Page 58 of Dr. Fellow

Beau grumbles something under his breath which makes Walker’s lips twitch.

“Maybe Beau and Walker should share a room instead,” she jokes, joining me at the window.

“Seriously though,” she continues, nudging me with her elbow, “is this okay? Your face is kind of making me nervous right now. I can totally ask Walker to take the pullout if you want your own room.”

Her question is so ridiculous that I can’t help but laugh. Sometimes she’s so out of touch with reality, and I love her to death for that. This is the nicest place I’ve ever stayed, and probably will ever stay. Even if I had to share a room with the devil incarnate himself, Parker Winters, I wouldn’t complain.

“It’s perfect, Claire,” I promise, glancing over to the boys who are arguing over pool sticks. “Let’s put these assholes to work. I doubt Caroline can entertain them for much longer.”

The youngest Winters sibling was tasked with distracting Parker and Cassidy at the hotel bar while we got everything ready in the suite. In a city known for its entertainment, I would think keeping the two guests of honor busy would be easy, but I sat next to Caroline on the plane, and she seemed almost depressed. Her headphones were on for the entire flight, and I could tell that the last thing she wanted to do was talk. I’ve resolved to make her a cocktail while we’re getting ready for dinner because if anyone can get her to open up, it’s me.

“Where do you want this one?” the bellman asks, wheeling an oversized suitcase that looks to be part of Claire’s matching ten-piece set through the double doors.

She squeals. “Right there, please. Those are the decorations.”

Considering how much money she spent on the reservation, I have no clue why she didn’t just pay someone to decorate, but I bite my tongue—it’s Claire’s world and we’re just living in it.

***

“Okay, but like would you be DNR or full code?” I ask Caroline as I’m lining her eyelid with lash glue.

We’ve spent the past thirty minutes doing our makeup together in the opulent bathroom, and I have to admit, I think she’s way cooler than I initially pegged her to be. She really is a mix of her siblings—she has the serious, unapproachability of her brother from the outside, but once you talk to her, she’s soft and curious, just like her sister.

“Considering the success rate of resuscitation is less than twenty percent for perfectly healthy people, just let me die. I’ve lived a good life. I don’t want to go out with cracked ribs.”

I laugh, trying to hold my hand steady while the fake eyelash sets. “I totally agree and would like to officially petition you to become an ER doctor so that we can work together one day.”

She blinks a few times, testing my work. “I have no idea what I want to do. Right now it’s just lectures and nonstop studying. I’m honestly glad I could even get away for the weekend.”

Standing from the velvet vanity stool, she walks to the mirror with the poise of a runway model to inspect her finished makeup. I’ve been fully dressed for a while, but Caroline seems to be waffling on what to wear because she’s still in a plush towel. I would offer to let her borrow something, but she’s legitimately six feet tall, and I think all of my dresses would look more like shirts on her.

I try to mind my business and search my travel case for my Dior lip stain, but out of the corner of my eye I see her open her phone. Her high cheekbones seem to sag as she reads a text, her throat swallowing harshly.

I don’t have the best vision because I refuse to wear my glasses, but my eyes catch on several choice words in the ridiculously long message—words that I would never even think to say to someone else.

“Everything okay?” I ask, trying to act casual as my attention snaps back to the mirror.

Don’t be suspicious.

Caroline sighs and locks her phone, plastering a fake smile onto her face. “Just my boyfriend.”

“Oooooo,” I tease excitedly, though I feel my pulse pound because if a man ever called me a whore in a non-sexual way, I would lose my shit. I don’t know who her boyfriend is, but he just became public enemy number one. “Do tell. Please say he’s not a doctor . . . no offense.”

She huffs a fake laugh. “Barely—he’s a radiology resident at UH.”

The old me would commensurate with her and recite the old adage of the four Ps, but that would just be hypocritical given my situationship with Walker. So I just grimace and say, “Want me to key his car?”

Her head cocks like she’s not sure if I’m serious, but her smile grows more genuine. “I can see why Claire likes you.”

“I’m small, but I’m mighty,” I reply, giving her a look that hopefully conveys that I am, indeed, very serious.

She might not be my sister, but she’s important to someone I love, which automatically makes her important to me. I suddenly feel incredibly protective of her, like I want to take her under my wing and give her the best possible weekend so that she forgets about her asshole boyfriend.

“Let’s go,” I add, grabbing her hand in mine. “We’re gonna get you dressed, take a million sexy pictures before dinner for the spank bank, and then accidentally airdrop them to hot guys this weekend. Because what’s the number one rule of Team Daddies?”

Caroline’s midnight-blue eyes swirl with suppressed amusement under the crystal chandelier above her head. “What?”

“Do it for the plot.”

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