Doctor’s Duties by K.C. Crowne

Chapter 25

LOGAN

Iwas excited. Abby and I had plans to see one another again that night, and it seemed like time was moving by as slowly as possible, each minute taking forever. I tried to keep myself in check as the day went on, knowing that it wasn’t a good idea to get that eager about a woman – especially a student.

But it was hard. In between classes in my office, I found myself daydreaming about what might happen between the two of us. The fake marriage situation needed to be navigated, sure. And that wouldn’t be easy. It was doable, however. We could live together off and on, keeping up appearances for her family.

I’d need to get her out of my class as quickly as possible. I’d spoken to Maya Pritchard, the dean of the oncology department, about a hypothetical situation in which a student and professor became involved. I’d told Abby’s parents about it, twisting the truth just a bit to make it sound like the hypothetical couple I talked to the dean about was me and Abby.

Maya had told me that there was very little tolerance for such situations. I suggested the possibility of retirement for the professor, and she’d let me know that if a professor weredating a student and he did have plans for retiring, he’d better hope the retirement happened before anyone found out about the relationship.

I’d barely gotten out of the conversation without her suspecting it was me.

So, I had until the end of the semester. I’d planned on waiting until the end of the school year, but with a little doing I’d be able to make my retirement happen by the semester’s end. But I’d still have to get the class with one of the associate professors going, then put Abby in it as quickly as I could. On top of it all, I didn’t want to be in a position where I’d be the one giving her the final grade for the class – that didn’t feel right to me one bit.

It’d be a mess. But it was doable.

A knock sounded at my office door as I was in the middle of checking my email. I glanced up to see Dr. Jolene McCallister poking her head into my office, a smile on her face. I shot up in my seat, as if she’d busted me in the middle of doing something I shouldn’t have been.

Well, it was true in a sense – I was thinking about how to trick my place of employment into not knowing that I was dating one of my students.

“You alright?” she asked as she stepped in. “That was a little jumpier than I’m used to from you.”

“It’s, uh, this new coffee I’m trying – huge caffeine content. It’s good but gets me a little edgy.”

That was something about this new life of deception I was struggling with. Not only did I dislike lying, I wasn’t any damn good at it.

“Got it,” she said. “Anyway, funny thing happened today at the library.”

“What’s that?” I asked, gesturing for her to sit down.

“There’s this book I was looking to check out, it’s called Cancer Detection in Autopsy. I think you can guess why someone like me would be interested in something like that.”

“Because you’re the best damn coroner in town and you’re always looking to learn.” I finished this up with a grin.

She laughed. “Kiss ass. Anyway, they didn’t have it. I really need it for some research I’m doing and, believe it or not, the only copy in the state is in the Colorado Med library.”

“But it’s gone.”

“Yep. Because the only copy in the state of the book I need isn’t in the library after all – it’s in the possession of one Dr. Logan Frost.”

I scrunched my brow.

Then it hit me.

“Oh, shoot!” I said. “You’re right – I checked that out for an assignment I was thinking of doing for my intro class. Damn, I must’ve had it for —”

“Seven months,” she finished for me, raising an eyebrow as she spoke.

“God, I totally forgot I had it.”

“They said they send reminders through email.”

“Yeah, but the library also sends emails out for every little event they’re having there. Not like I check on every single one.”

“Well, regardless, you have the book and I need it. You got any big plans for tonight?”

I did – with Abby. But she wasn’t due to come over until after six.

“Something a little later. But you can come by when I’m done on campus.”

“Something later?” she asked, raising an eyebrow again. “What, like a date?”

Shit. Already it was time for another lie.

“Something like that. I might be having drinks with a woman I met off Bumble.”

“The great Dr. Frost is finally back in the dating pool.”

“It’s a big maybe,” I said. “Dating’s the last thing I’ve got time for these days.”

“Do it,” she said. “All work and no play make Logan…you know the rest. Anyway, will you have time beforehand to dig that book up for me?”

“Sure. Want to meet at my place around five? Might take some looking around, but I can fix you up with a glass of wine while you wait.”

“This is sounding better and better,” she said with a smile as she hopped out of her seat. “See you then, doc.”

Moments later she was gone, and I was left with the knowledge that I’d just lied to one more person. What the hell would happen if this all got out? Forget merely losing my job – I’d gain a reputation as a liar, someone who’d bend the truth to get what I wanted. How could anyone trust me after something like that?

The rest of the day passed without incident, and before heading out at around four-thirty, I fired off a message to Jolene to let her know I was on my way home.

See you there, doc. Hope you’re still on for the wine.

A drink with a friend sounded good right about now. But could I even consider telling her the truth of what was going on?

I debated it back and forth as I drove home. When I pulled around onto my block, I spotted something at my house that made my heart stop.

Abby was there. And she was speaking with Jolene.

What the hell was going on?

I parked and hurried out of my car, making my way to the front door as quickly as I could without drawing attention to myself. What was Abby doing there? We’d agreed to meet later, yet here she was.

I put on my lying face. After all, I couldn’t act like Abby was anything more than a student who, for some reason, was at my house.

She turned to me, surprise all over her features. “Professor Frost?”

Jolene sighed. “Hey, Logan. I told her this was your place, but she didn’t believe me.”

“Abby, right?” I asked. “From my Oncology Intro class?”

“Um, yeah. That’s me.”

“How can I help you?” It was so damn strange to talk to a woman that I’d made love to multiple times as if she were a stranger. But what else could I do?

“OK, so, here’s the story,” she said.

“She said she was looking for another student’s house,” Jolene interjected.

“Yeah, my friend James Winn. He texted me an address and it ended up being here. So, I showed up and then Dr. McCallister showed up and told me that this is your place.”

She set the lie up for me. All I had to do was run with it.

“This is my place,” I said. “And I don’t know James Winn or where he lives, but you might want to check with him and find out.”

“Oh God,” she said shaking her head. “I feel like such an idiot. I’m sorry. I’ll get out of your hair.”

Without another word, she hurried off to her car. I watched as she ran down the block, turned, and was gone.

“Can I be honest with you?” asked Jolene as I opened the door.

“Of course.”

“That,” she said, pointing in the direction Abby had gone, “that, seemed like bullshit.”

Uh-oh.

“How do you mean?”

“I don’t know. It’s like…it’s like she was waiting for you here and when I showed up she seemed scared.” We stepped inside and I shut the door. “What if she’s stalking you?”

Relief coursed through me.

“Stalking?”

“Yeah! Like, she’s got a crush on you and was hoping to show up at your house and seduce you or something.” We headed into my lounge, and I gestured for Jolene to sit on the couch.

If I’d already been drinking wine, her words would’ve caused me to spray it all over the room.

“I don’t know about that. She’s just some kid in my intro class.”

“You never know. But still, it helps to be on the safe side. If they even catch a whiff that a professor is with a student…it’d be bad.”

“Yeah, I know.” My phone buzzed in my pocket with a text.

“Anyway,” she said. “Go find that book. I’ll make myself comfy and help myself to this impressive bar of yours.”

“Sure, go for it.”

I hurried out of the room and pulled my phone from my pocket. It was a text from Abby.

Too close for comfort. Sorry, but I can’t do this anymore. I’m done.