Read Online 0373659504 (R) by Brenda Harlen - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Brenda Harlen
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she wanted. Which meant that she needed to start dating again—and actually make an effort to meet the man who might want to father her future children.
Maybe she’d even ask Amy to set her up again—as soon as she shook the exhaustion that had recently taken hold of her body and which she suspected was a result of some lingering disappointment.
“Are you up for grabbing a drink?” Amy asked, when the last patient of the day had finally exited the clinic.
“I thought you’d be anxious to get home to Henry,” Avery said, referring to her friend’s fifteen-month-old son.
“He’s spending the night with Ben’s parents.”
“So that you and your hubby can have a romantic evening together?” she guessed.
“That was the original plan,” her friend admitted. “Until his brother snagged a couple of tickets to a Canes game and asked Ben to go with him.”
“In that case, a drink sounds good.”
“And nachos?” Amy prompted hopefully.
She laughed. “Marg & Rita’s?”
“I’ll meet you there.”
Avery left her white coat on the hook behind the door in her office, untied the fastener around her ponytail, brushed out her hair and added some lip gloss. A quick glance in the bathroom mirror confirmed that she looked better—but she still felt like crap.
She arrived at the restaurant first and didn’t wait for her friend. It was Friday night, which meant that if there was a table available, it wouldn’t be for long. Shortly after she was seated, the waiter brought two menus. Knowing her friend’s preferences, she ordered a Top Shelf margarita for Amy and a virgin classic for herself along with a platter of deluxe nachos.
“Sorry I’m late,” Amy said, sliding into the empty seat across the table. “Ben called as I was on my way out to remind me to watch the game so I can see him on TV.”
“Maybe we should have gone to the Bar Down,” Avery said. “No doubt the game will be on one of the screens there.”
Her friend shook her head, then smiled at the waiter who set her frosty drink in front of her. “I have less than zero interest in hockey and I’ll see Ben when he gets home.” Then she picked up her drink and tapped the rim of her glass against Avery’s. “I didn’t think this week was ever going to end.”
“It’s not over for me yet,” she said. “I’ve got morning rounds at the hospital tomorrow.”
Her friend made a face. “I’m planning to sleep in late and then have leisurely morning sex with the man of my dreams.”
“I’d be happy enough just to sleep in,” Avery told her. “I’ve been exhausted and nauseated for the past several days.”
“Maybe tequila isn’t the best medicine for that,” her friend said worriedly.
“I didn’t think so, either,” she agreed. “That’s why mine is a virgin.”
The waiter delivered their heaping platter of nachos and they both dug in.
“Exhausted and nauseated you said?” Amy queried a short while later.
“Trying not to think about that right now,” Avery told her.
“Well, I was just thinking that’s how I felt when I was pregnant with Henry.”
“I’m not pregnant,” Avery said quickly.
“I wasn’t suggesting that you were,” Amy agreed. “Unless you somehow managed to orchestrate an immaculate conception.”
When she didn’t respond to her friend’s teasing comment, Amy’s gaze narrowed. “Or is there something you’re not telling me?”
“There are a lot of things I don’t tell you,” she said.
“Such as?” Amy prompted, brushing a jalapeño off her nacho chip.
Avery glanced around to ensure there was no one they knew within hearing range, but still dropped her voice to a near whisper before confiding, “Such as the fact that I had sex with Justin Garrett.”
Amy choked on her margarita.
“When did this happen?” she asked, when she finally managed to stop coughing.
“New Year’s Eve—actually, in the early hours of the morning on New Year’s Day.”
“Oh. My.
Maybe she’d even ask Amy to set her up again—as soon as she shook the exhaustion that had recently taken hold of her body and which she suspected was a result of some lingering disappointment.
“Are you up for grabbing a drink?” Amy asked, when the last patient of the day had finally exited the clinic.
“I thought you’d be anxious to get home to Henry,” Avery said, referring to her friend’s fifteen-month-old son.
“He’s spending the night with Ben’s parents.”
“So that you and your hubby can have a romantic evening together?” she guessed.
“That was the original plan,” her friend admitted. “Until his brother snagged a couple of tickets to a Canes game and asked Ben to go with him.”
“In that case, a drink sounds good.”
“And nachos?” Amy prompted hopefully.
She laughed. “Marg & Rita’s?”
“I’ll meet you there.”
Avery left her white coat on the hook behind the door in her office, untied the fastener around her ponytail, brushed out her hair and added some lip gloss. A quick glance in the bathroom mirror confirmed that she looked better—but she still felt like crap.
She arrived at the restaurant first and didn’t wait for her friend. It was Friday night, which meant that if there was a table available, it wouldn’t be for long. Shortly after she was seated, the waiter brought two menus. Knowing her friend’s preferences, she ordered a Top Shelf margarita for Amy and a virgin classic for herself along with a platter of deluxe nachos.
“Sorry I’m late,” Amy said, sliding into the empty seat across the table. “Ben called as I was on my way out to remind me to watch the game so I can see him on TV.”
“Maybe we should have gone to the Bar Down,” Avery said. “No doubt the game will be on one of the screens there.”
Her friend shook her head, then smiled at the waiter who set her frosty drink in front of her. “I have less than zero interest in hockey and I’ll see Ben when he gets home.” Then she picked up her drink and tapped the rim of her glass against Avery’s. “I didn’t think this week was ever going to end.”
“It’s not over for me yet,” she said. “I’ve got morning rounds at the hospital tomorrow.”
Her friend made a face. “I’m planning to sleep in late and then have leisurely morning sex with the man of my dreams.”
“I’d be happy enough just to sleep in,” Avery told her. “I’ve been exhausted and nauseated for the past several days.”
“Maybe tequila isn’t the best medicine for that,” her friend said worriedly.
“I didn’t think so, either,” she agreed. “That’s why mine is a virgin.”
The waiter delivered their heaping platter of nachos and they both dug in.
“Exhausted and nauseated you said?” Amy queried a short while later.
“Trying not to think about that right now,” Avery told her.
“Well, I was just thinking that’s how I felt when I was pregnant with Henry.”
“I’m not pregnant,” Avery said quickly.
“I wasn’t suggesting that you were,” Amy agreed. “Unless you somehow managed to orchestrate an immaculate conception.”
When she didn’t respond to her friend’s teasing comment, Amy’s gaze narrowed. “Or is there something you’re not telling me?”
“There are a lot of things I don’t tell you,” she said.
“Such as?” Amy prompted, brushing a jalapeño off her nacho chip.
Avery glanced around to ensure there was no one they knew within hearing range, but still dropped her voice to a near whisper before confiding, “Such as the fact that I had sex with Justin Garrett.”
Amy choked on her margarita.
“When did this happen?” she asked, when she finally managed to stop coughing.
“New Year’s Eve—actually, in the early hours of the morning on New Year’s Day.”
“Oh. My.
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