Mark snickered.
Cleo frowned. “What?”
“I’m kidding, Cleo. Anyone who serves is okay in my book…even if he’s Army.”
“Funny stuff coming from a jarhead,” Cleo teased back.
Zoe thought that maybe she’d imagined Gavin’s earlier tension, because he appeared light-hearted throughout the lunch banter. And he asked enough questions about her, to be sure.
“So what’s Zoe like at work?” he asked Mark.
“Focused. Driven.” Mark gave her another of those weird, penetrating looks. “I’d say she’s a ballbuster with a smile, but that wouldn’t be politically correct. Like calling someone a dick to his face.”
Cleo squirmed in her seat.
Zoe took pity on her. “Good thing you’re more about getting the job done than being PC.”
“True.” Mark grinned at blushing Cleo. “So yes, Gavin. Your girlfriend—sorry,friend—is a ballbuster. But then, with our IT department, someone has to be.”
They all lamented Jim’s inability to manage or make decisions, though Zoe tried to stick up for the poor guy a few times. In the end, she gave in because she knew Mark and Cleo wouldn’t spread tales.
Mark glanced at his watch, one of the few people who still wore one. “Heck. I need to get back. Nice meeting you, Gavin.” He turned to Cleo. “Ms. Brewer.”
“Mr. Macho Swanson.”
He sighed and left.
Cleo made a face at his back, then saw Gavin watching her. “Sorry. That was immature, but that guy gets under my skin.”
“I thought he was okay.” Gavin pushed his plate aside, having all but scraped it clean. Not a bit to waste.
“He’s firm but fair,” Zoe said just to needle Cleo.
“He’s an asshole, but he’s one of the best managers we have. I hate to admit it, but if everyone ran their clinics like he does, we’d have way less problems getting things done.”
“Don’t sound so depressed, Cleo. I’m sure he’ll annoy someone, and you’ll be able to direct HR to breathe down his neck.”
Cleo brightened. “There’s that. Well, I’d better go too. Bye, Gavin. I’ve heard so much about you,” she gushed, “that it’s nice to put a face to the name.”
“Oh?” Gavin looked interested. “What have you heard?”
“She’s got to go. Bye, Cleo.” Zoe nodded to the exit.
Cleo laughed and departed, leaving Gavin and Zoe alone.
“Finally.” He wasted no time in moving across from her. “Ah, now I can see you.”
“Sorry about that. Cleo dropped by unannounced, but Swanson cornered me into lunch.”
“Cleo’s right. He’s a dick. I don’t like him.”
“Really?” Shocker, because Gavin had been nothing but polite to the guy.
“He was eating you up, staring at your eyes and mouth like he wanted to plant one on you while I watched.”
“Mark Swanson,” she said for clarification.
“Mark,” he gushed in a high-pitched voice. “An asshole. And not your type.”
