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He waited, cocking his head to one side like an inquisitive puppy.
“Do menyourage ever look at womenmyage…like, you know…”
“You mean sexually?”
“Yes.”
He took a few seconds to consider his answer. “You want me to be honest?”
“Please.”
“No,” he said simply, dropping what was left of the pizza in his hand to his plate.
Joan laughed, wincing with the pain of a sudden, sharp stab to her chest.
“Sorry,” he said, misinterpreting the wince. “I didn’t mean to insult you. It’s not that I don’t find you attractive. You’re a beautiful woman. God knows you’re in great shape,” he rattled on. “But, like I said, I have a girlfriend…”
“Oh, no! Please. I wasn’t trying to come on to you, I swear,” Joan said, feeling beyond mortified. There was another pointed jab to her chest. He was right, she thought. She’d wolfed down her pizza much too fast. “I was just curious, that’s all. And I appreciate your honesty. I really do.” She grimaced with the jolt of yet another sharp pain, a pain that was now spreading to her back and reaching into her jaw.
“Are you okay?” Rick asked, the discomfort in his eyes changing to worry.
Joan reached inside her purse and removed her cellphone, pushing it across the table toward him. “Could you call nine-one-one?” she asked, trying to keep calm. “And then could you call my daughter? Her name’s Paige. She’s in my contacts. Tell her to meet me at Mass General…”
The name of the hospital was the last thing Joan remembered speaking before she lost consciousness.
