Page 20 of Maxwell

“Takes one to know one,” she sang.

They fell into a rhythm as they cleared the rest of the room. He folded chairs while she gathered the leftover food onto the cart. When the room was clean, they exited together, putting the leftovers in the break room refrigerator and the cart in the supply closet.

Back in his office, Maxwell slung his backpack over his shoulder and flipped off the light. Jasmine was coming out of her office as he stepped into the hallway.

“You have big plans this weekend?” he asked as they strolled toward the front entrance.

“Nothing special. You?” She cast a sidelong glance at him.

Maxwell pushed open the door and let her walk ahead, her sweet scent drifting under his nose. The same intoxicating scent he had been reluctant to wash off his skin. Cherries jubilee. How did she manage to smell so good even at the end of the day?

“No nice guys lined up?” he asked, ignoring her question.

They walked into the cold air.

“Why did you make ‘nice guys’ sound like something bad or dirty?”

“Nice is boring.”

“Nice is…” She paused, and he waited, his eyes trained on her in expectation. Whatever she was about to say, she clearly changed her mind. “Mind your business, Dr. Santana.”

“Maybe you are my business,” Maxwell said, strolling beside her.

As she opened her car door, the corners of her lips twitched as if she were fighting a smile. “Good night.”

“That’s it? No smart ass comeback?”

“Contrary to what you believe, I’m not constantly trying to pick a fight with you, and I do appreciate what you did today. I give you some points for being useful even though you’re new at the practice.”

“I get the feeling you’re stingy with your points.”

“I’m hard to impress.”

“I can tell. Next week, then?”

“For what?”

“To improve and get more points.”

She paused, a faint smirk on her lips as she slid into the driver’s seat. “I’ll think about it. Have a good weekend, Maxwell.”

“You too.”

He walked to his own vehicle and climbed in, starting the car and letting it warm up, same as she did.

When she drove away, he remained in the parking lot, thinking. There was something there. Something pulling him inextricably closer to Jasmine, which he couldn’t ignore or deny. She had him looking for openings and excuses to spend time with her, and he enjoyed chatting with her and teasing her.

She wasn’t just a pretty face. In the short time he’d been there, he saw how hard she worked and her competence. She was always coming up with new ideas and cared about the staff and their patients.

Maxwell wasn’t in the habit of chasing women, but if there was a woman worth chasing, her name was Jasmine Roberson.

Chapter Nine

Maxwell strolled into the reception area, his head bent over a chart. “Hey, Renee, I have a question for you,” he said to one of the medical assistants. He had started seeing patients on Monday and was still getting up to speed.

Renee was helpful in that regard. She was the quieter of the two medical assistants but the most efficient, and she was the one who tended to thoroughly answer his questions. He’d learned this and much more in the three weeks since he started.

For instance, all of Dr. Park’s nutrition consultations took place in the afternoon, leaving the mornings free for routine well visits. Keisha kept a stash of protein bars and chocolate bars in the second drawer of her desk for the days when she skipped lunch or worked late.