“You don't even like basketball! You’re all about hockey. I hate skating. Not that you ever asked!” Willow retorted. “Drew at least knows how to hold an intellectual conversation. Instead of being distracted by the newest bright shiny object, be it a procedure, this week’s meme, or a pretty cardiologist’s latest makeover.”
“Don’t you dare try to analyze me.” Newport was having none of it.
“I don’t need to. Anyone can tell that you’re an ADHD man-child who needs to get over his daddy issues and grow up,” Willow was almost shrieking.
“Who’s immature? You spent hours with this guy, and I flirted for all of ten seconds with a gorgeous woman—who happened to turn me down flat. Then you refuse to speak to me in private. Instead, you decide to it’s totally proportional to go nuclear on me in public,” Newport spat out the last part.
Before he could speak further, Drew shouted him down, “You came to her. You made it public. Now leave.”
The ER resident finally read the room and the number of attendings listening in, including Roan He spun on his heel and stalked off in the direction of the emergency room.
Roan pulled out his credit card. “I think we’re going to need a couple of coffees. Five.”
“Actually, I’m paying. Willow, you can have anything you want. Including me.” Drew dropped a fifty on the counter. He was staring at Willow in an unmistakable way. “I don’t like skiing either. I like dogs, basketball, and talking with you.”
The psychiatry intern opened her mouth, closed it, opened her mouth again, and a volunteer in the crowd behind them howled, “Just say yes!”
Willow looked around, and Clarissa nodded at her encouragingly. “Okay, well, yes!”
“Have her sign the paperwork! Lock that down STAT.” Another voice in the crowd was full of helpful advice. The whole group was well aware after a display like this, the inter-department relationship declaration forms were mandatory.
Drew yelled back over his shoulder, “Thanks. I’m okay! We can handle it here!”
“No, you can’t!” someone else shouted. Clarissa was covering her mouth to not laugh. “You should kiss her!”
“I told you, I’ve got this!” Drew called back. “We’re taking our coffee and leaving. By ourselves.”
Roan raised his hand. “As his chief, I confirm we have this under control. Let’s go upstairs for those papers.”
It was down to the four of them because Squires abandoned them, smartly wanting to not get involved—or intending to quickly spread the word faster than syphilis.
As the two roommates walked ahead of them with linked arms, Roan took Drew aside. “I won’t require you to date her. It was kind of you to help her save face, and we both appreciate it.”
Roan left unspoken that Squires and anyone ready to gossip would pick the Drew-Willow scene over the Roan-Clarissa kiss. Or that he’d suspected Drew was into Clarissa.
Drew gave him a friendly punch on the shoulder. “I’m a grown man that saw an opening and went for it. She’s cute, and we had a good time at those basketball games. She likes my dog, so this could be fabulous. Don’t even suggest this could be a total disaster.”
Warding him off with a raised coffee, Roan said, “Only time will tell. Thanks for being cool about Tank, Clarissa’s brother. And the part where you won’t tell him if he hunts you down.”
“Are you kidding? He’s scary.” Drew went to try his coffee and then paused. “Why would he hunt me down?”
“Before you sign on, there’s another secret the three of us should tell you.” Roan led him to the elevator, which opened for them all to get on, then punched in the over-ride code to keep from being interrupted.
“More secrets?” Drew was mystified, and his gaze swiveled back and forth. “The three of you aren’t a thruple, right?”
“Not exactly,” Clarissa said, making Drew’s eyes bulge.
“Let me explain,” Willow took over. “Tank thinks I’m dating Roan. Which I’m not. Not thruple, no love triangle.”
“Unless Zac tries to win you back,” Clarissa pointed out, and Roan stepped behind her to put a hand over her lips. “You’ve been broken up for three minutes.”
“Not helping,” he told her, and she saucily nibbled on his hand. “Behave, Buttercup.”
Then he became aware of both Drew and Willow staring at them. He removed his hand. “What’s wrong?”
Willow spoke first. “Chief, Captain Marin. You’re smiling. A lot. Simone won’t believe it.”
“I almost don’t believe it,” Drew said. “Then again, I didn’t expect your secret relationship, you kissing her in the office, you lying to the SEAL bestie, or you fake dating my new not-quite girlfriend. You are full of hidden depths.”
