HEARTS I

CHAPTER THREE

Jamie parked his BMW in front of the posh apartment block in Manhattan and met with his brother outside by the entrance. "It's a penthouse on the top floor. Small but well designed and very modern. You'll love it."

"Judging by how impressive this place is it must be a fancy apartment."

"You'll see."

They took the elevators to the top floor and stepped into a hallway with white paneled walls. Florescent lights built into the ceiling gave it a modern futuristic effect. They walked to an apartment at the end of the hallway and Drew unlocked the door before he clapped his hands to activate the lights and stepped inside. The apartment was lit up with the cool white hue of the florescent lights. It was a mixture of black and white decor and modern artwork and clean straight lines. "Wow. This place is posh. And you have a disco ball in the living room. Cool."

The living room was roomy and modern with a curved sofa and a black sleeper couch as well as a wall mounted curved smart TV. It was open plan that blended into a small breakfast and dining area and an all-white kitchen with white marble counter tops. The kitchen walked out onto a large balcony with an impressive view over Brooklyn bridge and a Jacuzzi. "I knew you would like it. Oh and you have seen nothing yet. How do you like this?" Drew flipped a switch on the light switch in the living room and suddenly a strip of UV lights along the ceiling filled the room with a purple glow.

"This is insanely cool," Jamie said excited.

"Wait until you see the bedroom." Drew opened the sliding door and they stepped inside a huge bedroom. On the platform stood a steel framed king sized bed with black and silver satin sheets. "You also have a skylight in the roof you can open up to look at the sky."

"This place must cost a fortune."

"It's paid for so, not really." The bedroom merged directly into a semi-open plan bathroom with a bath shower combination corner bath, white counters with marble counter tops and sinks. Even the mirrors had small strips of white neon lights all around. "Here's your new home."

"I can't believe you're letting me stay here."

"You're my brother. We need to look after each other."

It was late in the afternoon when Juliette arrived at home at the apartment she and her boyfriend were renting in Queens. She opened the door, stepped inside and closed the door before she put her handbag and car keys on the coffee table. "Honey, I'm home a little earlier." Just then she stepped into the bedroom to find her boyfriend in bed with a red-head. "What the hell? Justin! Have you been cheating on me?"

"It's not what it looks like. I can explain."

"Like hell it's not what it looks like." She looked at the woman upset. "Get out of my apartment. Now!"

The woman got out of bed, gathered her clothes and left the room pushing past Juliette on her way out. "Juliette..."

"Gosh she smells like cheap wine and perfume. And don't...was that a hooker? You cheated on me with a hooker?"

"What does it matter if I was banging a hooker? That's what they're there for. Right?"

"Unbelievable! And behind my back? I don't go and shag other men behind your back Justin."

"Oh yeah? And what is this then?" Justin took the magazine with her blog inside and slammed it down on the table. "Who is Jamie Slattery?"

"He's a doctor. You would have noticed if you properly read the blog."

"Yeah. And for how long have you been seeing him?"

"I haven't been seeing him. He's the doctor who fixed my ankle. My goodness why do you always act like such a jealous jerk?"

"Bullshit Juliette. You're seeing him behind my back aren't you? How many times have you slept with him? Be honest. You slept with him. I see no difference between you and that hooker."

The next moment Juliette slapped Justin and he grabbed hold of her and slammed her against the wall before he hit her through the face repeatedly. She screamed and tried to stop him, but he pulled her back up and pushed her against the wall before he gripped onto her throat. Juliette started sobbing with fear. "Please, Justin, you're going to kill me." She was about to pass out when she kicked him between his legs and he backed off.

"Get your bloody stuff and get out of my apartment. Now..."

"My gosh Justin!"

"Now! Go back to that doctor of yours."

"Justin, please."

She watched as he went into the bedroom and threw her clothes out of the cupboard one by one followed by her suitcase. "Take your stuff and get out of my apartment. I don't want you on my life anymore, you cheap little whore."

"Fine then. We're over." Juliette gathered her clothes and bundled them into the two suitcases on the floor before she took her handbag and car keys and left the apartment crying.

She drove until she reached the hospital where Jamie worked and parked her car near the emergency entrance. Inside the hospital she walked over to the E.R. reception. Agnetha the nurse looked up at her and noticed she took a few beatings. "My goodness what happened to you honey? Wait...aren't you Juliette Lloyd, the blogger?"

"Yes. My boyfriend...ex boyfriend and I had a fight," she sobbed.

"Oh honey." Agnetha stood up and walked over to her.

