Page 9 of Static

Now my heart was back up in my throat.

"Please tell me you didn't give it to him?"

The guilt was all over her face. "I'm so sorry. I guess I shouldn't have... I just thought-"

"It's fine," I sighed. Reaching over, I patted her hand. "Just, in the future, could you please not give out my information?"

"Of course." Tears welled in her eyes, making me feel like a heartless monster. It didn't matter that there was probably a rule in our handbook that said not to give out co-worker's information, I still felt bad for upsetting her. "I'm so sorry, Sweetie."

"It's okay," I said again. "Really." I paused, thinking about what Karen said. "You didn't give him my address did you?" I'd updated it when we moved into the clubhouse. If that cop showed up there, looking for me… I blew out a breath. There would be hell to pay. Especially right now with all the guys on edge over Fremont.

"Oh," she gasped. "No! Of course not. That would be a total breach of privacy."

I tried not to laugh, because so was giving out my phone number, but she wouldn't see it that way. "Okay. Thanks Cheryl." I turned and went into the back. My phone was stuffed into the pocket of my scrubs. Our doctors didn't mind that I kept it on me—as long as it wasn't out when I was with a patient, or in a surgery—so that if anything happened with my kids I could be contacted. It buzzed and I pulled it out to check it.

Unknown: Hope you don't mind. I asked for your number. I'm hoping taking the initiative will impress you. -David

Shaking my head, I let out a huff of a laugh. No one had pursued me this hard in a long time. And it wasn't even like he'd done much other than ask me out and get my number.

Karen stuck her head around the corner. "Ready for the first of the day?"

I shoved my phone back in my pocket and David out of my mind, pasting a bright smile on my face. It wasn't fake. My favorite customer was coming in today. His name was Rufus and he was a boxer. As soon as he burst through the door, a doggy grin on his face and his little nub wagging as fast as it would go, I knew it was going to be a good day.

Flopping into a chair in the downstairs area of the clubhouse, I closed my eyes. It had been a good day. Good, but busy. I was so glad to be home. Dani had texted that she would bring home Sean and Grace. They still went to school out in Picture Rocks, even though we were living here for now. I wasn't going to pull them from that school and disrupt their lives even more.

Dani was due in a week and a half, but she refused to go on maternity leave early. I wouldn't be surprised if her water broke right there in her classroom. She was working like a maniac to have everything organized and set up for her substitute to take over.

"Hi!"

I looked over and smiled as Jordan came over and sat down. Most of us were just coming in from work. "Hi. How was your day?"

"Great," she said. "Dad brought Haze into work today. We have extra mews available that she hung out in so that we could spend time together."

"It must be so hard having her stay with your parents," I commiserated.

"Yeah, I miss her." Haze was her Harris Hawk. Jordan was a falconer, just like everyone else in her family, and she also worked professionally as one, and as a wildlife rehabilitator, specializing in raptors, with her dad at The Wildlife Sanctuary. "But Mom and Dad are taking great care of her and Noah is flying her as much as he can in the meantime."

"Good."

Green eyes narrowed on me. "You look beat."

"It was a long day." I shifted in my seat. "We were backed up because someone broke into the clinic last night. So we had to wait for the cops to clear out before we could get started for the day."

"Seriously?" she asked. "Drugs?"

"See? That's what I thought, too, but nope. They broke into our lockers."

"That's weird," she said, scrunching her nose.

"I know. Probably just some tweaker who got confused," I said with a shrug.

Kit and Susie walked in and came over to sit down with us. Kit detoured over to the bar and grabbed some cold bottles of beer.

I wasn't much of a drinker, and margaritas were my poison of choice when I did, but I wasn't going to turn the beer down after today.

"How's everything?" Kit asked.

The only answer she got was the door bursting open and kids running in. Both Dani and Jenny followed them inside, looking amused as they all bolted for the couches. Gabby turned on the TV and they all quieted down while they watched their afternoon show. This was a ritual for us right now. All us women sat around with an alcoholic beverage—except Dani since she was heavily pregnant, and Sloane and Seek since they were breastfeeding—and visited while the kids watched their program. It was a great way to relax after work.

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