Page 183 of The Doctors Will See You Now

“Nope.”

“Come on, Harlow,” he cajoled.

“I don’t date.”

“Just one date,” he persisted.

“Not happening.”

“Dr. Shepard!” A panicked voice filled the background. “We need you in exam room eight!”

My brow furrowed. “Uh… That sounds important… I better let you go…”

“Nope,” he refuted. “You have to agree to a date with me first.”

“Dr. Shepard!” the voice called again, even more anxious this time.

“Holy hell, Scott!” I shouted into the phone. “Now is not the time to talk about dates! Go to exam room eight!”

“Dr. Shepard!”

“A man’s life is on the line here, Harlow,” Scott added. “You should probably just agree to the date so I can go save his life.”

“This is so fucking dirty!”

“Uh-oh…” Scott whispered, and my eyes went wide.

“What?”

“Nothing…” He paused and then a shocked gasp left his lips. “Oh God, that doesn’t look good…”

Holy hell.

“Jesus Christ! I’ll go on a date with you!” I yelled into the phone. “Just go help that man!”

“Fantastic,” he responded immediately. “Tomorrow night at seven.”

“Fine,” I said through gritted teeth.

“Where do you want to eat?”

“Oh. My. God!” I shouted in exasperation. “I’m hanging up. Go save that guy’s life.”

“Am I done?” a voice whispered in the background, and Scott responded back to whoever it was with ease. “Yep. Thanks, Cal.”

And miraculously, the earlier panic and chaos completely disappeared from the background.

“Wait a minute…” My jaw dropped in shock. “What’s going on, Scott?”

The line stayed quiet.

“Scott.”

“Yeah, Harlow?”

“You owe me, dude.” The voice was in the background again, and just like before, Scott responded to him, “Eighteen holes next weekend? I’ll buy?”

“Hell yeah,” the voice agreed.