Chapter 17: Derek Has Feelings for Her
Derek was nervous… Possibly more nervous than Meredith had been the night before her interview. He wanted her to get home so he could find out how it had gone. She wasn't in the best condition, and the interview could have gone either way. Whatever happened, there was going to be something nice waiting for her. He had made sandwiches and stopped by the store and picked up chips and pasta salads and a nice dessert. Hopefully no matter what happened, she would have an okay afternoon. He felt his stomach jump with nervousness when he heard her walking up the trailer porch and she came in the door. And he couldn't have been more shocked and surprised at what he saw. For the first time since he met her, she did her hair and even put a little bit of makeup on. She still looked thin, and exhausted but despite that, she looked...beautiful. It was that moment, he realized he was staring at her, and he pulled his eyes away. He couldn't look at her like that. "Welcome back..."
"Hi." She breathed, kneeling to the ground as Cash greeted her at the door. "Hi buddy."
"Sorry, I missed you this morning."
"I figured you were sleeping. I didn't want to stop up at the house and wake you." She stood, walking closer.
"I um...I didn't think you were going so early."
"I thought I would go early and see if I could find a belt that wouldn't make the pants fall down."
"Did you?"
"My pants are still on." She shrugged.
"Good." Derek chuckled, looking at her again.
"Cash is crazy this morning." Meredith giggled weakly as the dog ran up and down the miniature hallway of the trailer.
"Because he didn't get to go for his morning walk with you. I only got to take him out for a few minutes."
"I'll take him later." She whispered, pulling slightly to fix the vest over her blouse.
"I made us some lunch."
"Oh...um...okay." Meredith looked at the small spread on the table.
"How did it go?" Derek asked before he picked up one of the sandwiches and took a bite.
"It went alright."
"Did you like them?"
"It seems like a nice place." Meredith answered, leaning against the counter.
"Did you interview with Dr. Timbers?"
"Yeah." She nodded, as she watched him eat.
"He's a good guy."
"It would be the biggest office I have ever had."
"It's an excellent practice." Derek nodded.
"I'm sure."
"Do you want a sandwich?"
"No thanks."
"There's pasta salad...and potato salad too."
"I might have a little potato salad."
"Okay." Derek smiled, putting some onto a plate for her.
"Just a little."
"Cash...that's not for you." Derek laughed as the dog tried to get to the food.
"Cash...sit." Meredith pointed.
"You're the dog whisperer."
"We get each other." Meredith put her plate back without taking a bite and leaning over to scratch behind the dog's ears.
"Oh...okay." Derek laughed.
"Right Cash?" Meredith smiled as the dog panted.
"I think he would answer you if he could."
"It's alright Cash."
"You're not hungry at all?"
"I mean..."
"If you don't eat it...Cash will."
"I can try a little."
"The sandwiches are good."
"I'll stick to the potato salad for now."
"Okay." Derek sighed.
"That's good to do, right?"
"Yeah."
"Besides...I was really nauseas last night so I shouldn't eat much. You know...just in case." Meredith whispered.
"I understand." Derek nodded.
"Fork?"
"Here you go."
"Thank you." She said, taking a small fork from his hands and taking a bite of the potato salad.
"You're welcome." Derek smiled, watching her take another small bite.
"It's good."
"One of my favorites."
"I like it."
"So tell me about your interview..."
"It went really well I think."
"I told you it would." He smiled, finishing his sandwich.
"He gave me a tour and introduced me to a few other people on staff." Meredith added.
"That's a good sign."
"Not getting my hopes up."
"Hmm."
"That way I don't get disappointed." Meredith said as he put some potato salad on a fork and held it up and looked at her. "What?"
"Eat." Derek smiled.
"I don't need you to feed me."
"I could feed it to Cash."
"He can't eat that." Meredith rolled her eyes.
"You have to eat." Derek sighed.
"Fine." Meredith groaned, opening her mouth as he stuck the fork in.
"At least I'm not making airplane noises."
"I would have grabbed the fork and stabbed you with it." She said, after swallowing the salad.
"Good thing I didn't." Derek laughed.
"Yeah...good thing."
"Are you sure you don't want a sandwich?"
