“A good start. Where is he taking you?”
“Upstairs.”
Katie smirked.
“The rooftop restaurant at the Lark,” Jannie clarified.
Katie fixed her with a sarcastic look, tongue firmly in cheek. “Uh-huh. You gonna have him for dessert?”
Jannie wanted to roll her eyes. “Stop making this more than it is. I just brought him along to avoid questions about Blake.”
“And to reconnect.”
“Of course.”
“Uh-huh. For what it’s worth, that man is devouring you with his eyes. If I were in your place, I’d do something about it.”
Jannie tilted her head. “You’ll never stop, will you?”
“Wanting to see my bestie happy? Never!” Again, her gaze drifted over Jannie’s shoulder. “He’s heading out.”
“Probably going to the terrace. He doesn’t like crowds.”
“Doesn’t like crowds, but he’s here?”
There had to be over a hundred people at this function.
Jannie shrugged. “I asked him to come with me.”
“I’llbethe wants to come with you.”
“Stop.”
“OK, OK.” Still smiling, Katie took a sip of her wine. “You can’t blame me for being happy to see you finally turn over a new leaf. Blake never deserved you.”
“How’s life treating you?” Jannie asked, eager to shift the focus away from herself.
The corners of Katie’s mouth turned down. “Do you want the sugarcoated version, or the raw, unfiltered one?”
Jannie grinned. “I thought you always went raw.”
“Is there a more pleasurable way?”
Jannie giggled. Everyone who knew Katie was aware of her dislike for condoms. “Really, how are you doing?”
“I’m drowning.”
Jannie frowned. “Explain.”
“I’m going to tell you something. If I’d known back then what I know now, about how things are when you actually practice, I would have gone and done something else.” Her gaze roamed around the room, where doctors were gathered in clusters, deep in conversation. “All that work, all the torture and stress of internship and residency, only to end up miserable. I go to work and fantasize about missing my exit and driving until I reach some alternate reality. Or meeting some non-doctor guy who’s loaded, so I can quit the day after we’re married. It’s almost to the point where I think I need antidepressants.”
Jannie’s heart squeezed. She could relate.
“Is that brother of yours still single?” Katie asked.
“Which one? Adam is married, and I’m pretty sure Ian is next.”
“I’ll take Erik, then.”
