Black Lace Read Online Free Page A

“Not sure. It’s a question I’ve been asking myself a lot lately, though.”
    She waited for him to explain.
    “I miss helping patients, but I also like helping the city.” He then asked, “Where are you from originally?”
    “Atlanta.”
    “Thought I heard the South in your voice.”
    She smiled. “My parents still live there. What about you? Are you a native Detroiter?”
    “Yep. Born, bred, and raised. Just like my mother and my four sisters.”
    Lacy couldn’t hide her surprise. “You have four sisters?”
    He nodded. “I’m the baby.”
    “Baby boy. They must be real proud of you.”
    “They are. Between them and my brothers, I get plenty advice on how to run the city.”
    “You have brothers too? How many?”
    “Two.”
    “Seven kids. That’s a big family.”
    “My brothers are steps. They didn’t live with us.”
    “Oh.”
    “Doesn’t stop them from telling me what to do, though.”
    Lacy replied knowingly, “Everybody has an opinion, I take it?”
    “Exactly.”
    “If I was mayor, I know my mother would call me every morning telling me what I should be fixing.”
    He chuckled. “That’s my mother. Every morning around eight-thirty. Most times she’s right, though, so I don’t mind.”
    The story made him more human in Lacy’s eyes. There was now a bit of substance added to her image of the rich and handsome bachelor mayor.
    “My apology again for the accident,” he offered genuinely. “Burton was driving entirely too fast.”
    “Yes he was.” She wondered how many women would have already given him their number by now. Thousands, probably.
    “How’s the ankle?”
    “It’s awake and yelling.”
    His lips thinned. “Hopefully the pain meds will put it to sleep long enough for you to get home and relax.”
    “I hope so.”
    Dr. Carson returned. He stooped in front of Lacy and once again gave her ankle a few gentle twists. “We’ll have to cut off the foot of your stocking.”
    Resigned, she nodded her approval.
    Once her foot was cut free of the nylon, he proceeded to tape and wrap the bare ankle as if she were an injured athlete. When he finished, only the tips of her purple painted toes were visible. “How’s it feel?” he asked.
    “Like it’s wrapped up.”
    “Good. Stay off of it for the next three days. Nowork. No nothing but laying up like Cleopatra.” He then gave her the crutches. “Do you know how to use these?”
    “Yes, broke the same ankle about five years ago.”
    “How?”
    “Went out for a pass and stepped in a hole,” she explained before adding, “But I have to go to work.”
    “Not for the next three days you don’t. Did you catch the pass?”
    She nodded. “Yep, and took it in for the score. Had to go straight to the E.R. after that, but hey, my team won.”
    He looked over at the mayor. “Fine, and plays football? I see why you ran into her car.”
    Drake chuckled softly.
    Reg asked Lacy, “So, can we have dinner?”
    Lacy shook her head and tossed back, “I never date my doctors.”
    Mischief twinkled in his eyes. “How about I give you a week off of work?”
    She laughed. “No, in fact I can’t even afford these three days. I have meetings and—”
    “I’ll talk to your boss,” the mayor said.
    Lacy started to protest that she was the boss, then thought about being home for three blissful days and decided to take the gift and hush up. “Okay.” It occurred to her then that she should try and call work again and let them know she wouldn’t be coming in. “I need to call the office.”
    The mayor nodded. “Go ahead. Reggie and I’llwait outside.” The men left the room to give her some privacy.
    The phone in her office rang six times before it was picked up by her fire-plug-shaped administrative assistant. “Hey, Ida.”
    “Girl, where are you?”
    “I was in a car accident. I’m at Henry Ford, and the doctor’s making me take three days off.”
    “Are you okay?”
    “Mostly. I’m waiting on a pain prescription. I