"Yeah."
"Alright."
"What did you do all morning?" Meredith changed the subject as she got a bottle of water.
"Errands." Derek grabbed his own bottle of water.
"Errands?"
"Groceries...some things for Cash."
"I see."
"Why?"
"Curious." She turned against the sink and leaned.
"I didn't follow you."
"I didn't suggest that." Meredith bit her lip, smiling.
"Okay." Derek nodded, trying not to laugh.
"Okay."
"I'm going to take Cash out to run around."
"Alright." She yawned.
"Want to come?"
"Yeah." Meredith reached for her phone.
"Come on Cash..." Derek opened the trailer door and the puppy ran out.
"He's so fast."
"Cash!" Derek picked up a stick and tossed it as far as he could for Cash to run after.
"He's too caught up in sniffing trees."
"So much for fetch."
"Maybe one day." She breathed, walking alongside him.
"Maybe he needs obedience classes."
"He doesn't need a class."
"No?"
"He lives in the woods...he's not a danger and he's also not a prissy dog." Meredith explained.
"Good point."
"Of course it is."
"Yeah." Derek laughed, glancing over at her.
"And it's not like he needs a leash."
"No..."
"He can just run free." She shrugged.
"Yeah." Derek stopped.
"It's good that he can..." She watched as the dog ran happily around the grass.
"Yeah..."
"It's good for him."
"It is." He breathed, watching her smile slightly as she watched Cash play.
"What are you doing tonight?"
"Oh um...I don't know. Probably nothing."
"I...you don't stay inside because of me...right?" Meredith wanted to know. She didn't need a babysitter.
"No."
"Because you don't have to stay and make sure that I won't go crazy."
"I know Meredith." Derek laughed.
"Just checking."
"Come here, Cash!" Derek called as the dog got farther away and Meredith's cell phone went off.
"I don't know that number..." Meredith frowned, backing up. "One second...I'll be right back."
"Take your time." Derek smiled, picking Cash up as he came running back and ruffling the puppy's fur. "Good boy...you're a good boy...go run."
"Alright...thank you..." Meredith walked around the corner a few minutes later, holding her phone in her hand.
"Who was it?"
"Dr. Timbers."
"Oh..."
"I got the job."
"Meredith." Derek grinned.
"So I don't have to sit around and do nothing anymore..." Meredith replied, walking closer.
"Congratulations." Derek smiled, wrapping his arms around her without any hesitation.
"Thank you." She said with relief. She had something to do, somewhere that she would have to be each day. "Thank you for helping."
"Your welcome."
"Wow..."
"Our plans have changed."
"What plans?"
"For tonight."
"What do you mean?"
"We have to celebrate."
"No we don't." She frowned.
"What do you want to do then?"
"I...well normally I just lay in the trailer and watch movies."
"Let's go out to a movie."
"A movie?"
"Yeah...a movie...on a big screen...popcorn with too much butter and overprice candy."
"Oh."
"What do you say?"
"Um...I guess..."
"It'll be fun."
'Okay." Meredith replied nervously.
"If you really don't want to..."
"No it's...um...I just need to brush up on some stuff tonight..."
"When do they want you to start?"
"Next week." Meredith answered, a knot forming in her stomach.
"You have time to prepare." Derek breathed.
"I..."
"Let yourself have fun for at least one night."
"Um..." She bit her lip as she twisted her foot into the ground. "Okay."
"I'll give you some time to change and get ready." He picked Cash up again, holding the squirming dog in his arms.
"Okay." Meredith nodded.
"You can pick the movie."
"Alright."
"It'll be fun." Derek repeated.
"Fun..."
"Fun."
"I'll just...I'll go get ready." Meredith swallowed.
"I'll be waiting."
"I'll be out..." Meredith replied, walking back towards the trailer.
"Okay..." Derek put Cash back down again and he started to run wildly. Derek turned from watching the dog to watching Meredith. He was scared that he was seeing her this way and he knew he couldn't think about her like this. He needed to get rid of those thoughts. She had just lost her husband and he was supposed to be helping her, not having any kind of feelings for her.
So, Derek has feelings for Meredith! How do you think she feels about him?