I pull into the parking lot at the hospital a few minutes later. I only know that Lindsay is here because she told me that she was covering a shift today right before I ran out on the call last night. I assume it will be in the ER, since that’s where she usually works.
I walk through the automatic doors, walking into a waiting room that only has a few people in it. The aide at the desk looks up, smiling when she sees me. “Tucker, what brings you in today?” she asks.
“I was actually hoping to talk to Lindsay, if she isn’t busy?” I ask, realizing that my plan might not work.
“I think she’s available, just have a seat and let me check,” Mary says before she disappears into the back. I do as she says and find a seat facing the doors that lead back into the treatment area of the ER. A minute or so later, the doors open, and Mary is standing there, waving for me to join her. “She’s at the nurses' station, you know the way, correct?” she asks as I pass by her.
“Yep, I’ve got it from here,” I assure her. I walk the short distance to the nurses' station, a few of them all sitting around chatting amongst themselves.
“What do we owe the pleasure of you visiting us today?” asks Debbie, one of the nurses who’s worked here since I was probably a kid.
“I’m just here to talk with Lindsay for a few minutes,” I answer Debbie.
Lindsay turns, giving me her attention now that she’s off the phone. Her face lights up when she sees me, her smile hitting me square in the chest.
“Hey!” she says, standing and giving me a short hug. “What are you doing here?” she asks.
“Just came by to see you and to ask you something,” I tell her and think here goes nothing.
“Oh yeah?” she questions. “What’s that?”
“Can I take you out tomorrow night on a date?”
“Ooh,” I hear coming from the other nurses behind Lindsay. “She says yes,” one of them calls out, and Lindsay’s shoulders start to shake from her laughter.
After turning to look at her coworkers, I can only imagine the look she gives them. She turns back to me. Her cheeks are a tad bit rosy from the blush that has crept onto them. “I’d love to go on a date with you tomorrow night,” she tells me as her coworkers all hoot and make a ruckus behind her. They’re almost as bad as a firehouse full of guys. Almost.
“Perfect, I’ll pick you up at five.”
“Okay.” She gives me a huge smile. “Any clues on what we’ll be doing, so I know how to dress?” she asks.
“Nothing super fancy, dress in whatever you’re most comfortable in.”
“That I can do.”
“I guess I should let you get back to work; I’ll see you tomorrow night.”
“See you then,” she says before I pull her in for a quick hug. I release her after just a few seconds. If I didn’t end the hug when I did, I don’t know that things would have stayed PG. I take a few steps back, still holding eye contact with Lindsay. “Hey, Tucker,” she says, my name all breathy like, and my damn brain goes to what she’d sound like calling my name out when I make her come.
“Yeah?” I finally remember to reply.
“Watch out behind you,” she says, a smirk on her lips as I back into a column that I forgot was behind me.
“See you tomorrow,” I reiterate. Thankfully, I don’t completely make a fool of myself by crashing and burning after running into the wall. I do, however, turn and walk straight for the door.
I head to pick up Paisley from Lilly, and then to my parents' place.
“Nona!” Paisley calls out when we walk through the door.
“There’s my princess!” Mom calls out as she pokes her head around the corner. “I’m in the kitchen; come help me with the cookies,” she tells Paisley.
“Dad’s in the living room watching football,” Mom says to me as Paisley runs to the kitchen after we’ve removed our shoes.
I head into the kitchen, stopping first to kiss my mother on the cheek and sneak a spoonful of the cookie batter, before I grab two beers from the fridge and then head out to the living room to join my dad.
“How’s it going?” he asks, kicked back in his recliner. I pop the top on one of the beers, holding it up for him. He takes it, and I do the same with the second one for me before I sit down on the couch facing the TV.
“Pretty damn good,” I tell him before I take a drink of the cold beer.
“You’re going to have to expand on that for me.” He chortles.
“Just been a good day, that’s all.”
“Who is she?” he asks; not much has ever gotten past Pops.
“What makes you think there's a woman involved?” I ask.
“A few things, actually,” he says, tipping his beer bottle at me. “First off, you practically came bouncing in here; secondly, I hear you had dinner with someone at the firehouse last night, and thirdly, you’ve just been a little different lately.”
Well, hell. “Lindsay Blackwood,” I tell him. No reason to hide anything about who’s got me wound up like a bull in a shoot, ready to be released with a rider on his back.
“Nice girl, good family, and ties to the community. She works over at the hospital, yes?” Dad questions.
“Yep, a nurse in the ER,” I confirm. “We’ve spent some time together as friends, lately, and there's been some sparks. Something that I’m interested in feeling out, so I asked her out, and we’ve got a date tomorrow night.”
“What are your plans for said date?” Dad asks.
“That, I’ve still got to figure out. All I know, so far, is that I’m picking her up at five.”
“You’d better get things figured out.” Dad laughs at my expense.
“No shit, Sherlock,” I deadpan. “I was thinking of driving over to the fall festival at the fairgrounds. We can take in the food and vendors, hang out and listen to the free concert that will be going on.”
“Is Paisley going to be with you?” he asks.
“I was hoping that she could stay the night here?” I ask, knowing that my parents, nor Paisley, would turn down the chance to have a sleepover together.
“Of course. Your mom will be ecstatic.”
“What will I be ecstatic about?” Mom asks, her and Paisley carrying a plate of warm cookies into the living room and handing them over to Dad and me.
“That Princess Paisley gets to have a sleepover with us tomorrow night,” Dad tells both of them. I hadn’t yet brought it up to Paisley but knew that she’d have no issues with it.
“Yes!” Paisley cheers, jumping up and down, throwing her fist into the air.
I snag one of the hot cookies, stuffing it into my mouth. The melted chocolate hits my tongue, and I have to hold back a groan. My mom’s always been a fantastic cook and baker. I swear she could put Betty Crocker to shame. Everyone just loves whatever she makes.
“So, what's up tomorrow night?” Mom asks, sitting down on the couch next to me.
“I’ve got a date with Lindsay,” I tell Mom, filling her in.
“About time you went after a wholesome girl,” Mom says. She’s asked me a few times over the years when I was going to settle down and possibly give her and Dad more grandkids. Seeing as I’m an only child, I’m their only shot at grandkids, and while I know they’d be happy as can be with just Paisley, they’d like to spread the love around to some more, if they come along.