Given New Worlds Read online

  “That’s why I asked you on a date. To get to know you.”

  “I mean…” she faltered. “Didn’t Dad tell you about me and dating?”

  “He threatened me to an inch of my life if anything happened to you. He told me to keep you far away from any cameras or media. He told me that I’d better not kiss you until at least the tenth date,” then Sean broke into a conspiratorial whisper, “but if we have a little smooch at date nine, I won’t tell.”

  Abby laughed, but it was short lived. He wasn’t going to like her next sentence. “Sean. I’ve never dated a boy before.”

  He lifted that eyebrow. That sexy eyebrow on the right side of his face. The eyebrow that caused her knees to weaken and her heart to pitter-pat. “You’re a dating virgin?” he asked with a smile.

  “Sean. I’m an everything virgin. This is one of the first times that I’ve even been alone with a guy in a room besides my cousin Greg and my Literature professor.”

  “Lit professor. Hmmm…” Sean smirked and leaned forward in his chair.

  “Not what you think. You’re so gross.”

  He laughed then, and a huge smile broke across his face.

  “What?” Abby asked, wondering if he thought she was a complete fool.

  “I must be the luckiest guy in the world.”

  At that, Abby’s heart dissolved into a sweet pile of mushy chocolate pudding. She felt his contagious smile hit her and laughed right along with him. “I don’t know if you’ll be saying that a month from now when I’m knee deep in medical terminology and I call you crying from exhaustion.”

  “You forget. I’m doing the medical route as well. We’ll both be crying. So, does this mean that I can call you my girlfriend?”

  Abby was overwhelmed with joy. She was a girlfriend. She had a boyfriend - and an amazing one at that. It was so surreal. “I’d love that.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  THEIR first date was dinner at a Thai restaurant where they laughed about text autocorrects, television shows they’d watched as children, and popular bands. Abby told Sean about her frequent interactions with famous movie stars and directors, while he explained the relaxing enjoyment of mowing lawns.

  Their second date of lunch at an Italian eatery was much more serious as Sean shared some of his horrific experiences overseas. Of course, he couldn’t say much, because most of it was classified. But it was enough to give Abby a small taste of what the soldiers were going through over there.

  The third date was movie night at the condo. Abby picked out Beauty and the Beast and Sean brought Die Hard. Sean’s movie won the coin toss, and after a satisfying meal of chicken marsala along with a huge bowl of over-buttered popcorn, Abby could hardly keep her eyes open.

  Sean relaxed against the armrest of the couch and pulled Abby towards him. Her head settled comfortably on his chest, but the close proximity made her more awake than sleepy. She watched as a young Bruce Willis stormed around saving hostages from a Christmas party while trying to keep her mind off the warm fingertips pressed against the cool skin of her elbow.

  “I guess the first week back to school wiped you out, huh?”

  “Mmm…” Abby mumbled. “I don’t understand why you’re not exhausted. You did clinicals, plus you had to mow those lawns on Thursday.”

  “Nothing compared to Afghanistan,” he said, wrapping his arm around Abby in a cocoon of muscle and warmth. “You’ll live through it, and you’ll be stronger because of it.”

  “Let’s hope so,” she said. “The living through it part, not the stronger part.”

  Sean leaned his head down and brushed his lips against her ear. “The stronger is the best part.”

  Abby made it midway through the movie before dropping off to sleep. She didn’t remember going to bed and was pretty certain by the tang of her breath that she had never brushed her teeth. And she was not surprised that the daylight found her sleeping under the blankets in jeans and a sweater. Sean must have shipped her off to bed before he’d left.

  He’d never been in her bedroom before. The thought of Sean’s arms lifting her onto the mattress sent her heart racing again and she had to tamp it down to focus.

  Never in her wildest dreams had Abby imagined that dating could be so innocent, yet so romantic. Sean was a perfect gentleman. Always looking out for her opinion first. Making sure she was comfortable, happy, and safe. It was no wonder Dad had approved. She had only talked to Dad about it several times since ‘the approval’ and he’d dismissed it as his fatherly duty. Abby knew better than to gush. It wasn’t her style. Dad’s either. A simple thank you was enough, and on to more pertinent conversation.

