Page 14 of Hat Trick Daddies

I feel my cheeks warm, and I scold myself for letting them get to me. “I think I can manage.”

Nick grins, clearly enjoying my reaction. “You’re blushing. Careful, or Tyler might think you’re interested.”

“Nick,” I warn, shaking my head, though I can’t stop the small smile tugging at my lips. “I already have plans tonight,” I say, tying off the last stitch and cutting the thread.

“Oh yeah?” Tyler asks, his interest clearly piqued.

I nod. “Kenzie invited me to Surf’s Up. She said it’s a fun place.”

Nick laughs softly, flexing his fingers as I wrap his hand. “We go there all the time. Great drinks, decent food, and karaoke. What’s not to love?”

Tyler leans a little closer. “Maybe we’ll see you there, Doc. Just don’t forget to save us a dance.”

I roll my eyes, though my blush betrays me. “You’d better not be drinking too much if you’re going,” I say, pointing at Nick. “I can’t give you pain meds if you’re planning to mix them with alcohol.”

Nick waves me off. “I don’t do pain meds anyway. Jinx has me scared straight about that stuff. She says they mess you up more than they help.”

I glance up. “Jinx?”

“Jinx is the PT,” Tyler explains, grinning.

“She’s the one who fixes us up when we’rereallymessed up,” Nick adds.

I nod, curious. “Why’s she called Jinx?”

The twins exchange a look, their matching grins widening. Tyler finally says, “You’ll get it when you meet her.”

“That’s not cryptically vague at all,” I mutter, shaking my head.

“Trust us,” Nick says, standing as I finish wrapping his hand. “She lives up to the name.”

Tyler moves just a little too close as he adjusts his jacket, his shoulder brushing mine. “See you later, Doc,” he says, his voice low and teasing.

“Maybe,” I reply, giving him a pointed look.

The twins leave, Nick shaking his head as Tyler throws me one last grin.

Shaking off the close encounter, I take a deep breath and step out of my office. The air feels cooler in the hallway, but my cheeks are still warm from their flirting. I fan my face for a moment, then look at the time.

I made it through the day, I think with relief.

Going back into my office, I log out of my computer and pack up my stuff to leave for the day.

Still, as I walk to my car, my mind keeps drifting back to the men I met today. Nick’s easy grin, Tyler’s playful smirks—it’s all distracting, to say the least. The way they joked and bantered with me felt natural, like they were trying to draw me into their world.

I slide into the driver’s seat and pull out of the parking lot, heading toward the bar. But even as I focus on the road, my thoughts keep circling back.

I know better than to let myself get swept up in this. They’re patients, teammates, and nothing more.

Still, the memory of Tyler leaning a little too close and Nick’s teasing about my blush has my mind wandering down paths it shouldn’t.

Which one would be more fun?

I shake my head, trying to dismiss the thought. They are mywork. That’s all they can ever be.

The drive to the bar isn’t long, but there’s a thrill in it.

The city lights of Minneapolis shimmer overhead, the glow of the skyline reflecting off the Mississippi River as I cross the bridge.

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