Page 37 of Fierce-Dane

Vanessa’s jaw dropped. “The doctor?”

“Ohhhhhh,” Tessa and Elle said at once. It was almost hilarious. These girls did this all the time, but she was more an observer and not a participant in the playful conversations.

It actually felt kind of good to be part of it.

“Yes,” she said. “He’s a pediatrician. His kids gave him a gift card here for his birthday. He was set up with me. I did such a wonderful job on him he booked another appointment.”

“I told you he was sexy,” Vanessa said. “I remember him now. I thought it was sweet his kids did that. So he’s not married, I’m assuming.”

“Divorced,” she said. “And I’m not saying much more about his personal life.”

“Do you have another date scheduled?” Elle asked.

“I do. On Monday night. He’s not picking me up here either.”

“Boooo,” Becca said. “You did that on purpose. I’m working until close too.”

“I did do it that way,” she said, grinning. “It’s only a second date, so there is no reason to get your hopes up.”

“Yes, there is,” Vanessa said. “You never tell us when you’re going on a date and yet told us you have another onecoming up. And you went to eat at a place you knew would get back to us. I think that is saying something.”

“Maybe it is,” she said, standing up with the rest of her lunch. “But I’m not sure exactly what it is. And you’ve got all you’re getting out of me.”

“It’s more than we’ve gotten before,” Tessa said. “We are happy for you though.”

She left the women to talk amongst themselves. She was positive they’d be spreading the news before close tonight.

She hadn’t talked to Dane yesterday. She didn’t expect to do it all the time either.

He picked his kids up after work just like he’d do today too.

But hours later she was home for the night. She’d had some crackers for a snack and was flipping through the channels when her phone went off.

She picked it up to see a text from Dane and was shocked.

She hoped he wasn’t canceling on her now that she told her employees. That would be a bummer.

But she read the message that both kids were in bed and he was finally sitting down to relax. He didn’t even have to meditate in the closet but did it at his desk.

She debated for a few seconds and decided to call. It was better than texting.

“Hello,” he said. “Am I interrupting anything?”

“No,” she said. “Just looking for something to watch on TV before I call it a night.”

“The same,” he said. “Or I will be soon.”

“How is the meditation coming?” she asked.

“Great,” he said. “All I focus on is my massage and breathing in and out.”

She laughed. “I might have been doing the same. I thinkI’ll focus on the light kiss I gave you Wednesday night. I did that last night and it relaxed me.”

“Bummer,” he said.

“Why is that?”

“Kisses aren’t supposed to relax you.”

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