“That stupid old thing was out of stupid staples,” she muttered, the jelly beans jumbling her words.
I bit back a grin. “Throwing it down the corridor does seem the logical way to fix that.”
“You being funny with me, Lolly?”
I sighed. “Not working, huh?”
She glowered at me.
I crouched beside her chair. “Brooke, I’m worried about you. If this is about Harry—”
“You just stop right there!” At least, I thought that was what she said because she’d stuffed another handful of jelly beans into her mouth. “We don’t mention his name in this clinic. He isdeadto me.”
Yikes.
This was a new development.
I frantically searched my brain for solutions, words of encouragement—anything that would help. But what did I know about men? The situation with Aiden suggested I had no clue. My history before him proved I knew even less. I forced a smile and patted her knee.
Brooke pouted. “Do I look cute today?”
“You look cute every day.” Her bottom lip wobbled, so I quickly added, “But you lookextracute today.”
“Then why is he avoiding me?” she wailed. “It’s been three days! Three whole days!”
Brooke didn’t need to tell me how many days it’d been. I’d spent all weekend camped out on her couch. I’d relived and analysed Harry’s drunken confession more times than a sports commentator had recapped the slow-motion replay of the greatest touchdown of all time.
I forced another smile. “I’m sure Harry’s not avoiding you—”
“He is! This morning, you wouldn’t believe it if I told you.” More jelly beans went into her mouth. “I stopped by the store to grab a few things for the break room. That ginger hunk took one look at me and was out the door. He left a whole bag of groceries behind. Ashley had to chase him down the street!”
I hid my grimace. As tough as Brooke acted, she was a marshmallow of self-doubt on the inside. Harry’s actions shook her confidence. Being stuck behind her desk of chaos, overanalysing the universe, probably wasn’t helping, either.
I popped back up. “Come on, let’s take a break. You’ve been so busy all morning. It’s after ten, and I’ve got a gap in my appointments. Let’s head to the coffee shop early today. Anything you want. My treat.”
Brooke folded her arms. “Nope. No way. I’m not going.” She shook her head furiously. “He’llbe there.”
That was kind of the point… “Don’t you want to see Harry?”
Brooke scoffed like I’d said the dumbest thing in the world. “I’ve been chasing that man since I moved here a year ago. If he wants me, he knows where to find me.” She stuck her nose in the air. “But when you get to the coffee shop, you march right up to him, and you tell him that, okay? And if you’re really my friend, you can kick him in the nuts while you’re at it.”
No amount of coaxing or bribery moved Brooke’s bottom off the chair. When she tipped the last of the jelly beans into her mouth before going back to hervery importanttyping thatlooked suspiciously like she was booking a singles cruise, I admitted defeat and headed out.
But I was determined to brighten Brooke’s day—somehow.
Kicking Harry in the nuts probably wasn’t going to happen, but I could pick out a sticky treat for her at the coffee shop. I’d snag a bunch of flowers on the walk back, too. She’d love a gift like that.
I turned the corner to the coffee shop.
“Mornin’, four-eyes.”
Evan stood slouched against the chipped white paint, tapping on his phone. He pushed off the brick wall. My heart hammered faster with each plod of his heavy footsteps.
He shoved his phone into the back pocket of his jeans. “Are doctors too important to say hello?”
“H-hello.”
Evan’s eyes glued to my loafers when I stumbled backwards. His eyes slid back to mine, a smirk tugging the corner of his lips. He liked intimidating me.
