Page 28 of Lucky Dr & the Rockstar Next Door

“M&M?”

“Morbidity and Mortality.” She sighed. “Basically, we come together and discuss adverse medical outcomes so that we can come up with methods or trials to avoid them in the next patient.”

“Heavy.”

Her cheeks turned a deep shade of pink. “I know. Sorry.”

“Don’t be. It’s just, I don’t know, amazing that you save lives the way you do. I am in awe of you, Kayla.” She also didn’t take compliments well.

“I’m maxed out. Come on, I’ll buy you dinner and a drink or two.”

I stood immediately. “Wow, you like me enough to buy me dinner and ply me with alcohol? Lucky me.” I wrapped one arm around her, and we walked to Ol’ St. Nick’s Pub like a couple. “No woman has ever bought me dinner before.”

She stopped and looked up at me with a soft smile. “Then I’m definitely buying tonight.”

I whispered in her ear, “You might get lucky then.”

She laughed, and it was the most beautiful sound in the world. “Fingers crossed.”

“What’ll it be?” the bartender asked when we leaned against the bar.

“Levi!” She leaned halfway across the bar. “Mac brought me some of those dingle pies, and let me tell you, they were incredible. You should sell them here; they’d be a year-round hit. And I’d have to buy new clothes, but it would be totally worth it.”

He grinned, mostly amused by her words. “Thanks. I’ll think about it.” His gaze flicked from me to Kayla and then back. “You two for real, or are you doing what Torey and Ryan did?”

“We’re together,” I told him, staking my claim.

He nodded. “Can I hang up a picture of you in here?”

“Make Kayla more of those pies, and I’ll not only take a photo and sign it, I’ll do a selfie with you and tag this place as my favorite spot to drink in Holiday Grove.”

Levi laughed and shook his head. “It’s the only place to drink in Holiday Grove.”

“Yeah, but out-of-towners don’t know that.”

He laughed a little louder. “You have a deal, man.”

We shook on it and took our drinks to a booth near the pool tables to have dinner. “This counts as a second date, right?”

“Is there some second date milestone you’re looking forward to?”

I shrugged. “Are there second date milestones I should be looking forward to? I haven’t had a real girlfriend in years, and it was… nothing like this.”

“More glamorous? Better food?” Her tone was light and curious, not a hint of jealousy, which amazed me.

“Shallower. Events and being seen. Social media. Boring.” I rolled my eyes, thinking about that failed experiment. “Turned me off of relationships for good. Or so I thought.” I never even considered that I’d want anything serious with a woman, especially not at the height of my fame with touring and recording constantly, but I wanted it—all of it—and I wanted it with Kayla.

She let out one of those swoony sighs and bit back a smile. “You need to come with a warning label.”

“Danger: may cause panties to moisten uncontrollably?”

She arched one brow, still biting back that smile.

I needed it. “Caution: may cause spontaneous fainting?”

Both brows shot up.

“Warning: multiple orgasms expected in bed?”

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