Page 32 of Dr. Sexypants

“I thought he did?” Justin looked at Adam and continued, “You two are dating, right?”

Lain threw her arm around Adam’s shoulder and answered for him. “Yes, we’re dating. But I meant you. Adam can’t be a hometown hero if he’s not from here. Why doesn’t the hometown hero doctor have a girlfriend?”

The corner of his mouth turned up when he shot back, “Who says I don’t?”

****

Justin

Kristy’s body went stiff, and I instantly regretted teasing Lainey, even as the Beaumont sisters squealed in alcohol-induced delight.

“Is it anyone we know?”

“Maybe someone in this room?”

“Is she sitting at this table?”

I held my hand up to quell their questions. “I’m just kidding. There’s no one special in my life, unless you count being married to Haven Springs ER.”

“And that bitch takes up all your time,” Jade grumbled.

Rob pointed out, “But you and Brian are making it work.”

She leaned over, kissed Brian’s cheek, and giggled. “That’s only because he can’t run off yet.”

Brian shook his head. “Baby, the only place I’m running off to is the altar—with you.”

“And yet…” She pretended to examine her bare left ring finger.

“Be patient. I told you, you’re not going to see the proposal coming.”

I casually placed my hand on the back of the booth, behind Kristy.

“I imagine that will be hard to do in Haven Springs.” I thought about how half the town knew I’d asked Lainey out for dinner.

Brian looked over at me with a smirk. “I’ve learned a few things over the last six years being a cop.”

“Yeah, like where to find the best donuts.”

Lainey erupted in a fit of giggles at her own joke, but then sobered up quickly when he shot back, “Or where to find women kidnapped by their landlords.”

That brought the mood down around the table, so Adam reached over and squeezed his friend’s shoulder. “I hope you learned how to not get shot, too.”

“Yep. Lesson learned—duck behind something next time.”

Adam laughed. “Or shoot faster.”

It wasn’t always that easy.

I understood cops and other first responders often used gallows humor as a way to deal with trauma. Doctors and nurses did, too. Before my incident, I’d been guilty of it myself, but that had changed after the explosion.

I made a show of looking at my watch. “Wow, it’s almost eleven. It gets dark so late this time of year, it’s easy to lose track of time.”

Lainey sat up straighter. “Oh crap, is it really? I gotta get up early to open the bakery.”

Jade looked at Brian. “We should probably get going, too.”

Rob asked me, “Do you still need a ride home?”