OBSESSED

21

JARROD

The days leading to Friday were filled with every occupation I could imagine to keep myself from visiting Leah. Knowing where she lived made it all the harder to resist my temptations.

We texted continuously around our work schedules, which helped keep my impatience at bay. She had gotten bolder and began sending me selfies in her pajamas—and sometimes in much less.

Everything about this woman drove me insane. I handled myself multiple times a day to the thought of her.

Come Friday, work crawled by at an agonizing pace. Even though she'd told me she had meetings all day, I impulsively checked my phone over and over for new messages.

One of the nurses even told me I seemed a little spacey. I hoped my patients didn't notice, but I could hardly help it. Every fiber in my being was ready to see my girl again.

I finished my last patient record and practically ran out of the clinic. Leah would be showing up at my condo in an hour, so I needed to be quick at the grocery store to get a few last-minute ingredients.

This was her first experience trying my food, so I was nervous. I was no chef but I wanted to impress her. Ramen noodles and bagged salad had gotten me through medical school and I hadn't ventured far beyond either as an overworked physician.

Spaghetti wasn't hard, though. Just boil some noodles and throw a jar of red sauce in there.

Just to be sure I didn't miss anything, I called James on the way home. He went to culinary school a few years ago and had always loved to cook.

"What do you want?" he answered grumpily.

"I'm great, bro. How are you?" I mocked.

"Ready to hang up on you."

"Aren't you just a ray of sunshine today?" I rolled my eyes. "How is everything going with Jules?"

"I'm in New York right now. Mother is with her. They delayed her stay again."

"Fuck. What happened this time?"

"She threatened a nurse."

"Why?"

"Your guess is as good as mine."

I rubbed my temple. "Mom needs to take her somewhere else."

"Undoubtedly. Were you just calling to check on her? I am a little occupied tonight."

"You—occupied on a Friday night? I don't believe it. Got a hot date?"

He scoffed. "In your wet dreams. The season finale for Grey's is on."

"I was genuinely excited for you for just a second."

"Unless you have something of substance to share, I'm hanging up."

"Well, unlike you, I do have a hot date tonight. I'm making spaghetti, but I wanted to get your opinion on how to make it extra special."

"Now I'm surprised," he muttered. "Is this for the one playing hard to get?"

I grimaced. "I refused to take 'no' for an answer until she agreed."