drink. “You two are welcome to have something stronger. Nick said if I couldn’t drink champagne he wouldn’t, either.”
He slid his arm around his new bride and pulled her close. “In the spirit of solidarity. We’re pregnant.”
Avery laughed. “You’ll be singing a different tune when her ankles swell up.”
“If I could share that, I would,” he declared, laughter in his eyes.
“Right,” Avery and Spencer said together.
He met her astonished gaze, then cleared his throat. “As best man it’s my honor to make a toast to the happy couple.”
“Please,” Ryleigh said.
“First of all, congratulations. To my friend, Nick, health and happiness.” He clinked his glass to the groom’s. “And Ryleigh. You look happier than I’ve ever seen you and more beautiful. All brides should be pregnant.”
Spencer glanced at Avery and saw a frown in her eyes for just a fraction of a second. So quick he wondered if he’d imagined it. Except he’d been on the receiving end of numerous O’Neill frowns and knew he wasn’t mistaken. She’d looked the same way during the ceremony, when Nick and Ryleigh pledged their love to each other and their child. That wasn’t a frown-worthy moment. Which made it another in a growing list of questions about the mysterious, yet intriguing Miss Avery O’Neill.
“Thank you, Spencer. That was lovely.” Ryleigh picked up the single white rose she’d held during the ceremony and handed it to her maid of honor.
Avery looked surprised as she took the flower. “You’re giving this to me?”
“Yes. It’s simple, beautiful and pure. A symbol of my love for Nick. Traditionally whoever catches the bridal bouquet will be the next to get married, but I didn’t want a bouquet.”
“Good, because I don’t want to get married.” But she held the rose to her nose and breathed in the fragrance.
“This represents nothing more than my hope that you’ll find a love as enduring and perfect as Nick’s and mine.”
“Thank you.” Avery’s voice trembled with emotion just before she leaned over and hugged her friend.
“Okay, Mrs. Damian, now it’s time to mingle with the other guests,” Nick said.
“Lead the way, Dr. Damian.”
Hand in hand the newly weds went outside. Avery started to follow and Spencer stopped her with a hand on her arm.
“Wait a second.”
“Why?”
“I’d like to clear the air while we have a minute.”
“There’s no air to clear.”
“Come on,” he said. “This is me. I know you’re not very good at hiding your feelings. And I mean that as a compliment.”
“Look, Dr…. Spencer,” she said. “There’s nothing to say. After today, any personal obligations that we have in common are fulfilled.”
“But there’s still our mutual business trip,” he reminded her.
“Mutual, meaning shared. But that’s not the case with us. You’ll do your thing. I’ll do mine. Our paths may be parallel, but won’t necessarily cross. So, again, no air to clear.”
“So, you don’t want to meet my family?”
“Excuse me?”
“My parents live in Dallas. My sister and her family will be there on vacation at the same time.”
“Is that why you were so—” She stopped for a moment, searching for the right adjective. “So aggressive in your pursuit of robotic technology?”
“If I wanted to visit, I’m perfectly capable of doing that on my own. Combining objectives is better time management. My schedule is complicated and it can be a challenge to work in a vacation. Surgery can’t always be put on hold. Emergencies happen. You get my point.”
“I do,” she agreed. “But, I have a budget meeting with the regional VP and you’re seeing family. As I said, we won’t be joined at the hip. So, still no air to clear.”
There was no animosity in her expression, just a matter-of-fact resignation. Usually women wanted to cross his path. They went out of their way to stand smack in the center of his path so there was no way on earth he could possibly miss them.
Not this woman.
He couldn’t swear that there wasn’t just a little ego involved in his curiosity to figure out how she rolled, what was going on with her. Why she wasn’t interested.
“Why do you dislike me?”
“I don’t.” Her eyes didn’t quite meet his.
“I’m the first to admit that sometimes my determination can be off-putting—”
“Really? That’s the best description you’ve got?” She smiled, but it was brittle around the edges.
“Okay. My standards are high. I can be a real pain.”
“You’ll get no argument from me.”
“I’m told determination is a good quality.”
“Unless you’re going after something you can’t have,” she said.
He had a feeling they were no longer talking about surgical technology.
“So, you don’t like me.”
“Let’s just say you remind me of someone.”
“And you don’t like him?”
“No, I don’t.” That signature O’Neill frown darkened her eyes again. “Now, if that’s it, I’m going to join the celebration on the patio.”
That wasn’t all, but he didn’t stop her from leaving. Spencer knew he was paying the price for whatever the jerk she didn’t like had done to put the twist in her panties. He would be happy to untwist and remove said panties, but it was going to take some effort.
He was nothing if not a high achiever, and determination was his middle name. However long it took, he was going to show her that he was a nice doctor who more than met her criteria for having sex.
Chapter Two
Bright and early Monday morning, Avery walked into her office at Mercy Medical Center where her assistant was waiting. Chloe Castillo was a brown-eyed, curly-haired brunette in her mid-twenties. She was pretty, smart, funny and, right now, quivering with anticipation.
“I want to hear all about the wedding,” she said. “Don’t leave anything out.”
“Good
