AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Good to hear.” I tried to sound nonchalant as I eyed the exam room, its ominous metal stirrups already out. I felt silly but couldn’t help myself. I should be used to this procedure by now, but it always made me anxious and slightly embarrassed.
The medical assistant took my vitals, typing away on her laptop, then closed it with a thump. “Go ahead and change into this, and I’ll come back in after the doctor introduces himself.” She handed me a paper top and drape with a practiced smile before slipping out.
Alone, I shed my clothes with mechanical movements, draping my T-shirt over the chair. I perched on the edge of the exam table, the paper beneath my naked butt crinkling in a stark reminder of my vulnerability. I folded my hands in my lap over the light-blue paper drape, desperately wishing for the comfort of my chef’s coat—anything to shield me from the clinical chill of the room. At least I left my socks on.
Closing my eyes, I envisioned the familiar expanse of Orchid’s kitchen, the sizzle of pans, and the whirr of mixers—a controlled chaos that soothed me. But here, in the silence, my thoughts churned like the ocean during a brewing storm.
Get a grip. You’re not a teenager.
Opening my eyes, the beach scenes on the walls did nothing to ease my nerves. At least Maria would be in the room too. Routine was a word that had always suited me. In the kitchen, it translated to perfect slices and satisfied diners. My career was my life. And now, sitting on a vinyl table while shrouded in paper, I braced for the intrusion of cold hands and colder instruments.
The muffled sound of movement outside the door snatched my attention. Then it stopped. A long pause lingered, heavy with anticipation. The door handle turned, almost in slow motion, before the plain brown door swung open.
And time stalled like a caught breath.
I’d thought I was tense before. Now I became brittle. Frozen at the sight of the man before me.
“Good morning.” His words were quiet and hesitant as our eyes met. He softly shut the door, leaving his hand pressed against the wood, as if he didn’t know what to do with it.
I stared at Aiden.
Aiden Mitchell.
My new doctor was my old boyfriend.
My first.
The one I’d thought was the one.
His face, once so familiar, now held the etchings of years gone by, lines carved by laughter or perhaps sorrow. His posture was rigid, the knuckles gripping his laptop bleached white. But it was the flush of color high on his cheekbones that betrayed him most, revealing an emotion he couldn’t completely conceal behind his professional façade.
For a moment, neither of us moved. I was a statue locked in a tableau of shock, waves of numbness rolling over me. The soft hum of the fluorescent lights above filled the void between us as I grappled with reality.
“Stella,” he finally managed, his voice a low rumble that resonated with memories I thought I’d buried deep. He took a deliberate step into the room. “I didn’t know if you were still in the area. And I wasn’t sure you’d want to use my practice…”
“Aid… Aiden?” I asked, my voice quivering and breathy. I clutched the edges of my paper gown with trembling fingers, suddenly acutely aware of my bare breasts beneath. How utterly exposed I felt—not just in flesh but in history.
He took a deliberate step forward, his forehead deeply lined. “You look surprised to see me.”
“How the hell did you think I would feel?” I snarled quickly, erecting walls with my tone. My mind raced, scrambling as each emotion surged before being drowned by something else—embarrassment, anger, confusion.
Now Aiden’s expression changed to shock, his eyes opening wide. “You didn’t know I was the doctor here?”
“Know? How could I possibly—Get out!” My voice crackled with a mix of vulnerability and wild indignation. Gathering the shreds of my dignity, I vaulted off the exam table, using one hand to keep all my flimsy paper coverings in place. My feet slapped against the cold tile as I pushed past him, shoving the door open wide.
“Stella, wait?—”
“Out!” I hissed and let go of the drape to place one hand on his chest. The paper covering my lower body fell to the floor, causing me further mortification. At least Aiden kept his wide, shocked eyes on my face. I shoved hard, doing my best not to notice how firm the muscles under my hand were. He stumbled backward out of the room, and I slammed the door in his stunned, slack face. The thought of Aiden seeing me like this, after all these years, was too much. The heat in my cheeks rivaled the midday sun.
I grabbed my clothes and began pulling them on with frenzied urgency. My heart was a drumline, pounding erratic rhythms against my ribcage, threatening to break free. Fumbling with my shirt, I barely managed to slide it over my head. My fingers shook wildly. I scarcely noticed how my pants twisted as I pulled them up or how my sandal straps tangled around my ankles.
I stormed out of the exam room, eyes rooted firmly on the floor and my face aflame as I ran down the deserted corridor. I didn’t look up when I reached the waiting room either. When I finally emerged from the clinic, the bright sunlight outside was disorienting. I blinked rapidly, my mind replaying the awful encounter, each detail etching into my memory.
Aiden Mitchell.
After… I had to count… seventeen years! The boy who stole my heart and dashed it upon the rocks was here. My first love. Now a professional man in a white coat, holding the power to examine me in my most vulnerable state. The irony made my stomach churn.
The drive back to Calypso Key passed in a blur, the scenes around me out of focus. The Big House, with its stone foundation and windows reflecting the light, promised refuge—a fortress against the storm of embarrassment raging within me. After parking, I hurried through the door and ran up the stairs.