  Mom, on the other hand, was continuously asking questions. Wondering if they held hands, asking about his manners, asking about how well he could hold a conversation. One twenty-minute phone call with her was enough to send Abby to bed with a migraine. She opted to avoid Mom’s phone calls after a while, and simply blamed it on school.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  BY the time they reached their ninth date, Abby was itching for that first kiss. She knew he had mentioned it in a whisper when they’d talked in the weight room, and Abby wouldn’t hold it to him if he’d just been kidding, but a kiss seemed like the only thing that could break through the stress of her third-year medical school slump.

  She was excited about her next rotation though. For two weeks, Abby and Sean would both be working in the pediatrics department together. She couldn’t help but be nervous. Abby had had her fair share of mess ups in the past several weeks. She’d been assured that this was normal for third-year students, but her parents had taught her to hold herself to a higher set of expectations, and mistakes shot her to the core.

  The day of their date was unusually warm for a Florida winter. Abby wore a sleeveless dress but brought a sweater in case the temperature dropped. Sean didn’t tell her where they were going, only that she should dress nice. When the doorbell rang, Abby was surprised that his car wasn’t parked in the usual spot in front of the condo, but in its place, was one of Dad’s government cars.

  “Don’t frown,” Sean said, smoothing a finger over her cheek. “Your parents are looking forward to seeing us together - like a real couple. This will be a fun night.”

  Glancing again at the shiny, black monolith in front of her, she doubted it, but Abby didn’t want to bring down Sean’s mood just because she didn’t feel like playing the rich girl game today.

  As they sat in the back seat, Sean inched his hand slowly to Abby’s lap while making casual conversation about weather and the neurology rotation he’d just finished. She continued to glance at the rear-view mirror, hoping that the driver wouldn’t report back to Dad that Sean kept his hand on her thigh during the entire ride. But in the end, what did it matter? After all, Dad had given his approval.

  They pulled up in front of the Center for the Performing Arts and Abby clapped her hands in delight when she saw that Swan Lake was being performed. But then she saw the throng of paparazzi. It was probably one of the invite-only performances that people like her parents attended under the guise of fundraising. But Abby, and probably everyone else, knew that they went for the publicity. She took a breath and looked back at Sean.

  “It’ll be fine,” he reassured her. “I’m with you. I’d like to see how you play this game.”

  Abby felt her heart do that thing where it melted into a happy little puddle. He understood. He knew that it was fake. The smiles, the body language, the words, all of it - an act for the paparazzi. And he would be right there with her.

  The driver opened the door and lifted his hand towards Abby. She glanced one more time back at Sean, and with a renewed confidence, stepped out into the throng with a smile on her face, shoulders back, eyes focused on nothing.

  “Abigail! Over here!”

  “Miss Ellwood! Can we have your statement on…”

  “How’s college going?”

  “Who are you wearing tonight?”

  “W
hat is your mother’s latest…”

  And then, silence and confusion from the media circus. Abby turned away from the cameras and watched as Sean stepped out of the car with confidence. He was stunning. She had been so selfish earlier, only thinking about the fact that one of Dad’s cars had been there to take them on the date, that she had looked right past him. He wore a tailored suit, crisp white shirt, and simple blue tie with red stripes running through. It looked like something that Dad would wear, but much more handsome.

  Once he stepped onto the sidewalk, Sean reached for Abby’s hand and lifted his eyebrow. A joy filled her body and glossed her face with a smile that she knew was for Sean, and Sean alone. She placed her fingers in his grasp and walked with him towards the entrance trying to focus on the paces ahead of her, yet she couldn’t help but glance up at him every few seconds. She was proud to be with him. Excited. Happy. Is that what Dad wanted for her all along? Happiness?

  “Abigail! Who’s your new man?”

  “Can we get your picture?”

  “Over here, Abby!”

  “Is it over between you and Brent Artley?”

  “Abigail!”

  “Abigail!”

