Tanith Panic, there will most definitely be trouble ahead! I hope you enjoy reading about it. Thank you for your review.
CBloom2, no, Cal can't cope at all! But I'm sure it's character-building. Not that I don't love Cal's character. Thank you for your review!
X-Sammii-X, thank you for your review. Ethan was cruel to let Cal think that, but does Cal deserve it? Probably!
Tato Potato, thank you for your review. I'm so happy you're enjoying the story and that you can relate to Emma.
beckyboogle, I'm so happy you're finding it exciting! You'll find out about the second dates in this chapter. Thank you for your review.
ETWentHome, thank you for your review. I don't think Cal is used to having a girlfriend who doesn't constantly tell him he's wonderful!
Sarah finally texted Cal at lunchtime. She didn't say anything about having a lovely time last night (though she did say she was glad Cal had enjoyed himself) and also made no apology for taking so long to reply. However, she did confirm their agreement to meet him at the hospital after Cal's shift, so he decided to be grateful for what he could get. He tried telling himself that Sarah's behaviour annoyed him, but it actually turned him on. He liked being the one doing all the chasing.
His only fear was that she might be leading him into some sort of trap. Cal didn't want to have his heart broken again.
Ethan and Emma had planned to go out that evening, but when Ethan had phoned Emma at lunchtime, her voice sounded very hoarse and he told her she mustn't think of going out.
"I could come and see you, though," he said shyly. "If you'd like me to. I quite understand if you don't feel well enough for visitors, but I could bring you something from the pharmacy. If you'd like me to."
"I'd love to see you," said Emma.
"I'd love to see you too."
When Cal's shift ended, he was thrilled to discover he had three texts from Sarah. He opened them eagerly, wondering if her texts from last night had just been very slow to arrive.
Hi Cal, I'm outside x
Hi Cal, I'm still outside
I am outside at the moment but I can't promise I'll be here for very much longer so sort it out Knight
Cal got changed as quickly as he could and ran outside just in time to see Sarah walking away. "Sarah! Wait! I'm here!"
Sarah turned round. "And not before time."
"My shift has only just ended," said Cal. "Didn't I tell you I was working till 7.30 today?"
"You didn't tell me when your shift ended," said Sarah. "But as you asked to meet me at 7, I paid you the compliment of assuming you could tell the time."
Cal groaned. "Did I really say 7? Sorry, baby."
Sarah continued to look severe, but then she smiled and held out her arms. "Oh, okay. I'll forgive you this once."
Cal put his arms around her, very relieved – though his relief was very quickly replaced by excitement. "So, do you feel like you know me well enough to let me pay for your meal?"
"Oh, I think I can let you do that if it means so much to you," said Sarah.
"Thank you," said Cal, then frowned. Shouldn't that be her line?
"But of course," said Sarah, "I fully intend on paying for your meal." She smiled. "It's only fair, isn't it?"
Ethan was smiling as he made his way out of the ED. He hadn't felt this happy for such a long time. He knew he and Emma had only had one date, and that had actually been a bit of a disaster, but he felt that if a couple could go out on a bad date and still want to see each other, it could only bode well for the future.
Then Ethan stumbled to a halt, his smile completely gone.
Standing in Cal's arms, almost certainly with her tongue down his throat, was Emma.
Cal smiled at Sarah. "Are you ready to go then?"
"I've been here for at least forty minutes," Sarah reminded him.
She could tell that threw him slightly, but it didn't take him that long to think of an answer. "I just thought maybe you're not ready to stop kissing me."
Sarah laughed. "I don't remember telling you you were that good a kisser."
"Then either you forgot to tell me or I need lots more practise," said Cal, and pursed his lips. He looked adorable, but Sarah decided not to tell him so.
He probably already knew.
She grabbed his hand and they started walking. "Come on. Let's go. I'm hungry even if you're not."
"Oh, I'm definitely hungry," Cal assured her as they walked. "So, are you fussy about what you eat? Or do you just want something you can put in your mouth and swallow?"
"Oh, I definitely want something I can put in my mouth," said Sarah.
She could almost see Cal's pulse rate rise.
Sarah smiled to herself. "Something I can put in my mouth and take a great big bite out of and chew into tiny pieces. Oh, and swallow as well, of course."
Cal changed the subject.
It had seemed like a good idea at the time, but as the taxi stopped outside the hospital, Emma began to have doubts.
She'd thought that, as she was feeling a bit better, it would be nice to surprise Ethan by going to meet him at the hospital.
But what if he was annoyed that she'd ignored his advice about staying in? Doctors did tend to know what they were talking about, after all.
