No one was paying her any attention.
She sucked in a breath, cracked her knuckles, and did something she was not allowed to do. She typed in her grandpa’s name, accessed his patient records—in Tahoe, all the doctors were contractors to the hospital, so all the records were stored in one system—and began to read.
Chapter 27
Charlotte’s workday was its usual crazy, so by the time she made it to the break room, desperate for caffeine and a bite of something, she was beyond famished. She crossed the room, heading to the staff fridge before she remembered she hadn’t packed herself anything.
Damn. She was channeling Jane now.
“Whatever is in your bag, it smells amazing when you open the fridge,” Sandra said to her.
Charlotte turned in surprise. “What?”
“Your lunch. There’s a big brown bag in there with your name on it. Smells like Mexican food, and I’m jealous as hell.”
Charlotte opened the fridge and gaped. Because there was indeed a big brown bag in there with her name on it, and it smelled delicious. “I didn’t pack myself anything.”
“Well then, can we pretend it says Sandra on it?” the nurse asked with a laugh.
Hell, no. Because she was pretty sure she recognized that handwriting, and the person who’d written it could cook, maybe even better than she could. So she took the bag out of the fridge and to the counter, and opened it up.
There was a glass container filled with what looked like two enchiladas, a side of tortilla chips, and pico de gallo.
Her mouth watered as she pulled out the folded note.
C,
Enjoy.
Love, M
She stood there frozen in place.
Love, M . . . ?
In her pocket, her phone buzzed, indicating an incoming text, and she pulled it out.
MATEO: Check the fridge before the vultures get to it.
CHARLOTTE: You didn’t have to!
MATEO: Actually, I didn’t. If you’ll remember, I ended up in your bed last night when I got home at midnight. My mom left me a fridge full of food. And I know you didn’t have time to cook in your kitchen, since we were cooking in your bedroom until dawn, and I didn’t want you to be hungry.
Charlotte laughed out loud, then bit her lower lip when Sandra glanced over at her. She shook her head at the nurse. “Nothing,” she said.
“Nothing my ass,” Sandra said on a grin. “I wouldn’t mind having someone put that look on my face. The one that says you’ve been kept up all night in the very best of ways. Tell me it’s Dr. Hottie Patottie.”
“There are some things a woman should keep to herself,” Charlotte said with a smile.
Sandra grinned back. “Well, whatever you’re keeping to yourself, it agrees with you.”
Charlotte headed to the ER and pulled Mateo into a corner.
“The note,” she said.
“Good, you got it. I wasn’t sure the food would be safe.”
“The note,” she said again, hearing a touch of hysteria in her voice.
Mateo just looked at her.
“‘Love, M’？”
His dark eyes never wavered from hers. “Yes.”
“You . . . love me?”
His hands came up to her face. “Yes,” he said simply.
She drew in a shuddery breath.