  “Abigail!”

  It all turned to fuzz. She couldn’t hear anything but the sound of her own heartbeat as it flowed through her veins, down her fingers and into Sean’s palm. And she thought for sure that she could hear his heartbeat as well. He leaned down and whispered into her ear. “Don’t be rude. You should at least give them the satisfaction of one pose.”

  Abby didn’t mind. He was right. If she didn’t do anything, they would smear her over the internet as an uncaring bitch. She needed to present a compassionate, thoughtful exterior. Not so much for her own sake, but for her parents. And now - for Sean.

  They paused in their walk to the entrance. Sean wrapped his arm protectively around Abby’s waist and she lifted her shoulders back and smiled. It was different than she was accustomed. She wasn’t quite sure how to pose with another person - a man. But Sean made it easy. The exact positioning of his arms, her shoulders, his hands, her hips. It all blended perfectly. They merged into one being. A statue carved from a single piece of marble.

  She looked away from the flashing lights, up into Sean’s face. The dimple was carved into his cheek like a special gift from God. Joy filled her to the eyes, almost spilling over. But now wasn’t the time to let emotions take over. Now was the time to pose, and smile, and be the perfect senator’s daughter. The perfect offspring of a famous movie star. The perfect - girlfriend. She felt her knees weaken at the thought, but Sean held her tight.

  He leaned his head down again, brushing his lips against the stray stands of hair on her temple. “Don’t worry. I have you.”

  She took a deep breath and began to walk again with Sean’s protective hand placed comfortably against the small of her back, towards the entrance and out of the chaos. It was cool inside. A quartet played in the corner of the lobby and a man in a tuxedo waddled quickly to where Abby was trying to catch her breath from the new emotions she’d experienced outside of the theater.

  “Miss Ellwood,” the man nodded with a nervous smile. “Your parents are waiting for you in Box Four. Would you like a cocktail brought up?”

  “Umm…” Abby couldn’t think. A cocktail? Usually Dad was with her when they went to these kinds of events.

  “She’ll have a Sprite with lemon. I’ll have a scotch,” Sean said.

  “Ice?”

  “Yes, for hers, no for mine.”

  The man bobbed and stepped away while Sean placed his hand at Abby’s elbow and guided her towards the staircase. “You ordered a scotch?” Abby asked, wondering what Dad would say about her boyfriend drinking alcohol.

  “Keeping up appearances,” he said with a knowing wink.

  Abby wasn’t sure what he meant, but she hoped that maybe Dad would think that it was just a thick glass of sweet tea.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  “ABIGAIL, sweetheart. It’s so good to see you.” Mom stood first with cheek kisses and a hug.

  Dad followed with a pat on the shoulder. “So glad you could make it. You’ll be glad to know that these seats are contributing twenty thousand dollars to St. Francis Hospital.

  Abby knew about the donation. Mom had mentioned it in passing over the phone, but the fact that it included a performance of Swan Lake hadn’t been communicated. “Thank you, Dad. You know I love the ballet.”

  “Yes, dear.” He turned to Sean. “Mr. Court. How are your clinical rotations going?”

  “Fine. Just fine,” he said. Abby could see his muscles flex in a strong grip as he shook Dad’s hand. “Did Abby tell you that we would be doing the pediatrics rotation together?”

  “No, she didn’t mention that.”

  The conversation went on. Dad and Sean discussed school, military legislation, and football, while Abby and Mom reminisced about Swan Lake and Abby’s short, less-than-glamorous stint in dance classes.

  Several minutes before the show started, the nervous attendant brought their drinks. Dad didn’t even seem to notice when Sean lifted his scotch off the tray. He didn’t take a sip, just set it on the small table next to him and wrapped his fingers around Abby’s hand instead.

  With a dimming of the lights, they took their seats and Sean placed his arm around the back of Abby’s chair. She leaned forward to see that her dad was in the same position with her mom. It was odd how two men could be so very different, yet so much alike.

