Joey blinks at the monitor, typing in patient information. She’s just gotten her PA certification, so I’m familiar with the burnout she’s probably feeling right about now.
It’s had an effect on her attention span though.
“Joey?”
Finally, she kinda shakes her head and looks back up at me. “Hey, I thought you were going to lunch.”
“Actually, I’m meeting someone here to give them a key to my dad’s hunting cabin.”
“Oh yeah?” she asks, rolling closer to me. “Who wants to stay out at your dad’s dusty old hunting cabin?”
“I cleaned it out. It’s really cute now.”
She snorts. “If you say so.”
“And, uh…you aren’t going for lunch either?”
She gestures at the monitor, shaking her head. “We got double-booked this afternoon. Joan is a little worried and wants to get another scan.”
“Oh, gotcha. It’s just…this visitor? She’s famous, and I told her we’d be alone. She’s kind of notorious for wanting her privacy.”
And I desperately need to see if there are any sparks between us, which I cannot do if you are here.
“Oh, really? Who do you know that’s famous?” As she asks the question, the answer occurs to her, and her eyes brighten. “Is that why you’re wearing your V-neck scrubs, you minx?”
Of course it is. I’m not an idiot.
“Shut up, Jo,” I hiss.
“Wait, wait, wait. You saved her life, and now you’re making her stay in your father’s gross, old hunting cabin? You’re like that crazy lady fromMiserybut with nicer tits.”
“The cabin is not gross, Jo, and stop talking about my tits!” I hiss, adjusting my uncomfortable but super-lifting bra. “Also, I may have done some light renovating on the place. Spruced it up a little.”
Joey narrows her eyes.
“Okay, I may have spruced a lot. I’m telling you, once I took all of the dead deer heads off the wall, refinished the floors, and upgraded the bathroom…it could be another source of income.”
She raises her brows. “Because what you’ve always wanted to do is run a vacation rental property.”
“Shut up.”
“Mm-hmm.”
The bell above the clinic door sounds, and I curse under my breath. “Okay, fine, I went overboard. But I need you to be very cool right about now. She doesn’t want anyone knowing she’s in town until she’s ready, okay?”
Joey pulls a zipping gesture across her lips. “My lips are sealed.”
“Great. Now, can you go into Dr. Zamora’s office and pretend you’re not here for a few minutes?”
Joey purses her lips but gamely grabs her laptop. “I’ll work from there so your precious country music star doesn’t have to interact with the lowly plebians. Let me know when it’s safe for the regular people to come out.”
I roll my eyes and give her a hug. “Thanks, Jo. I didn’t tell anyone this, but she’s having a little bit of a hard time.”
“Yeah?”
I nod. “Her tour manager tells me the dexterity training isn’t going very well, and neither are the vocal lessons.”
“Kinley?” Mason calls out.