"Is Dr. Jamie Slattery around?"

"He's in surgery. Should I let him know you are here?"

"Yes please."

"Let me get you to a treatment bay. Should I get a nurse to look at you while you wait for Dr. Slattery?"

"Yes please."

Juliette was laying in the E.R. bay for a while when Jamie stepped through the curtains and looked at her shocked. "Oh my God. Your boyfriend did this to you?"

"Yes..."

"Son of a b***h. Sorry for my language. My goodness. He really beat you up. What a coward."

"He was going to kill me," Juliette said breaking down in tears.

Jamie sat down on the bed next to her and pulled her closer and she rested her head on his shoulder. "Hey, it's okay. You're safe now. You're safe with me." Jamie gave her a kiss on top of her head..

"I caught him cheating on me. I got home early and found him in bed with a hooker. We had a fight and he did this. He tried to strangle me."

"Let me see."

Juliette sat backwards for Jamie to look at her and he examined the bruises on her neck. "If I didn't kick him in the nuts he would have killed me," she sobbed.

"What a jackass." Jamie paused for a moment. "Sorry. I shouldn't have said that."

"You don't have to apologize. He is a jackass."

"You did the right thing coming here."

"I'm so sorry I'm packing this all out on you."

"You don't have to be sorry. I'm here for you now. Okay?"

Juliette nodded. "Okay. Thanks."

"The nurse said you had a concussion. I'm going to admit you just for tonight."

"Please no. I hate hospitals."

"You wanna go back to that jerk?"

"I'll book myself into a motel if I have to. I have nowhere else to go."

"Your parents?" Jamie asked concerned.

"They live in Detroit. They were only here to visit when my dad had the heart attack. And besides...I can't let them see me like this. They think Justin is a saint."

"Is this the first time he beat you like this?"

"No..." Juliette bowed her head and gave another sob.

"What a jerk. And you were still with him after the first offense? If I wasn't worried about my reputation as a doctor I swear..." Jamie paused and bit his tongue. "Never mind. But I need to keep you in hospital for tonight for observation and I want to get a CT scan just to make sure it's nothing serious. My goodness I hate seeing you like this."

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay," Jamie pulled her closer for a comforting hug. "I'm going off duty soon, but I will come and check up on you if it's okay."

"Thanks."

Juliette was already fast asleep when Jamie sneaked into her room and went to lay down on the couch before covering himself with a spare blanket he took out of the cupboard next to her bed. He was laying there for a while watching her sleep when he fell asleep himself.

Just before 6 in the morning one of the nurses doing her rounds stepped into Juliette's room to take her stats when she found Jamie asleep on the couch. "Dr. Slattery?" she asked with a scowl.

He opened his eyes and indicated to the nurse to keep quiet before he stood up and indicated to the nurse to remain put. He got up quietly and kissed Juliette on her forehead. "Hey sleepy head. It's time to wake up."

She groaned and looked at Jamie sleepy. "Hey..."

"Nurse came to get your stats." He looked at the nurse who took her temperature and put a blood pressure cuff around her arm. "Please arrange for her to go to medical imaging as soon as possible, will you? I just want to make sure she's clear before I send her home."

"Yes doctor."

Juliette looked at the sofa and the blanket on the sofa. "Did you sleep here?"

"Yes."

"I didn't even hear you coming in."

"You were lights out. So what do you want for breakfast?"

"I don't know. What do they serve here?"

"Where do they keep the menus?" Jamie asked the nurse.

"There's one on the desk at the nurses' station doctor."

"Thanks. I'll be right back."

Kyle and Jamie walked down the hallway back to surgery. "I kind of liked her from the moment I first saw her. But she had a boyfriend back then so I couldn't exactly pursue her."

"You sent her flowers with a note to call you."

"I know. It was still up to her. You don't think I should have waited, do you?"

"Pursuing another man's girl?"

"It's not like we were seeing each other or anything. I just...I was looking for a reason to talk to her. I couldn't stop thinking about her. Do you think she would have left him if I wasn't on the scene?"

Kyle paused and looked at Jamie. "I don't think she left him because of you. She left him because he was an aggressive and cheating asshole with obvious anger issues. Eventually she would have left the jerk with or without you. So it's not like you were trying to steal someone else's girl. Now's your chance Slats. Take it."

"Oh my gosh Julie..." Cassidy stepped into her room. "What did he do to you this time?"

"He strangled me. I had to kick him in the nuts to make him let go. I caught him with a hooker and both of them were drunk."

