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“Sounds like trouble,” Dave said and I saw him survey the group. “Let me guess. The tall brunette with a model’s body.”
“Yep,” I said, and didn’t glance around to see them. “The very one.”
“God, she’s hot. Why don’t you introduce us? Maybe I can distract her. Take her off your hands. I could use some womanly obsession right now.” He took a swig of his beer. “Bit of a dry spell, woman wise.”
“Believe me, you don’t want this one,” I said and shook my head.
I heard someone come up behind us, and then a hand on my shoulder.
“Which one won’t he want?” Lisa said. When I turned to look at her, she was smiling. “Fancy meeting you here, Drake,” she said with a smile.
“What a coincidence,” I said and smiled back. “This is out of the way for you and the other residents…”
“Oh, I thought the gang could come here for a change of scene. Sunita and I used to come here. You remember Sunita, right Drake?”
I didn’t say anything, too shocked and then angry to respond.
“Introduce me to your friend,” she said and turned to Dave.
“Lisa,” I began. “This is Dave Mills, my director of projects at the foundation I started in honor of my father. Dave, this is Dr. Lisa Monroe. She’s a friend who’s studying at NYU to be a neurosurgeon.”
“Well, hel-lo, Doctor,” Dave said and practically wolf-whistled at Lisa. He held out his hand to shake and then took hers and kissed her knuckles. “Any friend of Drake’s is a friend of mine.”
Lisa smiled at Dave and I swear she giggled when Dave played with her hand. “Look at those fingers,” he said and stroked them. “Surgeons fingers, for sure. Long and tapered. I bet you could play piano.”
“I do,” Lisa said, brightening. “I studied piano for eleven years.” Then she turned to me. “So you’re a friend of Drake’s? Do you share in his special interests?”
“What interests?” Dave said, seeming genuinely curious.
A stab of adrenaline coursed through me at that.
“Oh, you know,” she said quickly, her eyes meeting mine, “racquetball, vodka, women.”
“Yes to all three,” Dave said and smiled.
“Drake and I have so much in common, don’t we, Drake?” Lisa said, her eyebrows raised. “Surgery, music.”
I didn’t say anything, but forced a smile. “We do indeed. And some things are very different.” I took a sip of my beer.
“Vive la Différence, or so they say,” she said with a smile.
“Would you like to join me? I mean, us?” Dave said with a smile. He moved to another stool so Lisa could take the one between us.
She shook her head. “No, I have to get back to my colleagues. But thanks.” Then she turned to me. “Nice to see you, Drake. Why aren’t you at home with your new wife?”
“Oh, Drake needed to burn off some steam,” Dave said, leaning between us so he blocked Lisa’s view of me. “So we played
a couple games of racquetball at his club. I let him beat me in sympathy. Honest!”
“Oh?” she said and laughed at Dave. Then she turned to me. “Steam? How so? Stress of the fellowship getting to you?”
“Not at all,” I said, trying to look calm and collected. “Gotta keep in shape.”
She nodded. “Well, I better get back to the group. Nice to meet you,” she said to Dave.
Dave reached into his pocket and pulled out a card. “Before you go,” he said and handed it to her. “Give me a call if you want to go out for a drink or coffee. I know all the best spots in Manhattan and can take you on a tour if you want.”
She smiled at him when she took the card and tucked it into her bag. Then she turned to me. “I’m sure Dave and I would have a lot to talk about, Drake.” She winked at me. “See you tomorrow.”
