Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 83961 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 420(@200wpm)___ 336(@250wpm)___ 280(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83961 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 420(@200wpm)___ 336(@250wpm)___ 280(@300wpm)
I don’t know if I’ll ever listen to another singer the same way again.
I laugh at my own thoughts. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think I was falling in love at first sight with this woman.
I barely know her. The longing wistfulness of her last song touched me in a way I never knew music could. That’s it. Nothing more than that.
I’ve been so busy at the hospital lately. I haven’t gotten a chance to go out to live performances as much as I’d like. It’s so easy to get muddied down with the little things, forget how much beauty exists in the world.
Bianca Montrose gave me a huge reminder of that this evening.
I’ll never forget it.
You’d think that all the time I spend around the sick and dying would make me seek out the things that make life worth living, but it’s had the opposite effect. I’ve become numb. Going from day to day without feeling anything, just putting in the motions and then going home, watching TV with a half-empty glass of wine in my hand before going into a night of dreamless sleep, ready to start the cycle again the next morning.
Bianca could break that cycle.
Even if I never see her again, I’ve been inspired by her performance. I won’t take the little things for granted in the future. I’ll seek out the world’s beauty and relish it.
One thing is for sure, though.
I want to get to know Bianca Montrose better.
Her sister is on the board of my hospital. It can’t be that hard to get to know her.
Then again, Rouge has always come off as pretty withdrawn in the few board meetings I’ve attended. My best move is to pursue Bianca while she’s still in my sightline. And right now she’s scurrying into her dressing room.
I need to talk to her.
To tell her how much her performance moved me. That a few minutes of her singing one of her favorite songs completely realigned the way I think about life.
But also, perhaps, to ask her to dinner.
To dinner…and then drinks.
And then my bed.
Whoa, tiger. One step at a time.
Right. First things first. I’ll tell her how wonderful she sounded. Hopefully that’ll ignite a friendly conversation which I can organically steer into a dinner invitation.
I snuff out the remains of my cigar and then cross the Clubs section toward Bianca’s dressing room when—
“Dr. O’Rourke!”
A chill runs down my spine and goosebumps erupt all over my arms at the haughty voice behind me. I slowly turn around.
Sure enough, Rouge Montrose, bedecked in a violent assemblage of greens, is standing behind the chair where I was just sitting.
Not the Montrose I was hoping to talk to.
Isn’t she supposed to be out at one of her other clubs tonight?
Maybe she came back early.
I don’t rightfully give a shit.
I’ll just blow her off and then go after her gorgeous sister.
I paste on a smile. “Hello, Rouge. How are you this evening?”
Her eyebrows twitch. “The question, Doctor, is how are you? That is to say, through what happenstance do we at Aces Underground owe the privilege of your patronage this evening?”
My God, this woman talks like a crossword puzzle at a high tea.
“I’m the guest of a member.”
“Which member?” Her eyes flicker. “It is my recollection that you have only come here as the plus-one of Maddox Hathaway. And Mr. Hathaway has been abroad for the last few weeks with his new lover, Miss Maravilla. I believe you know her as well?”
“I do. She’s a nurse at my hospital. We’ve missed her the last few weeks.”
“I’m sure you have. Such a light as hers is difficult to extinguish.” She purses her lips. “But we’re getting off the subject. With whom did you enter the club this evening, Doctor?”
Shit. I don’t want to get Bianca in trouble.
“I didn’t sneak in, if that’s what you’re implying.”
She lays a hand over her breast. “Goodness, no. I would never assume such a thing. Not only because of your standing in our community, Doctor, but because we have top-notch security here at Aces. Nobody gets in without Chet’s approval.”
Okay, good. Maybe I can pin this on Chet instead of Bianca. He’s a shifty little fucker and probably has it coming.
“I can assure you that I have Chet’s approval.”
She blinks. “Of course. It would be impossible for you to be here without it.”
“Then why does it matter who I came here with tonight?”
She narrows her eyes. “Why are you being so guarded with this information?”
“Rouge, you have a club full of patrons.” I gesture around. “Why are you singling me out?”
“I’m merely making conversation, Doctor. But your refusal to answer my question makes me suspicious.” She takes a step toward me, her gaze darkening. “You do realize that everyone frequenting Aces Underground does so at my pleasure? Answer my question, or I will have no choice but to have you escorted out.”