"Geez Julie. As if pushing you down the stairs, trying to run you over with his car or smashing your head through the window wasn't enough. I hope you aren't going to stay with that psychopath until he eventually kills you. Please don't tell me you're with him because you love him."

"We broke up. It's over for good."

"Well good riddance. You deserve someone who treats you with respect. And I guess now is the perfect time to take a chance with that doctor."

"I think he likes me."

"See? And by what I heard he really cares about you too."

"Yeah. But I think it would be best if I just fly solo for a while. I'm not ready for a relationship right now. We can still be friends."

"Did you hear yourself right now? If a guy is into you he doesn't want to be just friends. He wants someone to commit to. He wants that special someone for life. Just friends is like telling a guy hey, I like you but I'm not really that into you and keeping my options open for something better."

Juliette was in her bed watching TV and snacking on a small cup of chocolate mousse when Jamie entered her room with her scans in his hand. "Patients aren't allowed to eat chocolate mousse."

"Says who? I was craving something sweet."

Jamie chuckled. "I'm just pulling your leg." He sat down on the bed facing her. "Anyway, I got your scans."

"And?"

"You're out of the woods. Doc says you can go home. I'm only worried about that bruise on your face. Does it hurt?"

"A little. I feel so embarrassed."

"About what? You did nothing wrong. That jerk should feel embarrassed for what he did to you. But you are free to go, so I was thinking..."

"About what?"

"Maybe you can stay at my place for a while until you find your own."

Juliette almost choked on her mousse. "What?"

Jamie frowned. "Did I say something wrong?"

"No. I just never expected that you would offer," Juliette replied surprised.

"I'm doing it as a friend to help you out." Was he just playing the just friends card right now? Or was he using it as an excuse to get her to move in with him.

"I still need to get some of my stuff at Justin's place and I need a box or two to pack the rest of my stuff."

"Maybe you should hold that off for a while. I've already signed you out. So are you ready to go?"

"I thought you'd never ask. Can we take my car?"

"Sure," Jamie replied and took the keys from Juliette. "Do you have some clothes at least?"

"Yes. But I just threw it all in my suitcases. I will probably need to iron the entire bunch."

They drove for a while until Jamie parked Juliette's Bug in front of the apartment building in the Upper East Side where his new apartment was. He got out of the car and helped Juliette take her suitcases out of the car before they went inside the building "Oh gosh this place is so posh. If it is so luxurious I can only image what your apartment must look like."

"It's actually my brother's place, but I'm renting from him," Jamie chuckled."He's the one with the business sense and the money. I'm just a doctor."

"This is much better than my ex-boyfriend's place in Queens. The place was falling apart."

"You lived in Queens too?"

"Yeah, but ugh. Did you live in Queens?" Juliette asked surprised.

"It was all I could afford on my salary."

"I thought doctors made a lot of money."

"Specialists yes. I'm just a regular average Joe," Jamie replied with a smirk.

They took the elevator to the top floor hallway. "Wow!" Juliette gasped. "This is so futuristic."

"It's not really my style, but it will do for now," Jamie replied. "I'm more of a cozy type of guy. Now Drew, he likes modern and futuristic." They reached Jamie's apartment and he opened the door for Juliette to enter."

She stopped for a moment and admired the place. "Oh my gosh, it's gorgeous."

Jamie smiled timidly and closed the door behind him. "Let me go and show you your room."

Juliette followed Jamie to the bedroom and she gasped amazed as they stepped inside. "Wow! A king sized bed. Where are you going to sleep?"

"I have a sleeper couch in the living room." Jamie put Juliette's suitcases on the bed before they headed back to the living area that flowed into an open plan kitchen. "It's not big. But it's nice."

"You have a beautiful place."

"Thanks," Jamie replied with a smile. "Would you like some coffee?"

"Sure. It would be nice." Juliette sat down on the couch and looked up at the ceiling. "You have a disco ball in the living room?"

Jamie laughed out loud from the direction of the kitchen. "Yes. That's Drew for you. He owns a nightclub in lower Manhattan. He's a bit of a playboy. He used to be a DJ and saved up money to buy the nightclub and this place. He used to rent it out for private parties but then decided to use the nightclub instead. So this place has been standing empty for a while before I moved in."

"Impressive."

Jamie walked over to the living room with their cups of coffee in his hands and sat down next to her. "Here you go."

"Thanks."

"You should see this place at night. It has LED lights instead of florescent lights and even UV lights, so everything that's white glows. It's pretty cool. And the bedroom lights can change colors."

