Page 25 of Family Bonds- Garrett & Justine

“I don’t think guys think that when they come to the bar for a drink.”

“You’re probably right,” she said. “And since I know you’ve got family ties to this island, you’ve most likely been in here before.”

“Lots of times,” he said. “Kind of a hangout for my family. At least for most of the guys who wanted a drink. The thing is, the bulk of them are all married or in relationships now, so I feel as if I’m on my own. Not that someone wouldn’t meet me if I reached out.”

“Those first cousins of yours have very young kids,” she said.

“They do. They’d be the last ones I’d reach out to. They could be working or worked a long day, so no, I wouldn’t do that to them.”

“You’re in the same profession. I’m sure you had a long day too.”

She’d left work at six and just came straight here. If she went home she would have changed her mind. Garrett was in jeans and a T-shirt so she was guessing he left before her and went home to change.

“Today was a light day,” he said. “I’m sure you know by now treatment days are Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday.”

“And you only had three patients getting treatment,” she said quietly. She’d filled their prescriptions this morning. She was paying attention to those things now to get them done and out of the way quickly.

“Yep,” he said. “Had two come in and their blood work wasn’t that great. I hate those days for them. No one likes to prolong their treatments. They will come back for blood work on Monday, and if it’s good, we will get them in Tuesday or Thursday again. Can’t pack one day more than another.”

“And you’re glad you’re not the one scheduling that,” she said, grinning.

“Very,” he said. “But again, there is nothing worse than someone counting down their days to end treatment and being told it’s not going on schedule.”

“I can’t imagine,” she said. “But you see it daily.”

“I do,” he said. He looked up as Kimber came back.

“Guess you’ve got company. Both ordering?”

“Yes,” he said.

They placed their orders and then they were left alone again.

“It’s not an easy job,” she said. “I think it takes a strong person to do it. I don’t know if I thought a lot about it until I started my job in the hospital.”

“You said you moved here from Indiana,” he said. “Where did you work before? In a retail location?”

“Yes,” she said. “It’s different. Could be fast-paced or on the phone a lot checking with what was sent over. You normally have some time. In the hospital, not so much, as you are getting it out for those there.”

“Yep,” he said. “It’s a dynamic environment, but you seem to handle it well.”

“I’m pretty adaptable,” she said. Which was a joke, all things considered, since she always ran and hid. “In my job.”

He smiled. “That’s a good trait to have.”

“I think so,” she said.

“Can I ask why you moved to Boston?” he asked. “Or is it too personal and we are just going to sit here and eat dinner and can talk about what interesting things there are to do on the island? And I’ve got to admit you’ve got the perfect six months to be here.”

Justine grinned. She knew by letting him sit down that this would come up.

She could say she wanted no part of the conversation about her life and just talk about the island.

Or since she blew the one thing she was going to do moving out of her comfort zone, she could substitute it for another.

Her father would be proud, so she decided to open up.

“I said my father passed not that long ago. It was a week before Christmas.”

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