Page 198 of The Doctors Will See You Now

“Hi,” Cassie greeted, holding out her own hand and then keeping it.

Uhh…

“You’re hot.”

I glanced around the table, a little fucking panicked at this point. Her husband was really fucking big. But he just winked at me. “She’s right. You’re pretty fucking attractive.”

I glanced to Winnie for help, but she shrugged.

Actually, as I looked around the table, everyone looked pretty unfazed.

When my eyes finally made their way back to Thatcher, he was smiling big and broad. “Yep. This is how we always are. Nice to meet you.”

I laughed a little, thinking, as weird as they seemed, I liked them immediately. There was just something about them. And if I wasn’t mistaken, Cassie Kelly was sans bra, and I didn’t really mind that either. “Nice to meet you too.”

“Uh, hi everyone,” Melody’s voice said over the speakers cautiously. I turned my attention to the front just in time to see Will give her an encouraging nod. I guessed public speaking wasn’t exactly her thing.

“First, let me just tell you how thankful I am to all of you who you came tonight. You have no idea how many deserving women you’re helping by being here and donating your time and money.

“But I know, and they know, and trust me, we’ll never forget.”

Georgia put her fingers to her lips and wolf-whistled through a giggle before an ever-patient Kline pulled her fingers from her mouth and kissed them.

“Obviously,” Melody went on, “dinner will be served soon. But before that, we’ve had nearly forty of you who grew beards for the babies, and we’re gonna kick this thing off with the shave-a-thon. In case you don’t know how it works, our forty patient, kind volunteers will be up here in these chairs—” she pointed to the group in front of her “—while ten barbers get to work giving them professional shaves. We’ve got a silent auction set up in the back, and the bidding will be open for the entirety of the time it takes the ten of them to shave forty men.”

That was actually awesome. Huh. Well, I was glad I’d gotten involved even without knowing what the fuck was going on. In all honesty, it was pretty nice not having to shave for a couple of months.

“So, please, without further ado, get a drink, check out the prizes, and, fellas…” She scanned the crowd for bearded men such as myself. “Make your way to the front and have a seat, please.”

Every guy at my table stood up, and for the first time that night, I noticed that they were all bearded like myself.

I know what you’re thinking. I’m just now noticing all the beards? But whether or not the guy we’re talking to has facial hair is not really something most men tend to focus on.

It didn’t take long to make my way to a chair and take a seat, and as a member of the front row, I was one of the first to get shaved.

My very last thought before the razor met my skin?

I sure hope Harlow likes me without a beard.

“Holy hell… again? Are you ever coming home?” I muttered into the receiver as I hopped onto the L train and headed toward my mother’s apartment.

“Is it bad that I have no idea?” Amanda giggled. “All I know is that I want to spend more time with him.”

It was official, folks. My best friend was in love with Mateo Cruz. Although the fact that she was now on her second extension of her European PR trip, it didn’t exactly come as a surprise.

“You’re totally hooked,” I said, and honestly, I felt nothing but happiness for her. “You’re in l-o-v-e love with him, and you’re going to marry him and have all of his adorable Spanish babies.”

“And what’s going to happen with you and Scott?” she asked. “With as much time as you seem to spend together, pretty sure you’re on the path toward an actual rela—”

“Don’t say it,” I demanded. “We’re literally just friends.”

“Who have sex,” she added and I grinned.

“Well, yeah, that, too.”

“You know what I think?’ she asked but didn’t give me any time to respond. “I think it sounds like someone has a case of avoidance…” she singsonged into my ear.

“Uh-oh…” I muttered in the receiver and started making crackling and whooshing sounds. “Amanda? Hello?”