoping he doesn’t get too excited and piss all over me.
“Archer!” Mrs. Dawson exclaims, tying a sheer wrap around her waist. She’s wearing a big floppy hat and a swimsuit. Country music softly floats through the yard, and the smell of sunscreen and chlorine permeate the air. It instantly takes me back to the summers I spent here, stealing glances of Quinn in her bikini. I wouldn’t dare let anyone know I was thinking of spreading her legs and burying my head in between. I hated that I was so attracted to her, and tried to shake it. Really, I did. She’s four years younger than me, and while the age difference is nothing now, it was back then.
“I didn’t think you’d be here yet.” Mrs. Dawson pulls me in for a hug and takes Carlos, tucking him under her arm. “Quinn said you wouldn’t make it until this evening.”
“That was the plan, but I wanted to surprise her.”
A big smile spreads over Mrs. Dawson’s face. “She’s going to love that. I happen to know she misses you quite a bit.”
“I miss her too.”
“Come in.” She turns and motions for me to follow her back through the gate. The Dawsons have the perfect set-up, looking like something straight from a movie about the all-American family. Their house is a century-old farm house that Quinn’s dad restored himself. Well, with the help of his construction crews that is. The in-ground pool and the covered patio are new additions of course. Dean and I spent a lot of time out here in the summer, and it didn’t take long to realize how easy it was to get the small-town girls to come back to the pool with us when I dropped the ‘I’m going to med school’ line on them.
But with the fun aspect aside, something else always struck me. This house is the heart of the Dawson clan, the place where everyone still gathers as a family. If I hadn’t seen it firsthand, I don’t know if I’d think it’s possible. As loving and caring as my own parents are, things didn’t work out this well for us.
How the fuck did the Dawsons raise five kids who turned out better than okay?
“Are you hungry?” Mrs. Dawson asks, going to the radio on the patio table. She turns down the volume and grabs a towel, calling Chrissy over. The dog is in the pool again, splashing around as she plays with a floating rubber ball. She comes running, shaking off before she gets to us.
“I’m always hungry,” I answer.
“I’ll make you something. What do you want?”
“You don’t have to make anything.”
“Nonsense.” She towels Chrissy off only to have the dog take off running and jumping back in the pool. “You can stay out then,” she says to the dog and hangs the towel up in the sun to dry.
“Did you come straight from work?”
I’m wearing blue scrubs that have Archer Jones, M.D. embroidered above the right pocket. “Kind of. I went in to check on a patient before I left.” I technically didn’t need to wear the scrubs just to go in—and I’m glad I did. My patient’s vitals weren’t where I want them to be, so I had him moved to the ICU for closer monitoring. But scrubs are comfortable and wearing my ‘doctor clothes’ is a bit of an inside joke with Quinn.
We move inside, and I put my bag down and join Mrs. Dawson in the kitchen. She pulls out leftovers, and she asks me about work as I eat. Then she calls Quinn to find out where she is, and she’s only twenty minutes away.
“I actually need to run some errands,” Mrs. Dawson says, letting the dogs in again. Chrissy is more or less dry this time. “It’s up to you, but if I took your car, Quinn wouldn’t know you were here until she walked in the house. And then you two can have some time to catch up before the house fills with people.” She smiles, and I’m vaguely aware that she’s leaving us alone so we can have sex.
“That’s a great idea.”
“Quinn likes surprises. And I think it’s so sweet you came here early in the first place.”
“I really care about her. I’d do anything to make her happy.”
Mrs. Dawson smiles, eyes glistening. “I know you would.” She pats my shoulder and goes to change. I finish
eating and put my dishes away. I’m wiping down the counter when the dogs all run to the sliding glass doors barking.
“Knock it off,” Mrs. Dawson scolds, coming back into the kitchen. “It’s a bunny. Leave the poor thing alone.” She picks up Boots, who’s the leader of the barking, and puts him down on the couch. “They’ve been doing this all day. I swear that rabbit is teasing them on purpose.”
I laugh and give Mrs. Dawson my keys. Once she leaves, I carry my stuff upstairs into Quinn’s old bedroom, and brush my teeth. It’s been fifteen minutes, and I’m literally watching the time tick by on my phone.
The dogs are at the back door, barking again. I go downstairs and see a little brown rabbit on the patio. It’s staring in at the dogs, and I think it’s teasing the dogs too. Yawning, I go to the couch and lay down, closing my eyes until Quinn gets here.
My heart speeds up when the garage door opens and closes. I stay on the couch, out of her direct line of sight.
“Hello?” Quinn calls and the dogs go crazy with excitement. “Mom?” Slowly sitting up, I watch her greet the dogs, going for Rufus first. Her long, brunette hair is in a messy braid that falls over her shoulder, and she’s not wearing makeup. Little freckles dot her face, only visible in the summer from being out in the sun.
God, she’s beautiful.
I get up, and the dogs take off, coming back over to me and giving me away. Quinn’s eyes widen, and she gasps.
“Arch!” Her hands fly to her mouth. She’s still wearing the brace on her left arm.
“Surprise.”
And now I can’t get to her fast enough. She throws her arms around me and I pick her up, spinning her in a circle.
“What are you doing here? Wait. Kiss me now. Talk later.” She puts her mouth to mine, and once I start kissing her, I can’t stop. I pick her up and put her on the counter, hands running all over her body. “Archer,” she moans, and I suck at her neck. “Mmmm…Archer.”
Her hands land on my shoulders. I bite the flesh on her neck. She squeezes her legs around me and arches her back, pressing her breasts against me.