“We would?”
“Hell yeah.” Aidan swept his hand over his chin. “Megan needs someone strong and stable like you are, and then you need someone who is so full of life like she is. I can guaran-damn-tee you that you’ve never been out with a woman like her before. Emma is like, one tenths the sassiness that Megan is.”
Pesh couldn’t help giving Aidan a skeptical look.
“Just keep an open mind, okay?”
With a reluctant nod, Pesh replied, “I will.”
“Megan,” Aidan called.
When the tiny blonde turned around, Pesh fought to catch his breath. Everything about her from her sparkling blue eyes to her long blonde hair was just like Jade’s. How was it possible for someone to remind him so much of what he had lost?
Aidan grinned as he glanced between the two of them. “I wanted to introduce you to Pesh Nadeen, the godfather.”
Thrusting out her hand, Megan smiled warmly at him. “It’s very nice to finally meet you.”
He stared at it a moment before his good manners overrode his shock. He took her hand in his and shook it. “It’s very nice meeting you, too.”
“I’ll leave you two to get to know each other,” Aidan said. Before Pesh could protest, Aidan turned and disappeared into the crowd.
He turned to Megan and tried clearing his throat of what felt like a wad of sawdust. He knew he should try to make polite conversation, but he was still so shell-shocked by the way Megan looked.
Finally, she took pity on him. “So, Emma tells me you’re a doctor.”
Pesh smiled politely. “Yes, I am.”
“What type of medicine?”
“Emergency Services.”
Megan’s face lit up. “Oh, how interesting. I’m about to finish nursing school, and I’ve asked for clinical placement in the ER.”
Pesh widened his eyes in surprise. Aidan had failed to mention that they had the medical profession in common. “Really?”
Megan nodded. “I’m hoping to get placed at Grady, even though my parents would die a thousand deaths.”
He cocked his brows at her. “I assume they’re afraid for your safety?”
“Yes. They can’t help worrying about the neighborhood. They sometimes forget I’m an adult, rather than a child.”
“What is it about Grady that attracts you?”
“Besides the fact that it’s nationally recognized for its ER?”
He smiled. “Yes, besides the accolades.”
Megan tilted her head in thought. “I guess it’s the fact I really want to feel like I’m making a difference and saving lives. I feel like at Grady I would be seeing some of the worst cases imaginable, and in turn some people who really don’t have a lot of hope.”
He was taken aback by her words and the passion with which she delivered them. While she possessed a beautiful exterior, she certainly seemed to have a greater depth of character than he had originally expected. He didn’t often meet someone like her. Most of the women at the hospital who threw themselves at him possessed only surface beauty. He didn’t have to be with them very long to perceive their true shallowness and self-centeredness. To them, he was a prize to be won. He couldn’t ever imagine Megan feeling that way. She wasn’t the type of woman to care about a trophy man on her arm—she wanted to make her own way in the world.
“It is so good to hear someone speak with such passion about nursing.”
“Really?”
He nodded. “We desperately need more people like you. I know I would love to work alongside someone who had your passion.”
She smiled at his compliments. He couldn’t help noticing what a nice smile she had. The way it framed her heart shaped face made her appear much less like Jade than he had originally thought. “Thank you. Maybe we’ll end up together.” She licked her lips before adding, “You know, at the same hospital.”
“I would like that. But I’m afraid that Wellstar pales in comparison to Grady.”
“Surely the suburbs offer some interesting cases?”
“They do. I’ve been there since my residency, so I can’t imagine working anywhere else. After all, I wouldn’t be standing here today with you if it weren’t for Wellstar and your grandfather.”
“That’s true.” Tilting her head, she gave him a very alluring smile. “And what a pity that would be if our paths hadn’t crossed.”
He sucked in a breath at the directness of her statement. Could she really be interested in him? Sure, it was common knowledge that Aidan and others wanted them to get together, but he had imagined that she had not known their intentions. And while originally he had been turned off by Aidan’s suggestion of fixing them up, he couldn’t help but be intrigued now. There was something so refreshingly different about Megan, despite her physical similarities to Jade.
“Mommy!” a small voice cried. Pesh glanced over Megan’s shoulder where a fair-haired toddler came bounding over. He wrapped his arms around Megan’s thigh.
She gave him an apologetic look before bending over. “What’s the matter, sweetie?”
He grinned up at her. “Miss you.”
With a smile, she bent over and picked him up. When he sat on her hip, she turned her attention back to Pesh. “This is my son, Mason.”
Pesh couldn’t help noticing how Megan searched his face to see if there was any judgment or even disgust at her having a son. He felt neither of those emotions. He had to admit he was a little surprised. Aidan had failed to mention that fact as well. Not to mention, she seemed young to be a mother, considering she was just finishing her clinicals. “It’s nice to meet you, Mason.”
“Can you tell Pesh hi?” Megan urged.
“Hi, Esh,” Mason said, with a grin.
Pesh couldn’t help laughing, and he was thankful that Megan giggled as well. “How old are you?”
Mason held up two fingers to which Megan shook her head. “He’s seventeen months.”
Pesh smiled. “You must be very proud of him.”
“I am.” She snuggled Mason against her chest. “He’s the sweetest and best boy I could ever hope for.”
“You’re very blessed.”
“Thank you.”
They were interrupted by Aidan’s sister, Angie, who Pesh had met earlier. “Looks like it’s time to start. Come on Mason. Mommy has to go be Noah’s godmother now.”