“Hey, need a coffee?” Murphy said as I got out of my car in front of the Bean.
“No. Actually, I need you.”
She must have just finished her shift, her apron gone and probably tucked into her tote. Reaching back for her ponytail holder, she pulled her hair free, shaking it all around her face.
“Stalk much?” she asked as she approached, a worry line creasing her forehead.
“Maybe, but not in a bad way.”
She started to bite her bottom lip, and if the worry line had gone away, I’d take it to mean something different.
“I’m just joking,” I told her.
“I know,” she said, leaning against my Jeep, looking pensive.
“You’re gonna ruin your white shorts, and I’m going to have to report you to Hunnie,” I said, trying to joke again. “By the way, you look nice. Too nice for having just worked behind the coffee bar.”
“Come on, Ben. Be nice. Maybe I treated you badly in high school, but it doesn’t warrant this.”
“Hey, I’m kidding again.” I took her hand in mine. “Obviously, I’m not doing a very good job of it.”
She looked down at the ground, refusing to meet my eyes.
“Hey, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing. Everything. I’m just trying to do my best and not doing even a little bit good.”
“I don’t want to take away the way you’re feeling, but you need to tell me more.” My thumb traced a path over hers—my way of asking her to level with me—and it seemed to stop her mood in its tracks.
Her expression relaxing, she sighed. “I’m sorry. My bad mojo got the best of me, but I’m cool now. And look at me, white shorts still white after a shift. I had to put them on because I need to do laundry.”
This reminded me of Pressman and the pink socks in the corner of her room. “Are you still as good at it?”
She playfully shoved my chest. “Why yes, I am, Mister Doctorpants.”
“Remember how upset you were over those socks?”
Murphy smiled at the memory. “Well, first I had to admit to you, of all people, that I’d never done laundry. Second, I had to call my parents and admit I’d forgotten to send out my laundry on time. And third, I had to borrow Chloe Curtain’s socks. Yuck.”
This made me laugh out loud. “So?”
“That’s gross, Ben. Feet have such germs.”
“You could have asked me to show you how to do laundry.”
“I know, because you knew how to do everything. Still do. Look at you, showing up and making me laugh. Operating on people and saving lives. Saving the environment too with your Yeti cup that you never forget. Which makes me think, are you really a doctor or just pretending? You seem to pop up all the time.”
Grinning, I pulled my hospital ID out of my back pocket and handed it to her.
“Benjamin Jones Rooney. I never knew.”
“My mom’s maiden name. She wanted to keep it in the family. She was an only child, and when she took my dad’s name, that was the end of the line.”
Murphy smirked at me as she handed my ID back. “I could call you Jonesy. Who knew?”
“My mom would like that, I’m sure.”
“Ha. But would she like me? I’m not doing too much. I’m nothing like Hunnie or you or Zara. I’m still trying to find my place.”
