Stone Unhinged (The Stone Book 2) Read online

  Relief runs down my body, over my shoulders and some of my tensions eases.

  “Really? That is such wonderful news!” I exclaim, practically jumping off the table in excitement.

  “Just give me a few minutes and I’ll get the nurse in here to remove everything,” he states with a pat on my leg.

  The nurse arrives quickly to remove the casts and has me sign a few papers when she is done. I am just raising the pen from the form when Dr. Young strides back into the room to examine my ankle, leg, and arm. As I watch him move my ankle side to side, he startles me when he speaks off topic.

  “Mallory, I want to apologize for my forwardness in your hospital room when you were initially admitted last month. It was extremely unprofessional of me.”

  A little disheartened by the knowledge that he regrets asking me out, I attempt to shrug it off.

  “Oh, don’t worry about it,” I say nonchalantly. "I didn’t think you were serious anyway.”

  “I was serious about taking you out sometime, but I was referring to when I kissed you. I shouldn’t have acted in that manner.”

  “That’s…um…ok. I didn’t mind it,” I reply quietly, suddenly feeling shy.

  Nodding his head in reply, I can see a small smirk grace his full mouth as he finishes scribbling something on my patient chart. Placing the clipboard on the counter, he leans back against the granite that borders the side of the wall.

  “Well, Mallory, everything is good to go. Please don’t hesitate to call if you have any trouble.”

  I nod in acknowledgement of his words, then take a deep breath as I decide to follow Madison’s advice.

  “Bradley?” I ask, my voice a little shakier than I’d like it to be, “I’d still like to go out with you. That is, if you’re still interested.”

  “I’m still very interested, Mallory,” he replies as a large smile spreads across his face. “I have rotations in the emergency room for the next three weeks. Why don’t we plan on three Fridays from now? I’m sorry it can’t be any sooner.”

  “That sounds great.”

  “Alright, well I’ll call you later to finalize everything. I’m looking forward to it, Mallory.”

  “Me, too.”

  As Bradley exits the room, he briefly turns his head in my direction and winks as he closes the door.

  Driving home, I’m practically bouncing in my seat while I sing along to a catchy tune on the radio. Rushing into my apartment, I immediately call Madison in the hopes she can give me some advice before my date with Bradley in three weeks. Of course she wanted a complete play-by-play, and butterflies fill my stomach as I disclose every moment of our interaction in the exam room. When I express my fears to her, she immediately plans to enroll us both in a speed-dating group for tomorrow evening. I hope she is right and that this group will help ease my fears of dating again.

  Arriving at my home around lunchtime on Saturday, Madison brings all of her gear to make me over. After a few hours of waxing, buffing, and cleansing my skin, I settle on a burgundy and pink sweater, black pencil skirt, and black knee high boots. Once I am dressed, it’s finally time for Madison to work her magic on my makeup and hair.

  I can barely recognize myself when she is finished. My hair lays in soft waves, framing my face while the bangs she cut sweep across my brows. The fresh look puts a bit more pep in my step and I am excited to meet some new people tonight, hopefully a few will spark my interest.

  We enter the restaurant designated by the speed-dating group and find our spots at two tables adjacent to each other. Looking at the other female participants, I am intrigued by their stories and what brought them to this point. My train of thought is derailed, however, by an older woman who is addressing the group. She explains that this evening we will have five minutes to spend with each of the ten male participants. After the fifty minutes are up, we are to rank each of the men in order, beginning with those we have the most interest in seeing again. The men will also do the same. Afterwards, one man will join us for our meal that evening, while another will meet us for dinner at the same restaurant next Saturday.

  Excited to begin the series, I meet all ten of the men. Though each is attractive and successful, none of them interests me in the way I had hoped. In the end, a 35-year-old finance advisor with light brown hair and kind blue eyes joins me for dinner. We spend our time discussing current events, but despite the interesting conversation, I don’t feel any attraction to my date. We end our night with a companionable agreement that we won’t seek another meeting, each of us hoping that our second dates next week are more successful.

