The morning started like any other.
Keifer's driver pulled up to the hospital entrance, the sleek black car gleaming in the early light. Jay checked her phone—five missed messages from Percy, three from Aries about their mom's birthday, and one from Keiren featuring approximately seventeen photos of Bato in various locations.
She smiled, shaking her head.
"Entertaining?" Keifer asked from beside her.
"Your brother documents his dinosaur's every move."
"He's five. It's adorable."
"It's excessive."
"Same thing with him." Keifer reached for her hand. "You have surgery this morning?"
"Two. Back-to-back. Should be out by six if everything goes well."
"That's a long day."
"That's a Tuesday."
He lifted her hand, kissed her knuckles. "Text me when you're done. I'll have dinner ready."
"You don't have to—"
"I want to." His eyes held hers. "Let me take care of you, Jay. That's all I want."
Something warm bloomed in her chest. "Okay."
She reached for the door handle.
He didn't let go of her hand.
"Keifer?"
"Wait."
She turned back. "What?"
He tugged gently. "Come here for a second."
"I'm going to be late—"
"It'll take one second."
She sighed but leaned toward him. He pulled her closer, closer, until she was half in his lap, her body pressed against his, her face inches from his.
"This is not one second," she murmured.
"This is however long I want it to be." His hand cupped her jaw. "Good morning, Dr. Mariano."
"Good morning, Mr. Watson."
He kissed her.
Slow at first. Gentle. Then deeper when she didn't pull away. Her hands found his shoulders, his neck, his hair. His arm wrapped around her waist, holding her in place.
Outside the car, the hospital bustled. Nurses walked past. Patients arrived. Orderlies pushed gurneys.
Inside, there was only them.
When they finally broke apart, Jay was breathless.
"Keifer."
"Jay."
"The entire hospital can probably see us."
"Let them."
"They're taking pictures."
"Let them." He kissed her forehead. "Go save lives. I'll be here tonight."
She stared at him for one heartbeat. Two.
"I love you," she said quietly.
"I love you too." He smiled. "Now go. You're going to be late."
She climbed out of the car, legs slightly unsteady.
The moment her feet hit the pavement, cameras clicked.
Nurses pretended not to stare. Patients definitely stared. Someone definitely recorded.
Jay ignored all of it.
Walked into the hospital with her head high and a smile she couldn't quite hide.
The photos were everywhere within an hour.
KEIFER WATSON KISSES SURGEON GIRLFRIEND GOODBYE—INSIDE THE CAR
DR. JAY MARIANO LEAVES BILLIONAIRE'S LAP AFTER PASSIONATE KISS
MORNING ROMANCE: WATSON AND MARIANO CAN'T KEEP HANDS OFF EACH OTHER
Video of Jay sitting in Keifer's lap goes viral
Percy's texts started at 7:15am.
Percy: I JUST SAW THE VIDEO
Percy: THE LAP VIDEO
Percy: JAY MARIANO SITTING IN A LAP
Percy: IN PUBLIC
Percy: WITH CAMERAS
Percy: I'M SO PROUD
Percy: ARIES SAYS HE'S SCARRED FOR LIFE
Percy: MOM SAYS "THAT'S MY GIRL"
Percy: DAD SENT A THUMBS UP EMOJI
Percy: KEIFER'S DAD SENT FIRE EMOJIS
Percy: KEIREN SENT A PICTURE OF BATO WITH HEART EYES DRAWN ON
Percy: THIS IS THE BEST DAY OF MY LIFE
Jay silenced her phone.
Walked into surgery.
And tried very, very hard not to think about the way Keifer's hands felt on her waist.
(She failed. Miserably.)
Six Hours Later
Jay stepped out of the OR, exhausted but satisfied.
Two successful surgeries. Two families who would see their children grow up.
She checked her phone.
Forty-seven messages from Percy. Twelve from Aries (mostly threats about the lap video). Eight from her mom. Three from Keifer's mom. Seventeen from various group chats she'd been added to without consent.
And one from Keifer.
Keifer: Come to the main lobby when you're done.
Jay: Why?
Keifer: Just come.
Jay frowned but headed for the elevators.
She was still in scrubs. Her hair was a mess. She probably had something unidentifiable on her sleeve.
She didn't care.
The elevator doors opened.
She stepped into the lobby.
And stopped.
Keifer stood in the middle of the bustling hospital lobby, holding the biggest bouquet of flowers she'd ever seen.
Not roses—she'd mentioned once that roses were boring. These were wildflowers. Colorful. Chaotic. Perfect.
