Page 70 of Born to Make You Smile

“Because they’re so filling.”

I chuckled. “That was actually funny. I’ve never heard that one before.”

He told a few more dental jokes, one about plaque, another about braces, and finally, a really dirty one aboutfilling all her cavities.

“Admit it, Dr. Brinley. You became a dentist just for the jokes.”

He laughed heartily. “Ahh. You caught me.”

“But seriously. What drew you to dentistry in the first place?” I said, taking a sip of wine.

“Well. The idea of working at a desk, glued to a computer from nine to five, is a bloody nightmare to me. I’d considered medicine at one point, but something about dentistry drew mein. I loved the hands-on aspect, the artistry of it all, working and helping people every day. Of course, the pay doesn’t hurt, either.” He nodded with a smirk. “I also love being so specialized, so knowledgeable in one area of the human body. I find it all so rewarding.”

I smiled. The passion he had for his work warmed me.

“What about you? Why dental assisting?”

Truthfully, I had plans to go to university and get my Bachelor of Arts. But everything changed after Mom died. I needed money right away. So I found a job at the front desk at the community center. There I met Jessica, who was a part-time dental assistant. When she told me about the reasonable length of the program and the job security, especially the pay, I looked into it and applied for classes a week later. I didn’t want to admit all of that to Gavin, especially the needing money part. I could just imagine the look of pity in his eyes.

“A friend of mine was a dental assistant. She recommended it to me.”

“I’m very glad she did.” He smiled warmly.

“Sometimes I think I was born to be a dental assistant. I love it so much.”

“I don’t doubt that. You’re incredible, Grace. My office wouldn’t be what it is today without your help. You helped transform my practice. And I’m so very grateful for you every day.”

Heat crept over my cheeks.

The duet played a song, and my ears perked up. I could have sworn they played an instrumental version of Bee Gees' “More Than a Woman.”

I quickly mentioned this to Gavin.

“Good ear,” he said with a nod. “It is, in fact. Shame we can’t get up and dance.”

I looked around the quiet, fancy restaurant. “Well, we could…”

“I’m not that brave. Are you?”

I shook my head with a chuckle. “No.”

“This song sure brings back memories. I used to sneak into my sister’s bedroom and steal her records. TheSaturday Night Feversoundtrack. Donna Summer, KC & the Sunshine Band. She was the one who got me into disco and funk.”

I smiled. “That’s awesome. Was Judy into disco like you?”

He shook his head. “She didn’t care for it. She was more into the likes of Queen, U2, and Bon Jovi. Great bands, but not my particular cup of tea.”

“Well, to be fair,Denis, no tea is your cup of tea.”

He let out a laugh, his eyes sparkling.

“My mom loved Bon Jovi, too,” I said. “I think they went to the concert together.”

“They did.”

A pang stung my chest as I remembered the close bond between Judy and my mom. Then I thought of what they would think of Gavin and me together. They definitely wouldn’t approve. In fact, they’d probably be upset. Disgusted, even.

I took a large gulp of wine to drown the thought. I couldn’t go down that road right now. They weren’t here. They had no idea how difficult the past years had been for Gavin and me. How much we needed something to ground us. How much we needed each other.

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