Read Online Changing Lanes (The Lone Stars Book 3) by Katie Graykowski - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Katie Graykowski
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ahead and ask.”
“She’s going out with us.” Charisma poured herself a glass of orange juice from the pitcher on the table. “It’s her birthday.”
Her birthday? Why hadn’t she said something? That sucked. Now he felt left out. Maybe he’d get next year.
“Birthday, why didn’t you tell me?” Devon tried not to sound pitiful.
“I’ve known you for all of forty–eight hours. It didn’t come up.” The look on her face suggested that it had never occurred to her to mention it.
It shouldn’t have hurt, but it did. He should go ahead and tell her that he was DJ, but he still wanted her to remember on her own. It was important, he didn’t fully understand why, but it was. At least, last night she’d talked about DJ as fondly as he’d remembered her.
“Then how about the night after tomorrow?” It was a consolation prize and there were no two ways about it.
“I really need to check my calendar. I feel like I have a function.” She stood. “Let me get my phone.”
Devon would have pulled the chair out for her, but she was already up. Slowly, she walked toward the parking lot.
“I don’t envy her having to walk to her car and back.” Nina blew out a long breath. “If her legs hurt half as badly as mine do, she’d be crying.”
“We need to know your intentions toward Lanes.” January’s keen blue eyes were on him as she peeled her banana.
“If you break her heart, we’ll kill you.” Nina said in a super sweet voice as she picked up a butter knife and hacked off a good–sized pat of butter. The murderous intent was clear.
“I plan on spending as much time with her as she’ll let me.” Devon looked her straight in the eye so that she’d know he was serious without being creepy. He held her gaze and didn’t blink first.
After a minute, Nina nodded. “Good enough for me.”
“I think we should give him the inside scoop on Laney.” Charisma sipped her juice.
“She’s very intense on the outside, but is hilarious once you get to know her.” Charisma yawned. “She’s a fantastic doctor, but rarely talks about her patients.”
“She is very careful to separate home and work.” Nina shrugged. “I guess compartmentalizing is the only way she knows how to cope with her job. Sometimes, it’s hard to watch the way she turns off her emotions.”
“I don’t think she turns them off, I think she bottles them up. I’m sure she gets it from her father.” January rolled her eyes. “He makes robots look warm and fuzzy.”
Charisma pegged him with her dark brown eyes. “We love her and don’t want to see her hurt.”
Everyone needed friends like these. He scratched the back of his neck. He hoped Laney would question his friends about him.
“Lanes like to compartmentalize. Everything in its place … emotionally and physically. She’s not OCD or anything, just particular … now her dad is OCD with a capital O–C–D. Last time I was at his house, I moved around all of knickknacks in his home office.” January laughed to herself. “It took him forever to get them back in their places. Good times.”
His eyes went to Laney who was walking toward them with her phone at her ear.
“That’s her working face. She turns off emotion to deal with her patients. Something must be wrong at the hospital.” Nina nodded. “Coping mechanism.”
“Her father.” January took a bite of her banana. “I’m pretty sure she learned it from him. Dr. Nixon, the elder, is an acquired taste.”
“I’ll just go and make sure everything is okay.” He rose. Laney’s face was blank, gone was the mischievous smile and all trace of her good humor.
She stopped about twenty feet away, turned away from them, and leaned against the tree talking quietly into her phone.
He put a hand on her shoulder and she flinched. She turned around, forced a smile, and held up one finger to give her a moment.
“Let’s draw the labs again. Maybe yesterday’s numbers were just a fluke.” Her face may
“She’s going out with us.” Charisma poured herself a glass of orange juice from the pitcher on the table. “It’s her birthday.”
Her birthday? Why hadn’t she said something? That sucked. Now he felt left out. Maybe he’d get next year.
“Birthday, why didn’t you tell me?” Devon tried not to sound pitiful.
“I’ve known you for all of forty–eight hours. It didn’t come up.” The look on her face suggested that it had never occurred to her to mention it.
It shouldn’t have hurt, but it did. He should go ahead and tell her that he was DJ, but he still wanted her to remember on her own. It was important, he didn’t fully understand why, but it was. At least, last night she’d talked about DJ as fondly as he’d remembered her.
“Then how about the night after tomorrow?” It was a consolation prize and there were no two ways about it.
“I really need to check my calendar. I feel like I have a function.” She stood. “Let me get my phone.”
Devon would have pulled the chair out for her, but she was already up. Slowly, she walked toward the parking lot.
“I don’t envy her having to walk to her car and back.” Nina blew out a long breath. “If her legs hurt half as badly as mine do, she’d be crying.”
“We need to know your intentions toward Lanes.” January’s keen blue eyes were on him as she peeled her banana.
“If you break her heart, we’ll kill you.” Nina said in a super sweet voice as she picked up a butter knife and hacked off a good–sized pat of butter. The murderous intent was clear.
“I plan on spending as much time with her as she’ll let me.” Devon looked her straight in the eye so that she’d know he was serious without being creepy. He held her gaze and didn’t blink first.
After a minute, Nina nodded. “Good enough for me.”
“I think we should give him the inside scoop on Laney.” Charisma sipped her juice.
“She’s very intense on the outside, but is hilarious once you get to know her.” Charisma yawned. “She’s a fantastic doctor, but rarely talks about her patients.”
“She is very careful to separate home and work.” Nina shrugged. “I guess compartmentalizing is the only way she knows how to cope with her job. Sometimes, it’s hard to watch the way she turns off her emotions.”
“I don’t think she turns them off, I think she bottles them up. I’m sure she gets it from her father.” January rolled her eyes. “He makes robots look warm and fuzzy.”
Charisma pegged him with her dark brown eyes. “We love her and don’t want to see her hurt.”
Everyone needed friends like these. He scratched the back of his neck. He hoped Laney would question his friends about him.
“Lanes like to compartmentalize. Everything in its place … emotionally and physically. She’s not OCD or anything, just particular … now her dad is OCD with a capital O–C–D. Last time I was at his house, I moved around all of knickknacks in his home office.” January laughed to herself. “It took him forever to get them back in their places. Good times.”
His eyes went to Laney who was walking toward them with her phone at her ear.
“That’s her working face. She turns off emotion to deal with her patients. Something must be wrong at the hospital.” Nina nodded. “Coping mechanism.”
“Her father.” January took a bite of her banana. “I’m pretty sure she learned it from him. Dr. Nixon, the elder, is an acquired taste.”
“I’ll just go and make sure everything is okay.” He rose. Laney’s face was blank, gone was the mischievous smile and all trace of her good humor.
She stopped about twenty feet away, turned away from them, and leaned against the tree talking quietly into her phone.
He put a hand on her shoulder and she flinched. She turned around, forced a smile, and held up one finger to give her a moment.
“Let’s draw the labs again. Maybe yesterday’s numbers were just a fluke.” Her face may
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