Drawn Deeper by Brenda Rothert Page A

Trace. It went to a medical waste disposal facility.”
    “Goddammit!” He shifted with agitation in the bed and then cringed from the pain. “My insurance is gonna have to pay a shitload for this, and if I want my shriveled up appendix, I should get it.”
    “It was actually inflamed, and we don’t give patients their medical waste.”
    He leaned in closer and gave me a serious look. “You woulda given it to me.”
    “No, I wouldn’t have.”
    “You remember who sponsored your high school basketball team so you could go to that fancy tournament in Indiana that time? Hunt’s Hardware, that’s who. And this is how you repay me.” He shook his head with disgust.
    “I wasn’t on call last weekend.”
    “Off runnin’ around with that Hobbs girl,” he muttered.
    “What?”
    “Well, that Jeep of hers was in your driveway from Friday night to Saturday morning. Billy Carmichael came into the store and said so.”
    I rolled my eyes. Billy Carmichael was my nosy neighbor. “Trace, do you have any questions for me about the appendectomy or your recovery?”
    “Naw, what’s his name covered everything. I was still half doped up, but I think I got it all.”
    “Looks like we’re keeping you through tomorrow while we run more antibiotics through your IV. Enjoy the time to rest and relax. You work too hard.”
    “’Spose I do.” He drew his brows together with concern. “This cut ain’t gonna get infected or anything, is it? I wasn’t watchin’ to see if that guy washed his hands before the surgery.”
    “I guarantee he did, and you’re on so many antibiotics that you won’t have any problems.”
    He nodded and leaned his head back against the pillow. I stood up.
    “Get some rest, okay, Trace? You look like shit.”
    He laughed. “I’ll try, Doc. Thanks for comin’ in to see me.”
    “Wouldn’t miss it.”
    I left to see my next patient, pushing aside my concerns about Meredith and me being an object of gossip.
    If I’d been thinking, I would’ve pulled her Jeep into my garage for the night. Now word would spread that we were seeing each other, and I wasn’t prepared for that. Not because of myself, but because of Jordan and Kyle. They’d been teased at school over their mom’s issues, and it had hurt them. Kids could be assholes. I didn’t want them hearing I had a girlfriend. It was too soon, and it wasn’t even true.
    Meredith and I were good for each other. I knew that for sure. But I wasn’t in a rush to get into anything serious.
    My operations today were all minor, and I was done by noon. I was having lunch at a local deli when I had an urge to text Meredith. I’d waited all weekend, so hopefully it wasn’t too soon.
    Me: Hey, how was the rest of your weekend?
    Meredith: It was good. Relaxing. How about you?
    Me: Took the boys to St. Louis to see Justin.
    Meredith: Sounds like fun.
    Me: Hey, do you have plans Friday night?
    Meredith: Not yet. ;)
    Me: Can I see you again?
    Meredith: Sure, I’d like that.
    Me: I had a really good time the other night.
    Meredith: Me too.
    Me: Have to drive back to my office. See you this afternoon.
    Meredith: See you then.
    I anticipated seeing her all afternoon as I saw patients. I was still replaying our night together in my head, the feel of her already becoming a too-distant memory.
    Until she’d fed the hunger inside me, I hadn’t realized how strong it was. Jerking off to porn didn’t even compare to being with her. I didn’t want us to be the object of gossip for my boys’ sake, but it was inevitable.
    Unless I stopped seeing her. And as sensible as that would be, I couldn’t. She made me feel something I’d never felt before, and I couldn’t give it up.
    We’d have to keep what we had low-profile. If we didn’t flaunt it, it would just be whispered about. I wasn’t ready for anything more than that. The boys and I were a threesome now, and I wanted them to feel secure in our family unit.
    When I got home that afternoon, Meredith and