Read Online A Christmas Proposal: A Hidden Threat Short Story by Sherri Hayes - Free Book Online
Authors: Sherri Hayes
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remember it from her many trips out to eat with her father when she’d accompany him to work years ago.
She took a quick look around. It was full of deep reds and bright whites. The atmosphere was quite welcoming. There were several occupied tables, a good sign. She hoped that the food was decent. The restaurant was well lit, but she could imagine having dinner here with the lights turned down. It would be the perfect intimate setting for a date.
Cali stopped her thoughts in their tracks. Why was she thinking this? Oh, right. The man sitting across from her.
Sparing him a brief glance before picking up her menu, she wondered why he’d chosen this place. They’d passed several other eating establishments on the way. Why here? Although she was curious, she couldn’t bring herself to ask. Boss, remember?
She looked up at him again, and their eyes met. He gave her a smile and her heart sped up. Cali didn’t understand it. She’d been attracted to other men, but she’d never had this type of reaction before. Maybe her teen years were coming back to haunt her, or maybe the reason she was reacting so strongly was because she knew he was off limits.
Just then, the waiter approached them. “Good afternoon. My name is Seth, and I’ll be your server today. Did you need a few minutes, or are you ready to order?”
Matthew and Cali’s eyes met again, and Matthew nodded to let her know he was ready if she was. Seth took their orders and their menus before turning from the table.
After their server left, they no longer had the menus to distract them. Cali fidgeted with the napkin on her lap, and Matthew took a sip of his water. He put his glass back on the table and cleared his throat. “Your dad said you were a doctor.”
She bought her eyes to meet his across the table. “Yes.”
When she didn’t continue, he gave her another brilliant smile. “Have you always wanted to be a doctor?”
Cali nodded. “Pretty much. My mom died of cancer when I was eleven,” she paused and gave him a shy smile, “which I’m sure you know.” He gave a knowing smile back. “After watching her suffer and not being able to do anything to help her, I knew.”
He nodded again. “It’s hard losing a parent.” She raised her eyebrows in question. “I lost my mom when I was eight. I was young, but I still remember how helpless I felt.”
“I’m sorry,” Cali mumbled.
“It’s okay. It was a long time ago.” There was a long pause. “Alvin…your dad…said you were working with Doctors Without Borders.”
Cali loved to talk about her work, and it showed in her tone. Her face took on a glow of happiness he’d not seen from her before. “Yes. I was working in Africa when I got the call from Dad.”
“How long were you there?”
“Just shy of two years. I wasn’t in one place the whole time though. They move us around to wherever they need us.”
The server came back with their food, and they dug in. Her enthusiasm continued as she told him about Rachael, Chad, and the other people she worked with at the small makeshift clinic where she’d treated the local patients. Halfway through their meal, they both fell silent.
“I met Jason Andersen this morning,” Cali said to break the tension in the air around them.
Matthew paused before laying his fork beside his plate. “When?” he demanded and then realized how harsh that sounded. “Sorry. I didn’t mean it that way. It’s just…Jason doesn’t tend to…” Matthew was trying to find a polite way of putting this. “He deals more with the operational end of things. I’m just surprised you crossed paths with him.”
“He was outside my office when I came in this morning,” Cali smiled, remembering.
“He was?” Matthew asked, surprised.
She nodded and couldn’t suppress a giggle. It appeared Matthew had no idea about Jason and her assistant. “Yes. Apparently, Lisa needed some help carrying a few things.”
He was quiet for a
She took a quick look around. It was full of deep reds and bright whites. The atmosphere was quite welcoming. There were several occupied tables, a good sign. She hoped that the food was decent. The restaurant was well lit, but she could imagine having dinner here with the lights turned down. It would be the perfect intimate setting for a date.
Cali stopped her thoughts in their tracks. Why was she thinking this? Oh, right. The man sitting across from her.
Sparing him a brief glance before picking up her menu, she wondered why he’d chosen this place. They’d passed several other eating establishments on the way. Why here? Although she was curious, she couldn’t bring herself to ask. Boss, remember?
She looked up at him again, and their eyes met. He gave her a smile and her heart sped up. Cali didn’t understand it. She’d been attracted to other men, but she’d never had this type of reaction before. Maybe her teen years were coming back to haunt her, or maybe the reason she was reacting so strongly was because she knew he was off limits.
Just then, the waiter approached them. “Good afternoon. My name is Seth, and I’ll be your server today. Did you need a few minutes, or are you ready to order?”
Matthew and Cali’s eyes met again, and Matthew nodded to let her know he was ready if she was. Seth took their orders and their menus before turning from the table.
After their server left, they no longer had the menus to distract them. Cali fidgeted with the napkin on her lap, and Matthew took a sip of his water. He put his glass back on the table and cleared his throat. “Your dad said you were a doctor.”
She bought her eyes to meet his across the table. “Yes.”
When she didn’t continue, he gave her another brilliant smile. “Have you always wanted to be a doctor?”
Cali nodded. “Pretty much. My mom died of cancer when I was eleven,” she paused and gave him a shy smile, “which I’m sure you know.” He gave a knowing smile back. “After watching her suffer and not being able to do anything to help her, I knew.”
He nodded again. “It’s hard losing a parent.” She raised her eyebrows in question. “I lost my mom when I was eight. I was young, but I still remember how helpless I felt.”
“I’m sorry,” Cali mumbled.
“It’s okay. It was a long time ago.” There was a long pause. “Alvin…your dad…said you were working with Doctors Without Borders.”
Cali loved to talk about her work, and it showed in her tone. Her face took on a glow of happiness he’d not seen from her before. “Yes. I was working in Africa when I got the call from Dad.”
“How long were you there?”
“Just shy of two years. I wasn’t in one place the whole time though. They move us around to wherever they need us.”
The server came back with their food, and they dug in. Her enthusiasm continued as she told him about Rachael, Chad, and the other people she worked with at the small makeshift clinic where she’d treated the local patients. Halfway through their meal, they both fell silent.
“I met Jason Andersen this morning,” Cali said to break the tension in the air around them.
Matthew paused before laying his fork beside his plate. “When?” he demanded and then realized how harsh that sounded. “Sorry. I didn’t mean it that way. It’s just…Jason doesn’t tend to…” Matthew was trying to find a polite way of putting this. “He deals more with the operational end of things. I’m just surprised you crossed paths with him.”
“He was outside my office when I came in this morning,” Cali smiled, remembering.
“He was?” Matthew asked, surprised.
She nodded and couldn’t suppress a giggle. It appeared Matthew had no idea about Jason and her assistant. “Yes. Apparently, Lisa needed some help carrying a few things.”
He was quiet for a
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