  ~

  Monday morning, Annie, my junior executive, and Stephanie, our receptionist, greet me in the lobby of our office building with coffee and a muffin. We catch up in my office for a few moments before my former boss, Steven, knocks on my door, requesting an urgent meeting with me.

  Following Steven to the main conference room, I can’t help but wring my hands in nervousness. I’m not sure what to expect from this impromptu gathering, but I am trying to keep an open mind. I pause at the door before he even has a chance to open it.

  Grabbing his arm I suddenly blurt, “Steven, did I do something wrong? I know I was out for a while. I’m just concerned to see you back. You retired two months ago.”

  “Mallory, you’ve been fantastic, even in your absence. You’re the only person I know that would work while she was lying in a hospital bed. This is good news. I promise.”

  Ushering me into the room, the CEO, CFO, COO, Vice-Presidents, and Board of Directors greet me with warm smiles. Steven and I cross the room to take the remaining two seats at the end of the table. The CEO leads the conversation, discussing profits and our client list for the upcoming year. As I try to take in all of this information, I am startled when the CEO addresses me directly.

  “Mallory, I’m sure you’re a bit confused as to why we called you in here today for our Board of Directors meeting.”

  “I am a bit, sir. But I appreciate the chance to absorb this information.”

  With a chuckle from the group, including Steven, he continues, “Mallory, we brought you in today because you have the highest success rate in this firm. You have surpassed all of our expectations and we have a new challenge for you, one we hope that you will accept. We are looking to expand our company in an overseas venture in Europe, specifically England. We have one client particularly that we would like to confirm with a five-year contract in order to solidify our expansion. We have unanimously decided to choose you to work with this client.”

  Awestruck, I can only mouth the word, “Wow.”

  Beside me, Steven continues where the CEO left off. “Mallory, we’d like you to take some time to decide how you would like to proceed. If you’d like to head this up, I will travel with you as your advisor. And if it is successful, we’d like you to consider heading the entire branch for that market.”

  Taking a few moments to let what they have just told me sink, I say, “I am extremely flattered that you all have chosen me for this opportunity. When would you need me to leave?”

  The CEO speaks up again and addresses my question, “We don’t have an exact date, but we’d like to know your decision by the end of December. I will be e-mailing you the client information and our overall goal with this project.”

  “Ok, I will let you know by then. And thank you again for this opportunity.”

  Shaking everyone’s hand, I exit the room, still in a fog of shock of the prospect that has been offered to me. It’s a chance to start over without the cloud of Seth’s attack hanging over my head. When I arrive back in my office, I stop to consider the possibility of running into Alex or Abigail while I’m in Europe. The likelihood of that happening is the only thing holding me back from accepting the job today.

  Leaning back in the chair at my desk, I make a much-needed phone call to Will, asking him for some advice. After voicing my apprehension, he reminds me that the chances of running into Alex or Abigail are ver
y slim and that I should go and meet the clients. I still wouldn’t have to accept the lead role overseas if the move pans out. He also suggests taking Madison with me for support.

  Tapping my pen absent-mindedly against my chin while pondering my next move, my assistant Annie knocks on my office door and enters hesitantly.

  “Is everything ok? Are we in trouble?”

  “Oh, no, Annie. It actually was great news. I need to think about it, but I may be traveling to Europe towards the end of December to work with a prospective client.”

  “Really? That’s amazing. Congratulations!”

  “Thanks, but don’t congratulate me yet. I haven’t made my decision.”

  “What’s there to decide? This is a great opportunity and they selected you.”

  I only need to say one word for her to understand my trepidation, “Alex.”

  “Shit. He didn’t even cross my mind. Do you think you’d run into him?”

  “No, I don’t, but obviously my luck likes to go from extremely good to extremely bad. And I think I’ve been doing a good job at trying to get over him. I even went on a date and have two more scheduled, but I’m afraid if I see or hear about him, I’ll just fall back into my hole.”

