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“You doing okay?”
I glance down at Mackenzie, who is leaning into me conspiratorially, her voice low so that only I can hear it while Priya tells a terrible joke to an ophthalmologist she brought back to the table.
“I’m fine,” I tell her. “I’m having a fairly decent time.”
“Wow,” Mackenzie laughs softly. “Noah Taylor having afairly decent time.Someone alert the media.”
“Cute.” I press my lips together. “I suppose socializing isn’t as horrible as I first pegged it to be.”
She lets out a mock gasp. “Oh my God. Next week I’m going to have to drag you out of a rave or something.”
“I wouldn’t bet on that,” I say, cringing.
She smiles up at me, not the inviting one from earlier that had made my stomach twist, but still a soft and sweet number that says she’s genuinely happy to hear this. “I’m glad you’re having a good time. It’s not good for someone to keep all cooped up to themselves like you do.”
“Is that your professional diagnosis?”
Her face splits into a full-on grin, flashing me her teeth. The stomach knots are back. “It is. No need to seek a second opinion.”
“You guys are grossing me out,” Priya groans from across the table, breaking apart our quiet conversation. “I liked you better when you were grumpy,” she adds, pointing at me in accusation. “At least then I wasn’t so jealous.”
I chuckle under my breath. “Trust me. No need to be jealous. Well.” I peek over at Mackenzie. “Not of Mackenzie, at least. Maybe of me.”
Mackenzie’s lips part at the compliment, but Priya makes anacksound. “Couples.”
But of course, because nothing about this situation has been easy—the night simply can’t end on a good note. I notice him approaching out of the corner of my eye, my body immediately tensing as my smile dissipates. I’ve never really fully scented Dennis before; blessedly, I have had the good fortune of missing out on it while being dosed on suppressants, but catching a whiff of it now makesmynose wrinkle, assaulted by the smell of what feels like cheap cologne.
“Noah!” His voice is loud, carrying over the chatter of the people around us, and everyone at the table turns to look at him as he approaches. “I can’t believe you actually came. I didn’t think this was your kind of thing.”
“Yeah, well.” I keep my expression passive. “Now that our secret is out, it didn’t feel right to let my mate go alone.”
“Of course,” Dennis says with a smile that feels disingenuous. “Mackenzie. Good to see you again.” He eyes her up and down. “You look fantastic.”
My fists clench under the table as he eyes her, and it is only a moment before I feel the gentle slide of Mackenzie’s hand over mine, calming me. “Thanks,” she says blandly.
“It really is so nice to see you guys out together,” he gushes. “I know everyone was worried when the rumor started flying about Noah. It’s lucky that he had you up his sleeve, isn’t it?”
I can’t say why I am on the verge of vibrating with anger—something about Dennis has always gotten under my skin—but without the safety net of my suppressants, I can feel the urge to deck him a lot more strongly than I have in the past. Thankfully, Mackenzie’s hand gives mine a squeeze, and something about her touch keeps me from tipping over the edge.
“We’re both really lucky,” she says, keeping her eyes locked with his. “It seemed silly to worry about what people might think of me when my mate’s job was on the line.”
“Right,” Dennis says, still smiling with that same slimy smile. “So fortunate. We would have hated to lose our best cardiologist.”
The table is silent then, the rest of our party looking uncomfortable as I quietly seethe, and it isn’t until Mackenzie clears her throat that any of us move.
“Yeah, well.” Mackenzie never lets go of my hand. “We should probably get going. Right, Noah? You have an early shift tomorrow.”
I briefly wonder how she knows that, but am too distracted withnotwiping that smile off Dennis’s face to dwell on it.
“Right,” I agree tightly. “Early shift.”
“Oh, of course,” Dennis says. “Don’t want to keep you. I know how important work is to you.” Another gross smile. “You guys have a good night.”
No one speaks until Dennis is out of earshot, and then there is a loud burst of air as Priya blows out a breath. “Wow. That guy is a dick.”
Mackenzie whips her head around. “You caught that?”
“Oh yeah,” she answers. “He doesnotlike Noah.”
