Page 116 of Callahan

“Yeah. I ran into him at the hospital last night, and we started talking. He asked if you were seeing anyone and if I’d be okay if he asked you on a date.”

“Who’s Justin Weaver?” I demanded. Because I was going to have to pay this asshole a visit and set him straight.

As quickly as the idea entered my head, my conscience whispered, “You don’t have the right to do that.”

“He’s a doctor at Haven Springs General,” Brian supplied. “He grew up here but moved away to go to school, then served in the Navy as a field doc for the Marines. He moved back a year or so ago after his time was up.”

You’ve got to be shitting me.

The Marines didn’t have their own doctors and relied on the Navy for all its medical care. They even wore the USMC uniform.

“I, uh…” Lainey stammered. “Wow, I’m flattered. I had no idea he was interested. I assumed he came in all the time because he liked pastries after working overnights in the ER.”

“So, it’s okay if I give him your number?”

She glanced over at me like she wanted me to have an opinion on the matter. But I kept my face impassive, which obviously was the wrong tack to take because she looked back at Brian and said, “Sure. Why not?”

And with those three words, I had a feeling my time in Haven Springs was going to be even shorter than I’d originally thought.

Chapter Forty-Two

Lainey

“So, Dr. Weaver is going to ask you on a date?” Kristy asked as she placed the dustpan on the edge of the pile of glass I’d swept and held it in place as I pushed the glass into it with the broom.

“That’s what Brian said, anyway.”

“Are you going to say yes?”

“I mean, he told me in front of Adam, and Adam didn’t seem to care, so I kind of feel like I have to go out with Justin at least once. If for no other reason than to prove to Adam that I don’t care either.”

“But you do care.” She said it more like she was seeking clarification than an actual statement.

“I want him to care.”

“Because… you care.”

I was annoyed that she was going to make me say it out loud, so I meandered through an explanation, trying hard to say I cared without actually having to say the words.

“I mean, the sex was amazing. And he has a really wonderful way with Conor. And, I liked hanging out with him, but he’s made it clear he thinks being with me dishonors Shawn’s memory. He’s not interested in anything more than a secret relationship. Actually, no. He’s not even interested in that.”

Because I might have been willing to continue going along with the secret thing. For a while, anyway.

“Don’t get mad at me because I’m just trying to understand things. But weren’t you the one who told me not more than a week ago that no one could find out.”

“I mean, yeah. But now it seems like the only two choices are to admit we’re dating or end it. He chose ending it.”

I felt the tears prick my eyes.

“I guess I’m not girlfriend material.”

“But now you have a doctor who wants to take you to dinner, so there’s a bright side.”

I plastered a smile to my face and replied with a lot more enthusiasm than I felt. “Yep! Now we’ll see if he really asks.”

“I bet he will.”

I had a feeling he would, too. Although I wouldn’t be broken up about it if he changed his mind.

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