Page 17 of A Really Bad Idea

“It doesn’t mean he’s a player. He just might not be ready for the box,” I tell her.

“He definitely likes the box. Just not that box,” Christian says seriously.

There’s an awkward pause until Angela lets out a sharp belly laugh to where she has to brace herself by holding on to the countertop.

I find myself amused. “For a successful man, you certainly take it to a level of crass that astounds me,” I chide as I bite my lip to keep myself from smiling.

“You love it,” he says with a devilish grin, making his dimples show. He pushes off the counter and turns to Angela to make a suggestion. “Bring him out this weekend. Meadow and I will vet him for you.”

Angela’s laughter subsides as she tilts her head to the side before her eyes and mouth widen with an almost-surprised look. “Yes. Let’s go to dinner at the Boathouse on Saturday night. You guys can meet Denny and tell me what you think.”

“The Boathouse is a great idea,” he says way too enthusiastically. “Meadow and I will meet you there.”

I feign feeling insulted. “It’s the day before my birthday. Maybe I already have plans.”

“Do you?” Angela asks with wide eyes.

“Well, no.” I bite my lip and then turn to Christian. “And what makes you think I don’t have someone I want to bring?”

He crosses his arms and asks, “Is there someone you’d like to bring?”

“No,” I quip.

“Then, neither do I.”

I raise my arms up high and slap them down on the table. “What does me not bringing anyone have anything to do with you bringing someone or not? I’m not a child who needs my hand held. If you want to bring a date, bring a date. Maybe I will bring someone.”

“You will?” they ask practically at the same time.

I blanch. “Well, probably not, but you never know. Stop worrying about me being the single one.”

His lips press together in a slight grimace as he looks down at the floor with a small nod. “I could ask this girl Natasha.”

“Ooh, Natasha sounds sexy. Where did you meet her?” Angela claps her hands.

“She’s a nurse in the cardiac care unit at the hospital.”

“You totally had sex in the supply closet!” I accuse with a laugh and a tone of absolute shock.

He turns seven shades of red. “I’m not having this discussion with you. All I will say is, it wasn’t a closet. I’m more of a gentleman than that.”

Angela is wildly amused but quickly gets a serious face on. “If you bring her to the party, that’s fine. Just make sure she’s not wearing anything too suggestive. I refuse to be upstaged by Sexy Nurse Natasha.”

His smile widens as he looks at Angela. “No one can upstage you.”

With a playful shake, she responds, “Damn right!” She walks to the door, opens it, then looks back at us with a heavy sigh, and states with exaggeration, “Now, please, will you people get back to work? We have a business to run here!”

She walks out the door, and it swings behind her. Christian follows her out.

I place my mug in the sink and clean it before putting it away. When I’m done, I walk out and down the hallway toward the exam rooms.

“Meadow,” Christian calls after me.

I stop and swing around. He’s standing outside an exam room, looking like he’s about to go inside.

I walk over to him, and as I approach, he looks down at me with those kind eyes and asks, “You okay?”

“Yeah, why?”