Tato Potato, Taylor really doesn't deserve him, does she? And Ethan doesn't deserve what's going to happen to him. Thank you for your review - I'm really happy you enjoyed the chapter.
ETWentHome, thank you for your review. I really wanted to make them seem like a good couple so it's lovely to know you like them together. As for Cal, he'll be meeting Taylor very soon.
Tanith Panic, I'm really happy you're enjoying it so much, despite the likelihood of a sad ending. If you're stocking up on tissues, maybe you should get extra for Ethan! Thank you for your review.
Cal was thinking about Ethan as he wandered into reception. He'd been different since Taylor had gone away. Not as happy. Not miserable and moany in the way he'd been before he'd met Taylor, but sad and mopey. Cal had tried to cheer him up with pizza and video nights, but it hadn't seemed to help. He'd even offered to find him another woman for the night, but Ethan had looked like he was going to punch him.
"Do you seriously think I'd do that to Taylor, Caleb?"
Cal had to admit he couldn't really imagine Ethan cheating on anyone. Or having a one-night stand. So he'd dropped the subject and Ethan had eventually started speaking to him again, but he still didn't seem happy.
He wasn't likely to be happy until tomorrow evening when Taylor was due back.
Cal sighed and looked down at the file in his hand.
"Excuse me? Are you a doctor?"
Cal looked up from the file and nearly had a cardiac arrest. The woman was gorgeous. Blonde hair, blue eyes, curves in all the right places… incredible. He smiled and let his gaze travel lazily up and down her body. She looked in perfect health to Cal and even if she was a patient, the chances were that she wasn't his patient. "Hey. I'm Dr Knight. But you can call me Cal."
The woman gave him a rather cool smile. "Hey. I'm Taylor. But you can call me Miss Ashbie."
Her words didn't discourage Cal. She'd gone to the trouble of making it clear she wasn't married and that could only be a positive.
He gave a sudden smile. How funny that he and Ethan both had a girlfriend called Taylor. Of course, this Taylor wasn't his girlfriend yet, but it was only a matter of time. All it would take was a little bit of flirtation and charm. "How can I help you, Miss Ashbie? I am actually working right now, but maybe we could discuss your problem over a glass of wine this evening?"
"No, thank you, Dr Knight," said Taylor shortly. "I'm here to see my boyfriend. And before you get any ideas, I don't mean you."
Cal kept smiling. He wasn't fooled for a second. He knew she meant him. Who else could her boyfriend be? She'd only just arrived. She hadn't had time to meet anyone else.
"My boyfriend," said Taylor icily, "is Dr Ethan Hardy."
Cal's smile froze on his face. Slowly, it shrivelled, but he didn't stop staring.
This was Ethan's Taylor? This absolute, complete stunner was his little brother's girlfriend?
"Don't try to pretend you don't know him," said Taylor. "Unless there's another Dr Caleb Knight who doesn't happen to be Ethan's brother."
Cal's mouth opened and closed. "You know who I am then."
"Only too well," said Taylor.
Cal gave a short, awkward laugh. "You don't want to believe everything my brother says."
"Perhaps not," said Taylor sweetly. "Ethan told me you don't get on, so perhaps his opinion isn't the most favourable."
"Exactly," said Cal, beginning to relax again.
"But I know what you were like from the moment you started eyeing me up," said Taylor. "And for the record, you're much worse than Ethan said you were. Now, are you going to find Ethan for me or do I have to ask someone else?"
Cal heard laughter coming from some of the patients and wanted to die. "I'm going to go and find Ethan for you," he said meekly.
"Good," said Taylor.
"He might not be able to come straight away, though," said Cal. "If he's in the middle of treating someone."
Taylor rolled her eyes. "I am aware of that, Dr Knight. I'm a medic, myself."
Cal didn't know what to say to that. "Right. Great. Okay. I'll go and find Ethan for you," he said, and hurried away as quickly as he could.
There were two burning questions in his mind. Along with the burning embarrassment.
How had Ethan managed to attract a girl like Taylor?
And how come she hadn't eaten him for breakfast yet?
Ethan was just finishing with his patient when Cal opened the curtain. "I'll be two minutes, Dr Knight."
"I just wanted to tell you Taylor's in reception," said Cal. "And… wow. Just wow."
"Thank you, Dr Knight," said Ethan, and firmly closed the curtain again, but he couldn't help feeling thrilled – partly that Cal was so obviously impressed, but mostly because she was back a day early and he was going to see her soon.
"So, who's Taylor?" asked the elderly female patient.
"My girlfriend," said Ethan, unable to stop himself from smiling.
The patient smiled too. "She must be very special."
"Yes, she is," said Ethan. "And I wasn't expecting her back till tomorrow! I've missed her so… sorry. I didn't mean to talk about myself." Somehow, he returned his mind to his job. As soon as he'd finished with his patient, he went to reception.
Taylor was leaning on the desk talking to Louise.
"This isn't a bar, you know," Louise was saying. "You can't just wander in off the streets and meet your boyfriend in a hospital."
"For your information, my boyfriend works here," said Taylor. "His name is Dr Ethan Hardy."
"I don't care if your boyfriend is Connie Beauchamp," said Louise. "You can't wait there. And if you continue to wait there, I'll call security. Got it?"
Taylor smiled sweetly at her. "Oh, you go ahead and call security if you can't handle it yourself, sweetie. Don't let me stop you."
"Hi, Taylor," said Ethan quickly. He took note of Louise's pointed look and gently led Taylor away from the desk. "It's so good to see you."
"It's good to see you too, babe," said Taylor. She put her arms around him and kissed him, drawing whoops and whistles from several patients. "I've missed you so much, Ethan. The phone just isn't the same."
Ethan could only agree, though he wished Taylor would keep her voice down a bit. "I'm afraid I don't really have time to chat now. I'm working."
"I know," said Taylor. "I'm sorry, Ethan. I know I shouldn't have come. I was just so desperate to see you. And I was wondering if you wanted to meet me for lunch."
"I'd love to," said Ethan, "but I don't have my break till 1.30."
Taylor smiled cheerfully. "That's perfect. I had a late breakfast so I don't suppose I'll want lunch before then. Why don't you pick me up from my office and I'll give you a tour before we go for lunch? It's only small so it shouldn't take long."
"That sounds great," said Ethan. He kissed her on the cheek. "I'll see you later, sweetheart. I really am happy you're back." His heart singing, he turned away from Taylor.
"Babe?" said Taylor.
Ethan remembered that was him and quickly turned back.
Taylor was smiling at him ironically. "Don't you want the address of my office?"