were perfectly arranged, and the fancy silverware and crystal glasses made the place look refined and elegant. The beautiful big bar behind him also gave the place a cozy feel. Josh could imagine Friday and Saturday nights here were insanely busy.
He was about to turn around when he heard his friend ask, “So, ahh…Josh, you single? Dating?”
Turning back to face Mason, he chuckled and asked, “Why? You interested?”
“Sure, smart ass, that’s why I’m asking.”
Josh shook his head. He was pretty sure he knew where this was going, and he wanted to can it before—
“Well, I was just thinking it might be nice if you and Shelly got to know one another. You know, the good-looking blonde that was here the other night. She’s single,” Mason suggested with a devious grin.
Josh shook his head. “No way, man.”
“What’d you mean no way? Did you see her?”
Laughing, Josh pointed out, “I have eyes, don’t I? Of course I saw her. She was pretty damn hard to miss.”
“So, what’s the problem? Are you seeing someone?”
Crossing his arms, Josh narrowed his eyes. “No, I’m not, but I’m not going to start seeing her. I’m not going to do anything with her.”
Mason tilted his head to the side. “Why? What’s wrong with you? She’s exactly what you normally go for.”
“Oh, really? And is Lena what you always went for?”
Mason’s spine straightened, and he shrugged. “What do you mean?”
Josh answered, “People change. That’s all I’m saying. You found a woman who is wonderful, and yeah, she’s not what you used to go out with, but it works.” Josh knew Mason thought he was going to say something about models and beauty queens, but that’s not what he meant. “I’m looking for someone a little quieter than I think Man-Eater Monroe knows how to be,” he muttered, forgetting to drop the name he’d given her in his head.
Suddenly, Mason let out a loud booming laugh. “What’d you just call her?”
Shaking his head, Josh answered quickly, “Nothing.”
“Oh yeah, you did. Did you say ‘Man-Eater Monroe’?”
Rolling his eyes at his friend, he nodded. “Yeah. Don’t tell me you haven’t noticed. The first thing she did when we met was size me up like her next meal.”
That set his friend off again. Mason was laughing so hard that he had tears coming out his eyes.
“Ah, man! Don’t you remember when we were in high school? We would’ve killed for a girl to look at us like that, and now, you’re acting like a horrified virgin.” Mason grinned. “Which I know you’re not.”
“Shut the hell up, Casanova,” Josh threw at him.
Mason’s mouth snapped shut, and he glared at him. “Alright, who told you?” Shaking his head, Mason narrowed his eyes. “Forget it, I know. Rachel’s a dead woman.”
Josh pointed at the folder. “So? What’d you think?”
Placing the folder on the counter, Mason asked, “When can your guys start?”
“How ‘bout Monday?”
“Sounds good to me.”
Josh reached over and shook Mason’s hand. Mason was about to pull back when Josh gripped his hand tight and said in the most menacing voice he could find, “If you tell Monroe I called her that, I’ll kill you, and I don’t even care that it’d make Lena cry.”
Mason grinned unrepentantly as Josh let go of his hand, placing his palm on his chest. “You’re breaking my heart.”
“Do I look like I care?”
“Cold, Daniels, cold.”
Smiling at his old friend, Josh replied with a grin, “You live in Chicago. Suck it up.”
Chapter Three
It was Monday evening when Shelly finally sat down after a grueling twelve-hour shift in the Intensive Care Unit. She looked at the messages on her desk and picked one up.
Memo: 4:25 p.m.
Dr. Lawrence Monroe called.
Please call him back.
You found some time for me, did you, Father? Squeezing me in, probably somewhere between the nurses or maybe an intern? Sorry but not right now.
Folding it up, Shelly stuffed it into her pocket and picked up the second one.
Memo: 11:52 a.m.
Paul Worthington called.
Oh, he did, did he? Shelly thought, sitting back in her leather chair. She hadn’t heard from Paul for almost three months. What on earth would he be calling about now? Who knew? she dismissed as she heard a knock at her door.
Looking over, she saw Dr. Roger McKinney, leaning against the frame with one leg crossed over the other. He had his glasses on, and his hands were stuffed into his lab coat. Shelly gave him a stiff smile, hoping he wasn’t here for round three of what Shelly liked to refer to as Uncomfortable Moments,