  “Oh, Mallory. I don’t know what to say.”

  I nod my head in response, hoping that my silence will alert Annie of my need to be alone.

  “Ok, well, I’ll just drop these on your desk and head out to lunch. Do you want anything?”

  “No, I’m ok thanks. I’m meeting Nancy today, it’s been awhile.”

  “Please tell her I said hello.” As she reaches the door to my office, she pauses for a moment, searching for words, before turning back to me once more. “Mallory?” she says, sincerity in her eyes. “You’re very strong, you can do this.”

  “Thank you, Annie.”

  After Annie departs from my office, I grab my handbag and head out to lunch to meet my friend Nancy. Nancy was the concierge at The Braxton who helped me move after my breakup with Alex. She has been so kind to me and I have been putting off meeting her. In fact, I have not seen her since she visited me in the hospital.

  Opening the door to the deli we frequent, I immediately feel myself relax when her smiling face and warm eyes greet me, beaming up at me from our table. Surrounding me in a loving hug, I return her embrace with an equal amount of emotion. I realize that I have missed her dearly. We spend the next hour catching up with each other and reminiscing about our past lunches. I also tell her about my job opportunity, to which she vehemently agrees with Will and Annie, insisting that I should go. Before I leave to return to work, Nancy reaches into her pocket to retrieve two Orioles passes for next season. She explains that these tickets are to replace the ones she had previously given me for my birthday. The old ones had been trashed in the course of my kidnapping, and her thoughtfulness brings me to tears. My throat tight, I engulf her in another hug.

  Once I return to my office, I mundanely sort through my calendar and set up meetings with Annie and Steven to research this new client overseas. I also schedule a meeting towards the end of December to give the Board of Directors my final answer on the trip.

  Chapter 3

  My first date with Bradley is tonight and I am in complete shock to be going through with this. Especially since the two speed dates I have been on ended horribly. On the first date, there was simply no connection. On the second date, with a different man from the group, he spent the entire time arguing with his ex-wife, who was also on a date at the same restaurant. My hopes are that Bradley and I have a much better time, but I am a bit worried that I have made a wrong choice. I’m not sure I’m ready to get over Alex yet.

  Sifting through my closet, I decide on a brown-strapless cocktail dress and a pair of gold pumps. After straightening my hair and applying some makeup, I make my way back to the living room and anxiously wait for 6:30pm to arrive. Even though the front buzzer announces Bradley’s arrival, his knock at the door still startles me. With a slight sinking feeling, I realize I wasn’t this nervous the first time I went out with Alex. Being with him always kept me at ease. Knowing I need to stop thinking about my lost love, I breathe deeply and walk to the door, legs shaking. Wiping my hands on my dress, I try to plaster a welcoming smile on my face in a last-minute effort to disguise my anxiety.

  “Wow, Mallory. You look beautiful.”

  As I open the door, I am greeted by a charming smile that lights up his entire face. His navy blue suit fits snugly, accentuating the muscular frame that is typically hidden beneath scrubs. A gray silk tie brings out the color in his gentle blue eyes.

  Tucking a stand of hair behind my ears, I feel my cheeks turn slightly pink, “Thank you.” I murmur, “You look handsome as well.”

  “Are you ready to go?”

  “I am. Do I need anything?”

  “No ma’am, just yourself.”

  As I reach behind me to grab my gold clutch and black wrap off the small entryway table, I feel my lips curve into a shy smile.

  Closing the door, I take a hold of Bradley’s arm and follow him down two flights of stairs to the main entrance. When we arrive in the parking lot, he stops in front of a black Audi. Bradley reaches around me to open my door and helps me glide into the passenger seat. The moment his hand first touches my arm, I hold my breath, hoping beyond hope that I will feel the same electricity that blazed through my system every time Alex touched me. Unfortunately, his contact doesn’t illicit the same degree of response, but I am surprised to find I feel a hint of excitement at his closeness.

