Martin
Ipeek into Casey’s rehab room, and she waves me inside.
“What can I do for you, Dr Kane?”she asks, sitting on her desk.
“If you’re busy or with a patient, I can come back later,” I say.
“What’s the matter?”she asks.
I sit next to her, and she offers me her coffee.
“No, thanks.I’d better not,” I reply.
She studies me for a moment.“You seem nervous.”
“Nah, just… Actually, yeah.I’m so nervous I could swallow my own stomach.”
“Spit it out, or you’ll choke, and then I won’t know anything more.”
“I have a date.”
“Holy shit!”Casey jumps off the desk.“When?With who?Where?How did it even happen?”
“How did it even happen?I could almost be offended.”
“You know what I mean.”
“You think no one would ask me out?”
“Don’t overthink what I said.I just mean I didn’t expect this, especially after our last talk.”
“Things can change.”
“And pretty quickly, too.”
I shrug.
“Do I know him?Does he work at the hospital, or did you pick him up at one of those clubs you like to hang out at?”
“I don’t go to clubs, and I don’t pick up men!”
“Then who is he?A colleague?”
“I wouldn’t say that.”
“Where did you meet him?”
“Let’s just say I’ve known him for a while.”
“Oh, for God’s sake, Martin, just spit it out!”
I realise we’ve had a conversation like this before, but last time, Casey was the one getting grilled.Now she’s with Nick O’Connor, who’s already proposed, and of course, she said yes.He might be a dickhead with a hot body and a great arse, but he’s a good guy who makes her happy.
Casey is with Nick, Chris is with Ryan, and Riley — Jamie’s sister — is with Ian.The three O’Connor brothers seem to run everyone’s lives, pulling us all closer together.Sometimes it feels impossible to get a break from the family.
“Let’s say he’s family.Not really family, but part of the clan.”
“Oh, fuck.”
