Axell ended the call.

Debra knocked on the door with a grin. “Axell, you're going to the concert with your girl? What a coincidence! I dig this pianist too!"

Axell always felt awkward around her since the last encounter.

So he grinned back and changed the subject. "I have to scrub up and get ready for the surgery.”

Debra beamed. “I'm your new assistant. Surprise! I just got transferred to your department. I hope we will make a great team."

Her persistent advances had Axell on edge.

He was into Jessie, big time.

But Debra was the hospital director's daughter. He didn't want to step on toes, so he played dumb, hoping she'd back off and head back to her old department.

Thinking of this, Axell felt relieved.

Axell and Debra strolled out together. Then out of the blue, Debra piped up, "You're tall and fit, you know."

Axell couldn't take it anymore.

Just then, Jessie walked in. He was caught off guard. Then it hit him-he'd told her to meet him at the hospital. He wanted to say something, but his mouth felt like a desert.

After a beat, he croaked out, “Just give me forty minutes."

Jessie glanced at Debra, and then shot him a smile. “Sure thing!"

Axell ushered her into his office and fixed her a cup of coffee. A nice touch. As he was about to go, Debra leaned against the doorframe, grinning. “You treat your girl real good. Remember Last time at dinner with my folks? You were so tense. But now, you're relaxed."

Axell was all flustered.

He hadn't see this coming, especially in front of Jessie. Talk about awkward.

Jessie's eyebrows shot up.

Debra smiled even more brightly and said in a good attitude, “Miss Green, don't misunderstand. It was my birthday. So I tricked Axell into coming to the dinner with me. There's nothing going on between us."

Jessie wasn't clueless. She got what Debra was getting at.