  Throughout the ballet, Abby felt new, almost altered. She sat comfortably between her mom and Sean. Dad would occasionally lean over to comment on the production while Mom and Abby passed tissues back and forth. Sean smiled, nodded, laughed, and frowned appropriately through each act. Occasionally, Abby looked up to see her own emotion reflected in his eyes.

  After the performance, as they left the box seats to mingle and schmooze with the crowds, Abby noticed the yet untouched glass of scotch sitting on the table next to her seat. “You didn’t drink it.”

  “Keeping up appearances,” he said, once again.

  In the hubbub of the lobby, Dad shook hands and discussed legislation, Mom marketed the film that would be released in the fall, and Abby tried to avoid conversation as usual. But the appearance of her new beau had already started the tongues wagging and she knew that she would have to do media control soon, or the wagging tongues would develop their own stories. She eyed the crowd and spotted Mrs. Bosworth. A woman with kind eyes, but a vicious mouth. She made eye contact and Mrs. Bosworth immediately rushed over in excitement. She would be the first one to get the scoop and it would surely increase her rank in social status.

  “Well, Abigail Ellwood. Don’t you look pretty tonight? I didn’t expect to see you here. Aren’t you in the middle of medical school?”

  Mrs. Bosworth cosmetically avoided the question about the man on Abby’s arm, waiting for the information to be offered independently. The skill of political correctness was heavy with the Bosworth family, and Abby knew how to wade the waters just as well. “Oh yes, but I couldn’t have missed such a wonderful cause. As you know, my clinical work is at St. Francis.”

  “Yes, yes. That’s right. It’s good that you’ll be able to see exactly where the money is going. We always worry that our funds are being misused. How wonderful that you’ll be there to supervise.”

  Abby laughed politely. “Well, I don’t know about that. After all, we do stay very busy. So much to learn. Right, Sean?” She looked up at Sean who was smiling politely, his eyes focused directly at Mrs. Bosworth with a gaze that was interested, but not committed. Perfect.

  “Oh?” Mrs. Bosworth asked before Sean could respond. “Are you in the medical program as well?”

  He offered his hand, and Mrs. Bosworth placed her fingers on his palm. He lifted them and tipped his head in respect before answering. He was so smooth. Abby wondered if Dad had put him through social skills training along with all the ridiculous forms that he
’d had to sign.

  “Yes, ma’am. I was originally considering anesthesiology but have found that neurology is much more interesting. But, I guess the first step is getting through these clinicals, right?” Then Sean smiled that smile with the dimple and Abby watched Mrs. Bosworth fall in love.

  “Oh my, yes. Neurology is a good career. My late husband, bless his heart, was a gastroenterologist. Have you considered that line of work?”

  Sean tipped his head in thought and paused the perfect number of seconds before his reply. “You know, I haven’t really thought about it, but I think I may consider it. Did he enjoy it?”

  Mrs. Bosworth laughed. “Well, it’s not about the joy of it, you know.” Then she leaned in and whispered conspiratorially. “It’s all about the money. Gastroenterologists make very good money.”

  Abby had to force herself not to roll her eyes. Of course, it was about the money for Mrs. Bosworth, but Sean didn’t let on that he was affected by her comment. He only smiled and winked, providing enough charm to weaken the knees of an entire stadium of women.

  Sean managed to work his charm on both the women and the men as they strode through the clouds of high class pomposity, even impressing Mayor Bruten with his knowledge of developing positive business relationships with foreign countries. Abby knew that bringing in new businesses was the mayor’s pet project, but the fact that Sean knew it as well shocked her silly.

  She hardly had to talk at all, which was a huge relief. Abby was always in danger of saying the wrong thing, providing a facial expression not worthy of the conversation at hand, or exhibiting incorrect posture. It was a thin line, and Sean seemed to walk it perfectly.

  Once the meet and greets were done, and Abby received the ‘you may go’ nod from Dad, she tugged on Sean’s hand and they walked towards the exit. The nervous attendant saw her approach and immediately spoke into his headset to order the car around.

  “You were fabulous,” Abby said.

  Sean took her hands and stood solidly in front of her. “You made it easy.”