Page 11 of Stone Vows

Chad’s had a thing for basketball ever since he moved back from L.A. last summer. I agree to meet him at the gym after I grab an early dinner. On my way, I once again scan the streets for dogs and any blonde-haired girls on the other end of the leashes. This time I don’t see any.

The problem is, I can’t decide if I’m disappointed or relieved.

Someone runs up behind me and slaps me on the back. “Hey, Kyle,” Griffin Pearce says. “You here to shoot hoops?”

“Yeah, you?”

“Gotta win my money back. Gavin and Mason really took it to me last time. Hey, speaking of winning money, are you ever going to join us for poker on Monday nights?”

“I’d love to, man, but I’m usually working. Maybe in a few years when things calm down.”

“We’ll be here. And we’d love to have you anytime,” he says, opening the door to the gym.

Or should I sayhisgym. The one he owns with Gavin McBride and Mason Lawrence. The three of them are either married or engaged to one of the Mitchell sisters.

“I saw your wife yesterday,” I tell Griffin.

“Skylar told me you took good care of Jorge. Thanks for that.”

We see the other guys emerging from the locker room just as we head in. Ethan is the only one who’s not here. “Three on two?” I ask. “Ethan’s not coming?”

“Well, with you playing, it’s more like two on two and a half,” Chad jokes. “Ethan’s stuck working a case.”

“It won’t be so funny when I’m mopping the court up with your ass, old man,” I say.

“Fuck you,” he says. “I’m one whole year older than you. And a whole lot better looking.”

“According to the guy staring at you in the mirror,” I quip.

Mason comes over to shake my hand. “How you been, Kyle?”

“Can’t complain. Hey, thanks for the box seats. Great game the other day.”

Mason is the starting quarterback for the Giants. Since meeting him last year, I have a renewed love of sports. Medical school and residency don’t leave much time for sports, but I try to watch whenever I can. And Griffin is a huge Cleveland Indians fan so I’ve grown to like baseball as well.

“Hey, man,” Gavin says. “Nice to see we could pry you away from the hospital.”

“Hi, Gavin. How are Baylor and the kids?”

“Good,” he says. “Baylor just published her twentieth novel. It’s what the girls are out celebrating tonight.”

“Shit, really? Twenty novels? That’s great. Will your production company be making this one into a movie, too?”

He laughs. “Who knows. We’ve done three already. Life’s good, that’s for sure.”

“Are we going to stand here and kumbaya all fucking day, or play some basketball?” Chad asks.

Just as I turn to go into the locker room, my phone rings. I’m not familiar with the number. “Hello?”

“Uh . . . Dr. Stone?” a hesitant voice asks.

“Yeah, speaking.”

“This is Elizabeth Smith. I’m sorry to bother you, and you probably don’t remember—”

“I remember you, Elizabeth. Is everything okay?” My heart starts to beat a little faster. It’s the adrenaline rush.

Her shaky voice replies, “I don’t think so. I’m bleeding again. And it’s worse than before. It won’t stop.”

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