Don’t Mind If “I Do” by Everly Ashton

Five

Mazzy

I hold the phone. Well, that went exactly as I’d expected but not how I’d hoped.

I’m not surprised Nick hung up on me, though I thought he’d let me get out more than two words. Apparently, time doesn’t heal all wounds. He still hates me as much as he did the last time I saw him. A small part of me doesn’t blame him.

I slide my phone back inside my Birkin bag and glance around the upscale restaurant.

I’m shocked that after all these years, he still has the same phone number. It wouldn’t have mattered though. I have my ways to track it down.

But now I have to figure out my next move. Because as much as I don’t want to need Nick, I do. And I only hope that his sense of honor hasn’t changed over the years.

I toss back the last of my Bellini and pull my phone from my Birkin once again to do what I’ve managed not to thus far—I google Nick. Of course it doesn’t take long to find him—he’s one of those charismatic guys that the camera loves. But rather than finding his bio on a hospital website or social media links like I assumed I would, I find an article in a local paper, complete with a video of him making out with a nurse.

The video of his arms wrapped around the woman, his lips on hers, his hands in her hair shouldn’t hurt like a pinprick to the heart. I wish I didn’t remember how intoxicating it is to be the object of his affection.

After scanning the article, I don’t glean much information about his relationship with the nurse. I’m unclear whether she is important to him or not. This could be a problem for me. A real problem if she’s a key part of his life.

But first things first. I need him to speak to me before I can hold him to the pact we made when we were kids.

* * *

A week later,I walk through the sliding doors of the emergency room at the hospital Nick works at. I contemplated ambushing him at home but pictured him slamming the door in my face. I figure he won’t make a scene among his colleagues, which should allow me to get a few words out at least.

I don’t even know for certain that he’s working at the moment, but I took my chance because time is of the essence. After I left my dad’s office last week, I racked my brain for who I could find to marry me.

My criteria is as follows:

1. Must not be someone I can fall for and vice versa. This needs to be a business arrangement and nothing more. After my short-lived marriage and all my disasters in dating that proceeded it, I’m wiping my hands clean of love.
2. It needs to be someone I might actually marry if the circumstances were different. No one would believe we were really in love if I said I’d fallen for some millionaire pushing sixty or the barista at Starbucks. It has to be someone my parents could conceivably support me marrying, especially since my mom won’t be privy to the reason why I’m getting married.
3. My groom has to get something out of it too. That ensures that no matter how intolerable the situation might become, he won’t bolt at the first sign of trouble.

Nick fits all three of my criteria perfectly. Plus, I have something else to hold over him if all else fails.

“Can I help you?” the nurse working at the desk asks when I approach.

I give her my best smile and glance at her name tag. “Hi, Priscilla, I’m hoping to speak with Dr. Ryan.”

Her eyes narrow. “For what purpose?” She stands and crosses her arms over her ample chest.

“That’s personal.” I maintain my smile. I’ve dealt with worse than this woman. Try being on the front page of the entertainment section because your husband is cheating on you.

“Well as you can see, this is a place of employment, so you can take your personal reasons elsewhere.”

“I’m not sure what I’ve done to offend you, but I really do need to speak with Dr. Ryan.” I interject an air of authority into my voice.

But this woman doesn’t care at all. “I’m sick of you people coming in here to poke your nose around. You need to leave before I call security.” She raises her hand and points over my shoulder at the entrance I just came from.

“You people?” I feel more forehead wrinkles forming and I swear I practically hear my mother’s voice in my head, telling me it’s time for Botox.

Before I can respond, an attractive blonde nurse comes up to Priscilla’s side. Her name tag reads Lucy. I recognize her as the woman from the video.

“Everything okay?” Lucy asks.

“This one wants to speak with Dr. Ryan.” Priscilla waves at me in distaste.

Lucy rolls her eyes. “Another reporter? When are you guys gonna get it through your thick skulls that the answer is and will remain no comment?”

I hold up my hands. “I’m not a reporter.”

“They all say that,” Lucy says, rolling her eyes and walking away.

That’s why Priscilla was so prickly about me wanting to speak to Nick. I know better than anyone how reporters can be like hookers and hand jobs—they won’t stop until the job is finished. But I don’t know if Lucy is upset because she’s in the video too or whether it’s because Nick is someone special to her and she’s being protective.

“You need to leave,” Priscilla says again.

“I swear I’m not a reporter. I need to speak to Nick please.”

No surprise transforms her features from the fact I know his first name. I thought I’ve made headway, but I guess any good reporter would have dug that information up too. She pinches her lips together again.

I decide to try a different tactic. “All right then. I need to see a doctor.”

She tilts her head, her face void of emotion.

“I said I need to see a doctor.” I sure hope that after all this, Nick is working.

Priscilla crosses her arms against. “And what exactly do you need to see a doctor for?”

My gaze darts over some pictures behind her and I blurt out the first thing I see—on an STD poster. “Chlamydia.”

“Chlamydia?”

I close my eyes for a second and supress the urge to cringe. “Yep, chlamydia.”

“Very well then, let’s get some information from you.”

She runs through a list of questions about sexual partners I’ve had, my symptoms, etc. But we both know she can’t refuse me treatment now that I’ve requested to see a doctor. I only hope the doctor who shows up is Nick Ryan—my ex-best friend, ex-love, and the guy I made a marriage pact with so many years ago.