Becoming Strangers Again by Lily

Chapter 151

Lily

I can't believe Ryan would scold me or get angry over something as trivial as my helping Amell out. And where did he get the notion that Amell is interested in me? If anything, Amell and I hadn't exactly defined our relationship as friends until recently. Ryan has no right to act angry; he is the one hiding something from me. I should be the one upset, not him.

Since he was around, I decided to leave him to handle taking the boys to their various music instrumental classes. I left early for work, mostly to avoid another argument with him this early in the day.

The morning sun hung low in the sky as I pulled over into the hospital parking lot, hoping not to run into anyone this early because I wasn't in the best of moods. Thankfully, luck was on my side, and I saw no one who showed interest in me during my walk into the building. Even my secretary hadn't resumed for the day when I arrived at the office. Opting to start with some paperwork, I opened my laptop, beginning my day earlier than planned.

At around seven-thirty, my door pushed open, and my secretary walked in, holding a vibrant bouquet of flowers. She halted abruptly when she saw me, clearly baffled. "Good morning, ma'am."

I am always early to work, but never earlier than her. "Good morning," I replied, trying to keep my tone neutral.

She hurried over to my desk and dropped the bouquet onto it. "I didn't realize you were here already, or else I would have had him deliver the flowers himself."

For a moment, I thought it was Ryan who had delivered the flowers, but I quickly doubted myself. If it was Ryan who sent them, he should have known that I would be in the office already. The first thing I reached for was the card that came with the bouquet.

I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR HELPING ME OUT YESTERDAY. I WOULD HAVE OFFERED TO TREAT YOU FOR BREAKFAST, BUT I FIGURED YOU WOULD WANT TO HAVE THAT WITH YOUR HUSBAND, SO LET'S DO LUNCH INSTEAD. I'M NOT STUPID ENOUGH TO ASK FOR YOUR DINNER TIME. SEE YOU AT LUNCH.

Dr. Amell

Glancing at the flowers, I sighed. "You want them?" I asked my secretary. Confused and bothered by my question, she looked unsure how to respond. "This is a very simple question."

"The flowers look beautiful," she finally replied.

"So you like them, then," I noted, pushing the bouquet towards her. "You can have them."

"Thank you, ma'am." She picked it up, hugging the flowers to her chest as if they were the most precious thing in the world. "Do you still need some time to yourself, or should I come in for a briefing on your schedule for today?"

"You can come in," I said, dismissing the earlier thoughts that plagued my mind. My day could as well begin fully.

*********

to eat something since I missed breakfast, that didn't make me feel hungry in any way. I was more upset that

and Amell walked in, his expression slightly apologetic. "I apologize for being," he glanced at his watch, "ten minutes late for lunch. I had a

see the need for his apology. It's not like I was waiting for him or anything of that sort. "Don't apologize for doing your job," I pointed out, returning my attention

didn't spare him a glance.

he deadpanned. "Didn't you

drawled out, finally lifting my gaze to meet his. "You have no business sending me flowers,

"I do not recall doing anything that would warrant you using that tone

fault here, but it seemed that keeping my distance from him was what would make

he exhaled heavily. "Is your husband upset that we were together

not discussing my husband with you,"

know what crawled up your ass, but I am going to buy you lunch, bring it to your office, and you are going to tell me what's going on. Why? Because I consider you a friend, even if you don't," he insisted.

man. A sense of duty and humanity coursed through me, and I raced behind them, ready to

there, bleeding from

grip me, but I pushed it aside and ran into the sterile room to get ready for the surgery I knew he would need just by the sight of the gash on the side of his stomach and the

looked

**********

the blood that had pooled in his stomach.

his leg was

land

to

Once he was

to my office

back into my

close eye on him. An hour after the surgery, he began to stir, waking up to find the bright lights of the room too harsh for his eyes. I got off my seat and turned off some of the lights to enable him to

his voice

some careless driver," I teased, fighting back the feeling of guilt that gnawed at me. Maybe if I

we

he

the hospital so

furrowing. "It is late. Why are you still