  Once at the restaurant, we fall into a pleasant conversation and realize that we share a lot of common interests, the most important of which is that he is an Orioles fan. I ask him about his family and how he became a doctor. Bradley tells me that he is from Ohio, and that they moved here when he was in high school for his father’s job. It so happens that his father is a physician as well. When he mentions to me that he volunteers at a local institute, I choose not to relay that Alex volunteers there as well when he is in the United States.

  Glancing around the cozy restaurant, I take note of the couples all tucked into their individual booths. One pair in particular catches my attention. An older gentleman with who I assume is his wife. Judging by the way he gazes at her, you can tell that she owned him, heart and soul. I used to look at Alex like that.

  Even after the meal is finished, our conversation continues and we start rattling off silly stories and jokes, finding that we completely enjoy each other’s company. Finishing one of my horrendous college stories, we glance around and realize that the restaurant is empty. Glancing down at my watch, I am startled to see that it is midnight, well past closing time. Horrified, I glance up at Bradley as he starts to laugh hysterically.

  “Don’t worry, Mallory. I know the owner of this restaurant. That’s how I knew the food would be so good.”

  “Oh my gosh, this is so embarrassing. I bet all the staff wants to get home.”

  “It’s ok, really. I am having a great time.”

  “Me, too,” I reply with a smile.

  “Do you want to go somewhere else?”

  “Sure, but where else is open at midnight that isn’t a bar or club?”

  “Oh, I know a place,” he says, eyes sparkling, as he slips his debit card on top of the check.

  Once our meal is paid for, he beckons me out of the restaurant and escorts me to his car. We drive only a few blocks before stopping in front of an old retail building.

  Confused, I ask him, “Where are we going?”

  “You’ll see. Be open-minded. You can trust me.”

  Ah, trust: the crux of my problems. Taking my hand, he intertwines our fingers and guides me down a small alleyway. My nerves begin to get the better of me as the path continues to darken. Stopping in front of a heavy gray door, Bradley knocks three times. A small willowy lady greets us with a large smile and proceeds to pull Bradley in by his arm. Though against my better judgment, his excitement is
so contagious that I follow him farther into the building. We walk through an industrial kitchen and come out through a swing door, finding ourselves in the last place I’d expect: right in the middle of an ice-cream diner that is full of people, young and old.

  “Where are we?” I ask, my eyes widening, “I’ve never seen this place before.”

  “This is Lotta’s Ice Cream Parlor. It’s the only place still open in this old shopping center. Only locals know about it. I found it by mistake when I was an unruly teenager in high school. I come here once a week, at least.”

  “This place is amazing!” I reply, glancing around the 50’s style diner.

  Fountain drink and milk shake machines glisten atop Formica countertops and tables. The same small woman that led us to the parlor glides up beside Bradley and pokes him in the arm.

  “Young man, aren’t you going to introduce me to your pretty lady?”

  “I’m sorry, ma’am. Lotta, this is Mallory Winston. Mallory, this is Lotta Hernandez. She’s the owner.”

  “Lotta, it is wonderful to meet you. You have quite a place here.”

  “Well, aren’t you a darling thing, but too skinny, you need some food. Here, take a seat and I’ll bring you my specialty.”

  “Specialty?” I ask Bradley as she bustles away.

  “Oh yes, I hope you left a lot of room. She’s bringing you her banana split. It’s gigantic.”

  “No worries. Ice cream and I have a love-love relationship. And I am a bottomless pit when it comes to sweets.”

  “Ok, you want to make a wager?”

  “I’m a betting kind of girl. What are the terms?”

  “Well, if you finish the entire thing, I’ll let you decide how tonight ends. And if you don’t finish it, I get to decide.” His blue eyes twinkle as Lotta presents me with a heaping, gallon-sized bowl of ice cream.

  “And Mallory?” He winks, “I’m really looking forward to kissing you tonight,”

  For a few minutes I stare wide-eyed at the concoction of ice cream and toppings placed on the table.