He was wearing a suit, because he'd come straight from work. He was holding flowers, because he was ridiculous. He was smiling at her like she was the only person in the world.
The lobby had gone quiet.
Patients stopped mid-stride. Nurses froze. Security guards forgot to guard.
Everyone watched.
"Keifer," Jay breathed. "What are you doing?"
"Waiting for you." He crossed to her, held out the flowers. "Your surgeries went well. I checked."
"You checked?"
"I have sources." He smiled. "These are for you."
She took the bouquet, overwhelmed by the colors, the scent, the sheer size of it.
"Keifer, this is—"
"Too much?"
"Perfect." She looked up at him. "It's perfect."
He stepped closer. "I missed you today."
"You saw me this morning."
"Sixteen hours ago. That's too long."
"Keifer—"
He kissed her.
Right there. In the middle of the hospital lobby. In front of everyone.
Cameras clicked. Phones rose. Someone definitely live-streamed.
Jay didn't care.
She dropped the flowers (someone gasped) and wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him back like she'd been waiting for this moment all day.
Because she had.
When they finally broke apart, applause broke out.
Actual applause.
From patients. From staff. From strangers.
Jay's face flushed crimson.
Keifer just smiled.
"I love you," he said, loud enough for everyone to hear.
"I love you too," she whispered back.
He picked up the fallen flowers, handed them to her. "Ready to go home?"
"More than ready."
He took her hand. Led her through the crowd. Ignored the cameras.
At the door, Jay paused. Looked back at the chaos they'd caused.
Nurses huddled together, phones out. Patients smiled. Someone was crying happy tears.
"This is going to be everywhere," she said.
"I know."
"Your PR team is going to lose their minds."
"I know."
"The fan accounts are going to explode."
"I know." He squeezed her hand. "Let them. Let the whole world watch. I don't care."
She looked at him. "You really don't?"
"I really don't." He kissed her forehead. "The only person I care about watching me is you. And you're already mine."
Jay's heart did something complicated.
"I'm yours," she agreed. "And you're mine."
"Always."
They walked out together.
Flowers in her arms.
Cameras flashing.
Neither looking back.
The Internet Reaction:
Video of Keifer Watson kissing surgeon girlfriend in hospital lobby breaks records
"He brought her FLOWERS" trends worldwide
Fan accounts reach 1 million combined followers
Dr. Jay Mariano becomes most searched surgeon globally
"Relationship goals" used 847,000 times in one hour
The Family Group Chats:
Percy: I CAN'T BREATHE
Percy: THE FLOWERS
Percy: THE KISS
Percy: THE APPLAUSE
Percy: THIS IS A MOVIE
Aries: It was... okay.
Percy: "OKAY"?!? ARIES THAT WAS ICONIC
Aries: I'm not admitting my sister is iconic. She'll get a big head.
Percy: SHE DESERVES A BIG HEAD
Mom (Reycee): My baby girl. So loved. I'm crying.
Dad (Jasfer): Keifer's a good man. Flowers in the lobby? That's effort.
Keizer: THAT'S MY BOY
Serina: They're so beautiful together.
Keigan: I showed my friends. They're all jealous.
Keiren: Bato says the flowers were pretty. Can Jay bring them home so Bato can smell them?
Jay: I'm bringing them home, Keiren. Bato can smell them tomorrow.
Keiren: BATO IS EXCITED
That night, the flowers sat in a massive vase in their living room.
Jay stared at them from the couch, still in her scrubs, too tired to change.
Keifer sat beside her, scrolling through his phone.
"You're trending," he said.
"I'm always trending now."
"Number one this time."
"Great."
"Worldwide."
"Fantastic."
He set his phone aside. "You're not happy about it."
"I'm happy about you. The rest is noise." She leaned against him. "Thank you. For today. For the flowers. For waiting."
"Always."
"Keifer."
"Hm?"
"I really love you. Like, stupidly love you. Like, can't-believe-you're-real love you."
He smiled against her hair. "I really love you too. Like, never-knew-I-could-feel-this-way love you."
"That's very poetic."
"I'm a very poetic person."
"You're really not."
"I'm poetic about you."
She laughed. "That's the softest thing you've ever said."
"I'm soft now. You did this."
"I know." She kissed his jaw. "I'm not sorry."
"Good." He pulled her closer. "Neither am I."
They fell asleep on the couch again.
Flowers watching over them.
The whole world still watching outside.
Neither caring.
Because they had each other.
And that was enough.