Robert and Elizabeth were finishing up their pasta, settled in a quiet booth in the far corner of a dark Italian restaurant. "So, Robert, what do you know about that ER resident, Gallant?"
"Uh, not much… kind of quiet… former military right? Hasn't lost any patients yet. No real trouble. He's rather nondescript." He lied. Romano had resolved to be honest with Elizabeth but he just wasn't quite ready to tell her about his move back into the hospital.
"I was thinking about offering him the cardio-pulmonary fellowship. I know I am only acting chief of surgery so I was hoping to get your input. He's just finishing up his fifth year and I think a lot of doors will open for him soon. I'd hate for us to lose him to Rush."
Romano mulled over in his mind the advantage to having Gallant have a legitimate reason for being on the third floor. It would certainly be easier for him to sneak in and out of Romano's room. "Well he certainly has the hands, and the discipline for it."
"Oh, so you have been paying attention done there in the ER, huh?"
"Look Lizzie, all I am saying is that regardless of the current state of affairs, my best interests will always lie with surgery. Everything that is important to me is there."
"I'm touched."
"Yea, well for once it's not about you. Everything that I have trained for, everything that I have put any really effort and energy into has lead to my being a better surgeon. And I am good. The best, really…"
Elizabeth waited for the retraction. The admission that he "was the good surgeon" or that he "was the best." But it never came. That insecurity that she had observed a handful of times this past year was gone. This honesty without the doubling of self-doubt was a new side of Robert. One more side for her to deny her feelings about. Sitting with him, like this, made it all the harder for her to just be a good friend. "You are the best Robert," she confirmed.
He looked up at her as she interrupted his monologue. "Well," he smiled, "maybe one of the best." Elizabeth returned the smile.
Romano raised his glass of merlot into the air, "To the two best surgeons this restaurant… this city… and hell, this world has to offer."
Elizabeth raised her glass gently clinking it to his, "to us."
"To us." he softly repeated. He kept his eyes locked on her as he drank down the wine. He set down his glass to the table with a sigh. "Well, Lizzie, are you ready to head out? I don't think they have a bed and breakfast here, but maybe we should ask. Sir?" He motioned for the waiter. Romano waved her off when she offered to pay the bill. Once he put the cash in Elizabeth grabbed the ticket and cash mumbling the numbers. Then clearly she said, "30% huh? How very unexpected."
"Yeah, well I used to be on the darker, service side of restaurants myself."
"You're kidding me," Elizabeth spit.
"What you think I have always been this talented? Oh. No Lizzie, rest assured, there was a time when I had to get by on just my devilishly handsome face and charisma." He shivered, "that is a memory I prefer to leave well hidden beneath the years of my spouting verbal abuse to those who deserve it."
"Oh I think it goes beyond those who deserves it." Elizabeth laughed.
Romano smiled broad. It had been a while since he first realized that Elizabeth laughing was just about the most poetically stunning thing he had ever seen. But even now, it still took his breath away. If she could have suddenly regained her composure and seen him looking at her, there would be no question of his feelings.
He quickly gathered up their coats for fear of being caught staring so vulnerably. "Ready to blow this Popsicle stand?" he winked.
She hesitated. "Yes and no…"
He froze and slowly raised his eyes to meet hers, "yeeeeeeeeeeeees?"
"Well, speaking of popsciles…"
He continued to gather their stuff and stood. Helping her on with her jacket, "let's leave the flan and fried ice cream here… I have another idea for dessert."
"Well…" she motioned for him to step ahead of her, "lead the way."
"No really ladies first." Elizabeth walk away from their table with Romano at her heels. When she arrived at the door she tried to push, the pull-to-open door, open. Romano who hadn't been paying attention clumsily bumped into her. Taking a step back he instinctively grabbed her waist and pulled her with him. Before letting her go, he inhaled deeply into her hair, closing his eyes. His scenes filled with that same baby power scent that had make his knees wobbly weeks before on her porch.
Elizabeth didn't pick up on his movements and instantly felt embarrassed for having him bump into her. "I… Uh… first time with this door. Doors can be tricky sometimes." She hoped that she sounded more funny than stupid.
Romano leaned around her placing his left hand at the small of her back and pulled open the door with his right, "please, allow me."
She quickly walked through, hoping to forget all about the not-being-able-to-open-the-door moment. And pulled her jacket tighter around her. "Wow, you really did work as a door-opening bus boy before, didn't you."
He was disappointed that she hadn't leaned into his touch. In fact, she had practically run through the door away from him. Romano figured any romantic feelings she had developed for him had passed. All those times she had blushed, he rationalized, was probably just uncomfortable pity. "Hey, that's "wait staff" to you."
"Oh yes, my apologies."