But she was here now and it seemed a bit silly to go home again when there was a chance Ethan would be happy to see her. Emma got out of the taxi and made her way towards the ED entrance.
And then she saw him.
He was sitting on a bench outside the ED with his head in his hands.
Cal had been in two minds about which pub to take Sarah to for dinner. If they went to the one the ED staff usually frequented, he would have the chance to show off to everyone what a beautiful girlfriend he had. He hadn't had a girlfriend for a while, so he liked the idea of showing Max, Lofty and the others that he'd still got it.
But on the other hand, it probably wasn't quite the ideal venue for an intimate meal. He wouldn't put it past certain members of the ED to interrupt their meal by coming over and telling embarrassing stories about Cal. He had a feeling Sarah would enjoy that very much, but Cal wasn't at all sure that he would.
So he drove her to a different pub and now they were walking from the car park to the pub in the moonlight, their hands entwined. Cal couldn't remember the last time he'd felt this happy – though every minute he'd spent with Sarah had come pretty close.
"You look beautiful," said Cal as he gazed at her.
Sarah gave him a knowing look. "Come on, Cal. Out with it. What are you after? Apart from the obvious."
"Nothing," said Cal, a bit reproachfully. All he wanted now was to sit in the pub with her and look at her and think how lucky he was. He'd always thought she was beautiful, of course, but there was something different about her tonight. A sort of shimmering radiance. "I do genuinely think you look especially beautiful tonight." He paused for a while in thought, his gaze travelling upwards to the moon and back to Sarah's face. "I think it's because it's dark."
If Ethan had had any choice in the matter, he would not be sitting outside the ED, crying into his hands. He really wanted to get up, walk to his car like a sensible person, drive home and do his crying in bed like anyone else would.
But seeing the girl he was already half-in-love with kissing his brother was more than he could bear.
"Ethan, what's wrong?" said a voice.
A voice Ethan recognised.
Emma sat beside him and put his arm around him. "Did something happen with a patient?"
"Oh, just go away!" burst out Ethan. He didn't know she had the nerve to come here and act all caring after what she'd just done. She'd seemed so sweet. So perfect.
So fond of him.
It was all Ethan could do not to sob out loud.
There was a silence. Then Emma spoke, her voice unsteady. "Ethan, what's happened?"
Finally, Ethan found the strength to move. He jumped to his feet and glared at Emma as more tears fell from his eyes. "Just don't come near me ever again!" he said, and ran all the way to his car.
Sarah was surprised by how good a time she was having. Once Cal had stopped trying to show off how amazing he was and Sarah had stopped doing all she could to ensure his ego didn't get any bigger, they'd both relaxed and started having fun.
Cal was telling her all about his brother 'Nibbles' and how funny he was. He started off by telling a lot of stories about Nibbles embarrassing himself. Sarah told him off a few times for being mean, but then she realised that Cal actually had a lot of affection for Nibbles.
"He's always there for me, no matter what," said Cal, over his second bottle of wine. "No matter how many stupid messes I get myself into, he picks up the pieces. I actually had a pretty awful year until I met you. You might not think it to look at me, but I had a really awful year."
"Oh, don't worry," said Sarah sweetly. "I completely believe you." Then she reached for his hand. "I am sorry to hear that, Cal. You can tell me about it if you want to."
Cal poured another glass of wine. "I fell in love. Completely, hopelessly in love. More in love than I've ever been with anyone." He caught Sarah's eye. "Apart from myself, of course!"
Sarah squeezed his hand. "Of course."
"I thought she loved me too," said Cal. "But it turned out she was just after my money. Only I didn't have any. So she took my brother's money instead."
He looked genuinely upset. Sarah linked her fingers with his. "Cal, are you still in love with her?"
She told herself she didn't care what his answer was. It wasn't as though she was in love with him. No. Definitely not.
"I don't think so," said Cal. "But I am still kind of affected by it. I haven't let anyone get close to me since then because I'm scared of getting hurt. Not that I ever let anyone get close to me before then either because I was scared of getting tied down – I liked being tied up but not being tied down – but now I just want a special girl to share my life with."
Sarah looked at him closely. It could be just a line. Or it could be the alcohol. But she was inclined to believe him. She stroked his hand. "Cal, I can't promise to share my life with you. it's too soon to know about anything like that. But I promise you, I am absolutely, 100%, not the least bit interested in your money. If I wanted money, there's no way I'd settle for a hospital registrar. Why go after you when the country is crawling with Premier League footballers? I'm here with you because I like you."
Cal gave her a grateful smile. Quickly, he turned it into a more confident one. "So. I finally made you admit it."
Sarah smiled. "But I made you admit quite a lot first."