"Seriously?"

"I was bored the other day so I played around. There's purple, pink, orange, yellow, green and even red. The red is pretty funky."

Juliette took a sip of coffee and smiled. "I really like you, you know. I'm glad our paths crossed."

Jamie smiled at Juliette. "Me too."

"So how are you still single?"

"I guess because I was waiting for the right girl to come along."

"Was?" Juliette asked surprised.

"And I think I found her," Jamie gazed at Juliette proudly.

"Me?" Juliette asked surprised.

"I knew from that first day at the bottom of those stairs when you looked at me. It's not something you did or said, but when you turned your head and looked at me. My goodness, I was blown away. You really took the wind out of my sails. I don't know if you felt the same, but...I don't know how to explain it..."

"It's funny because I felt the same. That spark?"

"It's not like you look at someone and then you get turned on. It's different. Like there's just a connection."

"Exactly," Juliette replied with a nod.

Jamie moved closer to her until their faces were only inches away and closed his eyes for a brief moment. He then gently rested his lips on hers and kissed her tenderly before he backed off a little to gaze into her eyes. "I think I love you Juliette Lloyd."

She placed her hand in front of her mouth and gave a slight sob while her eyes teared up a little. "I think I love you too."

"Hey," Jamie pulled her close in a protective embrace. "I'll never hurt you and I'll never leave you. I promise."

He made her feel safe again and that's what she needed at that moment.

Lana, Katherine's secretary entered her office carrying a pile of documents she finished. "Ma'am these are for you to sign."

She didn't look up at her and kept her eyes fixed on the document she was busy reading. "Is there a reason why I haven't had my tea yet?"

"No ma'am."

"Incompetent as always. Cancel my appointment with Finch and Garnett and get Gregory on the line for me please."

"Yes ma'am."

"Is there something else you need?"

"Did I ask for anything?"

"No ma'am."

She turned around to leave and rolled her eyes before she walked up to her desk. "I saw that."

She was just about to call Gregory when Katherine walked up to her. "If anyone calls tell them to leave a message. I'm going to see my son."

"Yes ma'am."

Jamie was just about done with a patient in E.R. when is mother walked up to the nurses' station. "Ma'am..." Agnetha greeted her.

"I'm here to see my son. Dr. Jamie Slattery."

"Oh, Mrs. Slattery. He told us a lot about you."

"Did he?"

"He's just quickly busy suturing up a patient. He'll be with you shortly."

Moments later Jamie stepped out of the treatment bay and walked up to his mother. "Mom, what are you doing here?"

"I came to have a quick afternoon lunch with my son. If that's not too much to ask."

"Sure. I'm not scheduled for anything at the moment so a few minutes probably won't hurt."

Jamie and his mother were seated in the cafeteria. He was having a soda with a garden salad and she had tea with strawberry cheesecake. "You hardly ever come to the hospital. Something's up."

"You're invited for dinner tomorrow night. I found you a suitor I would like to introduce you to."

Jamie sat backwards in his chair and pulled his nose in a plea. "Yup. I figured you were trying to hook me up with someone again. But I kind of already met someone." Jamie took a bite of his salad while his mother scrutinized him.

"Really? You and your non-existing track record when it comes to relationships? Why haven't I met her yet?"

"I figured I'd introduce her when the time is right. I'm not going to rush things with her."

"I hope she's not a cheap stake like the last one. It's about time you find a woman from an upper class background with a formal education. Not these trailer park girls you always go for."

"With all due respect mother but your taste in women isn't exactly my taste in women. The last one you picked for me was an epic fiasco."

"Your last girl was w*********h from Southside Chicago. And she was a cashier at Walmart for Peet's sake."

"Yes and your last pick was a snobbish upper class Beverly Hills brat who was nothing but a wannabe Kardashian. And more plastic than a freaking Barbie doll. If I wanted to date plastic I'd get a damn blow up doll."

"I just want you to have what's right for you."

"No you want me to have what's right for you. I'll choose what is right for me myself. Why don't you start with my brother. He seems to line them up like trophies. Classy, trashy, cheap, take your pick. You don't seem to have a problem with that."

"He doesn't date them."

"That's even worse! At least I have the decency not to screw everything in a damn dress that crosses my path and I am still the kind of guy who believes in celibacy before marriage. But you don't even see that. All you do is find fault with the women I date. The last one was decent enough for me, but you and your big mouth chased her out of my life for good."

"Jamie..."

"I need to go. I have work to do."