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Noelle leaned closer to her sister-in-law and whispered, “The Thinkgasm.”
Across the table, Mark and Nick both perked up, glancing at each other and then back at their wives. Lindsey wanted to sink into the floor since Noelle’s wording had made it sound as if she, Lindsey, was something called a Thinkgasm. God, could this get any worse?
Izzie shrugged. “That sex fad? What about it?”
“She invented it.”
Rubbing her forehead, Lindsey sighed and said, “I didn’t invent it. I just studied it.”
“I mean, she’s the one who did the study that made it so popular in the news lately.”
Izzie smiled in visible delight. “That is so boss! Can you show me how to do it?”
“What is this Thinkgasm, Dr. Smith?” Nick asked.
“Remember when I dragged you to that dinner-theater production of The Music Man?” Noelle asked her husband. “Where the guy tells the kids they need to learn via the think method. If they think they can play music, they will. It’s similar to that.”
“I’m pretty sure I was asleep by that point in the musical,” Mark said, earning a glare. “Sorry, Doctor Smith.”
“Okay, subject change, right now,” Mike said, his tone brooking no argument. “This is not the time or the place.”
The others fell silent. She could have kissed him right there in the middle of the diner. He’d taken charge and immediately set out to protect her, as always. What on earth she’d ever done right in her life to deserve meeting him, she honestly had no idea.
She was about to open her mouth to thank him, but before she could do it, she heard a male voice from behind her. And the words died in her mouth.
“Doctor, huh? I knew there was somethin’ funny about you.”
She jerked around and looked up to see Mike’s deputy, the obnoxious Ollie Dickinson, standing right behind her chair. He wore a self-satisfied smirk, one that had been on his face every single time she’d laid eyes on the man.
Dear God, how much did he overhear?
Reminding herself not to panic, she forced herself to offer the obnoxious man a polite nod. How much damage could he do, even if he had heard anything? The school year was almost over—she only had four more days after Monday’s holiday. Then she’d be out of here, no longer around to be hurt by any gossip he chose to impart.
Of course, Mike and Callie would both still be.
Damn it.
Mike pushed his chair back and slowly rose to his feet. “Officer Dickinson. Is there a problem?”
Mike’s body was tight and hard, from stiff shoulders down to his clenched hands. Tension rolled off him, and she hoped he was able to keep his cool.
“No problem, Chief,” the other officer said, lazy and insolent. “I was just stopping by to get something to eat and noticed you and Doctor Smith sitting together all nice and cozy. Figured I’d come over and say hey.”
“I’m having dinner with my family,” Mike said.
The man looked around. As if realizing their cousin was facing a foe, Mark and Nick both slowly rose to their feet, too.
Good lord, what a sight. Lindsey held her breath, realizing the entire diner was falling quiet. Conversations halted, forks stopped tinkling, dishes weren’t being plunked down. Everyone in the place was watching the scene unfolding at their table. She couldn’t say whether that was because they could all sense the drama, or because the sight of those three Santori men, standing shoulder to shoulder, tall and heart-stoppingly handsome, was so incredibly dramatic.
Of course, for every woman in the room, it was probably sheer covetous appreciation that made them stare. Because if there had ever been three finer male specimens in one place before, she’d certainly never seen them.
Ollie wasn’t stupid enough to continue playing his game of let’s-taunt-the-boss. He took a step back, nodding at Mike and said, “Well, guess I’ll get my dinner and head to the station.”
“You do that,” said Mike with a tone so sharp he could probably bite through a steel plate.
The other man nodded once, turned and walked toward the front counter. Mike slowly dropped into his seat again, and his cousins did the same. The three of them remained silent, all watching the big man at the front counter, as if waiting for him to make one wrong move. Although the noise picked up around them, the tension remained at their table. Lindsey, Noelle and Izzie didn’t speak, all aware their men were on edge.
After a minute or two, Ollie apparently changed his mind about dinner. He said something to the waitress and headed for the door. He did not look in their direction. She suspected he’d felt the burning heat of those stares.
