Page 142 of A Matter of Time

I looked up into lovely pale blue eyes. The woman smiling at me had the nicest face.

“Yeah. Who’re you?” I leaned on the desk.

“I’m Gail St. James. I just transferred in from San Francisco.”

“Why?” I asked her like she was high.

She chuckled. “My family’s here.”

I nodded. “So how’re you liking it?”

“I like it, except that I got kind of a rude awakening last week when I discovered that the man I had my eye on actually has his eye on you.”

“Oh.” I smiled sheepishly. “Doctor Nick.”

“Mmmm. The man is edible.”

“Is he?” I teased her.

“Yes.” She arched one eyebrow for me. “He’s a great doctor, good with kids, funny, smart, sarcastic, and do I even need to add gorgeous? Have you not noticed those emerald eyes?”

I nodded. “You should do his PR for him.”

She smiled impishly. “You’re adorable. I get why he’s smitten.”

“Was smitten,” I corrected her.

“Is smitten,” she corrected me right back. “He told me what a jerk he was at the club. You know he’s sorry.”

“I do.”

She tilted her head to look at me. “And have you forgiven him, Jory?”

I nodded. “I have.”

She leaned forward to look into my eyes. “You know, I’m standing here looking at you, and my goodness, you’re even prettier than Doctor Nick.”

I grinned at her.

“I would kill for your eyelashes.”

“Jory.”

I looked up and Nick was back. He looked from me to Gail and back again. “I called Phyllis. She’ll be right down. What’re you guys talking about?”

“Just trying to think of a good place to take Gail for a night on the town,” I told him, straightening up, reaching out to fix his collar under his white lab coat. “Any suggestions?”

He froze under my touch; letting me smooth out his collar, tighten his tie.

“I dunno, J.” He stared at me. “But after you give Phyllis the envelope, will you have breakfast with me? I’m just getting off, so…whaddya say?”

I squinted at him.

“Please.” He smiled at me. “I’ve got stuff to say.”

I shrugged. “All right.”

“Great.” He beamed at me. “I’ll be right back.”