Page 314 of The Doctors Will See You Now

“These last few months?” Will questioned disbelievingly. But a genuine smile replaced his grinding jaw.

“Okay,” I admitted. “I’m always a little bit of an asshole. But particularly while The Doctor Is In has been on.”

“Ah,” Melanie breathed. “Yeah, the show’s a little bit of a sore spot. For both of us, honestly.”

I nodded in understanding, apologizing again. At the end of Will’s run on the show, he’d been caught fucking a nurse named Emily in the on-call room. Secretly, I’d been impressed by his ability to seal the deal with no more than a look and few quiet laughs—at least, as it appeared on camera—but I could see how it maybe hadn’t earned him any points with his girlfriend. “Really, I’m sorry.”

She smiled then. “It seems to be working out pretty well for you, though, huh?”

Will groaned. “Can you even fucking believe it? This guy gets into more trouble on his best day than I do on my worst, and he looks like a god on the show.”

A few chuckles left my lips. “Wow, Will. Glad to hear you approve.”

“Shut up, dude. You know you lucked out.”

I nodded again, knowing I definitely had. But also knowing some of my moves had been calculated. “I also paid attention to the cameras,” I said good-naturedly. But I really had. I’d been perfectly well-behaved for the first time in my life to make sure nothing horrible showed up on national television. My parents were completely open and supportive, but they didn’t need me out there throwing that in their face. My flirty, sarcastic nature on the ER floor was enough.

“Yeah, that was good thinking—”

“Baby brother!” Georgia Brooks, Will’s sister, shouted as she practically jumped on his back like a monkey.

Melody stumbled as Will fell back with Georgia’s unexpected weight, so I reached out and caught her by the arms. She smiled gratefully while Will pulled off his kin accessory.

“I’m your older brother, Gigi,” Will said with a laugh, steadying her on her feet. “How much have you already had to drink?”

“You’re not my mother!” she snapped softly, just as her husband, a now harried-looking Kline, came skidding to a stop behind her.

“It’s her first adult night out since Evie was born,” Kline explained with a roll of his eyes. “She’s, and I quote, living it up.”

“Where’d Winnie go, Big Dick?” she asked, and I choked on my saliva. Big Dick?

Kline chuckled and pulled Georgia close to whisper in her ear. Unfortunately, I was just close enough to hear him anyway. “This is your final warning, baby. Call me Big Dick in public again, and we’re going to go fuck in the bathroom.”

Her eyes glazed over and her cheeks pinked, but she licked her lips like she was considering saying it again right then.

And, hell, I was with her. I didn’t understand the threat at all. If Harlow were here, and circumstances were reversed, I’d have had her in the bathroom already.

Christ. Harlow.

This was the fifth time I’d thought of her since I’d arrived, wondering if I should have made a couple calls, tried to get her added to the guest list as my date last minute. I’d RSVPed before I even knew she existed.

I also didn’t know if she’d have even considered coming with me anyway. After the run in with Brent earlier today, she’d made it pretty clear that we weren’t anything more than people who fucked, and I’d gone along with it. Partly to keep the peace, I guessed, but also partly because it was what I always did.

Casual was my thing. I’d never wondered if I wanted more, if it was even a possibility for me. Women chased me, and I tried to let them down easy. This thing with Harlow felt like the exact fucking opposite, and I wasn’t sure I liked it.

If I was honest, the more I thought about it, the surer I was that I didn’t like it. Not one fucking bit.

Unwelcome, red rage surged in my chest at the memory of Brent’s lips on hers and the so very obvious intimacy they’d once shared. They’d had a relationship—one I’d known about even before she admitted it during our argument on the sidewalk. I could tell by the way he looked at her like he knew everything about her, and even that was an unwelcome surprise. Harlow had implied she was a wandering soul like me.

At least if that were true, it made sense that we wouldn’t have a traditional relationship where she would call me hers and I had the privilege of calling her mine.

“Scott? Earth to Scott. Hellllloooo.”

I shook my head to clear it and rubbed my eyes. Holy hell, I was turning into someone I didn’t even know.

Winnie Winslow, my old coworker and good friend, was waiting with a smile on her face when I finished. Her husband, Wes Lancaster, stood at her side with a casual arm around her waist.

That. That’s what I want, I thought automatically.